Your potential client has completed their homework. They have created a list of specifications. They assessed several possible answers (including yours). They visited your site and spoke with a representative there.
They have focused their research on your goods and that of a contender. Both products appear identical on paper. However, your potential customer is still unsure.
| Definition of Case Study! |
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| A case study is a documented narrative of an actual client’s interaction with your company. They discuss the client’s accomplishments made possible by your good or service. They usually describe the issue the consumer was having prior to using your service or product and the way you were able to solve it. |
What would it require to convince them to accept yours, then? Most likely, anything which persuades them that your product performs or works well. Here comes the case study, the ultimate decider, and your best pal.
Case Study: What Is It Exactly?
A case study demonstrates how your solution helped a particular individual or organization address a significant issue.
This serves as a technique to demonstrate whatever your goods or services can accomplish or offer generally. Also, it can be utilized to illustrate how your goods or services assisted a particular individual or business resolve a specific issue.
It’s a fantastic approach to demonstrate your knowledge and abilities, specifically if you offer services instead of tangible goods. With a specific scenario in view, case studies can be created about nearly any service or product.
The Importance of Case Studies In 2022
The case study is paramount when it comes to B2B marketing. It’s also crucial, ongoing work for Storyline Advertising. The tale is the most important thing by far.
The proper individual must be interviewed for this. You could use a firm representative who has used your good or service effectively as a case study advocate.
Your potential customers want a narrative with which they can connect, not a rewritten public statement or data collection. This entails locating the special core of your user’s narrative. Not just the narrative you want to read. Compose the tale they narrate.
This may have helped them explore new markets, reduce the number of resources and time they spent on documentation, or enhance productivity without adding more staff. Ensure this personalized, individual-led tale leads the case study, regardless of the topic.
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A Step-By-Step Approach to How To Write a Case Study
Step 1: Make Your Preparations
Recognize the good or service getting offered, and investigate the businesses on either side of the bargain. This could be done as efficiently as perusing a firm’s website’s “About Us” or “Corporate News” sections. The deal you are talking about requires some background information.
Step 2: Learn Some History
To learn what transpired, try to speak with the individual who negotiated the deal when they were on the spot. Obtain additional context so you won’t waste the customer’s time with unnecessary queries whenever you interact with them.
Step 3: Consult The Qualified Candidate
The personnel who are directly implicated in purchasing, execution, and customer services will have the true narrative to tell. Interviewing advertising or PR personnel should be avoided because they will just provide you with a rehashed story that, when written up, will seem artificial.
You would like a real customer, ideally, someone who will advocate for your goods. Preferably, they are also capable of approving it. Speak with this individual initially, conduct a meeting with them, and obtain their input and approval.
In this manner, each interaction creates a warm, personal bond between both the author and the person speaking on behalf of the business.
Step 4: Discover The Story
The main point of the case study would be this. There must be a narrative with a prior difficulty, a path toward improvement, and a current payoff. Profits aren’t always the result of something like this.
It could be a new company strategy, time savings, or greater staff retention. The interview subject’s top priorities are the emphasis. And be sure to give the truth; don’t use exaggerated figures.
Step 5: Establish a Template
You can create a structure when you’ve got your fundamental story. The most common categories for case studies are firm history, obstacles, procedures, and advantages.
The purpose of frameworks is to highlight the narrative, not to constrain it. Create four or five subsections, adjusting them to the story.
Step 6: Keep It Spotless
Make it realistic; avoid overusing advertising jargon and overusing product descriptions. However, be careful to allude to goods correctly and to the appropriate forms of deployment or procurement.
Keep the narrative truthful. Also, make sure to be explicit.
Step 7: Make a Copycut
The length of a case study should just not exceed 500–750 words. If there are any further, nobody will read them. Eliminate duplication, condense quotes, and ensure each sentence is essential to the plot.
Step 8: Choose The Narrative Above The Name
The hero case study with the highest brand image is what most marketers lust after. The truth is that these men rarely want to provide case studies, and when they do, they thoroughly edit them before approving them. Finding the potential buyer with a compelling tale is preferable.
The most effective PR case studies we’ve produced have been obscure, specialized businesses with a strong speaker and a creative slant.
Step 9: Case Studies Can Be Used To Promote Sales
Utilize a case study’s compelling narrative—for example, “our client reduced expenditures by 25%”—to demonstrate how they might achieve similar results to prospective clients.
To make it easier for salespeople to discover the proper case study whenever they require it, organize case studies on your site by value or theme rather than by firm name.
Step 10: Be Precise & Speed Is Crucial
Aesthetics are crucial. They not only bolster the case study’s credibility, but they also respond to queries from the audience. Case studies only last for a short while. New technology emerges. Organizations evolve.
A successful case study would require a week to complete, from the initial encounter to clearance. The likelihood that perhaps the case study winner may eventually give up rises if it takes much longer. Instead of a constant low hum, it should build to a climax.
What Does It Take To Create a ‘Next-Level’ Case Study?
A case study can be written in various approaches, but most adhere to a common structure and rhythm.
- Conduct Research – You might be anticipating creating a specific case study. Nevertheless, you must first do homework on the particular project you choose to write for until you can begin. To learn all that you can, speak with the customer you collaborated with and all of your personnel that participated in this given project.
- Define The Format – Define your case study’s format after you’ve clearly understood the narrative you want to convey. This is an excellent technique to maintain your copy’s organization and readability. Additionally, it will assist you in ensuring that you incorporate all the necessary data.
- Adhere To The Framework – The moment has come to compose your case study because you now possess a framework. To assist you in keeping the structure of your content, adhere to the structure you developed. Kick off the case study with a compelling idea that will hold your audience’s interest long enough to convince them to devour the remainder of it.
- Make It SEO-Friendly – A case study should be SEO-friendly because Search Engine Optimization is crucial to any marketing strategy. Include keywords and use appropriate structuring to transform your case study SEO-friendly. Your case study should come up when people search for problems your target demographic has.
- Editing & Proofreading – After you’ve finished writing your case study, it’s essential to revise and proofread it. It’s a fantastic opportunity to correct any straightforward grammatical or spelling errors that may have eluded your built-in auto-spell programs. It is usually advised to have it double-checked for errors by a third party.
- Make It Appear Excellent – your case study need not be entirely composed of copied text. The use of charts, graphs, pictures, and animations can liven it up. A well-crafted case study is simpler to comprehend and holds your audience’s attention long enough for them to discover all there is to understand regarding your product. Users will become more intrigued and inclined to finish reading if you include various media and make it engaging.
11 Exceptional Case Study Examples Based On Real-Life Companies
1. “How Adobe Achieves Alignment And ABM Success With LinkedIn” By LinkedIn
What we appreciate: It’s comprehensive but not a novel, which is something we appreciate. It communicates to and recognizes the business client. The basic tenets are presented in a simple-to-comprehend bullet style. The significant victories are emphasized. As well as the film makes it simple to interact with the material.
2. “So Yeah, We Tried Slack” By Slack
What we appreciate: This case study adheres to the attempted framework of client, issue, remedy, and outcomes. The plot is supported by humor and likable people altogether, which will keep you interested in what’s happening. Additionally, the message is conveyed clearly because it lasts only 2 minutes.
3. “Shopify Leverages HubSpot CRM to Convert High Volume Sales Organization,” by HubSpot
This case study’s method of leading with the consumer is intriguing. This illustrates a core HubSpot real worth: Never hesitate to put the client’s needs first. Along with a quick video and other essential corporate facts, the content begins with a concise explanation of why Shopify employs HubSpot.
Take note of the varied multimedia used in this case study. A brief video is shown; however, everything is explained in more detail in the page’s supplemental text. To underline the achievement of project objectives, don’t be hesitant to blend textual copy and graphics, even though case studies can employ only one or the other.
4. “Designing & Shaping The Future of Urban Farming,” by IDEO
This design firm demonstrates how to inspire simply in its case studies. The user is welcomed by a large, bold picture and two short rows of text labeled “The Challenge” and “The Outcome” as shortly as they arrive on the webpage.
IDEO has effectively articulated the first two main foundations of the case study. Although it’s wonderful that the business was able to address the issue facing the company in modern agriculture, INFARM, it just doesn’t end there.
While the visitor scrolls vertically, those foundations are further developed with thorough (but manageable) writing that describes how that process looks, complete with quotes and more images.
5. “Small Desk Plant Business Ups Sales by 30%” With Trello
This Trello case study is uncomplicated and simple to comprehend. It starts off by outlining the history of the business that decided to utilize it, its objectives, and how it intended to use Trello to support them.
After that, it talks about how the technology was put into use and which projects and teams profited from it. It provides certainty from key decision-makers at the business that adopted the program and illustrates the sales outcomes that resulted from doing so near the conclusion.
6. “Make A Connection In Real Life With Postcards” By Mailchimp
What we appreciate: The case study provides a tale with a starting, center, and finish, and the headline does not really reveal anything right away. The outcomes are simple to access, and the divisions are neatly labeled and arranged. The video also gives the story a realistic personalized touch.
7. “How Meliá Became One Of The Most Influential Hotel Chains On Social Media” By Hootsuite
What we appreciate: The tagline entices you to explore the entire client experience. You have the choice of watching the professionally made video that has been embedded on the site before continuing to read. The outcomes are obvious, and the text and graphics are simple to absorb, thanks to the post’s layout and format. Additionally, they didn’t hesitate to include CTAs.
8. “South Carolina School Board Insurance Trust” By Assetworks
What we appreciate: This case study takes on a seemingly difficult and specialized subject and breaks it down into animation with pictures that clearly illustrate the findings. Since you can understand arithmetic without having to perform any numbers yourself, it is clear and simple to understand.
9. Corey McPherson Nash’s “New England Journal of Medicine”
Given that Corey McPherson Nash is a marketing and branding agency, it stands to reason that its website should be visually appealing while showcasing its products.
Corey McPherson Nash chose to demonstrate what it accomplished rather than merely describe it to its customers when developing the case study towards the studio’s efforts on the unified marketing campaign for the New England Medical Journal.
However, the case study allows the pictures to speak for themselves, allowing the audience to fully comprehend the studio’s capabilities. You’ll observe that it does contain some brief written material that covers the key themes we’ve mentioned.
10. “Mercedes Benz Success Story” By Facebook
Numerous journalistically and aesthetically concise, well-designed, simple-to-understand case studies may be found in Facebook’s Success Stories section.
Every study opens with salient data that draws the reader’s attention. Then, it is structured by emphasizing an issue or objective in the opening, the business’s steps to achieve those goals, and the outcomes. Facebook then notes the technologies utilized in the case study in the conclusion.
11. A WatchGuard Directed Case Study: “Secure Wi-Fi Wins Big for Tournament”
There are also instances where, when done well, graphics may essentially tell the entire narrative. This video, produced by cybersecurity company WatchGuard, explains how their services improved the Windmill Ultimate Frisbee experience playing for both attendees and vendors.
Case Study Tips and Tactics
Ensuring your narratives distinguish themselves from the rest is a problem, as many of your rivals realize just how powerful B2B case studies can indeed be. The preceding tips can be put to use in the struggle for the interest of a small audience:
Trick 1: Concentrate on The Details
Generalizations are not appropriate in case studies. Whenever you speak with a single client, tales and outcomes will surface that set them apart. These would be the details to emphasize to build them convincingly (“Your software solution rescued our souls that day when…”) or (“We are conserving $X a week after moving to your program…”).
Trick 2: Link to Other Works You’ve Written
Besides case studies, the majority of B2B organizations produce a lot of valuable content. However, every study offers several chances to direct readers to your publications, white papers, blogs, and other resources. This increases your reliability while retaining their attention and giving them the required facts.
Trick 3: Keep In Mind the Call To Action (CTA)
Your viewers will browse (or view) your case studies right from start to finish, provided you perform your job correctly. Every word you’ve uttered has piqued their curiosity. So what would they do next to keep their bond with you going? Give folks a straightforward task to do. By doing this, you can inspire them to buy from you rather than letting them grow bored.
Trick 4: Begin With a Catchy Heading
Even though your case study offers a great tale, it won’t receive the spotlight it merits unless the headline isn’t fascinating. Think of your title like a news headline; if you execute it quite well, people will be interested in reading more.
Ensure that titles stay centered on the customer’s benefits. Learn a few title creation rules, and do not be hesitant to look to the newsstand or magazine for ideas.
Trick 5: Pursue Clarification
It’s great to have a refined writing style and eye-catching graphic elements. However, they must never sacrifice precision. Ask oneself:
1) the information you would like to express and
2) whether your communication is clear for each and every word or moment of the video. Your occupied prospects will appreciate it!
Case Study Mistakes To Look Out For
By merely eliminating the most typical case study errors, you’ll undoubtedly succeed. Here are a few typical ones to be on the lookout for:
1. The Inability To Discover Your Case Studies On Your Homepage
Purchasers lack the ability to shift through a confusing array of choices and dropdown menus in search of case studies. Preferably, whenever anyone visits your site for the first time, they must be capable of finding this data efficiently.
2. Make Your Company The Hero
Some B2B businesses give in to the urge to wax poetic about how excellent their goods or services are. Thus, it becomes challenging to connect with their case studies. It is preferable to construct the narrative from the viewpoint of the target audience since, if you carefully select your topics, they will be comparable to the readers or viewers.
3. Attempting To Win Over Everyone
Buyers in the business-to-business sector are made up of many categories of individuals. They each have various areas of interest. Therefore, connecting with each individual in an individual case study is impractical.
Make sure to address a certain audience with each study you produce. By giving each client a customized solution, you’ll make them feel valued.
4. Utilizing Overly Technical Language
Most of the time, your clients won’t work in the exact same field as you. By employing technical phrases and business terminology, it’s simple to fall back into old behaviors. However, we cannot risk presuming that our readership is familiar with these concepts. There is too much potential for misunderstanding.
Final Words
Once you invest 100% of your time, effort, and resources on a case study assignment, display it to the public and, maybe more significantly, to prospective clients. We hope you take these crucial procedures before showcasing the job that makes you most proud since doing so will enable you to properly express it to all involved parties and make everyone happy.