Good case studies are PR gold dust. People are naturally drawn to people and their opinions and stories, so case studies provide a great way to get press coverage in national newspapers and magazines. They can also be a great way to get new content for your website to boost SEO and attract more visitors, while video case studies and quotes can form the basis of some exceptional social media content.
So, what actually is a case study? In property terms, a case study is someone who is happy to tell the story of their homebuying journey. This is useful for prospective buyers to get a feel for how other buyers have found similar properties, the local area and the developer, and works as a positive review.
The process for crafting a great case study starts with your sales team. Sales teams are in an excellent position to meet with buyers and find out all about them. This means that they know who has an interesting story to tell, that could provide a fresh perspective to grab the attention of journalists and consumers. Sales team members will also be the first people to approach potential clients to ask them whether they are happy to be used as a case study, so their role in the process is vital.
Next, following discussions with the sales team, we make contact with the prospective case studies. Here, we explain the process, what we are looking for and get consent from the case study. An interview is then arranged, where we ask the case study questions about their background and homebuying experience, so that we can work out the story. After the interview, we produce a draft of the piece which is sent across to both the case study and the client to make sure that everyone is happy with what is being included, and given the opportunity to make changes.
Before a case study can go to press or be uploaded to a website, professional photography is a must! A professional photographer knows how to take advantage of lighting and contrast to best showcase the home. These high-resolution images are essential when pitching to the press as they really help to bring the story to life. They are also great content for social media platforms and websites where photos can help catch the idea of potential buyers.
Case studies need to offer something new and a great angle can dramatically increase the chances of a story being snapped up by the press. An interesting angle could be related to the career that a buyer has. For example, we recently secured Berkeley Homes coverage in the Evening Standard for its Lumina development for a case study who worked as an Estate Agent and was buying her first home. Alternatively, another angle could be focused on the key selling points of a development. We have recently secured coverage for Inland Homes in the Metro for a case study at The Wessex which enjoys close proximity to Bournemouth Beach. If you are interested in find out more about case studies, we offer a training session focused on this very topic contact SMT@oraclepr.co.uk.
