Anyone who has ever worked in an agency or a product studio will tell you, case studies are king. Apart from referrals and personal networks, what makes your agency special? Telling that story can be a challenge. This is why case studies are an agency’s best friend for demonstrating strengths, processes, and finished products. They allow you to not only showcase your work, but reveal the process behind the scenes.
Ok, so where do I start?
Case studies are the most beneficial when you can set the scene for your reader (aka potential client). In my own experience writing for Hifyre, telling a story that allows your readers to see themselves in the client’s shoes lands the biggest impact. This means writing in a narrative format instead of writing your case studies like a lab report. The best advice I’ve ever received about writing in a narrative voice is to use the “And, But, Therefore” method of thinking. If you can use this to shape the path of your case study, you’ll be on the right track.
Know your audience.
Before you start writing, envision your future client. Who are they? If your team hasn’t created client personas yet, now would be a good time to start. Client personas (or marketing personas) capture the essence of your key audience. Putting together the profile of a “person” or “people” will get you thinking about writing content that is directly relevant for your audience.
Keep in mind your best case scenario is that your audience is familiar with what you do and how you do it. The reality is often the complete opposite. You’ll have a broad variety of people reaching your case studies (assuming you post them online). Not everyone will be from your industry nor will they understand jargon specific to the industry.
Be direct. Keep it simple.
You should take this opportunity to speak directly to your reader. Don’t overcomplicate things. Once you have selected the past work that you want to write about, take it step by step. You’re not aiming for a pulitzer prize here — your goal is to make sure your audience becomes a client. And to make that happen, they have to understand what you bring to the table that no one else does.
Take notes. Ask questions.
Writing case studies about your most pivotal projects shouldn’t be a difficult process if you documented your projects along the way. It is vital that you are reflecting on the entirety of the project (not just the finished product) and getting the facts right. If multiple team members were involved on your chosen project, make sure you talk to each of them. You want to be able to encompass the spirit of working with your team.
Facts? Check. Now get to writing.
When it comes to service-based businesses, people hire based on trust. Trust in the people on your team, trust in your reliability, trust in the work that you do.
You can begin to establish that trust by personalizing the experience of working with your company as you write your case study. Lay out the reason your client approached you. Explain how you and your team took that problem and solved it for your client. Reflect on the improvements the work you delivered made to your client. Finally, reiterate the value that your team added. Above all else, be concise. Again, not a novel.
In addition to laying out the problem and your value, you can also take this opportunity to outline unexpected turns in the project. Establishing trust with potential new clients requires that you can demonstrate that you’re able to handle when things don’t go 100% according to plan. If you can walk them through how your team handles an evolving project with grace, you’ll set their mind at ease and prove to them that your team will be crucial to their success.
If you are able to cover all of these project aspects in your case study, your readers will have a concrete reason to trust you. They may not know the client you were working with, but they don’t need to because they can now imagine themselves in that client’s position.
Don’t forget to follow up.
If you’ve crafted your case study properly, your reader should be looking for a way to engage further. The final step is a call to action.
Once your readers start converting to interested potential clients, make sure to foster those relationships. Bring them in for a consultation. Learn about the projects they are interested in pursuing. Perhaps their project will be your next case study.
