A case study shares how a customer overcame a significant problem hindering their business by using your product or service. Effective case studies create social proof for your small business and can help you increase sales. Here are the steps you’ll take to write a high-converting case study.
Use a template
Learning how to write an effective case study takes time, so if you're new to this process, you may want to use a template. You can choose the template based on your industry or the type of case study you want to write. For example, you'll structure a marketing case study differently than a product-specific one.
Choose an engaging headline
Your headline is one of the most important elements of your case study. It should state the customer's name and highlight the results they achieved using your product or service. That way, even if someone doesn't read the entire piece, they'll get the central point.
Come up with five to 10 options and pick the best one. Your headline is also a good opportunity to target a high-volume search engine optimized keyword you have a realistic chance of ranking for.
Make it easy to read
No matter how compelling your case study is, no one will read it if it's a wall of text. Use headers, images, and bulleted lists to make it easy to skim. Correct formatting helps readers find the most valuable information quickly, and it keeps readers engaged. Always include a summary that ties everything together.
Effective case studies create social proof for your small business and can help you increase sales.
Focus on storytelling and data
Storytelling also sets your case study apart and keeps your readers interested. Focus on painting a clear picture of the problem the customer faced and what their situation looked like before they found your company. From there, use data to demonstrate the transformation that took place.
Include quotes from your client
Include relevant quotes from your customer throughout the case study, especially when describing the results. Using their words makes the story more credible. When you interview your customer, keep the interview to 20 minutes or less, give them the option of meeting over the phone or video, and send a draft for their approval before publishing the case study.
Questions to ask customers for stronger outcomes
The quality of your case study depends largely on what you draw out from the customer during your interview. Here are some questions you can ask to generate stronger material:
- What was the biggest problem you were trying to overcome?
- What had you tried previously, and how much money had you spent trying to fix this problem?
- What metrics have improved since implementing our solution?
- Is there an unexpected benefit you can share?
Use a before-and-after structure
When you’re writing the case study, start by giving a quick overview of the customer. That includes the company name, industry, and a brief description of what they do. From there, you can lay out the primary challenge they were facing and what that problem was costing them.
Next, explain what led them to your product or service.
The Results section should lead with numbers, and you can use a callout to highlight the most compelling statistic. Close with a testimonial that speaks to the actual outcome. For example, "We saved 10 hours a week" is more compelling than "We really love working with them."
Turn one case study into multiple assets
A finished case study shouldn't live in one place — here’s how to turn that one piece of content into multiple assets:
- Website: Publish the full case study as a dedicated page, and pull key stats for your homepage or product pages.
- Social: Adapt the story and turn it into a short LinkedIn post.
- Email: Feature it in an email sequence with an outcome-driven subject line like "How [company name] cut costs by 40%."
- Sales: Give reps a one-page summary to send after discovery calls, segmented by industry or use case.
Promote your case study
Once it’s finished, get your case study in front of as many people as possible. Offer it as a PDF download to generate new leads, share snippets of it across social media, and send it to prospective clients to help them understand how your solution works.
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