What Are Case Studies and How Do They Fit Into Your Owned Media Strategy?
In an industry with strict restrictions on how and where you can advertise, cannabis brands have to find alternative ways to get the word out on who they serve, what they do and why potential clients should work with them. A case study can be a persuasive tool to showcase the effectiveness of your company’s work by sharing a true story about problem solving and positive outcomes.
Tell a Real-Life Story
A strong and compelling case study allows potential partners and customers to learn about how your company handled a particular issue or desire presented by a customer. It offers a unique perspective about your problem-solving process that will ideally be relatable, educational and build trust while driving lead generation.
Since your case study is essentially a comprehensive success story, it should provide an analysis of a particular project, problem or situation, emphasize the challenge faced, the solution that your company implemented, and the tangible results achieved.
Every case study should answer the question: How did your business solve a pain point? Which in turn helps top-of-funnel customers visualize how you could do the same for them.
Case Studies and Owned Media
In the cannabis space, there’s a lot of room to learn about products and services. Case studies serve as a way for customers to find out about your company through your owned media. Owned media encompasses platforms and channels that a company has control over. Think website, blog, social media profiles, email newsletters and the like.
Case studies fit naturally into owned media strategies by serving multiple purposes.
They allow businesses to showcase their industry knowledge, problem-solving skills and successful track record while positioning them as experts in their field. These real-life narratives and success stories captivate audiences and keep them engaged and interested in your company’s offerings. They help to build trust with potential customers and confirm that your methods are effective.
Case studies are also a key differentiator; they set your business apart from competitors by highlighting what makes your approach (or products) special.
Case Studies Checklist
Impactful case studies require careful planning and collaboration. Here’s a handy checklist that lays out the process we use at Grasslands:
- Identify Success Stories: Start by identifying projects, clients or partners with compelling success stories. Look for those with concrete and measurable results, unique challenges, and a strong and captivating narrative.
- Ensure Relevance: Be certain that the selected case study aligns with your business objectives and resonates with your target audience. It should address pain points your potential customers can relate to.
- Secure Consent: This is very important. You will need to get permission from clients or partners to feature their success story in a case study. Clearly communicate the benefits—increased visibility and positive branding—that they will enjoy.
- Collect Data: Gather all relevant data, testimonials, metrics and insights necessary for crafting a compelling case study. The data will serve as the foundation for your narrative.
Leverage Your Case Study
Grasslands can help to build case studies and present them in an attractive, shareable format. Once the case study is complete, it’s time to put the valuable asset to use and generate leads.
Online Channels
Publish case studies on your website as part of your owned content cannabis marketing strategy. Create a dedicated section for the success stories where they are easily accessible. With a dedicated section, you can then promote case studies on your social media platforms to increase their reach. Attract organic traffic and potential leads by optimizing case study titles and descriptions for search engines with keywords and long-tail keyword phrases.
Marketing Campaigns
Incorporate case studies into your email marketing campaigns and to your regular subscribers. Consider using gated content, which requires users to provide their contact information to access the full study and garner more leads for your sales funnel.
The case studies can travel further with your team. In presentations at trade shows and in webinars, your representatives can highlight case studies to engage your audience and demonstrate your brand’s expertise.
Well-written and properly presented case studies play a pivotal role in owned media strategy by showcasing expertise, engaging the audience and differentiating your business from competitors. Be sure to strategize topics that align with your goals, gain buy-in from partners and clients, and leverage them for lead generation. The best case studies will captivate your audience, instill trust and ultimately drive potential customers down the path to conversion while fostering business growth.
To learn more about Grasslands’ PR and marketing services, contact us anytime.