Case studies may not be the sexiest type of content around, but they are effective. Give this stat some thought: 73% of successful B2B content marketing teams produce case studies as compared with 61% of overall content teams, according to a report by the Content Marketing Institute.
Case studies are effective because they do what we’re always telling ourselves, our clients and basically anyone who will listen: When it comes to content, it’s always better to show than tell. And case studies are excellent at showing — how your product can solve a problem, how easy it is to implement/use and how happy your customers are.
Even better news is that case studies are not difficult to write. Most of the time, they don’t even need to be very long.
What is a case study?
A case study is more than a customer testimonial, which is simply a statement from a customer saying how pleased they are with your product and/or company.
Rather, a case study is a report that outlines a specific customer’s experience with your product or service. (If you’re a healthcare marketer, see How to Write: A Patient Success Story.) It should include details on the problem the customer was having, why your product appealed to them, the goals they were trying to achieve, how the implementation went and, last but not least, the results your customer achieved with your product, including strong data points.
Now, let’s dive into how to create one.
1. Identify the customer.
Sometimes customers will volunteer to give testimonials or case studies. If this happens, by all means, take them up on it! If it doesn’t, you’ll need to hunt down some happy campers on your own.
Start with sales and account reps. These teams have the most in-depth knowledge about a customer’s experience with your organization and how satisfied they are with your product or service.
Look through reports, talk to your salespeople and account reps. Check your social media pages to see which customers are commenting on or liking your posts. Search LinkedIn to see which customers are tagging your company. If you sell directly to consumers, search social media as well as product review sites.
2. Vet the customer.
Having a happy customer is only half the story when it comes to choosing a client to feature in a case study. You also need to make sure the customer is a good reflection of your brand. Be sure to vet the customer by researching their business. For example, you may not want to publicize that a specific political party uses your security product or that a company that recently laid off hundreds of people just upgraded to your telecom system. Perhaps your customers wouldn’t relate to a case study about a solution you put together for a marijuana dispensary. Do some research and make some judgment calls. You know your target market best.
3. Clear the candidates with upper management and legal.
Once a customer has passed your vetting process, it’s a good idea to get buy-in from your organization’s leadership team and legal department before going any further. You never know what might be going on behind the scenes with a particular customer. The last thing you want is to spend time working on a case study that will never see the light of day or, worse, reaching out to a client who is currently embroiled in a billing dispute with your company.
4. Reach out to the customer.
Now it’s time to find out if a customer is willing to be the subject of your case study. It’s always a good idea for someone who has a relationship with the customer to be the first to float the idea past them. So ask the account rep or sales contact to make the introduction. Then, if the customer agrees to participate, schedule a phone/video interview to learn about their experience.
For case studies to have maximum impact, they need to seem real. So be sure to ask the customer to be candid about their experience. It’s perfectly OK for your case study to mention some challenges, as long as they weren’t catastrophic and have since been resolved.
5. Interview their SME.
Next, you’ll interview the subject matter expert identified by the customer. While you wait for that meeting, talk to your internal stakeholders to gather as much information as possible about the customer’s experience so far. What specific product did they purchase? Why was this the right choice for them? What challenges did they have with implementation? Have they shared any results yet?
6. Write your draft.
Writing the actual case study is pretty straightforward. Most of the time, telling the story in chronological order is best. Begin by describing the problem that led your customer to start shopping for solutions in the first place. Then, discuss the product(s) they selected and why, the implementation process and, finally, the results they’ve achieved. Sprinkle in stats and data wherever you can. Ideally, you’ll conclude with a quote from the client saying how wonderful your product is.
7. Get approvals.
Before you hit “share” (better yet, before you even have the case study laid out), be sure to get written approval from everyone involved. This includes your SMEs, leadership and legal, as well as the customer and any other stakeholders that need to weigh in. Getting proper approvals is important for all content but especially crucial when it comes to case studies. Don’t skip this step.
8. Publish and promote.
Case studies are great for amplification. Share them on social media, in your email newsletter and on your website — and ask the featured customer to share on their networks as well. And be sure to send a stand-alone version of the case study to sales so they can use it in their presentations or as a leave-behind.
Case study checklist
While not the flashiest of content types, case studies are invaluable assets to have in your marketing toolbox. Create one following these steps:
- Find a customer to feature by asking around internally or scouring social media.
- Make sure the customer would be a good reflection of your company’s brand.
- Get approval from leadership and legal before reaching out.
- Schedule interviews with the customer and any SMEs.
- Write your draft.
- Get sign-offs from any stakeholders, including the customer and the SMEs.
- Share, share, share — and ask the customer to share it too!