When it comes to making a real impact on your prospects, there are few things more effective than case studies. Case studies are one of the most powerful forms of social proof; they show your clients that you a) already have a roster of clients; b) you’ve been able to drive real results for that roster of clients; and c) you can deliver real results for them, too.
But not all case studies are created equal. If you want to really “wow” your prospects (and convert those prospects into paying clients) you need to put together case studies in a way that sends a clear message: we drive serious results for our clients – and we’ll do the same for you, too.
But how, exactly, do you do that? How do you put together client case studies that will wow your prospects and help them cross the line from “prospect” to “paying client?”
Choose the Right Clients
First things first – if you want to put together client case studies that will wow your prospects, you need to choose the right clients to highlight in those case studies.
And the right clients to highlight? The ones who feel like you really blew them away with your work – because if the clients in your case study were wowed with their results, the prospects who read those case studies are going to feel wowed, too.
Look at your client roster. Are there any clients that are outspoken about how much they love the work you’ve done for them? Do you have clients whose expectations you’ve exceeded in a major way? If so, those are the clients you’re going to want to talk to.
Another type of client you’ll want to highlight? Recognizable clients. If you have clients in your roster that are well-known in their industry or are household names, you’re definitely going to want to try to highlight them for a case study. When prospects see you work with brands or personalities they know – and that you’ve been able to deliver serious results for said brands or personalities – it creates an immediate level of trust that can be super helpful in converting those prospects into paying clients.
Ask the Right Questions
If you want your case study to make a real impact on your prospects, it needs to be more detailed than “this company did a great job on our project” or “this product really helped my business.” The case studies that really wow – and that drive real results – are the ones that show your prospects why YOU are the only company they want to work with. They need to show your prospects how you’ve been able to help their clients achieve (or exceed) their goals – and how you can do the same for them, too.
And the only way to get that information? Asking your clients the right questions.
When you’re interviewing your clients for a case study, it’s important that you ask the right questions. Some questions you’ll definitely want to ask include:
- How has our product or service made your life easier?
- What benefits have you experienced from our product or service?
- What results have you been able to gain from our product or service? (The more supporting data and statistics, the better)
- What made you decide to seek out our product or service?
- What was your biggest concern in seeking out and engaging our product or service? And how did working with our product or service help you overcome it?
- Would you recommend our product or service to other people? If so, why?
You should also ask if there’s anything additional they’d like to say about your product or service. Sometimes, clients will have something positive to say about your product or service that you wouldn’t think of or expect – but that “something” could be what it takes to really WOW a prospect.
Show the Journey
The most effective case studies are the ones that really connect with prospects. They want to see more than just numbers and data. They want to see the journey – the journey of where your client was, where your client is now, and how your product or service helped them get there. So, if you really want to wow your prospects?
Show them that journey.
If you want your case study to really wow your prospects, you need to paint your client’s journey as clearly as possible. What were they struggling with before they found your product or service? How did it make them feel? How did your product or service help them solve the issue they were struggling with – and how did they feel when they made it out the other side?
The more clearly and vividly you can show how your product or service transformed your clients – including all the thoughts, feelings, emotions, frustrations, and successes along the way – the more of an impact it’s going to have on your prospects.
Cover All Your Bases
Different people digest information in different ways. Some people are great readers while others prefer information delivered visually. Some like to quickly skim over bullet points while others like to watch in-depth videos.
So if you want to put together client case studies that will really wow your prospects, you need to make sure you cover all your bases – and create content that’s going to appeal to ALL those different people.
If you want your case study to make an impact, you need to present the information in multiple formats – because if you only present it in one format, you miss out on potential clients that don’t connect with that format (so, for example, if the only way you present your case study is in a 2,000-word article, you’re going to lose prospects who prefer their content to be delivered visually).
Look at the information you have for your case study and think about the different ways you can deliver it. Write a long case study. Make a video testimonial. Post it in Q&A format. Design a one-sheet (or, if the design isn’t your thing, use a flyer template) that highlights the key points, data, or statistics of your study. Do a podcast interview. The point is, different prospects will connect with different types of case studies – and the more types of case studies you create, the more prospects you’ll connect with.
Wrapping Things Up
Case studies are a great way to drive new business. And now that you know exactly how to put together case studies that will wow your prospects – and convert them into clients – all that’s left to do is get out there and get creating those case studies!