Case studies: your customers are worth their weight in gold

Satisfied customers are your best ambassadors for promoting your products or services. Like customer testimonials, case studies are a powerful lever in inbound marketing, especially in B2B. What exactly are case studies? Why can this type of content help you generate leads and boost your sales? What are the tips for writing an effective use case? Find out how to capitalise on your business successes with thecustomer case study.

What is a client case study?

The customer case study is content that highlights your product or service through the feedback of a satisfied customer. This content marketing tool is very popular in B2B and fits perfectly into your brand strategy. The customer case is also known as a case study, use case or success story.

More than just a client testimonial, the case study details the problem the client faced, how you helped them solve it and the concrete results achieved. It usually takes the form of a web page published on your website. 

The content of the case study can also be used in different formats:

• lead magnet, PDF file to be downloaded free of charge in exchange for the prospect's contact details;
• white paper or sales brochure ;
• presentation to share or use at your events (trade fairs, conferences, webinars, etc.);
• blog post;
• video or podcast ;
• quotes on your homepage or on a landing page;
• newsletter oremail marketing campaign;
• publication on social networks (post, carousel or story);
• computer graphics, etc.

All of the client cases are ideally grouped together on your website in a section dedicated to achievements.

Why publish customer case studies?

Case studies have many advantages in B2B marketing to convince your prospects and convert them into customers.

Generate leads

The case study is a powerful lead generation tool in B2B. In fact, 79% of B2B buyers consult customer cases (Content Marketing Institute, 2018). This is an attraction that you can make use of, for example by offering a case study as a lead magnet. Publishing case studies also helps to improve your website's natural search engine ranking, and thus to generate qualified traffic.

In addition, the customer case successfully captures the attention of readers, as 83% of internet users consume this type of content in its entirety (Harvard Business Review). Finally, 64% of B2B professionals share case studies with their peers, which multiplies opportunities to reach new leads (DemandGen Report 2018).

Reassure your potential customers

Which place would you choose to go for dinner: an empty restaurant with no reviews on the internet, or a place full of customers and well rated on Google or TripAdvisor? Chances are you'll choose the latter! This is the concept of social proof, a psychological principle according to which we are influenced by the behaviour and views of our fellow human beings.

Like customer testimonials, the case study is therefore an important element of reassurance to support the prospect's decision to buy. This concrete example helps them to project themselves more easily and to better understand the added value that you can provide. It allows them to identify with customers for whom you have solved similar problems. This creates a feeling of security: if your products or services have met their needs, there is a good chance that it will work for them too! 

Convincing through storytelling

We often think of ourselves as fundamentally rational beings. Yet neuroscience shows that our emotions guide 95% of our purchasing decisions, even if we justify them with reason after the fact (Harvard Business School, 2017). This is the basis of storytelling, a copywriting technique that uses narrative to evoke emotion in the reader and make them want to buy. 

The case study leverages this process with its movie or novel-like structure: a hero (your client) struggling with an antagonist (their issue) meets an ally (you) to help them achieve their goals. You tell a story to your prospects and thus establish an emotional connection with them that encourages support and commitment. A real success story!

Increase your conversion rate

The case study combines the emotional and the rational: the emotion provoked by the storytelling triggers the impulse to buy, which is then supported by logical arguments. It is therefore an effective marketing content to turn your prospects into customers. For example, 73% of B2B buyers consult customer cases during their decision-making process (DemandGen Report 2016). That's why 40% of B2B marketers consider the customer case study to be the most effective format for driving conversions throughout the buying journey (Content Marketing Institute).

How to make a convincing case study?

In order to harness the power of storytelling, the client case study should follow a particular narrative pattern:

• a presentation of the client (name of the company, sector of activity, number of employees, turnover, etc.) to help the reader to identify himself;
• the challenge: the client's starting situation and the problem to be solved;
• the solution provided (product or service) to achieve the desired objectives;
• the results achieved and the benefits, if possible illustrated with figures (savings made, sales generated, etc.);
• a call-to-action to encourage the prospect to take action: contact, request a quote, register for a webinar, download an information brochure, etc.

Also include some key quotes from the interviewees and visual elements: company logo, photos, diagrams, tables, graphs, screenshots of performance, etc. Keep it factual and honest to strengthen your credibility and gain the trust of your future clients.

A turnkey solution for writing your customer case studies

At Autour de l'Image, we are convinced of the value of case studies. Our clients are our best ambassadors! We also know that this work takes time, which you may not have. This is why we suggest that you call on our agency to develop your client cases. This service includes the entire process:

• understanding your world: offer, added value, target, etc. ;
• interview your client to gather the necessary information;
• possible production of graphic or video content;
• writing the case study;
• document layout in PDF format ;
• publication on your website.

Would you like support in writing impactful customer case studies? Tell us about your project using the contact form at the bottom of this page!