Case studies are an excellent way to boost your credibility, attract more clients within similar fields, and give added detail about your brilliant products or services.
Think of them as an extended testimonial!
Your business is the hero of this story, but… remember not to talk too much about you – the best heroes are humble.
You might be thinking, “well, that’s confusing - how do I celebrate my business’ success without being centre stage??”.
Don’t worry – I’ve got you! Here are my top tips for writing killer case studies…
1. Establish a defined structure for your case studies.
This can help in several ways - not only does it make it an easier read for your audience, it also makes it less daunting to write and gives you a checklist of points to make sure you include all the key stuff.
2. Remember you’re telling your client’s story, not writing your own awards entry. Focus on the problem your client was experiencing and how they’ve benefited from working with you.
I’ve written my Fondant Marketing case studies with the same challenge / solution / results structure.
This format makes it easy for potential clients to identify with a problem they’re experiencing, gives them reassurance that I know how to solve their problems, and backs that up with specific results my clients achieved as a result of working with me.
3. Sprinkle in some client quotes. These are the icing on the cake to cement your credibility and show a genuine endorsement for you and your business.
Ask your client questions about the impact of their original problem, their experience working with you, and the difference your solution has made to their business.
Having specific details will prevent your case study from being too vague and, again, helps it to resonate with the people reading it.
4. Avoid jargon!
Sometimes, when you’re writing about the nitty gritty of your work, it can be easy to forget that this is your field of expertise and not necessarily your clients’.
Don’t use jargon and acronyms that your readers might not understand – it doesn’t make you look smart, it just stops your audience reading!
5. If you can, use some statistics or real figures to add some weight to the story and demonstrate the tangible value you delivered to your client.
6. Break up the case study visually. A long wall of text is not appealing!
Whether it’s by inserting photos, graphs, tables of data, enlarged quotes, or just adding in some colour blocks, making it look more appealing gives it a stronger chance of being read.
7. Catch them at the top! If you don’t have a strong headline, your amazing case study may never even make it past the scroll.
Keep it short and snappy, but impactful. A good example is: Retailer triples sales with [your company / product].
8. Grab ‘em while they’re hot!
You might have put off writing case studies due to the time and effort in creating them. Late is better than never, but a current case study is best.
If you get into the habit of asking your happy clients for input whilst they’re still celebrating the success, you’ll get much better quotes and details from them.
Make case studies a regular part of your marketing activities.
Of course, if you really don’t have the time needed to create case studies, you can always contact me to write them on your behalf!
Using an external professional ensures you get someone with the skills to write a ‘killer’ case study and, being outside your business, might make your customers more open to discussing their experience.
I can also advise you on what to do with your case studies to maximise value!
Get in touch if you’d like to chat 😊