How to Write Winning Case Studies

May 31
05:58

2012

Nigel Graber

Nigel Graber

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Case studies - or success stories - can be your marketing trump card. Here are some top tips on how to write them.

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What's top dog in your marketing arsenal? We reckon it's case studies. They're powerful because they give potential clients social proof of your products' capabilities. Showcase your studies on your website and potential customers will be beating down your door. Mail them out and customers with similar issues will be only too keen to get in touch.

If you want a dab at writing them yourself,How to Write Winning Case Studies Articles you might find it's not that easy. However, the web is alive with case study writers keen to be paid to write this kind of material. But if your budget won't stretch that far, here are a few pointers.

You'll need to strive for impact, but keep your study fairly short, so that's it's easily digestible. Organise the information into bite-sized chunks. Use signposts – section heads, subheads etc. Take a problem-solution approach, taking care to mention the client's pain points. Can you provide quantifiable results? They're like dynamite.

When you write your study, try to focus on a clear business problem – usually concerning money - and come to a conclusion. Obviously, showcasing your company's talents here is going to be key. Putting a good spin on the client's involvement is also recommended, as they'll be more likely to help you out and offer a good quote or two.

Keep your writing approach and design consistent over each study to give yourself some credibility. Choose a name and stick with it – maybe success stories or customer profiles? As regards structure, use the problem-solution approach.

Using a formula, with identifiable sections, can simplify writing case studies. However, if you're struggling, start with the simpler parts. You can then move on to the tougher sections.

But what's going to make your case study stand out? The big thing to go for is 'pain points'. How was your client suffering before you came along? Tell the world how you helped. But don't get verbose – about 300-500 words is fine.

If you're not brimming with desire to become a case study writer, there are plenty good copywriters who'll help you out. Case study writing is relatively straightforward for a writing professional. Hand over as much information as possible to cut your costs.

However, do resist the temptation to let a PR agency loose on your studies. PR agencies are notoriously poor at copywriting. You'll get something that says how wonderful your business is, but that's lacking in the detail about how you solved your customer's problem.