The Turnip

There’s a cooking scene in a movie called Last Holiday. It’s between Georgia Byrd (played by Queen Latifa) and Sous Chef Didier (played by Gerard DePardieu). Georgia is standing in the commercial kitchen of a sensational, mountain resort with Chef Didier. She is surprised to see him braising common, red turnips he intends to serve to the elitist resort guests. Stay with me. There’s a business point to this story.

Chef Didier looks at Georgia and says, “The poor baby turnip, nobody likes them.” He continues, “Of course, life is easy if you are a truffle or *bleep* mushroom, but the turnip is to be loved because she’s a self-made woman of vegetables. All the others, you can only destroy with cooking, but the turnip, she gets better.”

It was because of this movie scene that I started cooking turnips and incorporating them into more meals. It turns out, turnips are a great addition to certain meals when you know how to cook them. Now, what does a turnip have to do with anything business related?

I feel about well-written case studies the same way Chef Didier felt about turnips. Case studies, like turnips, are often underestimated, underutilized and misunderstood. Case studies can in fact be powerful marketing tools. Before foo-fooing the use of this tool as a reliable promotional resource, hear me out.

First, it’s important to understand what a case study is and isn’t. Too often, case studies are confused with testimonials. Case studies are not testimonials. Testimonials are great for online ratings of your products or services for YELP, for example. However, they are often driven by emotion, lending them to hyperbole and/or fluff without facts. Customers who had a great experience with you may tell stories about how nice your staff was which is wonderful, but subjective.

Case studies are specifically structured to deliver fact-based information and measurable, clearly defined outcomes. The structure consists with identifying a specific problem/issue, the ramifications of that problem, the solution presented to solve the problem, and the results realized thereafter. I’ve provided some examples of Case Studies I’ve written for clients.

• EXAMPLE: ASAHI

• EXAMPLE: LIFEWAVE (2)

• EXAMPLE: HANNA ISUL

By the very nature of its structure and brevity, the case study presents data (not emotional opinions) and a substantive case for the value of a product or service via quantifiable conclusions. To a certain extent, the case study, when written properly, can serve as a truncated white paper of sorts, presenting a rationale for the merits for using a specific service or product. This can especially be an effective marketing option for potential customers with limited time, a sensational tool for sales reps to use after brief presentations, or a savvy follow up mechanism for prospects with short attention spans but high expectations about the performance of a product or service.

Graphic enhancements can be added to a case study to reinforce your brand while also highlighting the distinctive, quality attributes of your offerings. The little case study, like the tiny turnip, can pack a punch – succinctly. So, don’t underestimate the power of a great side dish: the case study.

Questions:

Are you using case studies in your marketing and selling arsenal?

Are you presenting case studies disguised as testimonials?

Do you showcase your case studies on your website and in your social media campaigns?

Click here to get a quote from Jet Parker to produce case studies for your company or view more of Jet Parker’s offerings at www.ceowired.com.