How to write a good success story: CARP - Model

Author: Natalie Kozlova

We live in the world where people are mostly skeptical and need a good reason to listen to you, or choose your product or use your services. Previously we discussed the reasons for writing success stories and today we will learn how to write a success story that makes people believe.

There are a lot of ways to write an interesting and persuasive story and you can easily google them. Today we offer you the CARP-model for wring success stories, the model which is easy to understand and follow and flexible enough to be changed giving you much space for self-expression. Finally it’s quite effective.

The structure consists of four parts:

1. Challenge

2. Action

3. Result

4. Perspective

We call this structure CARP-model. it’s easy to remember even if you are not a fishing lover, isn’t it?

So the CARP-model provides you with the structure for your success story. Let’s dive deeper into the details.

Challenge

The main purpose is to make readers identify with the challenge.

Who had the challenge? Who cares?

What problem, issue or concern needed addressing?

Why was it important?

What was the cost of addressing or not addressing it

Action

The main purpose is to demonstrate how you responded to the challenge and how our product and services can impact the business challenge.

What did you do to address your challenge?

How big was the project? Include inputs (staff, funding, volunteers, research, expertise) and outputs - activities (teaching, facilitation, product development and people (number of people and demographics).

Which product or services by WorksForWeb did you use?

How did our products and services help?

Why do you choose this product?

Result

The main purpose is to show that the benefits are real, quantifiable and compelling

What resulted? Use quantitative and qualitative data to describe important outcomes (changes and benefits) achieved as a result of the actions described earlier.

Who benefited and how? Help the reader understand the meaning behind the change.

Describe the benefits you achieved (including benefits like increased customer satisfaction or reduced stuff turnover) in most-important-to-least-important order.

Perspective

The main purpose is to show that achieved excellent results are the part of continuous growth and you are full of plans and perspectives.

What is the perspective for the future?

Is there a next stage that you now plan to implement?

How do you plan to change your business in future?

What are your goals and intentions?

You just need to follow the CARP-model and it will keep you from becoming confused while writing your success story. Answer all questions and you will get well-structured and clear success story.

And some more tips:

· Don’t forget about the appealing lead to the story

· Use attractive pictures

· Proofread the text

· Use active vs. passive voice

· Read it aloud before submitting somewhere

· If the story seems too long, delete one or more of the least important facts from the story .

· Try to follow the classic structure for writing a success story: Problem and Solution, Before and After, Then and Now.

· Focus on the reader's interest (usually in terms of how clients benefit).

Good fishing!