Tag Archives: interview

How to Write Your Small Business Case Study

The post How to Write Your Small Business Case Study appeared first on HostGator Blog . How to Write Your First Case Study for Your Small Business Website Case studies—business students analyze them, successful businesses feature them, and marketing experts say most businesses should have them. But how do you write them? The case study creation process is sometimes a big roadblock for small business owners, especially those who don’t have an MBA or marketing experience. In this post, we’ll walk you step by step down the road from deciding whether you need a case study to promoting your finished case study. What Is a Case Study? A case study is a story about how a business helped a customer solve a problem or achieve a goal. Case studies offer more detail than a bite-size testimonial. They also frame the story so readers who are similar to the customer see why that business is the one to solve their issue. People like stories, and marketers like case studies because they offer social proof, help businesses show their expertise, and help prospective customers understand complex or unusual products and services.   Does My Business Need Case Studies? Almost certainly. If your business sells something expensive, highly technical, or so innovative that most prospects won’t be familiar with it, case studies can overcome cost objections, educate prospects, and demonstrate value. For example, international smart home company Loxone sells its equipment and services to homeowners and builders. Loxone has a slew of case studies featuring smart houses from tiny modern to large Victorian, to show how individual homeowners use their products to make their home lives easier: Case studies can help you if your business offers simpler products and services, too. A well-written case study can anchor a marketing program that helps you compete on value rather than price. Dog groomers and cleaning companies can and sometimes do use case studies to show off their results and benefits to clients.   How Do I Write a Case Study? Follow these 7 steps to write your first small business case study. We followed these steps ourselves when writing this HostGator small business case study .   1. Find your story. Every good story starts with a challenge that the main character has to overcome, right? Think about the biggest challenges your customers expect your business to solve for them. Pick the most common one to build your first case study. Let’s say you’re a residential remodeling contractor who specializes in retrofitting homes to be accessible for people with mobility issues, so most of your customers come to you looking to redo their entrances, room transitions, bathrooms, and kitchens.   2. Next, find your keywords. Study the way your customers and would-be customers search for information on the problem you want to talk about in your case study. What do your customers ask about when they first call or email you? When you look at Google Analytics, which search terms are visitors using to find you? Which social media posts generate the most likes and shares? This is how you pick out the keywords and phrases that people use to connect to your business. Include them in your case study so prospects can find it, too.   3. Pick your case-study subject. Ideally, you’ve got customers who love your work and send you referrals. These are the folks who are most likely to agree to talk with you about their experience. Ask them if they have the time and interest. When you get a yes, set up an interview. Besides the time and date that works best for your interviewee, find these things out in advance: How much time they have to talk. An hour is more than enough time for most small business case study interviews. Whether they want to do the interview in person, by phone, via email, or another way. How much personal info they’re willing to share. First name only? Family name only? Full name? Ideally, you’ll get a first and last name and a city, but people have different privacy preferences. What photos will appear in the case study? In this example, before and after photos are the obvious choice, but photos of the client can add credibility, too.   4. Do the interview. Record audio or video and take basic notes. Keep the tone conversational so they’ll feel comfortable talking. Ask about their challenge, why they chose your company to help them, how you solved their problem, and what the result was for them. Focus on details that prospective customers can relate to: Were you able to widen a hallway that was too narrow to accommodate a wheelchair? Does your client enjoy cooking for friends now that the kitchen counter height has been changed? If your customer’s results include facts and figures, use them (with the customer’s permission). If your home remodel saved a customer the cost of moving to a new home, or if you did a remodel for a landlord that allowed her to expand her market and fill more units, the numbers can impress prospective clients.   5. Write the first draft of your case study. After the interview, use quotes from your customer, your chosen keywords, and any numbers that support your customer’s story. The simplest story structure is Your customer had a problem. Your customer chose your business because… You worked with your customer to deliver… You solved their problem by… You saved your customers X amount of time or money. Your customers’ lives are now better because of your product or service. Let that first draft sit for a couple of days, revise it, and then ask someone else to read the revised version and offer feedback. Add your photos and graphics. When you’re happy with it, ask the customer to look it over in case there are any errors.   6. Publish your case study. You can add it to your website’s About Us or Testimonials page or create a separate page for case studies. Thank your customer for working with you on a marketing tool to help your business grow.   7. Promote your case study. Share your case study with your email list and on social media. You can also blog about it, create a print version for in-person meetings and events, and even turn it into a video or podcast.   Congratulations! You’ve got your first case study. Find the post on the HostGator Blog Continue reading

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The icing of a weird interview… I’m too scared to ask other people

So a few weeks ago I had this interview with allegedly head of an R&D team. 5 minutes into the interview I started to suspect maybe he didn’… | Read the rest of http://www.webhostingtalk.com/showthread.php?t=1709752&goto=newpost Continue reading

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5 Live Social Video Ideas for Small Businesses

The post 5 Live Social Video Ideas for Small Businesses appeared first on HostGator Blog . Social Live Video Ideas from 5 Successful Brands Live social video is essential for marketing teams. With irrelevant messages consuming customers’ attention, your team needs content that will stand out from the rest. And that’s where live social video becomes valuable to your small business. “Live streaming videos give you the chance to attract a much larger audience and generate more traffic and online visibility. Because of its immediate interaction, you can entice more viewers than you would from just a simple status update or post,” states Maggie Munley , account manager at Corporate Communications. Dust off your favorite outfit. It’s time for you to step in front of the camera. Here are five live social video ideas to get you started.   1. Interview Thought Leaders Education is important in today’s society. People are always seeking knowledge to advance their careers, help their businesses, or just find a product at a cheaper price. Knowledge is definitely power. If you’re seeking to impress your audience on live social video, you’ll want to start by interviewing thought leaders in your industry. Experts can offer unique insights on how to tackle small and big challenges affecting your consumers. By interviewing them, you also shine a light on your amazing brand. You’ll want to select thought leaders that your customers respect. So take the time to research the latest blogs, attend a few conferences, or listen to several podcasts. These spaces are prime areas to find well-qualified experts. But don’t miss the opportunity to interview the thought leaders on your team. They work day in and day out in particular areas that may interest your audience. Below is an live social video example from Socedo , a lead generation platform. While streaming on Periscope, the company interviewed their head of sales about direct messaging in the B2B social media marketing. You’ll also want to think about the topic and interview questions. Poll your audience before the chat and take live questions during the interview. That way, you’re engaging with the customer and not talking at them.   2. Explore Behind the Scenes Your team’s tasks and responsibilities may seem routine (and even mundane). Everyone is doing their job to contribute to a greater cause—the customer’s satisfaction. However, that’s not the case for your social media followers. You do something extraordinary in their eyes. You make a product they adore! On any given day, your team is working behind the scenes, planning new product launches, arranging customer appreciation events, or speaking at a major conference. Those actions you call “small” are a really big deal to your customers. People enjoy getting the inside scoop on what happens within your small business—and live video makes it possible. “Use streaming to create conversations, give customers important information, and highlight fans, partners, employees, and new technologies (and share the spotlight). Sharing behind-the-scenes glimpses is yet another way to thank your biggest fans and enable them to help share your brand story,” says Kathy Klotz-Guest , founder of Keeping It Human. The New York Times is revered for its crossword puzzle. On Facebook Live , the team solves the puzzle with its followers. Plus, they give hints and viewers can put their guesses in the comments section. Let your creativity run wild to show off your behind-the-scenes moments. It’s your opportunity to give your brand a personality.   3. Announce New Products You’re constantly seeking different ways to create brand awareness. You want to drive sales, too. Live social video can provide a helping hand. Streaming the announcement of your new products gets consumers excited. It’s a chance to see your product in real-time for the very first time. And guess what? They don’t have to leave their home or office. Then, your product announcement becomes a full-fledged event. On live video, you can explain the product features, demonstrate how it works, and talk to customers. “Sharing the event with your audience can make them feel included and enthusiastically engage with your brand. If it’s not exactly viable to host an event on your own, you can still engage your audience by getting involved in a much bigger event and then sharing live videos of how you’re helping out,” writes Inc. contributor Shane Barker . Time magazine highlights how to use Barker’s advice. When Apple made a big product announcement, the media publisher streamed the live event on its own YouTube channel. Bringing attention to industry news also can score you a larger audience. Whether it’s your product or industry news, make sure to invite your customers to the event. Their presence can lead to sale now or in the future.   4. Perform How-to Presentations When it comes to bringing products to life, there’s nothing better than a how-to presentation. It’s your moment of glory to give consumers that aha feeling. Demonstrating your product or service is an effective approach for prospective and current customers. When you turn on the camera, your main objective is to show them your product’s value. Before you get started, decide on what you want to demonstrate. You don’t want to risk fumbling over your own product with a live audience. You also don’t want to spend an hour or two explaining something; you’ll lose the attention of the audience quickly. Next, select who will be your on-air talent. You want a team member who can talk naturally about the product and won’t freeze up if he makes a mistake. You want someone who can handle the technical difficulties. How-to presentations don’t have to convey a serious tone. Have fun with your audience. Check out this example from Dunkin’ Donuts . It’s a light-hearted live video to celebrate their super fans on Valentine’s Day . Killer presentations are all about organizing your ideas before the camera turns on. Do the hard work up front, so you can have fun with your customers on live social video.   5. Support Your Cause Sometimes, live social video isn’t all about you. If you want to generate brand awareness, your small business must spotlight other causes. Today’s consumer is searching for ways to connect with brands. Supporting your favorite charitable causes is one route to displaying your brand’s values. Maybe you donate a percentage of your sales to a local nonprofit. Or your team volunteers at a specific soup kitchen every year. Those defining moments give consumers an inside look at your small business. With live video, you can capture the selflessness of your team. Michael Quoc , founder and CEO of Dealspotr , offers his perspective: “Live streaming makes your brand feel real. It’s an opportunity for you to be less polished and more authentic. You can show the human side of your team versus the scripted, commercial side.” ASPCA hosts live adoption videos for rescued animals. It’s heartwarming and sincere. Audiences have no choice but to like and share the video. These videos would be perfect for a small business to show their support. There’s a wide-range of nonprofit organizations looking for help. Lend support to a cause that matters to your team.   Lights, Camera, Action Live social video is making a splash in every industry. Consumers want to see your brand’s personality and the people behind it. Engage your audience by interviewing thought leaders with bold ideas. Announce upcoming product ideas to gauge consumer interest. And of course, give your favorite nonprofit cause some support. It’s time for your close up. Start creating your own live social videos. Find the post on the HostGator Blog Continue reading

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How To Attract Students To Your University By Blogging

The post How To Attract Students To Your University By Blogging appeared first on HostGator Blog . Recruiting is an important part of any university’s lifeblood. Students (rightfully) see choosing the best school for them as a high-stakes decision that has to be made with careful consideration. Their high standards mean you have to figure out how to tell the right story to show them what your school is and why it’s […] Find the post on the HostGator Blog Continue reading

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Australian Government to Create Cloud Services Panel Ahead of Email, DaaS Rollout

Australia’s CTO and procurement coordinator John Sheridan has revealed that the government is coming closer to deploying cloud email and desktop-as-a-service across government agencies. Continue reading

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