What a case study contains
Most case studies follow the same outline: who the customer is, the problem they had, why they chose the product, how they put it to use and what changed afterward. The strongest ones are specific. They name the team involved, describe the situation before in concrete terms and quote the customer directly.
A case study can be a web page, a PDF, a slide or a video. The format matters less than the approval. A case study is published in the customer's name, so the customer signs off on the wording, the figures and where it will appear.
Why it matters
A case study lets a prospect see their own situation in someone else's. It also scales in a way a conversation cannot. One approved story can be read by many prospects without costing the customer any more time, which makes it a good first answer early in a deal.
Case study or customer reference?
A case study is a fixed document. A customer reference is a person who will answer a prospect's own questions. The two work together. A prospect reads the case study about Example Health, then asks to speak with Jordan Placeholder to check the details that matter to them.
Common mistakes
- Writing about the product when the story should be about the customer.
- Publishing results the customer has not approved, or cannot stand behind when asked.
- Leaving old case studies in circulation after the customer's contact has moved on or the product has changed.
- Storing case studies apart from the references they describe, so sales cannot find both together.
Keeping each case study attached to the customer record it belongs to solves the last problem. A reference library that holds the story, the contact and the approval status in one place makes it clear what can be shared and with whom.