How to Write a Case Study: Bookmarkable Guide & Template

Incomes the belief of potential prospects is usually a wrestle. Earlier than you may even start to anticipate to earn their enterprise, it’s essential exhibit your potential to ship on what your services or products guarantees.

Certain, you could possibly say that you simply’re nice at X or that you simply’re method forward of the competitors relating to Y. However on the finish of the day, what you actually need to win new enterprise is chilly, arduous proof.

Probably the greatest methods to show your value is thru a compelling case examine. In reality, HubSpot’s 2020 State of Marketing report discovered that case research are so compelling that they’re the fifth mostly used kind of content material utilized by entrepreneurs.

Under, I will stroll you thru what a case examine is, find out how to put together for writing one, what it’s essential embrace in it, and the way it may be an efficient tactic. To leap to totally different areas of this submit, click on on the hyperlinks under to mechanically scroll.

Case Examine Definition

A case study is a selected problem a enterprise has confronted, and the answer they’ve chosen to unravel it. Case research can differ tremendously in size and give attention to a number of particulars associated to the preliminary problem and utilized answer, and could be introduced in numerous varieties like a video, white paper, weblog submit, and so on.

In skilled settings, it is common for a case examine to inform the story of a profitable enterprise partnership between a vendor and a consumer. Maybe the success you are highlighting is within the variety of leads your consumer generated, prospects closed, or income gained. Any one in every of these key performance indicators (KPIs) are examples of your organization’s providers in motion.

When accomplished accurately, these examples of your work can chronicle the optimistic affect your online business has on current or earlier prospects and show you how to appeal to new shoppers.

Why write a case examine? 

I do know, you’re considering “Okay, however why do I would like to jot down one in every of these?” The reality is that whereas case research are an enormous enterprise, they’re highly effective advertising and marketing instruments that will let you exhibit the worth of your product to potential prospects utilizing real-world examples. Listed here are just a few the explanation why you must write case research. 

1. Clarify Complicated Subjects or Ideas

Case research provide the house to interrupt down advanced ideas, concepts, and techniques and present how they are often utilized in a sensible method. You should use real-world examples, like an current consumer, and use their story to create a compelling narrative that reveals how your product solved their problem and the way these methods could be repeated to assist different prospects get related profitable outcomes.  

2. Present Experience

Case research are an effective way to exhibit your data and experience on a given subject or business. That is the place you get the chance to indicate off your problem-solving abilities and the way you’ve generated profitable outcomes for shoppers you’ve labored with. 

3. Construct Belief and Credibility

Along with exhibiting off the attributes above, case research are a wonderful option to construct credibility. They’re usually full of knowledge and completely researched, which reveals readers you’ve accomplished your homework. They will believe within the options you’ve introduced as a result of they’ve learn via as you’ve defined the issue and outlined step-by-step what it took to unravel it. All of those components working collectively allow you to construct belief with potential prospects.

4. Create Social Proof

Utilizing current shoppers which have seen success working along with your model builds social proof. Persons are extra possible to decide on your model in the event that they know that others have discovered success working with you. Case research do exactly that — placing your success on show for potential prospects to see. 

All of those attributes work collectively that can assist you acquire extra shoppers. Plus you may even use quotes from prospects featured in these research and repurpose them in different advertising and marketing content material. Now that you realize extra about the advantages of manufacturing a case examine, let’s take a look at how lengthy these paperwork needs to be. 

How lengthy ought to a case examine be?

The size of a case examine will differ relying on the complexity of the mission or subject mentioned. Nevertheless, as a common guideline, case research sometimes vary from 500 to 1,500 phrases. 

No matter size you select, it ought to present a transparent understanding of the problem, the answer you applied, and the outcomes achieved. This can be simpler stated than accomplished, but it surely’s vital to strike a steadiness between offering sufficient element to make the case examine informative and concise sufficient to maintain the reader’s curiosity.

The first purpose right here is to successfully talk the important thing factors and takeaways of the case examine. It’s value noting that this shouldn’t be a wall of textual content. Use headings, subheadings, bullet factors, charts, and different graphics to interrupt up the content material and make it extra scannable for readers. We’ve additionally seen manufacturers incorporate video components into case research listed on their website for a extra participating expertise. 

In the end, the size of your case examine needs to be decided by the quantity of data essential to convey the story and its affect with out turning into too lengthy. Subsequent, let’s take a look at some templates to take the guesswork out of making one. 

Case Examine Templates

That can assist you arm your prospects with info they’ll belief, we have put collectively a step-by-step information on find out how to create efficient case research for your online business with free case study templates for creating your personal.

And to present you extra choices, we’ll spotlight some helpful templates that serve totally different wants. However keep in mind, there are limitless prospects relating to demonstrating the work your online business has accomplished.

1. General Case Study Template

Beginning off with a simple, generic template is usually a nice basis in your case examine. With this primary template, your online business can elaborate on any answer offered to a happy buyer — from their background, to what led to them doing enterprise with you, to the outcomes they’ve seen.

Together with the simplistic design of this template, every part is clearly distinct and descriptions the kind of info or path to take to inform you and your buyer’s story higher. And for additional benefit, while you obtain this template you’ll discover bracket prompts for ideation and directions to comply with as you fill it in.

2. Data-Driven Case Study Template

For these seeking to showcase goal and numeric options, HubSpot’s Knowledge-Pushed template is a good template to work with. It’s structured to focus on probably the most notable achievement metrics {that a} particular buyer has seen along with your product and/or service.

As you’re employed via this template, you’ll discover related bracketed prompts and sections because the generic template — however with extra eye-catching visible cues in your buyer’s success factors to be correctly showcased.

3. Product Specific Case Study Template

Do you have got a selected services or products that you simply’re making an attempt to promote, however not sufficient opinions or success tales? This Product Particular case examine template will assist.

This template depends much less on metrics, and extra on highlighting the client’s expertise and satisfaction. As you comply with the template directions, you’ll be prompted to talk extra about the advantages of the precise product, fairly than your group’s course of for working with the client.

4. Bold Social Media Business Case Study Template

You will discover templates that signify totally different niches, industries, or methods that your online business has discovered success in — like a daring social media enterprise case examine template.

On this template, you may inform the story of how your social media advertising and marketing technique has helped you or your consumer via collaboration or sale of your service. Customise it to mirror the totally different advertising and marketing channels utilized in your online business and showcase how effectively your online business has been capable of enhance visitors, engagement, follows, and extra.

5. Lead Generation Business Case Study Template

It’s vital to notice that not each case examine needs to be the product of a sale or buyer story, typically they are often informative classes that your personal enterprise has skilled. An excellent instance of that is the Lead Technology Enterprise case examine template.

In the event you’re seeking to share operational successes relating to how your group has improved processes or content material, you must embrace the tales of various group members concerned, how the answer was discovered, and the way it has made a distinction within the work your online business does.

Now that we’ve mentioned totally different templates and concepts for find out how to use them, let’s break down find out how to create your personal case examine with one.

1. Get began with case examine templates.

Telling your buyer’s story is a fragile course of — it’s essential spotlight their success whereas naturally incorporating your online business into their story.

In the event you’re simply getting began with case research, we advocate you obtain HubSpot’s Case Study Templates we talked about earlier than to kickstart the method.

2. Decide the case examine’s goal.

All enterprise case research are designed to exhibit the worth of your providers, however they’ll give attention to a number of totally different consumer goals.

Your first step when writing a case examine is to find out the target or purpose of the topic you are that includes. In different phrases, what’s going to the consumer have succeeded in doing by the top of the piece?

The consumer goal you give attention to will rely upon what you wish to show to your future prospects on account of publishing this case examine.

Your case examine can give attention to one of many following consumer goals:

• Complying with authorities regulation
• Reducing enterprise prices
• Turning into worthwhile
• Producing extra leads
• Closing on extra prospects
• Producing extra income
• Increasing into a brand new market
• Turning into extra sustainable or energy-efficient

3. Set up a case examine medium.

Subsequent, you may decide the medium through which you may create the case examine. In different phrases, how will you inform this story?

Case research do not should be easy, written one-pagers. Utilizing totally different media in your case examine can will let you promote your remaining piece on totally different channels. For instance, whereas a written case examine may simply dwell in your web site and get featured in a Fb submit, you may submit an infographic case examine on Pinterest and a video case examine in your YouTube channel.

Listed here are some totally different case examine mediums to think about:

Written Case Examine

Contemplate scripting this case examine within the type of an e-book and changing it to a downloadable PDF. Then, gate the PDF behind a touchdown web page and kind for readers to fill out earlier than downloading the piece, permitting this case examine to generate leads for your online business.

Video Case Examine

Plan on assembly with the consumer and capturing an interview. Seeing the topic, in particular person, speak in regards to the service you offered them can go a great distance within the eyes of your potential prospects.

Infographic Case Examine

Use the lengthy, vertical format of an infographic to inform your success story from prime to backside. As you progress down the infographic, emphasize main KPIs utilizing larger textual content and charts that present the successes your consumer has had since working with you.

Podcast Case Examine

Podcasts are a platform so that you can have a candid dialog along with your consumer. Such a case examine can sound extra actual and human to your viewers — they will know the partnership between you and your consumer was a real success.

4. Discover the best case examine candidate.

Writing about your earlier tasks requires greater than choosing a consumer and telling a narrative. You want permission, quotes, and a plan. To start out, right here are some things to search for in potential candidates.

Product Information

It helps to pick a buyer who’s well-versed within the logistics of your services or products. That method, she or he can higher communicate to the worth of what you supply in a method that is smart for future prospects.

Exceptional Outcomes

Purchasers which have seen the very best outcomes are going to make the strongest case research. If their very own companies have seen an exemplary ROI out of your services or products, they’re extra prone to convey the passion that you really want prospects to really feel, too.

One a part of this step is to decide on shoppers who’ve skilled sudden success out of your services or products. Once you’ve offered non-traditional prospects — in industries that you do not often work with, for instance — with optimistic outcomes, it will probably assist to take away doubts from prospects.

Recognizable Names

Whereas small corporations can have highly effective tales, larger or extra notable manufacturers are inclined to lend credibility to your personal. In reality, 89% of shoppers say they will purchase from a model they already acknowledge over a competitor, particularly in the event that they already comply with them on social media.

Switchers

Clients that got here to you after working with a competitor assist spotlight your aggressive benefit and may even sway choices in your favor.

5. Contact your candidate for permission to jot down about them.

To get the case examine candidate concerned, you need to set the stage for clear and open communication. Meaning outlining expectations and a timeline immediately — not having these is among the greatest culprits in delayed case examine creation.

Most significantly at this level, nonetheless, is getting your topic’s approval. When first reaching out to your case examine candidate, present them with the case examine’s goal and format — each of which you’ll have provide you with within the first two steps above.

To get this preliminary permission out of your topic, put your self of their footwear — what would they need out of this case examine? Though you are scripting this in your personal firm’s profit, your topic is much extra within the profit it has for them.

Advantages to Provide Your Case Examine Candidate

Listed here are 4 potential advantages you may promise your case examine candidate to achieve their approval.

Model Publicity

Clarify to your topic to whom this case examine will probably be uncovered, and the way this publicity can assist enhance their model consciousness each in and past their very own business. Within the B2B sector, model consciousness could be arduous to gather exterior one’s personal market, making case research significantly helpful to a consumer seeking to develop their title’s attain.

Worker Publicity

Permit your topic to supply quotes with credit again to particular staff. When that is an choice for them, their model is not the one factor increasing its attain — their staff can get their title on the market, too. This presents your topic with networking and profession improvement alternatives they may not have in any other case.

Product Low cost

It is a extra tangible incentive you may supply your case examine candidate, particularly if they are a present buyer of yours. If they comply with be your topic, supply them a product low cost — or a free trial of one other product — as a thank-you for his or her assist creating your case examine.

Backlinks and Web site Site visitors

Here is a profit that’s certain to resonate along with your topic’s advertising and marketing group: In the event you publish your case examine in your web site, and your examine hyperlinks again to your topic’s web site — often called a “backlink” — this small gesture can provide them web site visitors from guests who click on via to your topic’s web site.

Moreover, a backlink from you will increase your topic’s web page authority within the eyes of Google. This helps them rank extra extremely in search engine outcomes and gather visitors from readers who’re already searching for details about their business.

6. Guarantee you have got all of the assets it’s essential proceed when you get a response.

So you realize what you’re going to supply your candidate, it’s time that you simply put together the assets wanted for if and when they comply with take part, like a case examine launch kind and success story letter.

Let’s break these two down.

Case Examine Launch Type

This doc can differ, relying on components like the dimensions of your online business, the character of your work, and what you propose to do with the case research as soon as they’re accomplished. That stated, you must sometimes goal to incorporate the next within the Case Examine Launch Type:

• A transparent clarification of why you might be creating this case examine and the way will probably be used.
• A press release defining the knowledge and probably trademarked info you anticipate to incorporate in regards to the firm — issues like names, logos, job titles, and footage.
• An evidence of what you anticipate from the participant, past the completion of the case examine. For instance, is that this buyer prepared to behave as a reference or share suggestions, and do you have got permission to go contact info alongside for these functions?
• A word about compensation.

Success Story Letter

As famous within the pattern e mail, this doc serves as an overview for your entire case examine course of. Apart from a short clarification of how the client will profit from case examine participation, you may wish to you should definitely outline the next steps within the Success Story Letter.

7. Obtain a case examine e mail template.

When you gathered your assets, your candidate has gotten time to learn over the proposal. When your candidate approves of your case examine, it is time to ship them a launch kind.

A case examine launch kind tells you what you may want out of your chosen topic, like permission to make use of any model names and share the mission info publicly. Kick-off this course of with an e mail that runs via precisely what they’ll anticipate from you, in addition to what you want from them. To offer you an thought of what that may appear to be, take a look at this pattern e mail:

8. Outline the method you wish to comply with with the consumer.

Earlier than you may start the case examine, you need to have a transparent define of the case examine course of along with your consumer. An instance of an efficient define would come with the next info.

The Acceptance

First, you may have to obtain inner approval from the corporate’s advertising and marketing group. As soon as authorized, the Launch Type needs to be signed and returned to you. It is also time to find out a timeline that meets the wants and capabilities of each groups.

The Questionnaire

To make sure that you have got a productive interview — which is among the finest methods to gather info for the case examine — you may wish to ask the participant to finish a questionnaire earlier than this dialog. That may present your group with the required basis to arrange the interview, and get probably the most out of it.

The Interview

As soon as the questionnaire is accomplished, somebody in your group ought to attain out to the participant to schedule a 30- to 60-minute interview, which ought to embrace a sequence of customized questions associated to the client’s expertise along with your services or products.

The Draft Overview

After the case examine consists, you may wish to ship a draft to the client, permitting a possibility to present you suggestions and edits.

The Ultimate Approval

As soon as any vital edits are accomplished, ship a revised copy of the case examine to the client for remaining approval.

As soon as the case examine goes dwell — in your web site or elsewhere — it is best to contact the client with a hyperlink to the web page the place the case examine lives. Do not be afraid to ask your contributors to share these hyperlinks with their very own networks, because it not solely demonstrates your potential to ship optimistic outcomes and spectacular development, as effectively.

9. Make sure you’re asking the best questions.

Earlier than you execute the questionnaire and precise interview, ensure you’re setting your self up for achievement. A powerful case examine outcomes from being ready to ask the best questions. What do these appear to be? Listed here are just a few examples to get you began:

• What are your objectives?
• What challenges have been you experiencing earlier than buying our services or products?
• What made our services or products stand out in opposition to our rivals?
• What did your decision-making course of appear to be?
• How have you ever benefited from utilizing our services or products? (The place relevant, at all times ask for knowledge.)

Needless to say the questionnaire is designed that can assist you acquire insights into what kind of sturdy, success-focused inquiries to ask in the course of the precise interview. And when you get to that stage, we advocate that you simply comply with the “Golden Rule of Interviewing.” Sounds fancy, proper? It is truly fairly easy — ask open-ended questions.

In the event you’re seeking to craft a compelling story, “sure” or “no” solutions will not present the main points you want. Concentrate on questions that invite elaboration, resembling, “Are you able to describe …?” or, “Inform me about …”

When it comes to the interview construction, we advocate categorizing the questions and flowing them into six particular sections that can mirror a profitable case examine format. Mixed, they will will let you collect sufficient info to place collectively a wealthy, complete examine.

Open with the client’s enterprise.

The purpose of this part is to generate a greater understanding of the corporate’s present challenges and objectives, and the way they match into the panorama of their business. Pattern questions may embrace:

• How lengthy have you ever been in enterprise?
• What number of staff do you have got?
• What are a few of the goals of your division presently?

Cite an issue or ache level.

To inform a compelling story, you want context. That helps match the client’s want along with your answer. Pattern questions may embrace:

• What challenges and goals led you to search for an answer?
• What might need occurred in the event you didn’t determine an answer?
• Did you discover different options earlier than this that didn’t work out? In that case, what occurred?

Focus on the choice course of.

Exploring how the client determined to work with you helps to information potential prospects via their very own decision-making processes. Pattern questions may embrace:

• How did you hear about our services or products?
• Who was concerned within the choice course of?
• What was most vital to you when evaluating your choices?

Clarify how an answer was applied.

The main target right here needs to be positioned on the client’s expertise in the course of the onboarding course of. Pattern questions may embrace:

• How lengthy did it take to stand up and operating?
• Did that meet your expectations?
• Who was concerned within the course of?

Clarify how the answer works.

The purpose of this part is to raised perceive how the client is utilizing your services or products. Pattern questions may embrace:

• Is there a selected facet of the services or products that you simply depend on most?
• Who’s utilizing the services or products?

Finish with the outcomes.

On this part, you wish to uncover spectacular measurable outcomes — the extra numbers, the higher. Pattern questions may embrace:

• How is the services or products serving to you save time and enhance productiveness?
• In what methods does that improve your aggressive benefit?
• How a lot have you ever elevated metrics X, Y, and Z?

10. Lay out your case examine format.

When it comes time to take the entire info you have collected and truly flip it into one thing, it is easy to really feel overwhelmed. The place do you have to begin? What do you have to embrace? What’s one of the best ways to construction it?

That can assist you get a deal with on this step, it is vital to first perceive that there isn’t any one-size-fits-all relating to the methods you may current a case examine. They are often very visible, which you may see in a few of the examples we have included under, and might typically be communicated principally via video or photographs, with a little bit of accompanying textual content.

Listed here are the sections we advise, which we’ll cowl in additional element down under:

• Title: Hold it brief. Develop a succinct however attention-grabbing mission title you can provide the work you probably did along with your topic.
• Subtitle: Use this copy to briefly elaborate on the accomplishment. What was accomplished? The case examine itself will clarify how you bought there.
• Govt Abstract: A 2-4 sentence abstract of your entire story. You will wish to comply with it with 2-3 bullet factors that show metrics showcasing success.
• In regards to the Topic: An introduction to the particular person or firm you served, which could be pulled from a LinkedIn Enterprise profile or consumer web site.
• Challenges and Goals: A 2-3 paragraph description of the client’s challenges, earlier than utilizing your services or products. This part also needs to embrace the objectives or goals the client got down to obtain.
• How Product/Service Helped: A 2-3 paragraph part that describes how your services or products offered an answer to their downside.
• Outcomes: A 2-3 paragraph testimonial that proves how your services or products particularly benefited the particular person or firm and helped obtain its objectives. Embody numbers to quantify your contributions.
• Supporting Visuals or Quotes: Decide one or two highly effective quotes that you’d function on the backside of the sections above, in addition to a visible that helps the story you might be telling.
• Future Plans: Everybody likes an epilogue. Touch upon what’s forward in your case examine topic, whether or not or not these plans contain you.
• Name to Motion (CTA): Not each case examine wants a CTA, however placing a passive one on the finish of your case examine can encourage your readers to take an motion in your web site after studying in regards to the work you have accomplished.

When laying out your case examine, give attention to conveying the knowledge you have gathered in probably the most clear and concise method doable. Make it straightforward to scan and comprehend, and you should definitely present a beautiful call-to-action on the backside — that ought to present readers a possibility to study extra about your services or products.

11. Publish and promote your case examine.

As soon as you have accomplished your case examine, it is time to publish and put it on the market. Some case examine codecs have fairly apparent promotional retailers — a video case examine can go on YouTube, simply as an infographic case examine can go on Pinterest.

However there are nonetheless different methods to publish and promote your case examine. Listed here are a few concepts:

Lead Gen in a Weblog Put up

As said earlier on this article, written case research make terrific lead-generators in the event you convert them right into a downloadable format, like a PDF. To generate leads out of your case examine, take into account writing a weblog submit that tells an abbreviated story of your consumer’s success and asking readers to fill out a kind with their title and e mail deal with in the event that they’d prefer to learn the remainder in your PDF.

Then, promote this weblog submit on social media, via a Fb submit or a tweet.

Revealed as a Web page on Your Web site

As a rising enterprise, you may have to show your case examine out within the open to achieve the belief of your target market.

Relatively than gating it behind a touchdown web page, publish your case examine to its personal web page in your web site, and direct individuals right here out of your homepage with a “Case Research” or “Testimonials” button alongside your homepage’s prime navigation bar.

1. Title

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The title is among the most vital elements of your case examine. It ought to draw readers in whereas succinctly describing the potential advantages of working along with your firm. To that finish, your title ought to:

• State the title of your customer. Instantly, the reader should study which firm used your services and products. That is particularly vital in case your buyer has a recognizable model. In the event you work with people and never corporations, you could omit the title and go together with skilled titles: “A Marketer…”, “A CFO…”, and so forth.
• State which product your buyer used. Even in the event you solely supply one services or products, or if your organization title is similar as your product title, you must nonetheless embrace the title of your answer. That method, readers who should not conversant in your online business can develop into conscious of what you promote.
• Allude to the outcomes achieved. You don’t essentially want to supply arduous numbers, however the title must signify the advantages, shortly. That method, if a reader doesn’t keep to learn, they’ll stroll away with probably the most important info: Your product works.

The instance above, “Crunch Health Will increase Leads and Signups With HubSpot,” achieves all three — with out being wordy. Conserving your title brief and candy can be important.

2. Subtitle

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Your subtitle is one other important a part of your case examine — don’t skip it, even in the event you suppose you’ve accomplished the work with the title. On this part, embrace a short abstract of the challenges your buyer was dealing with earlier than they started to make use of your services and products. Then, drive the purpose residence by reiterating the advantages your buyer skilled by working with you.

The above instance reads:

“Crunch Health was franchising quickly when COVID-19 pressured health golf equipment world wide to shut their doorways. However the firm stayed agile through the use of HubSpot to extend leads and free trial signups.”

We like that the case examine group expressed the urgency of the issue — opening extra areas within the midst of a pandemic — and positioned the give attention to the client’s potential to remain agile.

3. Govt Abstract

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The manager abstract ought to present a snapshot of your buyer, their challenges, and the advantages they loved from working with you. Suppose it’s an excessive amount of? Suppose once more — the aim of the case examine is to emphasise, time and again, how effectively your product works.

The excellent news is that relying in your design, the manager abstract could be blended with the subtitle or with the “In regards to the Firm” part. Many occasions, this part doesn’t want an express “Govt Abstract” subheading. You do want, nonetheless, to supply a handy snapshot for readers to scan.

Within the above instance, ADP included details about its buyer in a scannable bullet-point format, then offered two sections: “Enterprise Problem” and “How ADP Helped.” We love how easy and straightforward the format is to comply with for many who are unfamiliar with ADP or its typical buyer.

4. In regards to the Firm

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Readers have to know and perceive who your buyer is. That is vital for a number of causes: It helps your reader probably relate to your buyer, it defines your ideal client profile (which is crucial to discourage poor-fit prospects who might need reached out with out understanding they have been a poor match), and it offers your buyer an oblique boon by subtly selling their services and products.

Be at liberty to maintain this part so simple as doable. You’ll be able to merely copy and paste info from the corporate’s LinkedIn, use a quote straight out of your buyer, or take a extra artistic storytelling method.

Within the above instance, HubSpot included one paragraph of description for Crunch Health and some bullet factors. Under, ADP tells the story of its buyer utilizing a fascinating, personable method that successfully attracts readers in.

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5. Challenges and Goals

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The challenges and goals part of your case examine is the place to put out, intimately, the difficulties your buyer confronted previous to working with you — and what they hoped to realize after they enlisted your assist.

On this part, you could be as temporary or as descriptive as you’d like, however keep in mind: Stress the urgency of the state of affairs. Don’t understate how a lot your buyer wanted your answer (however don’t exaggerate and lie, both). Present contextual info as vital. As an example, the pandemic and societal components could have contributed to the urgency of the necessity.

Take the above instance from design consultancy IDEO:

“Academic alternatives for adults have develop into tough to entry in the USA, simply after they’re wanted most. To counter this pattern, IDEO helped town of South Bend and the Drucker Institute launch Bendable, a community-powered platform that connects individuals with alternatives to study with and from one another.”

We love how IDEO mentions the difficulties the USA faces at massive, the efforts its buyer is taking to handle these points, and the steps IDEO took to assist.

6. How Product/Service Helped

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That is the place you get your services or products to shine. Cowl the precise advantages that your buyer loved and the options they gleaned probably the most use out of. It’s also possible to go into element about the way you labored with and in your buyer. Perhaps you met a number of occasions earlier than choosing the proper answer, otherwise you consulted with exterior companies to create the very best bundle for them.

Regardless of the case could also be, attempt to illustrate how straightforward and pain-free it’s to work with the representatives at your organization. In spite of everything, potential prospects aren’t seeking to simply buy a product. They’re searching for a reliable supplier that can try to exceed their expectations.

Within the above instance, IDEO describes the way it partnered with analysis institutes and spoke with learners to create Bendable, a free academic platform. We love the way it reveals its proactivity and thoroughness. It makes potential prospects really feel that IDEO may do one thing related for them.

7. Outcomes

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The outcomes are important, and the very best half is that you simply don’t want to jot down the whole thing of the case examine earlier than sharing them. Like HubSpot, IDEO, and ADP, you may embrace the outcomes proper under the subtitle or govt abstract. Use knowledge and numbers to substantiate the success of your efforts, however in the event you don’t have numbers, you may present quotes out of your prospects.

We will’t overstate the significance of the outcomes. In reality, in the event you needed to create a brief case examine, you could possibly embrace your title, problem, answer (how your product helped), and consequence.

8. Supporting Visuals or Quotes

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Let your buyer communicate for themselves by together with quotes from the representatives who straight interfaced along with your firm.

Visuals also can assist, even when they’re inventory photographs. On one aspect, they can assist you convey your buyer’s business, and on the opposite, they’ll not directly convey your successes. As an example, an image of a cheerful skilled — even when they’re not your buyer — will talk that your product can result in a cheerful consumer.

In this example from IDEO, we see a person standing in a ship. IDEO’s buyer is neither the person pictured nor the producer of the boat, however fairly Conservation Worldwide, an environmental group. This imagery supplies a visually pleasing sample interrupt to the web page, whereas nonetheless conveying what the case examine is about.

9. Future Plans

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That is elective, however together with future plans can assist you shut on a extra optimistic, personable word than in the event you have been to easily embrace a quote or the outcomes. On this house, you may present that your product will stay in your buyer’s tech stack for years to return, or that your providers will proceed to be instrumental to your buyer’s success.

Alternatively, in the event you work solely on time-bound tasks, you may allude to the optimistic affect your buyer will proceed to see, even after years of the top of the contract.

10. Name to Motion (CTA)

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Not each case examine wants a CTA, however we’d nonetheless encourage it. Placing one on the finish of your case examine will encourage your readers to take an motion in your web site after studying in regards to the work you have accomplished.

It would additionally make it simpler for them to achieve out, in the event that they’re prepared to begin instantly. You don’t wish to lose enterprise simply because they should scroll all the way in which again as much as attain out to your group.

That can assist you visualize this case examine define, take a look at the case examine template under, which will also be downloaded here.

Enterprise Case Examine Examples

You drove the outcomes, made the connection, set the expectations, used the questionnaire to conduct a profitable interview, and boiled down your findings right into a compelling story. And in spite of everything of that, you are left with a bit of piece of gross sales enabling gold — a case examine.

To indicate you what a well-executed remaining product seems to be like, take a look at a few of these advertising and marketing case examine examples.

1. “Shopify Makes use of HubSpot CRM to Remodel Excessive Quantity Gross sales Group,” by HubSpot

What’s attention-grabbing about this case study is the way in which it leads with the client. This displays a serious HubSpot worth, which is to at all times remedy for the client first. The copy leads with a short description of why Shopify makes use of HubSpot and is accompanied by a brief video and a few primary statistics on the corporate.

Discover that this case examine makes use of blended media. Sure, there’s a brief video, but it surely’s elaborated upon within the further textual content on the web page. So, whereas case research can use one or the opposite, do not be afraid to mix written copy with visuals to emphasise the mission’s success.

2. “New England Journal of Medication,” by Corey McPherson Nash

When branding and design studio Corey McPherson Nash showcases its work, it is smart for it to be visible — in spite of everything, that is what they do. So in constructing the case examine for the studio’s work on the New England Journal of Medication’s built-in promoting marketing campaign — a mission that included the purpose of selling the consumer’s digital presence — Corey McPherson Nash confirmed its viewers what it did, fairly than purely telling it.

Discover that the case examine does embrace some mild written copy — which incorporates the most important factors we have steered — however lets the visuals do the speaking, permitting customers to essentially soak up the studio’s providers.

3. “Designing the Way forward for City Farming,” by IDEO

Here is a design firm that is aware of find out how to lead with simplicity in its case research. As quickly because the customer arrives on the web page, she or he is greeted with a giant, daring picture, and two quite simple columns of textual content — “The Problem” and “The Consequence.”

Instantly, IDEO has communicated two of the case examine’s main pillars. And whereas that is nice — the corporate created an answer for vertical farming startup INFARM’s problem — it does not cease there. Because the person scrolls down, these pillars are elaborated upon with complete (however not overwhelming) copy that outlines what that course of regarded like, replete with quotes and extra visuals.

4. “Safe Wi-Fi Wins Large for Match,” by WatchGuard

Then, there are the circumstances when visuals can inform virtually your entire story — when executed accurately. Community safety supplier WatchGuard can do this via this video, which tells the story of how its providers enhanced the attendee and vendor expertise on the Windmill Final Frisbee event.

5. Rock and Roll Corridor of Fame Boosts Social Media Engagement and Model Consciousness with HubSpot

Within the case study above, HubSpot makes use of photographs, movies, screenshots, and useful stats to inform the story of how the Rock and Roll Corridor of Fame used the bot, CRM, and social media instruments to achieve model consciousness.

6. Small Desk Plant Enterprise Ups Gross sales by 30% With Trello

This case examine from Trello is simple and straightforward to know. It begins by explaining the background of the corporate that determined to make use of it, what its objectives have been, and the way it deliberate to make use of Trello to assist them.

It then goes on to debate how the software program was applied and what duties and groups benefited from it. In the direction of the top, it explains the gross sales outcomes that got here from implementing the software program and contains quotes from decision-makers on the firm that applied it.

7. Fb’s Mercedes Benz Success Story

Fb’s Success Tales web page hosts a lot of well-designed and easy-to-understand case research that visually and editorially get to the underside line shortly.

Every examine begins with key stats that draw the reader in. Then it is organized by highlighting an issue or purpose within the introduction, the method the corporate took to achieve its objectives, and the outcomes. Then, in the long run, Fb notes the instruments used within the case examine.

Showcasing Your Work

You’re employed arduous at what you do. Now, it is time to present it to the world — and, maybe extra vital, to potential prospects. Earlier than you showcase the tasks that make you the proudest, we hope you comply with these vital steps that can show you how to successfully talk that work and depart all events feeling good about it.

Editor’s Word: This weblog submit was initially revealed in February 2017 however was up to date for comprehensiveness and freshness in July 2021.