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Case Study: Copywriting

Case studies told a "bigger story"

Client

The Australian-based client is a supplier of practice management systems designed for accountancy firms.

The client was strong in Australia and New Zealand, where many leading accountancy firms were using its systems and the accountancy profession was increasingly recognising them as the systems of first choice.

Objective

The objective was accelerated growth in the UK where the client faced strong established competitors.

Strategy

The strategy was to differentiate the client sharply from the competition. It would also be emphasised that its products were specifically designed for accountancy practices, that it had profound experience of their operations and that it offered an exceptionally high level of service matched to individual needs.

The marketing medium would be two case studies of successful system implementations.

The case studies would be more than narratives of particular implementations. They would draw out themes that potential customers would recognise as relevant to their own businesses. This was in line with MRM's philosophy of approaching marketing issues from the customer's standpoint.

In producing the case studies, MRM would provide the marketing expertise and work with its regular copywriting associate to develop the text.

The project would be highly cost-effective. The case studies would be written in a "timeless" style, enabling the client to capitalise on the investment by using them repeatedly.

Solution

Each case study had a dominant theme, based on the main reason why the customer had chosen the client's product. So the narratives were entirely faithful to reality. But each theme also transmitted a general message, a "bigger story" with resonance across the accountancy profession.

One was that the system gave partners a strategic overview of their practice. The other was that the system could be scaled up as the business expanded. These features were emphasised because they solved problems many potential customers would recognise in their own practices. They were also features on which the client had an edge over the competition.

Though the case studies covered many technical points, they did so in jargon-free language easily understandable by the target readers – accountancy managers who would be unlikely to have specialist IT knowledge. The material was also pitched so that IT specialists would recognise the technical knowledge underlying the simple language.

The copywriter drew on MRM's analysis, the client's briefing material and feedback from the end users to thread together two compelling, customer-focused stories. They were more like magazine articles than marketing copy.

Results

The case studies succeeded in strengthening the sales effort. The explicit customer validation they provided enabled the client to attract and engage a higher volume of prospects.

The Australian management team also benefited from the project. They adopted the positioning and core messages which had been developed for the UK market.

The client has received favourable comments on presenting case studies which articulate the business benefits of its products and services with exceptional clarity and economy of language.

The case studies have found many outlets. They have been used as sales material and editorial, and have been published on the client's website and an industry bulletin board. They have paid for themselves several times over.