# Case Study Creation — Framework & Best Practices Reference

## Core Framework: Challenge-Solution-Results (CSR)

Every case study follows the same fundamental arc. The customer is the hero. Your product or service is the guide that helped them overcome a challenge and achieve measurable results.

```
Challenge → Solution → Results

"We had this problem" → "Here's how we solved it" → "Here's what happened"
```

This structure works because it mirrors the buyer's internal narrative: "I have a similar problem. Could this solution work for me too?"

---

## Case Study Structures

### Standard Structure (~1,500-2,000 words)

| Section | Length | Purpose | Content |
|---------|--------|---------|---------|
| Title | 1 line | Hook + outcome | "[Company] Achieves [Result] with [Your Product]" |
| Summary | 2-3 sentences | Quick overview for skimmers | Challenge, solution, and key result in brief |
| Company overview | 50-100 words | Context about the customer | Industry, size, location, what they do |
| Challenge | 200-400 words | The problem that drove them to seek a solution | Pain points, failed attempts, urgency, business impact |
| Objectives | 50-100 words | What they wanted to achieve | Specific, measurable goals they set |
| Solution | 300-500 words | How your product/service was implemented | Features used, implementation process, timeline |
| Results | 200-400 words | Measurable outcomes | Hard metrics with before/after data, qualitative wins |
| Customer quote | 2-3 sentences | Authentic voice from the customer | Endorsement of the experience and outcome |
| Next steps | 50-100 words | Forward-looking statement | Plans for expansion, additional use cases |

### Extended Structure (~2,000-2,500 words)

Adds depth for complex B2B solutions with longer sales cycles:

| Additional Section | Purpose |
|-------------------|---------|
| Industry context | Market conditions, regulatory environment, competitive pressures |
| Evaluation process | How and why they chose your solution over alternatives |
| Implementation details | Timeline, team involvement, integration steps, obstacles overcome |
| Multiple result categories | Split results into efficiency, revenue, satisfaction, and strategic outcomes |
| Lessons learned | What they would do differently, advice for similar companies |

### One-Page Executive Summary

| Element | Content |
|---------|---------|
| Header | Company logo + your logo + headline result |
| Challenge (2-3 bullets) | Core problems in brief |
| Solution (2-3 bullets) | What you provided |
| Key results (3-5 metrics) | Before → After with percentage improvements |
| Pull quote | One compelling sentence from the customer |
| CTA | "Read the full case study" or "Contact us" |

---

## Customer Interview Framework

### 10 Essential Questions

| # | Question | What It Reveals |
|---|----------|----------------|
| 1 | "Walk me through the situation before you started using [product]. What was the biggest challenge?" | The pain narrative in their own words |
| 2 | "What was the business impact of that challenge? What was it costing you in time, money, or missed opportunities?" | Quantifiable pain for ROI calculation |
| 3 | "What other solutions did you try or evaluate before choosing us?" | Competitive context, positions your solution |
| 4 | "What made you ultimately choose [product] over the alternatives?" | Unique differentiators in customer language |
| 5 | "Walk me through the implementation. How did the rollout go?" | Implementation narrative, proof of feasibility |
| 6 | "What surprised you during the process, either positively or negatively?" | Authentic moments, objection handling material |
| 7 | "What specific results have you seen since implementing [product]? Can you share numbers?" | Hard metrics for the results section |
| 8 | "How has [product] changed your team's day-to-day work?" | Qualitative, relatable benefits |
| 9 | "If you were advising someone in a similar situation, what would you tell them?" | Third-party endorsement narrative |
| 10 | "What are your plans for expanding your use of [product] going forward?" | Forward-looking momentum, growth signal |

### Interview Tips

- [ ] Send questions in advance so the customer can gather data
- [ ] Record the call (with permission) for accurate quoting
- [ ] Let them talk — the best insights come from unscripted tangents
- [ ] Listen for specific numbers, even if they seem informal ("it probably saved us 20 hours a week")
- [ ] Ask follow-up questions when they mention metrics ("Can you be more specific about that 20 hours?")
- [ ] Get approval for direct quotes during the interview, not after
- [ ] Schedule 30-45 minutes (most interviews run 20-30 minutes in practice)

---

## Data Presentation

### Before/After Metrics Format

| Metric | Before | After | Improvement |
|--------|--------|-------|-------------|
| Monthly lead volume | 150 | 420 | +180% |
| Cost per lead | $85 | $32 | -62% |
| Time to close (days) | 45 | 28 | -38% |
| Revenue per quarter | $340K | $890K | +162% |

### Effective Data Presentation Rules

- [ ] Always show the starting point (before), not just the end result
- [ ] Use percentages AND absolute numbers ("62% reduction, from $85 to $32")
- [ ] Include the time period ("within 6 months of implementation")
- [ ] Round numbers appropriately (don't write "183.7% increase" — write "nearly 3x")
- [ ] Contextualize results against industry benchmarks when possible
- [ ] Use visualizations for the most impressive metrics (bar chart, arrow diagram)
- [ ] If exact numbers are confidential, use ranges or ratios ("more than doubled," "reduced by over half")

### ROI Calculation Template

```
Investment:
- Product/service cost: $X/year
- Implementation cost: $Y (one-time)
- Internal time investment: Z hours x hourly rate

Returns:
- Revenue increase: $A/year
- Cost savings: $B/year
- Time savings: C hours/year x hourly rate = $D/year

Total annual return: $A + $B + $D = $Total
ROI: ($Total - Annual Investment) / Annual Investment x 100 = ___%
Payback period: Total Investment / Monthly Return = ___ months
```

---

## Storytelling Techniques

### The Hero's Journey Adaptation

| Story Beat | Case Study Application |
|-----------|----------------------|
| Ordinary World | The customer's situation before the problem became urgent |
| Call to Adventure | The trigger event that forced them to seek a solution |
| Refusal of the Call | Hesitation, skepticism, or failed previous attempts |
| Meeting the Mentor | Discovery of your product/service |
| Crossing the Threshold | Decision to implement and commit |
| Tests and Challenges | Implementation hurdles, learning curve, team adoption |
| The Ordeal | The critical moment where the solution was truly tested |
| The Reward | Measurable results and business transformation |
| The Return | New normal, expansion plans, advice for others |

### Writing Techniques

| Technique | How to Apply | Example |
|-----------|-------------|---------|
| Specificity over generality | Use exact numbers, names, dates | "In March 2024, Sarah's team of 12 was processing 300 tickets per week manually" |
| Tension and stakes | Show what was at risk if the problem wasn't solved | "Without a fix, they would miss their Q3 revenue target by $200K" |
| Sensory language | Describe the emotional experience | "The team dreaded Monday mornings — their inbox was a minefield" |
| Contrast | Sharply distinguish before and after | "What used to take 4 hours now takes 15 minutes" |
| Quote integration | Weave customer quotes into narrative flow | Sarah remembers the turning point: "I knew it was working when..." |
| Show, don't tell | Demonstrate impact through anecdote | Don't say "the team was happier" — show that attrition dropped from 25% to 8% |

---

## Format Variations

### Written Case Study (1,500-2,500 words)

- **Distribution:** Website, email, sales team, SEO
- **Production time:** 2-4 weeks (interview + writing + approval)
- **Cost:** $500-2,000 (external) or 8-15 hours (internal)
- **Shelf life:** 12-24 months before data feels stale

### Video Case Study (2-5 minutes)

- **Distribution:** Website, YouTube, social media, sales presentations, trade shows
- **Production time:** 4-8 weeks (planning + filming + editing + approval)
- **Cost:** $3,000-15,000 (professional production)
- **Best practices:** Customer on camera (not scripted), B-roll of product in use, text overlay for key metrics, subtitles always

### One-Page Summary / PDF

- **Distribution:** Sales handoff, trade shows, email attachment, LinkedIn DM
- **Production time:** 1-2 days (after full case study exists)
- **Cost:** $200-500 (design)
- **Best practices:** Branded template, scannable layout, 3-5 key metrics, QR code to full version

### Slide Deck (5-10 slides)

- **Distribution:** Sales presentations, webinars, internal training
- **Production time:** 1-2 days
- **Slide structure:** Title slide, company overview, challenge, solution (with screenshots/diagrams), results (metrics), testimonial quote, CTA

### Social Media Snippets

| Platform | Format | Length | Content Focus |
|----------|--------|--------|---------------|
| LinkedIn | Carousel (5-8 slides) | 150-200 words per slide | Challenge → Solution → 3 key results → CTA |
| LinkedIn | Text post | 300-600 words | Storytelling narrative with metrics and quote |
| Twitter/X | Thread (5-8 posts) | 280 chars per post | One metric per tweet, link to full study |
| Instagram | Carousel or Reels | 15-60 seconds | Visual metrics, customer quote overlay, branded |
| TikTok | Short video | 30-60 seconds | Quick before/after transformation story |

---

## Distribution Strategy

### Website Placement

| Location | Purpose | Format |
|----------|---------|--------|
| Dedicated case studies page | Central hub for all studies | Filterable by industry, company size, use case |
| Product/feature pages | Proof of specific capability | Embedded snippet or sidebar with relevant study |
| Pricing page | Justify investment | ROI-focused study with payback period data |
| Homepage | Social proof for new visitors | Rotating customer logos + quote + result |
| Blog | SEO and content marketing | Full narrative version with long-tail keywords |

### Sales Enablement

| Sales Stage | How to Use Case Study |
|-------------|---------------------|
| Prospecting | Reference in cold outreach: "We helped [similar company] achieve [result]" |
| Discovery | Share to build credibility after identifying similar pain points |
| Proposal | Include as supporting evidence for ROI projections |
| Negotiation | Counter objections with proof points from similar customers |
| Close | Offer reference call with case study customer |

### Distribution Channels

- [ ] Email to prospects matching the case study's industry and company size
- [ ] LinkedIn organic post (text narrative + PDF attachment)
- [ ] LinkedIn paid promotion to target industry audiences
- [ ] Sales team Slack/Teams channel for awareness
- [ ] CRM attachment to relevant deal records
- [ ] Newsletter feature (monthly "customer spotlight")
- [ ] Webinar featuring the customer telling their story
- [ ] PR outreach with industry-specific publications
- [ ] Trade show collateral (printed one-pagers)
- [ ] Partner co-marketing (if applicable)

---

## SEO Optimization

### Keyword Strategy for Case Studies

| Keyword Type | Example | Where to Use |
|-------------|---------|-------------|
| Industry + solution | "CRM for healthcare case study" | Title, H1, URL slug |
| Problem + solution | "reduce customer churn SaaS case study" | Meta description, body text |
| Competitor alternative | "[competitor] alternative results" | Body text (tasteful, not aggressive) |
| Product + use case | "[product name] email marketing results" | H2 subheadings |
| Geographic | "[product] UK eCommerce success" | Body text, title if relevant |

### On-Page SEO Checklist

- [ ] URL slug: `/case-studies/[company-name]-[industry]-[key-result]`
- [ ] Title tag: "[Company] Achieves [Result] with [Product] | Case Study"
- [ ] Meta description: 155 chars summarizing challenge, solution, and headline result
- [ ] H1: Matches title with customer name and key result
- [ ] H2s: Structured as Challenge, Solution, Results (clear for featured snippets)
- [ ] Schema markup: Case study or Article structured data
- [ ] Internal links: Link to relevant product pages, related case studies
- [ ] Image alt text: Descriptive alt for charts, screenshots, customer photos
- [ ] Key metrics in text (not just images): Crawlable by search engines
- [ ] 1,500+ words for SEO length signal

---

## B2B vs B2C Case Studies

| Dimension | B2B Case Study | B2C Case Study |
|-----------|---------------|---------------|
| Decision-maker | Committee (5-10 people) | Individual or household |
| Key metrics | ROI, efficiency, revenue growth, cost reduction | Satisfaction, experience quality, time saved |
| Tone | Professional, data-driven, authoritative | Personal, emotional, relatable |
| Length | 1,500-2,500 words (longer consideration cycle) | 500-1,000 words (quicker read) |
| Social proof emphasis | Company name, logo, title of interviewee | Customer name (or anonymous), photo, story |
| Distribution | Sales team, LinkedIn, industry events | Website, social media, email, influencer |
| Storytelling focus | Business transformation | Personal transformation |
| Approval complexity | Legal review, PR team, executive sign-off | Simple customer consent |
| Typical timeline | 4-8 weeks | 1-3 weeks |

---

## Legal & Approval Process

### Pre-Interview

- [ ] Get verbal agreement from customer success/account manager that the customer is in good standing
- [ ] Send formal case study participation request (email template below)
- [ ] Outline the process: interview, draft, review, publish
- [ ] Clarify what will be shared publicly (company name, metrics, quotes)
- [ ] Confirm if legal/PR review is required on customer side
- [ ] Offer incentives if appropriate (co-marketing, conference speaking, product credits)

### Post-Writing

- [ ] Send draft to customer for review with 2-week response window
- [ ] Allow customer to redact specific numbers or sensitive details
- [ ] Get written approval (email confirmation is sufficient for most companies)
- [ ] Confirm where the study will be published (website, social, sales materials)
- [ ] For public companies: check if the customer's legal team needs to review for SEC/disclosure concerns
- [ ] Store signed approval in customer record

### Case Study Request Email Template

```
Subject: Would you be open to sharing your [Company] story?

Hi [Name],

Your results with [Product] have been outstanding — [specific metric].
We'd love to share your success story to help other [industry] companies
facing similar challenges.

Here's what it involves:
- A 30-minute interview (we'll send questions in advance)
- We write the draft — you review and approve before anything goes live
- Your final say on everything published

We've found our case study customers get [benefit: visibility, conference
speaking invitations, co-marketing exposure].

Would you be open to a quick chat about it?

Best,
[Name]
```

---

## Industry-Specific Templates

### SaaS Case Study Metrics Focus

| Metric Category | Metrics to Highlight |
|----------------|---------------------|
| Efficiency | Time saved per week, tasks automated, manual steps eliminated |
| Adoption | Team adoption rate, daily active users, feature utilization |
| Revenue impact | Pipeline generated, deals closed faster, expansion revenue |
| Cost reduction | Tool consolidation savings, headcount efficiency, error reduction |

### eCommerce Case Study Metrics Focus

| Metric Category | Metrics to Highlight |
|----------------|---------------------|
| Revenue | Revenue growth, AOV increase, repeat purchase rate |
| Conversion | Conversion rate lift, cart abandonment reduction, checkout completion |
| Efficiency | ROAS improvement, CPA reduction, automation time savings |
| Customer experience | Customer satisfaction score, return rate reduction, review volume |

### Agency Case Study Metrics Focus

| Metric Category | Metrics to Highlight |
|----------------|---------------------|
| Client results | Client revenue growth, lead generation, traffic increase |
| Efficiency | Faster turnaround, more capacity, fewer revisions |
| Scale | Number of clients managed, campaigns launched, content produced |
| Retention | Client retention rate, contract expansions, referrals generated |

### Local Business Case Study Metrics Focus

| Metric Category | Metrics to Highlight |
|----------------|---------------------|
| Foot traffic | Increase in store visits, appointment bookings |
| Online presence | Google Business Profile views, review rating/volume, local search rankings |
| Revenue | Monthly revenue growth, new customer acquisition, average ticket size |
| Community | Social media following, event attendance, referral rate |

---

*The best case studies do not read like marketing materials. They read like credible, specific, third-party-validated success stories. Let the customer be the star, let the data speak for itself, and make the reader think: "If they did it, maybe I can too."*
