Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
Here are some of the frequently asked questions. If your burning question is not answered here please don’t hesitate to send your question to us in the General Enquiry Form at the foot of this page.
What is a Customer Success Story?
Success Stories in business are more commonly referred to as Case Studies, yet we prefer the term Success Stories as that is what they really are. They amplify a positive and happy customer experience. Customer Success Stories tell the story of how your product or service has solved a specific customer problem. A prospective customer can see their situation in the story and how by using your product or service they can solve the problem and move forward in their business. Stories that are carefully crafted can arouse emotions, create memories, bring alive, are action-orientated, are real, relatable, create impact, build credibility and educate. They build peace of mind for would-be buyers and are different from other types of marketing.
How can I use Customer Success Stories in my business?
Customer Success Stories or Case Studies can be repurposed and used in multiple ways as you can see from the following list-
- Newsletters (Digital and hard copy)
- Websites
- Blogs
- Webinars
- Brand building
- Sales campaigns (Digital or Direct Mail)
- Lead generation
- Advertising in all forms of media
- Social Media – LinkedIn, Facebook, Etc.
- Internal communications
- Event marketing
- White papers
- Public speaking
- Presentations
- Press releases
- Success stories in sales
- Industry award submissions
- Articles in Trade Journals, Publications, Trade Newsletters
- Videos
- Etc., Etc.
What is the difference between a Customer Success Story and a Testimonial?
A Customer Success Story is a more detailed narrative which looks at the customer’s background and situation, the problem being experienced, the possible solutions, the final solution, why they made that decision, any implementation challenges and the measurable results and benefits of the solution and plans for the future.
While a Testimonial is a subjective opinion at a particular point in time and as such is often seen as lacking in credibility, or as being authentic.
How long does it take to write a Customer Success Story?
There is often a lot of research that goes into the preparation of a Success Story, including client and your subject customer interview. The availability of parties may extend the final production of the first draft of the story. However, once the subject customer interview has been completed the first draft will usually be available with 10 days.
What is the process of writing Customer Success Stories?
The steps in the process include-
- Getting together all the information to support the story
- Developing strategic questions in preparation for the meeting with the client’s customer
- Conducting both client and customer interviews
- Preparation of the story
- Getting approvals, editing and getting all signoffs of the story
We also have an optional value add service assisting with layout and graphic design to improve the communication of your story.
What is the best way to select a customer to be featured in a Customer Success Story?
We suggest you select a customer who you have a good relationship with, is willing to be interviewed and has achieved improvements and outcomes/ results that are clearly measurable. Ideally, we are looking for someone who has a good story to tell.
What is a customer doesn’t want to have their name featured in a Customer Success Story?
That is not a problem and not unusual for this to happen. The story is then written without mentioning the client’s name, but may instead we may refer to them for example as a “major player operating in the finance industry.”
Want to know more? Have questions? Want to have a Customer Success Story written? Please complete our General Enquiry Form and we will get back to you as soon as possible. Usually within the next business day.
