One of the things I enjoy most about my job is researching and writing case studies. Over the years, I’ve had the pleasure of speaking to some of the most amazing people and putting their incredible stories into words. From lifesavers to learners, fundraisers to entrepreneurs, each story has been uniquely beautiful and inspiring.
The timing of this blog post is not coincidental. A couple of weeks ago, I interviewed someone for a business case study and was taken aback by the man I spent an hour on a Teams call with. He was knowledgeable about his company and its operations, for sure, but it was his backstory that really moved me; from child refugee to running a multinational company which provides affordable, quality medicine to international aid agencies. An incredible journey worthy of a film script or at the very least a book, all told to me by a warm and humble man.
I told my husband all about him when I got off the call – and then my daughter when she got home from school. She then told the story to her classmates in a lesson. They both suggested to me (separately) to write about him on my blog. That’s the power of a good story, well told. You want to share it and people want to listen.
My entrepreneur’s story will pretty much write itself, but it’s fair to say that not all case studies are quite as astronomically impactful. Yet teasing an inspirational or motivational story out of a case study isn’t as hard as you think – there’s always a pearl, you just need to dive deep to find it by taking the time to really get to know who and what you are writing about.
While I always prepare for an interview with a couple of questions to cover the basics of the information I need, I’m always happy to let the conversation flow – the more the interviewee feels at ease, the more of the real person I discover. It is here where the hidden gems are found and, more often than not, the big hook for the copy I’m writing.
By getting to know the case study in more depth, I can capture them and their story more accurately, which in turn means there’s usually less changes in the approvals process – this makes for a better experience for the person I’ve interviewed and its added value for my clients too as I work on the clock.
Case studies are a great PR tool for all businesses and organisations. To see how putting real people’s experiences front and centre can get your organisation’s products and services in the spotlight, why not give me a call!