Case studies have always been a big needle mover for businesses.
The leaders in the online business world know this. That’s why no matter what funnel or strategy they use, they all rely heavily on case studies.
I’m talking about people like Jeff Walker, Dean Jackson, James Schramko, Todd Herman, Ryan Levesque, Ramit Sethi, Russ Ruffino, Tony Robbins and more.
They spend hours and sometimes tens of thousands of dollars sharing customer success stories.
But case studies are shifting from “nice to have” to critical. Because of 3 massive shifts in the online marketing world…
Shift#1: Your competition is multiplying every day
As you may have noticed, there’s more competition than ever.
Studies show there are over 12,999 new businesses every week. (source)
On top of that, we’re exposed to thousands of ads every day.
It’s harder and harder to stand out.
Those new competitors may have great copy, hooks, and strategy.
But what they don’t often have is success stories. Because let’s face it — most businesses are just trying to make money. They don’t have great results like you do because they don’t care enough about their customers.
And the newer businesses haven’t had time to get great success stories — yet.
That gives you a huge advantage. But only if you act quick.
You can share those customer success stories. And prove to the prospect you’re perfect for someone like them.
Let everyone else shout louder, more outrageous promises from their soapbox.
While you walk up directly to the customer and say: “Hey, want to see a cool story of someone just like you who got the same result you want?”
Then you show them the case study. Be it the busy mom who started a from-home jewelry business, the corporate exec who lost 120lbs, or whatever it is.
If you use the Hero’s Journey Case Studies I teach, you’ll be able to stay ahead of the curve. While everyone else drowns in a sea of unproven claims.
Shift #2: The world is moving towards extreme personalization.
Nobody buys albums anymore. They buy or download individual songs.
People are moving away from the massive cable packages. And instead, get smaller, more curated bundles that combine Netflix/Hulu/Sling/Whatever else they want. So they aren’t saddled paying for 700 channels they don’t care about.
A hundred years ago, there was ONE type of car you could buy. Now, you can filter through thousands to find the perfect one for you.
Products are becoming more personalized. And so is marketing.
Businesses spend $1 billion on Facebook ads every quarter. Because not only is it popular, but it allows you to be super targeted in who you go after.
We are moving away from big broadcasts and closer to one-on-one conversations.
That means you’ve got to be super specific when you talk about the pains, fears, desires, and objections of your prospects.
Because if you’re not, someone else will be.
And if that person has proof to back their specific claims up, your prospect will choose them over you.
Now, you can either be afraid of your competition doing this…
Or you can be the one your competition fears because YOU are the one giving prospects the personalization they crave.
More on that in a second…
Shift #3: Online reviews are a critical part of the buying decision
Studies have shown that 60% of buyers look for reviews before buying. And 84% of people trust online reviews as much as their friends! (source)
Whether it’s watching a movie, going to a restaurant, or buying a new iron. If one product has a 4-5 star rating and the other has 0 reviews, which do you think they’ll choose?
Now, look at your business. Are there reviews available?
Can a new reader see how someone just like them used your product or service to get the result they want?
What about your competition? Do THEY have stories like that available?
If your competition does, it’s time to catch up.
If they don’t, it’s time for you to surge ahead.
With those stories on your site, you’ll become the one-and-only choice for your prospects. Because you’ve got the proof to back up you can help someone in their specific situation.
If you want marketing that blends extreme personalization with the power of reviews so you can stand out from the competition, it’s time to get some Hero’s Journey Case Studies on your site. (Here’s an example of what one looks like.)
When you’re ready to take that step, shoot me an email at [email protected]. Because that’s what I do darn near all day long 🙂