Fintech is buzzing. There’s a glut of VC funding flowing via the business. A brand new contender arrives day-after-day to vow heaven and earth (or cryptocurrency). However as buzzwords and jargon fly across the sector, content material advertising and marketing leaders could also be underusing one of the vital advertising and marketing package instruments—the case research.
The case for fintech case research
Case research are criminally neglected in fintech, an business the place merchandise are so complicated that prospects and potential patrons wrestle to grasp what precisely they do.
Whereas many fintech corporations ignore case research altogether, others produce stories that add little worth for gross sales representatives, potential patrons, or prospects. Because the proprietor of Real, I write solely for B2B fintech corporations. And I’m usually stunned to see some business case research peppered with extra product options than buyer tales. With that in thoughts, listed here are three widespread case research obstacles I’ve seen:
1. The shopper interview
As a marketer, have you ever ever learn a case research figuring out the client had a greater expertise than the completed piece articulates? It’s not a pleasant feeling. Nonetheless, the issue usually lies within the interview—the launchpad from which all nice case research come up.
I get it. It’s tempting to deal with case research like conversations or enterprise improvement workout routines. I’ve heard case research interviews the place salespeople interrupt the client to place their very own spin on occasions and the place interviewers ask questions which are so secure they end in uninteresting responses.
Attempt to keep away from this. Helpful interviews for case research are extra like a journalistic Q&A. Meaning getting comfy with:
- Interjecting when individuals go off-topic
- Asking probing follow-ups and fact-checking the place element is scant
- Utilizing open questions with why, the place, what, when, how come, how a lot
Busy executives will thanks for this. They, too, desire a tightly managed name, to allow them to return to doing their core work as quickly as attainable.
2. The shopper quotes
Senior decision-makers have been across the block. Spin and superlatives won’t hoodwink them into selecting one answer over one other. As an alternative, they need to hear what individuals precisely like them need to say concerning the product.
Too usually, I’ve seen fintechs drop highly effective buyer quotes as a result of they paint an imperfect image of a buyer’s expertise with their product. That’s a missed alternative. Criticism paired with reward is extra plausible than quotes that recommend a flawless expertise. Learn the evaluations of finance and accounting SaaS merchandise on G2 to see what I imply.
So embody the criticism. No product is ideal. And expertise merchandise, particularly, are identified for widespread issues, like overpromises by gross sales, sophisticated implementations, or cumbersome software program and app integrations.
Generalities and filler quotes received’t lower it both. However detailed quotes will element how a fintech product benefited the client via the metrics they care about most.
3. The story arc (or lack thereof)
Lastly, some fintech scale-ups overlook that case research shine brightest after they present a relatable narrative about actual individuals fixing actual issues.
Just a few years in the past, a fintech requested me to assist them craft their first-ever case research about their favourite buyer: an enormous financial institution. And right here’s the factor. They didn’t need to title the financial institution. In actual fact, they didn’t even need to interview the client or embody quotes.
That’s an excessive instance. But it surely’s additionally a reminder that focusing solely on the problem-solution-outcome format is, properly, a little bit boring. However tales with a protagonist, a problem, and a catharsis? That’s the place the gold is. So don’t overlook to inform a narrative together with your subsequent case research and preserve these factors in thoughts:
- Say how the client tried and failed to unravel the issue earlier than utilizing your product.
- Use story constructions that play up the obstacles, the battle, and the decision.
- Add context with years, areas, and the working setting.
Sturdy tales not solely assist fintech salespeople present prospects how their business friends achieved outcomes, however in addition they make present prospects look good. They offer an added increase to buyer retention and satisfaction.
So don’t sleep on utilizing case research to have fun prospects for a heroic effort and selecting your product to make a change.
