In today's edition, I want to talk about something that has been on my mind lately after looking at a LinkedIn post about the trustworthiness of traditional B2B case studies.

But before we do that, there is something really interesting that has caught my attention more than thrice on my LinkedIn feed.

Here is an ad from Vibe, an advertising service. They call themselves the Google Ads of TV -

It’s the image used in the LinkedIn ad that catches the attention. It's a clever use of an image that gives the impression of a hidden image.

It is followed by an equally clever copy -

Explosive Revenue.

This content contains highly revenue generating information that some agencies might find intimidating.

I have seen at least one more brand using this same formula.

This is an excellent way to make people "Scroll Stop" on LinkedIn. Don't let this LinkedIn advertising strategy go stale, try it for your own LinkedIn ads.

And well done Vibe team!

Why B2B Buyers No Longer Trust Case Studies?

You see, we're all familiar with the conventional process behind crafting a case studies:

1. The Vague Selection Process:

It is common for companies to pick a few customers who seem to have achieved exceptional results. How often do you wonder if those results were cherry-picked? In most cases.

2. The Pesky Pestering:

Oftentimes, companies take advantage of tempting incentives to entice these customers into case studies, and keep pestering customers until they say yes to a case study.

3. The 30-Minute Monologue:

There's usually a 30-minute snoozefest with dull questions about their evaluation process and results, and customers endure a lackluster interview session.

4. Not Customer’s Voice:

Who's telling the story? The company! Often, these case studies are written in the company's words, not the customer's, leaving room for spin and exaggeration.

5. The Miracle ROI:

Ever noticed how every customer in these case studies apparently gets a jaw-dropping 7000% ROI? But wait, where's the mention of the customer's original baseline? It's like magic!

6. Recycling Old Tales:

For what seems like an eternity, the same case studies are recycled. You can practically recite them in your sleep!

My Bold Prediction: Traditional B2B Case Studies Are Soon Going to Die!

Now, let's get real. Those old-school B2B case studies are on life support, and it's time to turn them off.

Exactly why? It's because B2B buyers have wised up and don't believe these stories any more.

When was the last time you read a vendor case study and thought, "Wow, that's legit!"? Most likely not in the recent past. These fabricated narratives are no longer acceptable in an age of authenticity and transparency.

Where does that leave us?

It is your responsibility to demand more as a B2B buyer. You should seek out insights from your peers that are genuine, unbiased, and transparent.

I like to call it - Go Peerbound!

Consider third-party reviews, independent analyses, and candid customer testimonials. Vendors should not spoon-feed you one-sided information.

As a B2B company, trust is valuable; do not be tempted to give it away. 💪 

Unsubscribe or Pause?

Not very often you bump into an email opt-out option that stands out. This one from a car parking business is certainly worth a mention.

I was receiving their emails too often so I decided to hit that “unsubscribe” button, and it took me to this page -

Very interesting.

By far, this is the best and most unique question asked on an email unsubscribe form.

I was really intrigued by it.

I view this as similar to the “pause your billing” option when you go to cancel a SaaS product.

Worth trying for sure, isn’t it?

Interesting Thing That I Read This Week

LinkedIn Top Voices 😂 😂

Tweet That I Wrote This Week

What Do You Think?

This concludes this edition of Fresh Salmon.

I would like to hear what you thought of today's newsletter.

Also, let’s connect on Twitter, LinkedIn, or TikTok.

Cheers,

Vivek

PS. I love you ❤️