There is almost nothing that inspires more confidence in a company than examples of actual projects and satisfied customers who use their names to underline successful collaboration. Industrial companies face a distinct challenge in this respect: While on the one hand, business relationships are subject to contracts and confidentiality agreements which define and limit what can be communicated externally. On the other hand, companies may indeed have a vested interest in disclosing as little as possible.
Given the significant benefit for your customer acquisition, under no circumstances should you ignore the value of references.
Be it individual project examples or the names of existing customers: with a well-thought-out approach, you can reinforce confidence in your services without having to reveal too much.
Customer projects – tangibly intangible
By providing examples of projects, you demonstrate that you have already handled and successfully implemented similar tasks. This in turn, will reinforce confidence in your skills and expertise.
Be as specific as possible in your presentation and generalise when called for. This will make your content interesting without revealing too much. The following aspects will provide relevance for your target group and lend credibility to your reference:
- The sector you worked in.
- Which technical services did you provide? Outline your core area of expertise and provide an overview of your achievements.
- Describe the added benefits you provided for your customers.
By combining these three points, you can create compelling project examples despite confidentiality. For three different industries, these could be phrased as follows:
"Development of all optomechanical components for a medical device for a global player in ophthalmology. During development, we took care of all documentation requirements and product approval in accordance with MDR."
"Set up of a fully automated laser welding system for an automotive customer, including production of sheet metal parts, automatic feeding and welding. Compared to the existing system, annual output increased by 30% (to a total of 1,300,000 units) while at the same time reducing the reject rate."
"Development and manufacture of the electronic control system for an optical image processing inspection system. The control elements were installed in a space-saving design (50 x 60 mm) and connected with flexible polyimide circuit boards. The design and manufacture in accordance with IPC-J-STD-001 and IPC-A-610 ensures not only the highest quality but also durability."
Make your successes visible
Through authentic visual material, you can reinforce the credibility of your references. Use your discretion and thus safeguard confidentiality:
- Show only what is necessary to prove that your product really does exist. At this point, technical details are irrelevant and don’t need to be visible. In practice, two image perspectives have proven successful: complete systems should also be photographed as a whole, while close-ups are suitable for components.
- Allow no deductions to be made about your client. For example, remove all logos and customer-specific colour schemes.
- Disguise images so that no critical details or technical functions are recognisable. For example, replace specific components with standard solutions.
With the above tips, literally any company can publish compelling references in text and images. If you nevertheless come to the conclusion that this won’t do the work for your company, we have another option for you.
Customer names – your own „Hall of Fame”
You already have a reputable customer base? Use it to your advantage. Your customers' reputation reflects on your company and underscores your performance. A compact presentation adds value to your website, brochures or presentations. Your customers' logos are particularly suitable due to their high recognition factor. However, it is always mandatory to obtain written permission before publication.
Do you use project examples and customer logos? Make absolutely sure that no one can establish a direct connection between individual projects and clients.
Despite confidentiality, don't forego the positive effect of references to lend your expertise more credibility. Present yourself as an expert provider who has already delivered on their service commitments in the past. This builds trust among prospective customers and makes it easier for you to win new customers.
Would you like a little extra support with the use, wording and presentation of your references? We are more than happy to assist you. Feel free to contact us!