Justin Wong May 6, 2021 Case studies are an effective tool in nudging a considering lead into a future client. Think about ordering from a restaurant. Yelp has built a whole business on customers interested in scoping out the best and worst of their next meal. If people want to check if their $ 20 eggs benedict is worth it, you better believe your future clients want the same assurance when investing in a partnership with you.
The most basic of case studies has some context around a stellar existing client, a paragraph detailing your company’s great work, and then a fantastic result. That result doesn’t have to solve world hunger or eliminate every problem your client has, but it should be good enough for someone to think, “Hey, these guys know what they’re doing!”
All that great information is normally accented by imagery on your website. Some companies even go the extra mile and opt for video testimonials! However you choose to present your case studies, you have to remember that your goal is not to remind everyone how great you are. It’s to tell your customer that you understand their problems and are uniquely qualified to solve them.
Let’s walk through what to keep in mind when creating an inspiring case study.
Understanding Pain Points
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution for anything, so it’s important to let your customers know that you understand their specific pain points. If you have a niche in your industry, then great! Case studies that talk about issues specific to your niche do wonders for boosting your credibility.
If you don’t have a niche, then you have to get specific another way: by pinpointing issues. Don’t just say “you need more leads.” Instead, take a step back and look for the real issue. The lack of leads is a result, so you need to write about the actual problem.
Remember, you are trying to prove your expertise. So detailing these specific pain points shows that you’ve got the know-how to figure out a problem that your customer may not even realize is there!
Establishing Your USP
A unique selling point (USP) is what keeps your customers coming back. This is something you are entirely in control of. No doubt your company provides a wide array of services, but when defining your USP for a case study, you want to ensure that the USP you focus on matches the pain points you identified in step one.
Here are some examples of USPs:
- Are you faster than your competitors?
- Do you offer cheaper price points?
- Is there something particularly difficult to achieve that you provide?
- Are your staff exemplary in a measurable way?
- Do your products achieve measurable results?
Think about your customer, and try and figure out what would impress them the most.
Delivering on Results
Here’s what everyone’s looking for in a case study! This is the stat that normally gets pulled out for a graphic to share on social media or to run in an ad. The question every customer will ask after using your service or product:
What’s my return on investment?
Pick a result that is measurable. Whether it’s impressions on a digital ad or foot traffic to an event, just make sure that you have a nice big number to show your future clients what they could have if they worked with you.
The result you pick may not even be your highest or best one. Internally, your team may think that having the most eyes on an ad is the best measure of success, but you need to get into the mind of your customer. Do they care about that? Does it relate to their pain point?
As you can see, there is a LOT of work that goes into a case study, but trust us that hard work pays off. Try making one with these three thinking points in mind, and see the results for yourself!
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