5 Reasons Your Client Says No to Case Studies
Getting a client to agree to participate in a case study can be a challenge. You know you need one because your sales team keeps bugging you for one, but you can't seem to get your client to agree. What's going on? Everything went well, the client seems happy, and it would be a great addition to your library of existing marketing collateral.
Below are five reasons your client says no to a case study. If you can tackle these reasons, you might just get that interview.
The client thinks it will take up too much of his time.
There is a good chance that your client is over-estimating how much time he will have to devote to the case study project. If you can convince him that his time commitment will be super low (20-30 minutes for a phone call and another 20 minutes in the next week to review his quotation, think about revisions, and reply with comments or approval), you stand a much better chance of getting him to agree.
The client thinks it will be too much work.
In addition to the time commitment, your client is likely agonizing about how much energy it will take to participate in the project. Again, likely another over-estimation. Maybe he doesn't totally understand the process or maybe he was dragged through a long, drawn-out process in the past and thinks your case study will require just as much energy and work.
The client already has too much on his plate.
It's also likely that your prospect feels swamped already. Maybe he's been traveling overseas to conferences and training seminars or sitting in day-long meetings with upper management on top of all the other tasks he's required to do. Try convincing him that it won't take up much of his time and that you'll make it as painless as possible. If that doesn't help, you may need to find another participant.
The client doesn't foresee any benefits.
A big reason clients do agree to a case study is that they see a benefit to participating. They get a link to their site or they get featured by a well-known company on a popular site. A case study can be a great tool for your client as well, but what's in it for him? Help your client see the benefits and increase your chances of getting him to say yes.
The client wasn't totally satisfied.
If you suspect this is the case, it's a great opportunity to make amends and work with the client until he is satisfied. You want to make sure the client is thrilled about your product or service and the results his company achieved. That will help you create a quality case study that tells a compelling story.
Have you ever had a client say no to a case study? Were you able to get him to eventually say yes?
Best regards,
Jody Calkins
Top Photo Credit: Steve Boneham
- It’s been a long time… - February 10, 2024
- Realizations About Tracking Progress - May 28, 2020
- Goal Setting & Productivity 101 - May 25, 2020