How to Write Killer Case Studies Michelle Boucher & Jill Rose

What you will learn Introduction  What does it take to write a “killer” case study?  Do case studies really work? Challenge  Purpose, topic, client  Structure and data  Emotion and voice  Asking questions Introduction  What does it take to write a “killer” case study?  Do case studies really work? Challenge  Purpose, topic, client  Structure and data  Emotion and voice  Asking questions Solution  Build your case study Template Results  Maximizing content  Taking Notes vs. Recording Lessons learned  Examples & Resources Solution  Build your case study Template Results  Maximizing content  Taking Notes vs. Recording Lessons learned  Examples & Resources

Introduction “Whatever story you're telling, it will be more interesting if, at the end you add, "and then everything burst into flames.” ― Brian P. Cleary, You Oughta Know By Now

What does it take to build a “killer” case study?  A reason  A client  A story  A writer  A plan  A reason  A client  A story  A writer  A plan

Do case studies work?

Strategic self-promotion

Challenge “I never learn anything talking. I only learn things when I ask questions.” --Lou Holtz

Purpose, topic, client  Getting the mix right  Multiple audience, same content  Putting it in context  Short or long?  Identifying the “sweet spot”: the right interviewee(s)  Getting the mix right  Multiple audience, same content  Putting it in context  Short or long?  Identifying the “sweet spot”: the right interviewee(s)

Short form

Long form

Invitation and permission

Structure  Case study structure: introduction, challenge, solution, results, lessons learned  Let the writer know your usual structure  Let them know they can change it if necessary  Case study structure: introduction, challenge, solution, results, lessons learned  Let the writer know your usual structure  Let them know they can change it if necessary

Ask for data  A great case study includes data (before the project/after the project)  Make sure you ask for data  Understand that they may not have data  Understand that if they DO have data, they may not have it quickly available  Understand that if they DO have data, they may not want to give it to you  Bottom line: you may have to inch toward getting data, but it’s worth it  A great case study includes data (before the project/after the project)  Make sure you ask for data  Understand that they may not have data  Understand that if they DO have data, they may not have it quickly available  Understand that if they DO have data, they may not want to give it to you  Bottom line: you may have to inch toward getting data, but it’s worth it

Emotion and voice  Generally, the tone for case studies is less formal than white papers.  What’s important is successfully telling a story so readers can connect to it.  Who is your audience? They need to see themselves in this story.  Use quotes, but don’t overdo them. Quotes must be strong, not dull.  Use the summary to drive home every key point.  Generally, the tone for case studies is less formal than white papers.  What’s important is successfully telling a story so readers can connect to it.  Who is your audience? They need to see themselves in this story.  Use quotes, but don’t overdo them. Quotes must be strong, not dull.  Use the summary to drive home every key point.

Questions to ask Ask open-ended questions (“Tell me about the last time you had a headache” rather than “Do you get headaches?”) Follow up with more questions on that topic, filling in details The most important question to ask: “What would you tell others in the same situation?” This gets you the best testimonial quotes. Ask open-ended questions (“Tell me about the last time you had a headache” rather than “Do you get headaches?”) Follow up with more questions on that topic, filling in details The most important question to ask: “What would you tell others in the same situation?” This gets you the best testimonial quotes.

Taking notes vs. recording  Pros and cons of recording and notetaking (accuracy vs time)  Either way, you'll need to clean up quotes to some degree  If someone said something poorly, paraphrase rather than quote  You'll recognize a great quote when you hear it: write it down and read it back to the source at the end of the interview  Pros and cons of recording and notetaking (accuracy vs time)  Either way, you'll need to clean up quotes to some degree  If someone said something poorly, paraphrase rather than quote  You'll recognize a great quote when you hear it: write it down and read it back to the source at the end of the interview

Solution “Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.” --Bill Gates

Now it’s your turn… 1.State your purpose for this case study. Identify the client company and the title of the person or people to interview; 2.Write the introduction: describe the situation that led to the problem, and their pain points. 3.Describe the challenge: what problem are they trying to solve? 4.Describe the solution: Ask 3-5 open ended questions. Be sure the answers include how they leveraged your solutions – be careful not to turn into a sales pitch; Include the most important question! 5.Explain the results; include before/after stats, differences in impact to the business, how things improved using your solution. 6.List the lessons learned: unexpected – good and bad – and how they handled those things; results of those lessons learned 1.State your purpose for this case study. Identify the client company and the title of the person or people to interview; 2.Write the introduction: describe the situation that led to the problem, and their pain points. 3.Describe the challenge: what problem are they trying to solve? 4.Describe the solution: Ask 3-5 open ended questions. Be sure the answers include how they leveraged your solutions – be careful not to turn into a sales pitch; Include the most important question! 5.Explain the results; include before/after stats, differences in impact to the business, how things improved using your solution. 6.List the lessons learned: unexpected – good and bad – and how they handled those things; results of those lessons learned

Make it interesting  Specific title (instantly understandable as to what this is about)  Company profile (vitals)  Quotes  Statistics/Quantitative Data  Pictures  Charts/Graphs  Before/After  Pictures of the subjects or location  Boilerplates, bios and updates  Specific title (instantly understandable as to what this is about)  Company profile (vitals)  Quotes  Statistics/Quantitative Data  Pictures  Charts/Graphs  Before/After  Pictures of the subjects or location  Boilerplates, bios and updates

Lessons Learned “Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.” --Bill Gates

Compelling presentation of content

Consider your reader’s expectations

One page  Scan-able, easy to read  Don’t make your reader work to find value  Forces concise, crisp writing style  Scan-able, easy to read  Don’t make your reader work to find value  Forces concise, crisp writing style

Infographic  Very brief stories  Message should be discernable without reading any small type  Simplify the complex  Very brief stories  Message should be discernable without reading any small type  Simplify the complex

Combination  Text and infographic  Sometimes more is more: High points with additional detail give readers a choice  Text and infographic  Sometimes more is more: High points with additional detail give readers a choice

Video  Use testimonial from your interviews  Keep them under 5 minutes  Speaker must be well prepped  Use testimonial from your interviews  Keep them under 5 minutes  Speaker must be well prepped

CTA  Invitation to join  Creating interest, not leads  Invitation to join  Creating interest, not leads

Landing page  Minimal gating for content marketing campaigns only

Using case studies for lead generation  The higher the value, the bigger the gate

Maximizing and repurposing content  Blog posts  Newsletter articles  Gated web content  Content Marketing  Social Media posts  Webinars  Blog posts  Newsletter articles  Gated web content  Content Marketing  Social Media posts  Webinars  Press release  Educational session/presentation  marketing CTA  Sales Tool  Give to your clients  Press release  Educational session/presentation  marketing CTA  Sales Tool  Give to your clients

Resources           tips/ tips/            tips/ tips/ 