Can We Write A Case Study When Our Customer Has an NDA?
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Your customer's NDA means you need to be discreet, not silent.[/caption] "How can this company solve my problem? How has this company served my industry? What innovations does this company have to offer?" These are questions that a potential customer might have when he or she lands on your site. You can answer all of these questions in vivid detail by writing case studies. A case study, for those who don't know, is an article that focuses on the work you did for one of your customers. For example, if you came up with a great innovation for a customer in the medical device industry, you could write a case study about it. The great thing about case studies is that they give you an opportunity to show rather than tell. Showing is far more effective than telling. Here's an example:
Your customer's NDA means you need to be discreet, not silent.[/caption] "How can this company solve my problem? How has this company served my industry? What innovations does this company have to offer?" These are questions that a potential customer might have when he or she lands on your site. You can answer all of these questions in vivid detail by writing case studies. A case study, for those who don't know, is an article that focuses on the work you did for one of your customers. For example, if you came up with a great innovation for a customer in the medical device industry, you could write a case study about it. The great thing about case studies is that they give you an opportunity to show rather than tell. Showing is far more effective than telling. Here's an example:
Telling: "We have made great innovations on behalf of the medical device industry." (See how boring that is?) Showing: "Using highly traceable materials from a world-class source, we developed biomedical textiles that are ideal for use with medical devices because they protect soft tissues." (Better, right?)With a case study, you can not only show what you've done for your customers, you can go in depth and give potential customers a glimpse into your problem-solving process. But if your customer asked you to sign a non-disclosure agreement, you can't publish their name on your website. Does that mean you can't use them as an example in your case studies? Technically, yes. But there's a way around it. If your customer is Company X and you signed an NDA, you cannot write a case study entitled "Case Study: Company X." However, you can write something like: "Case Study: Leading Biomedical Manufacturer." You can write about what you did for the company so long as you don't mention the company by name. Additionally, you need to avoid mentioning anything that might give the company's identity away, such as any brand names they use for their products. Stick to more generic terms, such as "top-of-the-line medical devices" or "innovative textiles." Another option is to focus your case study on an industry or industry segment you have served. By using a broader lens, you can show off your innovations without naming any one customer in particular. Still need help? Give us a call. We can walk you through the process of creating a case study that doesn't put you in conflict with your customer's NDA. Photo credit: See-ming Lee 李思明 SML / Foter / CC BY-SA