But what about within a Business-to-Business (B2B) environment? This survey posted by the Telegraph showed that 35% of business owners agreed that reviews were becoming more important to them, with 16% stating that they can make or break a business.
And in her article below, Amanda Zantal-Wiener from Hubspot mentions that businesses should demonstrate their ability to deliver services as promised, by providing hard proof evidence and mentions that one of the best ways of delivering this is by the use of case studies.
So, reviews and case studies are important. Although they won't answer all of your questions they can certainly provide an extra layer of comfort or 'proof' before you make your final decision.
A number of EMS providers include case studies and testimonials on their website and literature. These range in quality and detail, the better ones explaining the initial problem, the challenges they faced along the way and the results. The weaker ones, or those you start to question subconsciously usually involve a two line comment from a 'Managing Director of a multi-national company' and states that (insert EMS company name) is the best supplier they have ever had and they don't know what they would do without them. Or something similar.
Good EMS providers should be able to provide a range of case study examples. Although your product will be unique, there should be a project similar to your requirements and easily relatable. Ideally, the case study should include product/build information, the initial problem, challenges, how the EMS provider helped and tangible results. Many EMS providers will be under Non-Disclosure Agreements with their clients so they won't always be able to reference the company name.
For more information on how to write a case study for your own business, click the link below to access Amanda's 'ultimate' guide and template.
Image - Alan Levine
Earning the trust of prospective customers can be a struggle. Before you can even begin to expect to earn their business, you need to demonstrate your ability to deliver on what your product or service promises. Sure, you could say that you're great at X, or that you're way ahead of the competition when it comes to Y. But at the end of the day, what you really need to win new business is cold, hard proof. One of the best ways to prove your worth is through compelling case studies. When done correctly, these examples of your work can chronicle the positive impact your business has on existing or previous customers.