Building confidence in potential clients can often be challenging. To even begin to hope for their patronage, you first need to prove your capability to achieve the promised results of your goods or services.
It’s simple to declare that you excel in a certain area or that you stand out from competitors about certain aspects. However, to truly gain new clients, you need verifiable evidence.
Creating a persuasive case study can be one of the most effective strategies to showcase your value. In fact, according to HubSpot’s 2020 State of Marketing report, case studies rank as the fifth most popular marketing tool.
Below, we’ve spelled out what a case study is, steps to prepare for writing one, essential components to include, and how it can serve as an effective tactic. Click on the links below to skip ahead to specific parts of this post:
Explaining a Case Study
A case study details a particular business challenge, the selected resolution, and the outcome. Their length and detail can vary, focusing on various elements of the issue at hand and the chosen solution, which can be presented in formats like videos, white papers, or blog posts.
Professionally, a case study may narrate a successful business partnership that highlights your company’s effective solutions through real-life examples.
If constructed correctly, these illustrations of your work can depict the positive influence your business has on current or past customers, assisting you in attracting new business.
The Purpose of Writing a Case Study
Writing a case study is not merely about storytelling. They’re labor-intensive but extremely potent in demonstrating the tangible benefits of your product for potential customers through real-world examples. A good case study can break down intricate subjects or concepts, show your expertise, build credibility and trust, and create a form of social proof.
These factors collectively contribute to winning over more clients and repurposing customer testimonials within the case studies for other marketing initiatives.
How Detailed Should a Case Study Be?
The complexity of the project dictates the length of a case study. Regardless of its length, a case study should clarify the objective, the approach adopted, and the observed outcomes. While crafting one, the key is to furnish sufficient detail to inform and engage, yet remain concise enough to sustain interest.
A primary aim is to convey key points efficiently while using headings, bullet points, and even visual elements like charts or videos for a scannable and engaging read.
Templates for Crafting Case Studies
To aid in authoring effectual case studies for your business, we’ve assembled step-by-step guidance alongside free case study templates. These templates cater to various needs, highlighting successful business achievements through countless formats.
Creating Your Own Case Study
Steps for Writing a Case Study
- Begin with case study templates.
- Set a clear objective for the case study.
- Choose an appropriate medium.
- Select the ideal case study candidate.
- Obtain permission from the candidate to publish the case study.
- Gather resources required for the case study.
- Formulate the process to follow with the client.
- Ask meaningful questions.
- Determine your case study format.
- Publish and disseminate your case study.
Detailing the Case Study Process
This section elaborates on the steps for creating a case study, covering aspects like obtaining client permission, preparing questions, and formatting the final document, making it reader-friendly.
Presentation of a Case Study
A well-structured case study includes a title, subtitle, executive summary, customer information, challenges, solutions, results, testimonials, visuals, future plans, and a call to action.
Showcasing Successful Case Studies
After outlining the approach to creating an impressive case study, explore several examples that effectively communicate past successes, encouraging potential clients to envision similar results for themselves.
