One of my favorite books of the last year is the Heath brothers’ Made to Stick. It discusses in depth the various attributes that make ideas and messages stick in our minds. I’m working on a case study for a software client. The majority of the information gathering/interviewing process is done. I’ve written many case studies, and I have the format down (situation/problem, solution, benefits).

‘Sticky’ as the brothers define it, is understandable, memorable, and effective in changing thought or behavior. Exactly what a case study should be, so I think I’ll use the six Made to Stick principles to turbocharge this case study’s effectiveness.

The first is Simple. What they mean by this is to find the core, or the single most important thing. For this case study, it’s self-determination. Not a simple concept, but it expresses the ’situation’, the ’solution’ and the ‘benefit’. My client’s software saves their customers from being reliant on a third party processor. When clients use the software, they are in control of their own processes, they manage their customer interactions, and they gain a revenue stream. ‘Self-determination’ becomes the theme for the case study (and part of the title).

The second is Unexpected. From my research, I know that prospects have a preconceived idea that this software solution isn’t right for them. The third party processor has been proactive in sowing uncertainty and doubt by telling them they aren’t big enough (they need a minimum number of branch offices) to benefit from taking this process in-house. The experience of the case study client proves that the reality is unexpectedly different from what they’ve been told.

The third is Concrete. Not “you’ll gain a revenue stream”, but “$30,000 per branch per month for at-us, on-us transactions.” That’s an industry term that conveys, to industry insiders, exactly what can be expected in additional revenue.

The fourth is Credible. This is the backbone of case studies. Interviews with the clients who bought and are using the product or service naturally lend credibility. Customer quotes should underpin each of the main points.

The fifth is Emotional. I know what I’d like to use here, but it’s probably inappropriate. The Executive Vice President who was the champion for this software installation has since been promoted to Chief Operating Officer. The promotion was due, at least in part, to the decision to install this software (and bring an outsourced process in house). What better way to persuade a prospect? “You’ll be a hero.” I won’t do it in print, though… I’ll let the salespeople communicate that point in person.

The sixth is my favorite, Stories. Stories inspire people to action. A case study is by nature a story. Just like in every movie you’ve ever seen, there’s a hero (make sure to make her sympathetic - similar to the reader); there are obstacles to overcome (gaining the right of self-determination isn’t easy); there’s a climax (the software’s installed, and it does everything we hoped it would!); there’s the wrap-up (summarize the benefits and tie them back to the goal); and there’s the look-ahead (new features and functions in development are going to make life even better).

This case study is going to write itself.

Tags: B2B, content marketing, Copywriting, sales tools