How to write a case study
Like many small businesses, my workload is a little lighter right now. Whilst it’s quite refreshing to have some headspace after three intense months of projects, I’m not quite ready to switch off from work completely.
If I remove myself from work it’ll take me ten times as long to get back into the swing again. The post-Christmas struggle to focus will be back with a vengeance!
I’m using my newfound time to get on top of admin and marketing for our two businesses – Comma Sense and The Odd Thing. I’ve stepped in as my husband’s bookkeeper and I’m helping him prep some marketing ready for when he can deliver his beautifully crafted furniture once again.
When the lockdown comes to an end, we all need to be ready and waiting to be first off the mark. Using this time wisely is crucial.
I’m going to share tips on content marketing tasks you can be working on to prepare your business to hit the ground running.
The first is creating case studies.
When I spoke about my approach to writing client case studies at a recent networking meeting, the response was phenomenal. At least half the room said they were interested in me taking this task off their hands.
Well now time is not an issue, anyone who’s confident at writing can have a go.
Case studies are valuable content to have on your website or as a pdf document to send to potential clients.
Benefits of case studies
They provide social proof. This is just a marketing buzzword for recommendations from real people!
They quickly describe how you work and what it’s like to work with you.
It’s a brilliant way to share pictures of you at work and showcase finished results. Pictures aren’t just for products and can be hugely powerful. Think about you running a training session, you with the client, or before and after transformations.
Testimonials are gold dust content for your website. Popping one or two in your case study adds weight and could influence a prospective client. Read How to get over the fear of asking for testimonials for more on this subject.
How to research a case study
My number one tip on writing case studies is to involve the customer. You could write the case study yourself but it’s likely to be a bit biased. Take time to interview the customer and ask for their genuine thoughts on the product or service you supplied to them.
Try to remain neutral and don’t lead the client in any way. Always ask them to approve content, especially if you’re including photographs and/or their testimonial.
A simple case study structure
Background
- What did they ask you to do and why?
Approach
- How did you tackle the challenge?
Solution
- Describe what you did to resolve the problem.
Results
- What happened after you left?
Testimonial
- The client’s reaction in his or her own words.
If you can, use images to add weight and social proof (always gain the client’s consent before you share these).
So now you have a simple approach and structure to writing valuable customer case studies to share with prospective clients.
No excuses! Get cracking and share the results with me. I’m waiting!