7 things legacy marketers should know to make their case studies more engaging and effective | Bristol Creative Industries (2024)

Since Flourish began its life back in 2003, we’ve always had charities on our client list. We’ve worked with organisations of all sizes, gaining a vast amount of knowledge of donor engagement and development, particularly in the area of Legacy Marketing.

It’s why Guardian Angel Network invited us to speak at their successful ‘Leg up for legacies’ webinar series, and last week we had the privilege of passing on our insights around the theme: ‘Storytelling: how to write an engaging case study.

Legacy marketing is unique; there’s no immediate benefit for someone today. And they won’t be here to see what good their gift does. Remembering a charity in your Will is a purely altruistic act. But even a charity’s most fervent supporters aren’t guaranteed to become legacy supporters – legacy marketing is about inspiring supporters to take the next step and pledge a gift in their Will.

So, how do you inspire people through marketing? Stories. Through the telling of stories, you can make an emotional connection with a prospect and demonstrate that your charity reflects their values. In legacy marketing, stories are told through case studies.

To make sure your case studies are as engaging as they can be, they must connect to your audience. We’ve shortlisted the below criteria to help you make the most of your case study stories:

1 Know the frame in which you stories will appear

Legacy marketing campaigns tend to fit into a few ‘narrative frames’. Understanding these will make sure your case studies fit with the broader narrative of your campaign.

  • Autobiographical Storytelling is about sharing an experience in the past.
  • Symbolic Immortality is the idea that a legacy helps you ‘live forever’.
  • Connection to loved ones is about the impact a gift could have on those around you.
  • Aversion avoidance is about doing something now that could protect you, or your loved ones in the future.

The frame you choose is all about the audience you’re going after. Older people tend to respond better to autobiographical storytelling / symbolic immortality. Younger people tend to respond better to connection with friends and family / aversion avoidance.

2 Choose your narrator wisely

The messaging you’re trying to support should inform the ‘voice’ you choose. It’s all about where the authority lies. Can the case study legitimately comment on the thing you’re using them for? Only a service user can tell you what it’s really like to be homeless, have cancer, or be affected by depression. But a relative can tell you how much it’s affected the wider family. Trying to norm legacy giving? Legacy Supporters, their relatives and solicitors might be a good choice. The impact legacies can have on the cause? A Charity CEO can talk with authority about the facts and figures.

3 Relatability is important

The closer your audience is to your case study in age and experience, the more relatable their story will be. The obvious exception to this rule is first-hand accounts from service users. Supporters often choose a charity because they have a personal link, but most of your audience will have no direct experience of the cause, be it blindness, cancer, homelessness, poverty, asthma etc.

If you have a case study that isn’t that close to your target audience, instead look for common ground. A 45-year-old man might not easily relate to a 75 year old women’s view of the world, but does know what it means to be a parent. Just as your audience might not know what it means to be homeless, they can still imagine what it must feel like like having to use a public toilet to wash in.

4 You have to be authentic

There’s no point nailing relatability if what happens in your case study comes across as inauthentic.

Look at these two case study excerpts:

“My wife started forgetting things. We were going on holiday and she packed the wrong clothes. It was terrible.”

“We’d packed to go to Cyprus. Vera had three cases. We had to pay extra for them. When we got there she’d packed fleeces, warm clothes – I said: ‘what have you done that for love?’ She just shook her head and said she was sorry. I knew then that this wasn’t just a bit of forgetfulness”

Both excerpts are true. But the first feels less authentic. The key is just enough detail. Too little and your case study will feel generic. Too much and it will feel contrived. Look for the nuggets of detail in a story and include two or three in your case study.

5 Understand the narrative arc

Case studies in a social post, online video or even a direct mail pack don’t exist in isolation. We should think of them as individual tales in a bigger story. Every case study should support the narrative arc of the campaign or the brand.

6 Consider a story strategy

We’re all used to content strategies to ensure our messaging doesn’t fatigue and we’re constantly providing engaging material for our audiences. Legacy marketing is no different. The lifecycle of a legacy supporter from prospect to pledger can take decades. You need to make sure that the stories you tell them are fresh and keep them engaged.

7 The perfect case study doesn’t exist!

You need to use the most relatable story for your audience, depending on the stage they are at in their journey from prospect to pledger.

If you have any views on these points, or any points you’d add to this list, just reach out, we’d love to hear from you.

About Flourish We’re a specialist CRM agency, delivering data-driven customer journeys.
7 things legacy marketers should know to make their case studies more engaging and effective | Bristol Creative Industries (2024)

FAQs

How to make case studies interesting? ›

Tips on how to write a case study that prospects will want to read
  1. Make it as easy as possible for the client. ...
  2. Include a prominent snapshot with the results. ...
  3. Choose an interesting angle. ...
  4. But make it relatable to all prospects. ...
  5. Make them visually appealing (and consistent) ...
  6. Be the supporting character, not the hero.
Mar 19, 2024

What is the purpose of a marketing case study? ›

A marketing case study is a detailed examination and analysis of a specific strategy, initiative, or marketing campaign that a business has implemented. It's intended to serve as an all-inclusive narrative that documents a real-world business situation and its outcome.

How do case studies help businesses? ›

Case studies are social proof that the promises and claims that your company is making are true. They provide facts and statistics to show how your company improved productivity for your clients by 'x' amount, increased profits by 'x' amount, or implemented 'x' solution to combat a specific issue.

How can I make my case study more interactive? ›

6 Ways To Make Your Case Studies More Interesting
  1. Include video. ...
  2. Make sure you include a quote from the customer. ...
  3. Offer your testimonial subject as a reference. ...
  4. Focus on case studies that are typical for your industry. ...
  5. Include quotes from your team. ...
  6. Tell an interesting story…but do it using bulletpoints. ...
  7. Include Key Metrics.
Jan 5, 2018

How do you present a case study in a creative way? ›

The best way to showcase data in a case study presentation is through visual aids like charts, graphs and infographics which make complex information easily digestible, engaging and creative. Don't just report results, visualize them!

How to leverage case studies? ›

Create empathy with your ideal customers by understanding how the details of your case study story relate to their specific needs. This gives your prospects a chance to see how someone else's success with your company, product, or service can also work for them. Tell a simple story of conflict and resolution.

How do you design a case study? ›

How To Write A Case Study For Your Design Portfolio
  1. Maintain Your Usual Tone.
  2. Provide Some Context.
  3. Explain the Client's Expectations.
  4. Document Your Design Process.
  5. Don't Be Afraid to Mention Challenges.
  6. Show How the Project's Success Was Measured.
Nov 8, 2018

What does a good case study look like? ›

Good case studies include key details that show how the customer got from A to B using the product—something you don't get with customer reviews. Don't make your reader work too hard to visualize the story. If you can use images and videos, use them.

What is the main goal of case study? ›

The point of a case study is to learn as much as possible about an individual or group so that the information can be generalized to many others. Unfortunately, case studies tend to be highly subjective, and it is sometimes difficult to generalize results to a larger population.

Why is the case study strategy important? ›

Case studies are an effective marketing and sales tool to engage prospects, add credibility, and prove that your product or service helps your ideal customers. It provides insights into your business by using your previous or current customers as an example of what your value-driven solutions can achieve.

What is the purpose of case studies? ›

A case study is a great way to learn more about complex situations, and you can evaluate how various people responded in that situation. By conducting a case study evaluation, you can learn more about what has worked well, what has not, and what you might want to change in the future.

What is the purpose of a case study in business? ›

A business case study is a summary of a real-life business scenario where steps are taken to solve a problem effectively. Also called customer stories, they show how your business has made a real and significant impact on your customers.

What are the pros and cons of case studies? ›

In this article we are going to look at both.
  • Advantages of Case Studies.
  • Intensive Study.
  • Developing New Research.
  • Giving New Insight.
  • Disadvantages of Case Studies.
  • Inability to Replicate.
  • Key Term! Hawthorne Effect.
  • Researcher Bias.

How do you present a case study in an interesting way? ›

How to create a case study presentation that drives results?
  1. Tell a story: Each case study should follow a narrative arc. ...
  2. Leverage data: Hard numbers build credibility. ...
  3. Use visuals: Images, infographics, and videos can enhance engagement, making complex information more digestible and memorable.

How do you write a catchy case study? ›

How to write a case study in 5 steps
  1. Introduce the customer. Set the stage for your case study with an introduction. ...
  2. State the problem. Every product or service is a possible solution to a problem. ...
  3. Introduce your product. This is where you begin solving the problem. ...
  4. Show results. The big reveal. ...
  5. Prove it.
Jun 15, 2024

What makes a case study unique? ›

In addition, unlike more specifically directed experiments, case studies require a problem that seeks a holistic understanding of the event or situation in question using inductive logic--reasoning from specific to more general terms.

Why are case studies interesting? ›

Case studies are effective ways to get students to practically apply their skills and their understanding of learned facts to a real-world situation. They are particularly useful where situations are complex and solutions are uncertain.

References

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