All the world loves a good story. So how can you make sure your case studies are telling a story that’ll grab your audience’s attention?
Case studies and success stories can be a brilliant way of promoting whatever it is that you do. A satisfied customer talking about the value of your product or service is a proven way of winning interest from other potential clients.
A good case study goes beyond a straightforward endorsement by telling the story of how you helped someone achieve their ambitions. It helps people understand what you do, and the real value you offer.
I’ve written hundreds of case studies over the years for various organisations, from venture capital investors to research centres. The aim is always to show the impact of their innovative products, services and investment on customers and users, and inspire new customers to get in touch.
I know they can work well. I’ve seen how they’ve been shared in the trade press and on social media. I’ve even heard some referenced in real life conversations. And I’ve seen enquiries come in which directly reference the story when asking for information or help.
Here’s a bit of what I’ve learned about what it takes to turn a case study into a compelling story.
You are not the hero
An effective case study is a story – and a good attention-grabbing story does generally need a hero.
A basic mistake is thinking that your company has to be the hero. That’s not so, especially if you’re the one telling the story.
The hero should be your customer. They’re the ones who go on a journey and find success. They’re the ones that your audience should identify with, and want to be like.
You are the supporting character in the story. You’re the friendly wizard who gives them the magic tools they need to succeed. You’re the good fairy who grants their wish.
I’m often asked whether case studies have to identify the customer. If you want them to be credible and effective, they do.
Three-act structure
As scholars have long noted, most stories can be boiled down to one of a very small number of basic structures.
Here’s one of the most common: a hero faces a challenge, takes action, and is rewarded.
It’s a common structure because it works. It’s not quite the classic three-act structure used by dramatists for generations, but it’s close. You’ll see it used in different ways in films, TV series, books, games and pub anecdotes.
Let’s look at how these three acts can work for a B2B case study.
The challenge
Someone’s got a problem they need to solve, or a goal they want to achieve. That might be a specific production problem (we need to make this flange with less metal) or a bigger strategic challenge (we want to enter new markets). The important thing is that it’s something that your audience can recognise and identify with.
The story should also take a moment to introduce your hero – who are they, what do they do, and why is this challenge important to them?
The action
So what did they do to tackle the challenge, and how did you help them? Don’t get bogged down in the technicalities, but you should include enough detail that your audience can appreciate what happened and relate it to their own challenges.
A bit of conflict can make the story more engaging, so it’s good to talk about any secondary challenges they had along the way and how they were overcome. For example, in a business transformation story, how did staff deal with a new way of working? Acknowledging those bumps in the road will help build credibility.
The reward
Your story needs to have a meaningful and upbeat ending. It’s unlikely to be “happy ever after”, but it should end with a problem solved, an ambition achieved, or new wealth unlocked. That’s what will inspire your audience to seek your help.
Where you can, quantify the impact – if you can honestly say that your gizmo helped improve efficiency by 20 per cent, that’s a lot more persuasive than vague words about “significant gains”. You do need to be truthful and accurate in any claims you make, of course. If the benefit involves reducing emissions or environmental impact, then you need to be particularly careful to avoid greenwash.
Stories are about people
An effective story is always about people, not the product. And you need to tell it clearly, without letting jargon get in the way of the story – especially if your product is technically complex. There’s a lot of value in those basic journalistic skills of telling a story clearly.
Whoever’s writing your case study should talk directly to the customer – the hero – so they can discuss their journey. They’ll also need to talk to the right people within your organisation who can tell your side of the story without resorting to standard corporate blether. It’s those conversations that will dig out the details which will bring the story to life.
This is where a skilled writer can really add value. A generative AI or LLM tool might be able to turn a project report into a string of structured bullet points, but it won’t tell a compelling story that will grab your audience’s interest.
Stories are about people. And no matter how technical your product might be, you need to engage the people in your audience. They’re the ones with their own challenges which you can help them tackle.
How to best share your story to reach them is a topic for another day.
If you’d like to find out more about how Othersfield can help you tell compelling case studies, get in touch.