Case Studies

Case Studies – Short Conceptual Explanation
What case studies includes
Effectiveness of case studies
Tips for creating a good case study

Case Studies – Short Conceptual Explanation

A case study outlines how a product or service has helped a previous or current customer. It provides thorough information that includes data about the client, the needs that were addressed by a product or service, the solution, and the final outcome. Case studies can include data over time and are used to encourage leads to become customers. They can be more convincing than testimonials because they require more research, include more detailed information, and are much more difficult to fake, unlike other reviews like customer testimonials.

What case studies include

While customer testimonials are meant to be short snippets of information regarding a particular product or service directly from a consumer, case studies are meant to provide more detailed information. In order for this information to be compelling, a case study must include multiple parts:

Information about the client that might include their name, location, and other personal information, but it should also include the challenges they are facing that led them to the product or service being promoted.
Challenges and problems that the product or service addresses with specific information about how it will help.
The solution dives into the details of how problems were specifically addressed, as well as actual quotes and feedback from the customer about their experience.
The conclusion includes information about why the case study matters, as well as relevant data, with the hope that it will convince leads to become customers.

Effectiveness of case studies

Reviews are extremely important to customers with an average of 10 reviews being read before a person is willing to trust a company with their business. Companies don’t always have a lot of control over the quality of and information in reviews left on the internet on sites like Amazon and Yelp, but they do have control over the quality of case studies that can be provided to potential customers and clients.

A case study builds trust with customers. It shows exactly how a product or service provided a solution to someone else, so it’s easy for customers to see how it could help them, too. It can eliminate confusion, answer questions, and it also gives existing customers an easy reference that can be provided to friends, family, and coworkers to encourage them to give the business a try.

Tips for creating a good case study

The more detailed the information in a case study, the more effective it is likely to be. It starts with identifying a customer that is a good representation of the target audience, soliciting feedback from that customer, and conducting research to gather data that pertains to both the person in the case study and the product or service as a whole. The more measurable, relevant data that is included in the case study, the more convincing it will be.

The best case studies use good storytelling to get the point across. Include sensory details, frustration points that others can commiserate with, and creative anecdotes to make the data more interesting to read.

Feedback is also an important aspect of good case studies. Encourage leads to ask questions about the company, the products, or the services being outlined. This information can be used to make the current case study better, and it can be used to make sure important information isn’t overlooked when the next case study is being created.