If you’ve ever taken a class in writing fiction – okay, we know you haven’t so please just indulge us for a second here – you might remember learning that the best way to describe or define a character is to show…not tell.
Example: You don’t just write that a character has a hair-trigger, violent temper. That’s just telling.
Instead, you describe how he throws a coffee cup against the restaurant wall when the waitress takes too long to bring him a refill. That’s showing, and it’s more dramatic and effective.
The Lesson
There’s a valuable marketing lesson here.
It’s one thing to just tell customers and prospects how great your company and its products and services are. It’s quite another to show them.
Absent an established customer relationship, often the best way to show a prospect how you can help them is by explaining how you helped another customer faced with similar problems.
A business case study, which companies have used for years as part of a broader marketing program, can do exactly that.
Business case studies typically are short – running 500 to 800 words – and follow a fairly standard format which involves:
- Explaining an opportunity presented to a business
- Explaining the problems preventing the company from exploiting the opportunity
- Describing the actions taken to resolve the problem
- Detailing the (positive) results of the action
Specifics will vary by industry and company, but case studies have been proven to be powerful, highly-effective tools for explaining the value that a company can bring to a customer.
Invoice Factoring
This space has devoted considerable time to explaining the mechanics of invoice factoring.
In a factoring transaction, a company sells an outstanding invoice to a third party, called a “factor” (MP Star Financial) for fast payment – almost always within two business days, in exchange for a modest transaction fee.
Factoring improves cash flow and helps your business operate and grow without taking on additional debt.
Invoice Factoring Case Studies
But just to prove that we heed our own advice, MP Star Financial has established a Case Studies Library, which shows how factoring has benefited companies across the country and in numerous industries.
Check out all factoring case studies here, and check back periodically for new additions. Odds are, you’ll see a situation that’s very similar to something experienced by your company.
And if you’d like to tell us your story about a specific way factoring helped your company, contact MP Star, and we’ll interview you for a future business case study.
Image courtesy Shimer College
Don’t struggle with cash flow management problems any longer. For more information on factoring, visit MP Star Financial, or call 800-833-3765 Ext. 150.