Manufacturers of B2B products can struggle to demonstrate the value of complex or new products. While Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) developers have mastered the art of illustrating practical applications through use cases, a quick search on Google will turn up dozens of SaaS examples, and many manufacturers are missing this powerful marketing opportunity. It’s now time to join the party.
No customer?
Use cases are not as flashy as customer stories, but can be equally effective. They also integrate seamlessly with existing marketing campaigns. Use cases are a great way to show off your product’s versatility in different industries or departments. If you do not have any customers to speak to, they can also be a good solution.
What are the use cases?
Start by defining what they are not. They’re not:
- Case Studies: These describe the successful implementation of a solution, and its financial or operational results for a particular (usually named) business.
- Product Pages: These pages are intended to encourage buyers to make an order. They typically include specifications, pricing, reviews, and shipping information.
- Product Data Sheets are single-page documents that summarise a product’s performance, certifications, technical features, and components.
Use cases show how a service or product can be used to solve a specific problem or achieve a particular goal. They can be used in many ways, such as:
- Software Development: To map out the different ways in which a user interacts with a system, and identify elements like actors, triggers, and steps.
- Product Development: Recognize the pain points of the user and define the features that meet their needs.
- B2B Marketing: Making the value of innovative products and services to customers more tangible.
In this article, we’ll focus on the use of use cases in B2B Marketing.
Use cases do not show what actually happened, but what is possible.
What is the difference between case studies and use cases?
Both use cases and case studies have many similarities. Use cases, however, typically present hypothetical or genericized scenarios, as opposed to case studies. They don’t show what actually happened, but what is possible. They’re used early in the sales funnel. Salesforce has a great example of how to use it:
Salesforce’s use case illustrates the potential of Blockchain in various industries, including financial services and healthcare. This case study outlines multiple scenarios, including regulatory reporting, loyalty programmes, drug labelling, and tracking goods back to their source. It helps readers better understand how they can leverage this powerful technology in their own companies.
The use case is focused on Blockchain’s practical applications, as well as common industry pain points. The content does not mention a company by name or have a narrative, but it does include a Call to Action. “Learn about Blockchain here with a free online class.”
Use Cases are especially useful for solutions that are new to the market, not yet ready, or difficult to understand.
Use cases and B2B Marketing: The Benefits of
Use cases can be a great way for B2B companies to demonstrate how their technology is being used in many different industries. This is especially true for solutions that are new to the market, not yet ready and difficult to understand.
What could be better for the buyer’s experience than to help potential customers see your product or service as solving a pressing issue in their company or industry?
TechTarget’s 2024 Media Consumption and Vendor Engagement Study shows that 92% of technology industry decision makers begin their research as soon as they identify a problem. On average, they consume 12 pieces of media to do research and narrow down potential vendors.
It makes sense to provide your prospects with information that can support their decision-making and problem-solving processes and facilitate future sales conversations.
How to use case-based marketing in
Use cases like white papers and webinars are the most valuable at the top of a sales funnel. Here, topic-specific educational content is most useful. Technical buyers want honest information, and they are interested in practical examples. They want to know what your solution is, who you are best serving, and how different it is from other solutions on the market.
Targeting the right people
But who exactly should you be targeting with your use cases? According to the same TechTarget report I cited above, operators and managers are more likely to consume content in its early stages than directors and executives. It makes sense because operators and managers are interested in technical and business issues, integrations, and implementations, as well as solution comparisons.
When to use
Consider the best time for deployment. Use cases are ideal for launching new products, entering a different industry, increasing brand recognition, explaining complex products, or introducing new technologies that are still in the conceptual stages.
Examples from the real world
Here are two examples of B2B. IBM’s Watson AI platform is used in the first case, where IBM uses use cases from various industries. German Bionic’s second use case showcases smart power suits and other wearable technology via use cases.
Example 2
IBM Use Case
IBM’s use case explains how HR chatbots can provide employees with timely and accurate answers and easy access to HR policies. To make it more relatable, the use case focuses on HR topics such as compensation, travel, and expenses and on diversity and inclusion training.
The text is supported by excellent images that show results and benefits and clear links to case studies, demo sites, and other features. The Call to Action encourages you to arrange a personal demo with a product expert.
Example 2.
German Bionic: Use Case
German Bionic’s use case illustrates how wearable technology can help workers perform common manual tasks across industries. Exoskeletons can be used for manufacturing tasks such as assembly, processing, and production lines. They can also be used in food and beverage logistics for crate picking, palletizing, and picking.
Each industry page contains images, quotes and testimonials. The text and design are concise, providing readers with a good overview of exoskeleton applications. The Call to Action reads, “Don’t See Your Case Above? It’s no problem! Please get in touch with us to arrange a consultation.
Elements to include in
I’ve noticed something when I search for examples of real-world use cases. There is no standard format or style. I’ve seen:
- Multiple applications for one industry listed on a single page
- One application for different industries is described on a single page
- One page for one application, one sector or one task
- The “stories”, which can be narrative, journalistic or descriptive, are all different.
Some companies call them “applications”. Some companies refer to them as “applications”.
Do your own thing.
You can create any style or format you want, as long as it suits your brand, your solution and your audience. To make your use case effective, I recommend including all or most of the following elements:
- Your solution should solve a specific (problematic scenario)
- Features, benefits and possible outcomes of your solution
- Who can benefit? industry, worker, customer, manager, supplier)
- Simple graphs, charts and tables to support your claims
- Statistics and metrics that are eye-catching, interesting and quantitative
- Compare your product with that of competitors (if applicable)
- Visuals that enhance written descriptions and add impact
- If using a narrative style, make it clear that the case is hypothetical.
Use cases to educate prospects, assist their decision-making processes and facilitate sales conversations.
How to measure the impact and promote your use cases
You must make sure that your audience can find and read your use cases. It’s no different than promoting success stories. Use them as part of your marketing materials, such as a landing page or newsletter. You can also include them in sales presentations and product information packages.
You can also assess their performance by using tools such as Google Analytics or feedback from your sales team. Ask your sales reps to tell you how they impact the sales cycle. Over time, develop internal methods to gather feedback and improve your use cases.
Wrapping up
Use cases can be integrated into your marketing plan to educate potential buyers and users about your product. They will also help them make decisions and facilitate their sales conversations. Use cases are a powerful tool for manufacturers.
