In Praise of Editors

by
Marketing Musings

I’ve heard stories about famous writers who refused to have their work edited. Anne Rice, who wrote Interview with the Vampire, is known for a rant on Amazon.com (the original post has been removed, but is preserved on the Internet), in which she writes:

“And no, I have no intention of allowing any editor ever to distort, cut, or otherwise mutilate sentences that I have edited and re-edited, and organized and polished myself. I fought a great battle to achieve a status where I did not have to put up with editors making demands on me, and I will never relinquish that status.”

Continue reading →

Writing Case Studies: The Hard Part

by
Content Development, Customer Evidence, Marketing Musings

Writing a case study is kind of like being Santiago, the aging fisherman in Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea. It takes days to catch an 18-foot marlin, and then once you manage it, the sharks eat it. (That is, your case study goes through a rigorous editing and review process). But you get some sleep and live to write another case study.

Continue reading →

Part Time Customer Reference Consultant…

by
Careers

Projectline Services is looking for an enthusiastic marketing professional to manage customer reference programs such as case study development, press relations, analyst engagement, video production, and more. The ideal candidate will be passionate about technology, and thrive in an entrepreneurial and energetic environment. This is a part-time opportunity with potential of going full time. We’re looking for people who take their work very seriously – but not themselves! [read more]

Twitter Comcast “Case Study”

by
Marketing Musings

One of my colleagues, Greg, told me about this story. It’s an old story about turning around a disgruntled customer using new media–Twitter! (Note: Twitter is a micro-blogging tool that allows users to send short blog posts of 140 characters or less to other users that follow their micro-blog.)

One Twitter user who just happened to run his own marketing blog (C.C. Chapman, Managing the Gray) was “Tweeting” about the quality of his HD picture on Comcast during a Boston Celtics game. Shortly after his micro-rant, a Comcast service professional sent him a message on Twitter asking him how he could help fix his HD reception.

Continue reading →

“Produce 20 case studies by end of H2″

by
Customer Evidence, Marketing Musings

 So I have been thinking today (not the first time) about my least favorite approach to customer evidence, (case studies, success stories, customer testimonials, whatever you want to call them). I think it is a problem that permeates the execution of so many sales and marketing activities: goal-agnostic metrics.

What do I mean? I mean when some poor marketing manager has been given the task of “creating XX number of success stories by XX date” as the goal of a customer evidence program. This is a fine target number, but not the goal of the program. The goals of an evidence program should be more like: to create stories that are instantly readable and genuinely connect with the audience, to create testimonials that are true and informative with a reasonable call to action, to produce stories that resonate and can be passed on to your customers’ industry peers, and most importantly to create materials that actually get in the hands of buyers and influencethem at all stages of the sales and marketing life cycle.

So my quick advice, if you are ever asked to “create XX number of success stories by XX date” is to consider these 4 questions:

  • How will these materials get into the hands of potential customers, specifically? Events? Online? Sales calls? Proposals? Direct mail? Press releases? and how can I make sure that it actually happens?
  • What formats will be most useful in these channels?
  • What quantity of success stories is needed to be successful in these channels based on coverage across industry, geography, and segment?
  • If I were someone in my audience, what would I really bother to read that would make a difference in my buying decisions? (See little chat on empathy in marketing or more ideas.

Once these questions are answered, then set the best target possible for your budget, and include a few more details such as what formats will be used in what channels (online, direct mail, advertising, sales calls, events, etc). That is sure to generate more success for your company in the long run, and you’ll still likely hit hit your targets. And if any one ever asks you, “why 20?,” you’ll have an answer.