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How many times have you heard the phrase 'little things mean a lot?'
Hundreds? Thousands?
Of course —because they do! A small act, or gesture that makes someone's day. A tiny habit, repeated regularly, that results in a huge step change [1]...
In nature too, we're often surprised by the power of tiny things. Sure, we've all heard of the ant that moved the rubber tree plant, but did you know about Hedge Garlic?
I didn't until I went foraging with the team from Woodland Survival Crafts in the summer [2]. I must have walked past this little plant countless times without giving it a second thought.
But, this versatile hedgerow plant (also known as garlic mustard) is part of the same family as cabbage and broccoli – so it has high nutritional value. It can be used in salads, stews and even mayonnaise as an alternative to garlic cloves.[3]
If that weren’t enough, Hedge Garlic is said to have a whole host of medicinal uses, including relieving symptoms of bronchitis, asthma, rheumatism and gout. It can be used to treat worms, it’s also antiseptic, and contains Vitamin C.[4]
Small, but mighty.
And somewhat overlooked….
Despite its benefits, and its easy availability, Hedge Garlic is little used in cookery or herbal medicine for that matter.
Why?
Perhaps because not enough of us are aware of the benefits.
Of course, in the sea of information floating around, it’s easy to miss something useful.
In business, we can say the same about the humble case study. Often overlooked, compelling case studies can be one of the best ways to stand out from your competition.
So What Is a Case Study?
In a nutshell, it’s the story of your customer’s experience working with you.
If executed well, a case study is presented to appeal directly to your target market. It shows your prospective customers exactly what they stand to gain by working with you.
Who doesn’t want that?
When you buy something online, how often do you click through to payment without checking the reviews?
Hardly ever, right?
I don’t know about you, but a lot of the time, even though I read a review, it doesn’t quite give me what I’m looking for….
It’s either:
❎Too short — "great service" — ok, but what's great about it?🙋🏽♂️
❎Too long — rambling detail that has you nodding off 😴
❎Too angry — eurgh... 😡🗯️
❎Too unbelievable — it sounds false, did the customer really write it? 🤔
I find myself endlessly scrolling through, just to find something meaningful….
But I still read them…. Why?
Because social proof is surely THE MOST POWERFUL MARKETING TOOL there is.
Marketing gold!
Why do you think that big retailers are constantly offering us a chance to win £200 to fill in their online survey?
Yes, they’re panning for gold.
But that takes a lot more resources than most of us have at our disposal.
And that’s where case studies come in.
Case studies that are...
✔️Honest
✔️Informative and entertaining
✔️Provide value, and
✔️Tell me why I should work with you or buy your product
are a rich seam of gold for your business.
Ok, so you might be thinking...
“OK, I get you to write a case study, and then what? Who’s even going to read it?”
And I get that. But remember the Hedge Garlic? Small but mighty, right?
Case studies are also packed with content that can be used in heaps of different ways. That makes them a wise investment for the future too.
Yes, social media is effective, but it’s here today and gone tomorrow.
Case studies don't have an expiry date. They’re the honey of the marketing world [5]. They have a high ROI because they can keep contributing to your marketing efforts indefinitely.
Want to find out more about how case studies could help your business?
Grab a free copy of my e-book - 'How to Make Your Success Stories Work Harder'.
That’s it for today. I’m off to make some Hedge Garlic Pesto!
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