Seven Ways to Turn Your Dry Case Study into a Compelling Read

Case studies can be tedious to write and even more tedious to read. Even the term “Case Study” is off putting. It sounds like exam prep. These days, few people want to spend a long time reading intricate details about a business case. People want quick tips that are easy to read. So how can you make your case study more readable and compelling? Read on and I will tell you!

1. Divide and conquer: If you look at all the information in your case study, you will realize that you can probably divide the information into smaller components with separate key messages. You can create more interesting subject matter simply by avoiding information overload.

2. Create a How-to:  Within your case study there are probably several elements that can be repurposed into a How- to article. Your blog post can be turned into something like: “Five Ways to …” or “Three Things to Watch Out for When…” Yes, for some reason people like reading numbered lists, so seize the opportunity to create a blog post around one.

3. Describe a process: If one of the purposes of your case study is to let people know the full extent of the services you provide your customers, then take the opportunity to describe a process you use. This can be another form of a How-to, or it can simply be positioned as a form of advice such as, “What Every Business Owner Needs to Know...”

4. Pay attention to your format: You will notice a lot of my blog postings look very similar. I like to build a tip sheet with bold points for easy reading. I want people to learn as much as possible without necessarily having to read every minute detail of my post. That is because I know that most people will only skim an article. The format I like to use is very “skim friendly”.

5. Keep it short: Bearing in mind that most people won’t take the time to read anything long and wordy, keep your postings short and pointed.

6. Educate your reader: Content marketing is all about educating people. Avoid talking about yourself and try engaging people’s minds. Teaching people useful things gives you the opportunity to get people thinking about what you’ve said and the value you provide. Don’t be like the guy at a party who talks incessantly about himself. People will not respect your work.

7. Include a blurb about yourself: Naturally, content marketing needs to be in part about driving business toward you, so make sure there is a small spot at the end that tells people who you are, what you do and where to find you. Notice my blurb below.

Here's one final piece of advice. If what you are writing feels painful to you, it is probably going to be even more painful to your reader. If you can't figure out how to make it feel light, then get a pro to help you, or scrap the idea entirely. 

Renée Cormier is a Public Relations & Communications professional located in Burlington, Ontario. She is passionate about business and the power of content marketing. Her other specialties include strategic planning, branding & positioning, reputation management, media relations, social media, presentations & speeches, copy writing, and media training. Need help with your PR or Marketing? Visit www.reneecormier.com or contactrenee@reneecormier.com .

Eight things people say that make them seem stupid

I’m going to put my English teacher’s hat on, again today. I like helping people create the best impression, so I often feel compelled to show others how to be better speakers and writers. Today’s post is all about those words we hear people say that are either mispronounced, misused or not real words at all.

Snuck: English speaking North Americans use this term all the time as the past tense of sneak, but it is not a real word. It is considered a non-standard form because the past tense of "sneak" is actually "sneaked". Consider: “He sneaked into his sister’s room and stole her iPod.”

Doggy dog: This phrase is a misuse of the phrase, “dog-eat-dog” which refers to highly competitive behaviour (notice the Canadian/ British spelling of behaviour). Unless you are referring to a rap singer, please use the correct, three word form. Consider the common statement: “It is a dog-eat-dog world out there.”

All Timers/ Old Timers: I really hate when I hear this. Alzheimer’s Disease is a disease which causes premature dementia. It was named after Dr. Alois Alzheimer; the German doctor who discovered it. Never get caught sounding uneducated.

Expresso: This word will come with some debate. The original word for the well-known brewed Italian coffee is “espresso”. The letter “x” appeared in the media as a misspelling and stuck, so now it can be interpreted as being an alternate form. Know- it-all types like me, however, will always mentally cringe and correct. You will never go wrong saying it with the “s”, but the “x” may cause someone to question your intelligence.

For all intensive purposes: This is an especially irritating thing I hear people say. The phrase is supposed to be, “for all intents and purposes”. It means exactly what it says. If you use the word, “intensive”, the phrase loses its meaning. What is an intensive purpose supposed to be?

Prostrate vs. Prostate: There is a time to bend over and a time to have your prostate checked. The body part is the prostate and is susceptible to cancer. If you are told to prostrate, then you should at least be bent forward at the waist.  In order to have your prostate checked, you will need to prostrate. Get it?

Cowobberate: If you say it quickly and keep talking, maybe nobody will notice you mispronounced the word, “corroborate” which is a term we use when we want to verify information. The police often look for witnesses to corroborate statements made during an investigation. Unless you are Elmer Fudd, there is no excuse for mispronouncing this word.

Gorilla Marketing: This one really makes be laugh. You have to listen carefully to hear it, but when it is written, it is very clearly incorrect.  I see it written this way once in a while (once on a marketing site), and it is always wrong. The correct term is “Guerilla Marketing”. It is called “Guerilla Marketing” because it refers to a marketing tactic. Gorillas are animals and unless you are marketing in a gorilla costume, you need to use the word, “guerilla”.

Have you been making any of these mistakes? Time to start practicing correct speech. Being able to speak eloquently and deliver a succinct message will always give people a favourable impression of you and your business.

Renée Cormier is a Public Relations and Communications Professional, published author, and sales and marketing strategist. Need help with your marketing communications or public reputation? Visit www.reneecormier.com to contact.