How to write a software case study that works

Keep it relevant, keep it simple and keep it short

When it comes to big ticket software (i.e. six figures), reference customer case studies usually follow a predictable script:

• Talk a lot about the customer, its products, and its market positioning
• Talk a lot about the vendor, its product, and how great the people are
• Follow the standard Background-Challenge-Solution structure, usually written in consultant-speak.

Not surprisingly, this results in dry case studies that weigh in at 2–3 pages or more, which make for a difficult read — something you want to avoid during the sales process.

And yet, it could all be reduced to one page. Here’s how.

What do prospects look for in case studies? Mainly, “how close is this to my operations in terms of sector, size and business problem?”. If it’s a good match, then they’ll ask the vendor for more details. In other words a case study is essentially a calling-card. It’s not going to result in a sale, only a follow-up for further information — just like a CV is not going to land you a job, only an interview.

One of the common myths in business writing is that people need to be fully informed in order to reach a decision. In reality, they only need to be reasonably informed, as we explained in our series on Common Myths about Business Writing.

So a software case study really only needs to be one page long, written as follows:

• Keep company information to a minimum. If they’re in your sector, then you already know all about them. If not, then you’re even less interested in how important they are. Focus on company size and type of operations.
• Focus on the customer’s problem. Stick to the main business problems that the customer is trying to address. They’re highly unlikely to cover the entire functional scope of your product, so it would be disingenuous to give that impression by doing a “marketing dump” of modules and features.
• Use plain language. By all means follow the standard Background-Challenge-Solution format, but don’t use those dry, corporate terms. Rather, tell a story in everyday language, instead of presenting features and benefits in consultant-speak.

A Project Portfolio Management (PPM) software company applied these rules and had no problem reducing a detailed 2-page case study to a single page that could be read at a glance — including space for graphics at the top and a company logo the bottom.

For Marketing and Customer Success departments, “less is more” when it comes to case studies. Remember, they’re just calling cards, nothing more.