As a B2B marketing measure, many companies are working on introduction of case studies. Case study introductions are an effective means of promoting understanding of B2B products and services for which word-of-mouth is difficult to generate, since they provide content that conveys the voices of customers who have actually used the product or service, including the process from the product purchase consideration stage to their decision-making stage.
Especially for Japanese companies that place a high value on their past performance, this introduction of case studies is often extremely effective, and is such an effective measure that we can say with certainty that foreign companies considering entering the Japanese market should definitely try it.
In this article, we will explain the purpose and effects of publishing case studies and why it is important to introduce case studies in B2B marketing in Japan.
We provide marketing support for foreign companies looking to enter the Japanese market, including everything from the development of marketing strategies to the actual implementation of measures. Please contact us if you are a company interested in the Japanese market or if you have any questions about marketing.
What does “Case Study” mean?
Case studies are articles that explain your service from a third party’s point of view, such as “issues and problems they have had before introducing your product/service”, “deciding factors for introducing your product/service” and “improvements and solutions achieved through introduction of your product/service” by existing customers who have already introduced your product. In many cases, this is the most read content along with description of the product itself in B2B marketing.
In addition to gaining recognition and understanding of your products, it also has the effect of promoting customers’ internal consideration of your products, and is one of the marketing methods that can be expected to be highly effective in B2B businesses, where the customers’ decision-making process are very complex.
Why is it important to introduce case studies in Japanese B2B marketing?
It can help lead customers understand your product – Product Understanding
In B2B products, where the product itself is complex and specialized, you need to make sure that your lead customers correctly understand how the product is to be utilized and what problems or issues it will solve.
By presenting case studies, lead customers can see how your product solves their problems and what results can be achieved by actually implementing it, thus it provides a good opportunity for them to deepen their understanding of your product.
Japanese companies place importance on past performance – Gaining recognition and trust
Japanese companies, which are generally considered conservative, tend to be very concerned about who else is using your product. By introducing case studies, you can appeal the fact that your product has been adopted by other companies, and thus you can gain recognition and trust from your lead customers.
In many cases, case studies are used by lead customers for their own internal studies as a reference material, and the introduction of case studies has the effect of promoting their internal studies as well.
How to make a case study
Find existing clients who are willing to cooperate with you
The first step is to find existing customers who are willing to help you be introduced as a case study. This existing customer should preferably have a persona similar to your current target customer group, but there is no need to drop them from your list just because their persona does not match your current target.
Some companies may be hesitant to disclose their company name, but there is no need to be insistent on disclosing the company name, since it is effective enough just to create content as a case study of a problem solved without disclosing specific customer information. What is important is to clearly describe the issue and the resolution process to the lead customer.
Points to keep in mind when making a case study
Lead customers want to know what kind of issues companies have had, and how those issues were resolved after your product was introduced. Make sure that the content is written from a third-party perspective about issues that the potential customer (= the reader) is interested in during the product purchase consideration stage.
How many cases studies should be made?
If you have at least one case study that you can showcase, you should create and publish it. One marketing company reported that when the number of case studies exceeds 12, the CVR (Conversion Rate) through the case study page tend to exceed the CVR through other pages, but this figure should be taken only as a reference, and it is recommended to start with even one case study.
While increasing the number of case studies, it is important to form a UI that allows readers to search for cases similar to their own.
Conclusion
- Introducing case studies is a very effective marketing measure because it gives your lead customers a better understanding of your product and an opportunity to gain their recognition and trust
- Japanese companies tend to place a high value on past performance, and in many cases, case study introductions have a positive impact also on customers’ internal considerations.
- It is important to keep in mind that the content should clearly describe what customers are most interested in, i.e., what issues will be solved by your product and how the solution process will work.
We will localize your case studies for Japanese companies in a way that will be most effective. If you are considering marketing to Japanese companies using your case studies, or if you are considering entering the Japanese market but are not sure how to go about it, please do not hesitate to contact us.