When you think of the most powerful tools in a sales team’s arsenal, flashy presentations and slick brochures might come to mind. But when we ask sales teams, “What tool would be the most useful for you?”, on answer tops the list: case studies.

Case studies, or success stories, illustrate how a product or service solved a real customer’s problem, allowing prospects to envision how it may help them too.

At its best, a case study does three key things:
• Builds trust by showing real-world results from a satisfied customer.
• Supports sales and marketing with credible, relatable proof of impact.
• Provides versatile content that can be repurposed across platforms and formats.

In this blog, we’ll walk you through what makes a case study effective, how to structure and format one, and how to build a library of case studies that supports your sales and marketing efforts.

Why are case studies important for sales and content marketing?

Case studies don’t just tell people what you can do, they show it. A great case study highlights a problem, the solution you delivered, and the measurable outcomes that followed.

In sales, case studies can provide potential clients with that final nudge toward a decision. But their power doesn’t end there.

Case studies also play a significant role in your broader content marketing efforts. They build awareness, engagement, and trust, and can be repurposed across various formats and channels. You can:
• Break them into social media snippets
• Feature them in blog posts
• Include them in email campaigns
• Use them in digital ads

The more places you showcase proof of impact, the more effective your content marketing will be.

What makes a case study effective?

A success story should be framed with a prospect’s point of view in mind. They don’t care about the details of the engagement with another customer; they just want to know that they have a similar problem and that you provided a solution that resulted in a beneficial outcome.

Here’s what you’ll want to include:

A worthy hero
If you want to demonstrate the full potential of your product or service, feature a client whose transformation is undeniable.

Problem statement
Make the challenge genuine and relatable. What obstacle was your client encountering before they approached you? The more your prospect recognizes their own issue in the case study, the more pertinent it becomes.

Solution
Describe the process you used to solve their problem. This is your chance to showcase your unique approach and differentiate yourself from competitors. Keep it concise and focused.

Quantifiable results
Numbers are among the most important components of a case study. Consider revenue growth, increased efficiency, cost savings, or engagement rates. Connect those numbers back to the original challenge to illustrate the full arc of the story.

Compelling client quotes
Let your client tell part of the story. Their voice adds authenticity and builds trust. Ask your client about the process, the results, and how they felt along the way. Weave these quotes into the case study to bring the narrative to life.

The right tone
Your tone should match the topic and your brand. A case study about a children’s program might be fun and upbeat. A story about a high-stakes healthcare challenge might call for a more serious and inspirational tone.  

Want to see a case study in action?
‍Check out our case study showing how we helped Providence slash hiring costs and drive over 300,000 applications.

How long should a case study be?
Strike a balance: enough detail to be convincing, but skimmable enough to be engaging. Subheadings, bullet points, quotations, and visuals make it easy for readers to pull out the critical points without wading through walls of text.

Here’s an example of how we structure our case studies:
1. Headline: Speak to the business benefit
2. Subhead: Explain the “how”
3. Quote: Reinforce the message in the voice of the customer
4. Body: Start with the customer’s challenge, followed by your solution
5. Results: Include graphical data
6. Call to action: Direct the reader toward next steps – like contacting the sales team

What format should my case study take?
Different case study formats serve different purposes, and one case study can often be repurposed into multiple formats to maximize its reach and impact.

Consider these options based on your goals:
• One-pagers: Perfect for quick intros during initial conversations with sales prospects
• Long-form PDFs: Ideal for deeper exploration during the consideration and decision phases of the sales process
• Video case studies: Engaging and easy to share, perfect for use on your website, YouTube channel, and pitch decks
• Website article: Publish the full story on your website to improve SEO, build trust, and offer valuable content for prospective clients doing their research
• Social media series: Break your case study into bite-sized posts to highlight key wins, quotes, and data points

How many case studies do I need?
For case studies to be effective, they need to be relatable. That’s why it’s often helpful to identify a set for the sales team to draw from, based on who they are talking to.

You may structure the library by:
• Service or product offering
• Industry
• Company size
• Buyer persona

That way, when a salesperson is talking to someone in the healthcare industry, for example, they can share a healthcare case study for a similarly sized company and buyer persona, making them more relevant to the potential customer.

Step-by-step guide to writing a case study
1. Choose the right client: Pick someone whose challenge mirrors the audience you're trying to reach.
2. Get permission and conduct an interview: Most happy clients will be thrilled to help. Schedule a quick interview or send a questionnaire to gather insights and quotes.
3. Collect data and insights: Get real results. Consider numbers tied to business goals, such as growth, cost savings, efficiency, or customer retention. These details make your story credible.
4. Write the narrative: Tell the story clearly and honestly while making your client the hero. Position your work as the tool that helped them win and avoid overselling. You want prospects to trust the story.
5. Add visuals: Use charts, graphs, and photography to illustrate results and make the piece more engaging. Visuals help your case study feel professional and polished.
6. Get final approval: Share the finished piece with your client and ask they’re open to sharing or being tagged in social posts.
7. Publish and repurpose: Create a one-pager, publish it on your website, and post clips on social media.

Create your own winning case study
When done right, case studies are more than just a story; they are proof that you deliver results. They give prospects a clear picture of what success looks like when they work with you.

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