Analysis of a Solar Case Study: 9 Biggest Mistakes
Case StudySolar Marketing
As I take a look at solar cases studies out there I’m surprised to see that, more often than not, they’re missing important elements that are the difference between a customer story that works and one that misses the mark. A solar case study
can be one of the strongest parts of your marketing toolbox, but only if it avoids some of these important errors.
No engaging lead
You want to grab the reader’s attention right at the top with a compelling first few sentences. Copyblogger describes it as, “Leave them begging to know the end in the very beginning.” It’s the difference between something dry lifted from your About page:
“Solar ABC is a leading provider of residential and commercial solar solutions, known for our efficiency and first-class customer service”
And something more bold or thought provoking:
“Few universities in the world are as passionate about environmental stewardship than University of SJ.
“How do you use your home to help secure your grandchildren’s future?”
“What can a retiree do to make her bills more predictable?”
No storytelling
Lift Communication reports that when a story “creates a meaningful emotional connection with your audience…the perceived value of your products and services increases…[and] they’re often inspired to buy.” A solar case study is the perfect opportunity to use your non-sales type of voice to convey just how much value you bring to your customers. So there has to be a good story. With some drama.
That drama is found when the prospects feel and understand what your customer went through before finding your (utterly satisfying) solution. So they need to hear about the stress of the summer electric bill that capped $600 a month in your customer’s older, less energy efficient home or concerns that a partially shady roof or byzantine town ordinance would get
in the way. A good story doesn’t omit these kinds of details.
A solar case study is the perfect opportunity to use your non-sales type of voice to convey just how much value you bring to your customers.
Poor quality photos or none at all
At least one photo of the client and one of the installation go a long way. HubSpot states that when there is an image paired with content, a reader spends more time looking at it than the text, retains 55% more info three days later and is twice as likely to share it on social media. And ideally these photos should be quality enough to do the installation justice, particularly given that aesthetic is sometimes a concern for home and business owners. You could also include the logo of the company for a commercial installation to add another nice visual and some extra gravitas.
Not easy to scan
A strong solar case study is scannable, as in your busy reader can skim through the main ingredients and get a good picture of the power of this story. This means headline, photos, snapshot, subheads, and bullets. And a nice compliment to this is professional looking design. Whether one page or four the story should be laid out to showcase it in the best possible way, which can include nice quality images and font and sidebars with quotes and tech info. This way the content and design work together to create an easy to scan, sleek looking document.