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The most precious asset to any business, large or small, is a happy customer. In the quest to deliver products and services, we dream that every client is going to be a walking testimonial to our company. While the reality of cultivating a truly contented customer is much different, when we do find someone willing to endorse us, what do we do? We abuse them. Not intentionally, of course, but nothing enhances a sales cycle better than a customer reference.

Loving them to death
Every salesperson knows that one of the most powerful ways to close a deal is by showing another client with a successful implementation of the same product. Seasoned salespeople will identify how many reference customers are available before taking on a new job, product or territory. The savviest of them will protect their references like a state secret. The sad reality, however, is that a client who has agreed to act as a reference can be deluged with requests for information. Inexperienced salespeople will distribute their names and contact details like confetti. Sales managers, under pressure to meet their quota, will insist that customer visits and formal interviews be conducted with the company sponsor for every qualified lead.

The rot sets in
The customer who happily backed your company can quickly begin to feel disenchanted as the phone rings off the hook and total strangers start poking around for information. Worse, your internal sponsor leaves the company and no one is knowledgeable enough to step in. Either way, what started as a positive situation can quickly become negative. Even if this doesn't happen, are you certain that the customer is positioning your product the way you want? Is your reference available when you need him to be? Probably not.

Taking control
There is an easy solution. Capture the user's success story in a document called a case study. A well-written case study will not only be one of the most powerful documents you can use to progress a sale, it will also portray your customers in the most flattering way possible. It's a win-win situation, every time.

Sometimes called customer-success stories, a key ingredient to every study is an in-depth interview with the featured customer. A well-crafted case study removes the need for repeated requests for reference information from your best clients, alleviating the burden you put on them when you ask for an endorsement.

Most importantly, you have a valuable business document that guarantees the positioning of your product or service. With a case study, you ensure your company is represented exactly the way you want it. Your valued customers feature as smart decision-makers. Best of all, they can get on with their work. You'll be remembered only as a great vendor with good products.