| Start creating an archive of success case studies of | | | | (by SIC code) could use these services. Then they |
| your company products and services. You can use | | | | would manually key in the top 50 companies into |
| them for a multitude of uses - press releases, | | | | another database by SIC code. |
| submitted articles, literature, newsletters, | | | | They would use these Case Studies to land |
| presentations, website archives, etc. And when you | | | | presenter roles, many being used verbatim as the |
| need them there is no last minute panic. They are | | | | presentations themselves. These same Case Studies |
| there to select from. | | | | were then used in the company newsletter, which |
| In the early 90's there was a small direct mail | | | | won several industry awards. The concept of these |
| company in Cleveland, Ohio. Their advertising budget | | | | Case Studies became so popular that editors not only |
| was minimal, but they saw three opportunities to | | | | printed the Case Studies in their entirety, many times |
| communicate their services to a wide audience for no | | | | with photos of the actual direct mail pieces, but |
| or low costs: (1) Writing and distributing Press | | | | began asking the company to be a contributing writer |
| Releases, (2) Landing Presenter Roles at seminars, | | | | for their publications. |
| trade shows and conferences, and (3) Writing and | | | | It's time consuming work to prepare for. The |
| distributing Case Studies of successful services. | | | | designing and printing of the letterhead and |
| Within two years from the start of their | | | | envelopes, gathering of the lists, distribution... but the |
| communications plan their advertising budget was | | | | payoff was incredible. There is no was to determine |
| reduced by 75% because the responses from | | | | which of the three vehicles mentioned above played |
| traditional advertising vehicles was minuscule | | | | the largest role, but writing and distributing the Case |
| compared to the responses they received from | | | | Studies was a significant factor in their success. This |
| these three avenues of communication. By using all | | | | is a sample of a Case Study in the same format they |
| three in sync they became known as the experts in | | | | created. Follow THIS format and learn from their |
| the industry, and where once they had to pursue the | | | | eventual mistake - don't stop using what works! |
| editors, conference managers and other decision | | | | Creative Postcards - A Case Study |
| makers, they were now being sought out to become | | | | PROBLEM: |
| contributing writers and presenters at shows. They | | | | The (NAME) sub shop in (CITY, STATE) relied almost |
| were being invited to speak at conferences and | | | | entirely on drive by traffic... until their street and the |
| created an award-winning newsletter that simply | | | | intersection closest to them were placed under |
| reiterated their past case studies, presentations and | | | | construction. This forced traffic detours and reduced |
| press releases. This company became the teacher, | | | | business dramatically. They need a cost-effective |
| and like everyone else does, their prospects went to | | | | way to increase store traffic. |
| the only source they knew who could solve their | | | | SOLUTION: |
| direct mail issues - the expert, the teacher! | | | | (NAME OF SERVICE BUREAU) designed a 4"x6" |
| For six years their sales grew an average of 25% a | | | | full-color promotional postcard. |
| year! This despite the fact that postal rates were | | | | Side 1 contained a colorful cartoon map with icon |
| increasing yearly. In the late 90's they were bought | | | | landmarks, shop log and location, and contact |
| by another company. The new owners did not | | | | information. Side 2 contained the mailing address and |
| believe that their sales were a direct result of their | | | | a coupon which needed to be redeemed for |
| current communication plans. The plans were | | | | receivers to take advantage of the coupon. |
| scrapped, press releases were no longer sent, case | | | | RESULTS: |
| studies were no longer written and presenter roles | | | | Within the first 30 days, 6% of receivers had phone |
| were no longer accepted. Two years after replacing | | | | the shop asking for menu faxes; 18% redeemed the |
| their communications plan with traditional advertising | | | | coupons; 8% of coupon redeemers had returned for |
| and a focus on direct sales, they closed their doors. | | | | repeat purchases without a coupon. How did they |
| A dismal end to a promising start. | | | | know about the repeat business? Because unlike |
| Of the three vehicles they used for communication | | | | other forms of coupon distribution, the postcards |
| their services, the Case Studies were the most | | | | contained the names of the receivers because the |
| versatile. Case Studies were written in a simple, | | | | postcard WAS the coupon - and the directions to |
| consistent, Problem/Solution/Results format. They | | | | the shop. They used this information to build a |
| created a Case Study letterhead and envelope to | | | | database of customers for future promotions. |
| distribute their information. Their list included | | | | Customers frequently mentioned the look of the |
| employees, vendors, customers and prospects. Once | | | | map as the reason they did not discard it as "junk" |
| they had written enough Case Studies to draw from, | | | | mail. The (NAME OF MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL |
| they continued to write Case Studies of new | | | | TEAM) was so impressed they agreed to let the sub |
| successful services while they sent one mailing of | | | | shop use their corporate logo as a landmark for |
| their Case Study to their current list and another | | | | future mailings at no cost. |
| series of mailings to a new list. They would determine | | | | Several nearby stores are creating a version of the |
| the records on this new list by reviewing the Case | | | | map with each store being a landmark and the |
| Study they had written to see what other markets | | | | coupon being valid for any of the stores on the map. |