Engaging, emotion-led copywriting helps two business owners showcase a successful project and win new clients
A copywriter can tell a coherent success story that gives prospects the confidence to do business with you, as two of Great Copy Matters’ clients discovered.
Here’s their story.
Fact File
Client: Nick Cole and Martin Kerslake
Company: Nick Cole Photography and Kerslake Design
Client aim: Capture a joint project in the form of a case study and use this to win more collaborative work in future
Skills required: Taking a client brief; Listening; Copywriting; Case study writing; Editing
Summary
Photographer Nick Cole and designer Martin Kerslake collaborated to give a popular bakery a fresh new look. The combination of their talents elevated the project to a level the individual services couldn’t have reached. The challenge? How to best show off their work to win more of the same. A case study was the ideal vehicle to show prospects that two professionals are better than one.
The case study led to:
1x full branding job
3x additional photo shoots
1x combined branding and photography job (at tender stage presently)
About Nick Cole Photography
Nick is a business storytelling photographer that puts people at the centre of his work. His photography captures the heart of a brand and the human stories behind it.
About Kerslake Design
Martin is a website wizard with design pedigree. With decades of experience under his belt, he brings the careful eye of a graphic designer to all his work, be it digital or print.
Client challenges and objectives
There were two main challenges to overcome:
CHALLENGE: To persuade clients that taking a chance on not one but two professionals is a good idea The bakery engaged Martin to overhaul their website and brand. He realised from the outset that the client’s existing bank of images wouldn’t do them justice going forward. On Martin’s advice, the bakery agreed to commission Nick to refresh their photography. While the bakery client was open-minded, not every business might be so amenable to the idea of taking on two professionals. Especially, if the client believes they need ‘only’ a website, or ‘just a few photos’.
CHALLENGE: To showcase a successful collaboration The challenge for Martin and Nick, was to find a way to evidence their joint work. They needed to demonstrate to prospects the power of their combined efforts and attract clients that could see the positive impact of a collaboration. The website and the photos were, individually, of a very high standard. Combined they gave the bakery a top-class new look that elevated their online presence. Martin and Nick felt that producing a case study as a pair carried more weight than each doing their own thing; it was key that they were united in their marketing efforts, as well as their project work.
Nick and Martin had a number of objectives:
OBJECTIVE: Win more of the same kind of project If Martin and Nick were to win more of this collaborative work, they needed to shout about it! They wanted to tell the story in a way that felt congruent with them as individuals and as a duo, yet was impactful and won work.
OBJECTIVE: Build an emotional connection with the reader The case study had to align with the pair’s values: creative, commercially compelling and relatably human.
OBJECTIVE: Show the value of engaging two professionals who work collaboratively Showing the value of collaboration was a top priority, however Martin and Nick weren’t sure how to achieve this. That’s where the thorough briefing process to kick off the project came in, as Laura was able to ensure the case study met this need.
A thorough briefing process to kick off the project meant Laura was able to write a case study that fulfilled the clients' needs.
Why a case study was the right marketing tool
Nick and Laura had previously worked together, when Nick used Laura’s website copywriting services. Nick was especially impressed with Laura’s ability to connect with the emotion in the story when writing copy. When it was time to produce an emotionally engaging case study, it was easy to choose the copywriter!
Before the project began, Laura listened to what Nick and Martin wanted to achieve. She heard their challenges, objectives and ideas. The case study format would, naturally, allow Martin and Nick to showcase their diligent work. Using her knowledge and experience, Laura explained that telling a good story would be the key to unlocking the case study’s potential.
That’s where the briefing process came into its own.
The devil is in the detail and a professional copywriter picks up on things that others overlook, details that make for a more effective story.
From initial idea to powerhouse marketing asset
The case study writing began with a client interview, which allowed Laura to draw out the finer details of the project and tell a compelling tale. It enabled Laura, as a professional copywriter, to formulate a clear understanding of the direction for the case study. It also helped Nick and Martin to clarify what they wanted to get across, giving them space to explore what ‘emotive copy’ looked like.
Phase two of writing the case study took the burden off Nick and Martin. Laura’s commercial nouse and copywriting skills rounded out a full picture for readers. This lent the case study weight and helped the reader imagine how they could benefit from working with Nick and Martin. The devil is in the detail and a professional copywriter is used to picking up what others overlook, especially when the copywriter has a thorough briefing process.
Communication is key to writing successful case studies with a copywriter
Before the feedback stage, Laura asked Nick and Martin to confer among themselves, which they did. This allowed for a smoother, swifter process and meant there was one cohesive direction, rather than two sets of opinions. This elevated the quality of the copy because it ensured that the message stayed clear. Clarity is the aim of the game with any kind of copywriting, especially for case studies.
When discussing Nick and Martin’s feedback, Laura asked questions to clarify what they meant, shared her thoughts and challenged certain points. Laura referred to the original brief and pushed the pair to be as clear as possible. This contributed to an engaging, powerful piece of copy. Indeed the value of working with a copywriter is not simply to produce words on a page. It’s to have a clear and compelling message, so the reader knows exactly why they should work with you.
Case study results
One piece of content has many uses! Martin and Nick have used the case study in a variety of ways:
Social media promotion – The case study was used by Nick and Martin for promotion, as both clients posted it on LinkedIn. Nick also uploaded a PDF version of the case study to his profile as a ‘document’ so others could download it.
Website asset – Martin and Nick have hosted the case study on their respective websites, where it sits quietly boosting SEO and impressing website visitors.
Sales – The case study accompanies proposals sent to prospects to give them an idea of what to expect – and what is possible!
The case study generates a quantifiable ROI
The investment in the case study has paid dividends for both Martin and Nick. The pair have generated work and enquiries, as individuals and as a duo:
1 full branding and website job for Martin
3 separate shoots for Nick
Another collaborative project is in the works – at the final stages of the tender process
Evidently, the objective to convey the value of using two professionals has been achieved, as the positive results demonstrate.
Additional case study benefits
Aside from the specific work won off the back of the case study, the content provided Martin and Nick with a range of benefits:
Gave them social media fodder for weeks – They could use quotes from the case study to tell the story. Focusing on a different angle each time gave them a raft of social posts.
Provided a talking point in meetings – At networking events, the case study acted as a launchpad to discuss their services, with a tangible link for people to follow up.
Helped to win the trust of others – Clients, prospects and potential collaborators could see evidence of Martin and Nick’s abilities.
Created opportunities – Conversations, enquiries and interest arose that might not otherwise have existed.
Passive asset – The case study sits on Martin and Nick’s respective websites, silently doing its job of demonstrating credibility to anyone who visits. No effort needed from Martin or Nick!
The client’s take on working with Great Copy Matters and their case study success…
“The case study created the interest and showcased our work, so I can say it was definitely instrumental in landing the project.
“The content is spot on and has a great energy and pace. I love how creative the bakery references in the titles are! The copy is engaging and captures the feel of the shoot completely.”
Nick Cole, Owner, Nick Cole Photography
“I’m delighted with the outcome of the case study and the work we did with Great Copy Matters. Laura got the tone of the case study copy just right.”
Martin Kerslake, Owner, Kerslake Design
The value of working with a copywriter is not simply to produce words on a page. It’s to write a clear and compelling message, so the reader knows exactly why they should work with you.
“The case study created the interest and showcased our work, so I can say it was definitely instrumental in landing the project.” - Nick Cole, Branding Photographer
What’s next after the case study for Nick and Martin?
After working on a series of successful projects won off the back of the case study, Nick and Martin are moving forward with more prospective jobs. The next task? Closing the project at tender and continuing to delight customers with their knowledge, skill and professionalism!
What if your prospects knew the impact your work has?
Would it make it easier for them to say 'yes' to your proposal?
If you’d like to have more conversations, more enquiries and win more clients, a case study could be just what you need.
Get in touch to discuss your project.