The best way B2B companies can earn a prospect’s trust is to prove that your company can do the job. Publishing case studies is one of the best ways to build trust.
Case studies, also known as customer success stories, tell how a customer purchased your product or service and the results they got.
Case studies are usually 500 to 1250 words. They’re published either as a website page or a downloadable PDF. They can also be distributed as a press release or used in a sales presentation. Case studies can also be converted into a video or infographic or used in a podcast and shared on social media platforms.
Case studies are a potent B2B marketing tool. For example, 54% of B2B buyers read case studies during their buying process. Also, 98% of B2B buyers look for them on company websites.
The more compelling your case studies are, the more you can engage with your prospects and shorten your sales cycle. A well-written case study can motivate your buyer to contact you sooner.
You must include these nine critical elements in your next case study to engage leads and convert them into customers.
- A Compelling Title
- A strong case study title should include the following:
- Your customer’s name. If your customer is well known, it will catch your reader’s attention.
- The problem your company solved for them. Ideally, it should be a huge benefit that your ideal readers also want to achieve.
- Numerical evidence. Include numbers like dollar amounts or percentages that indicate your customer’s success.
2. A Summary of Your Story
A summary of your entire case study should be included. It should only be about 2 to 4 sentences or short bullet points. You want to share what the reader can expect as they continue to read.
Your summary should include each of the following:
- Your customer’s challenge.
- Your solution.
- The results your customer achieved..
3. Background Information About Your Customer
Before you explain the problem, you should provide information about your customer. This will help your reader understand who your customer is and help them find a connection.
Here’s what you should include in your customer’s background information:
- What industry they are in.
- Where they are located.
- The number of employees they have.
- How long they have been a customer.
4. The Challenges Your Customer Faced
Here’s where you explain your customer’s challenges before they started working with you. The problem is the crucial part of the story that you’re telling. Prospects experiencing similar issues will be able to relate well to your case study.
Some questions you should answer in this section include:
- What challenges did your customer face before contacting us?
- How did these problems impact your customer’s business?
- What steps did your customer take to solve these challenges on their own? If so, why didn’t those efforts work?
- Did your customer try any of your competitors before hiring us?
5. Your Customer’s Journey
You should add a few sentences describing your customer’s journey to find the right solution your company provided. Not only will it add more depth and credibility to the story, but it will also better position the chosen solution, which is in the next section.
Explaining your customer’s decision process and the steps they took before discovering your company will help potential customers work through their situation.
You’ll want to discuss how your customer learned about your company and who was involved in the decision-making process.
Again, this information can help spark a connection with your readers and may persuade them to contact you.
6. Explain The Solution
Here’s where you want to explain how your product or service answered your client’s challenges. Then, you want to explain how your solution was implemented. Finally, focus on your customer’s experience with your onboarding process.
Sharing this process gives prospects a look into how your implementation process works. For example, your customer should explain how the implementation met their expectations, how long the onboarding process took, and who was involved in the implementation process.
7. Share The Results
The most important part of your case study is the results section. It gives readers tangible proof of what you have to offer.
Ask your customer to provide numerical success metrics such as:
- Percentage increases in revenue or productivity
- Increased sales in dollar amounts
- Numbers related to time savings.
Numerical success metrics provide tangible proof to your case studies and are great for capturing your reader’s attention.
Also, you want to put those results in their proper context by explaining why they are essential to the customer. Finally, you want to explain the benefits of these results to the customer concerning the challenges the customer was facing.
8. Include Customer Quotes
Your case study should include plenty of quotes from your customer. Include their full name and their title with the company. Direct quotes from your customer provide a sense of authenticity to your case study.
9. Provide a Call to Action (CTA)
The last essential component your case study should have is a call to action (CTA). You want to have a CTA to persuade new leads and customers.
A CTA at the end of every case study makes it easy for prospects to take the next step. For example, you can link to another page on your site where they can learn more about your company or fill out a form to contact you.
Summary
Including these nine elements in your case studies will give you the best chance for success. Every case study you write should start with the challenges your customer faced before hiring you to the results you helped them achieve. That is the winning formula.
Next steps
Need help with a (case study? Contact me today.
This article was first published on my LinkedIn profile here.
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