Creating and Leveraging B2B Case Studies that Convert

Endorsements such as testimonials and case studies are powerful tools that help in building credibility and trust among customers. Approximately 73% of marketers publish customer case studies to establish themselves as a credible brand. Though case studies are important for brand promotion, a content marketing report in 2018 found that case studies are not always persuasive. As a result, case studies don’t live up to the expectations of B2B brands. So, what are the B2B brands missing out on when it comes to preparing a case study? On this note, let’s find out how a B2B company can create and leverage a case study that converts.

Creating an Appealing Case Study

A well-written case study can turn out to be an asset for your B2B brand. However, to do this, you need to know the secret to writing an appealing case study. Follow these steps to create an appealing case study.

Tell a Story

Instead of writing a monotonous and long case study, tell a story to make it relatable. Share the processes, setbacks, failed attempts, and success Mantras in an authentic manner.

Keep it Simple

Make sure the case study is easy to understand for the readers. Even if you are using data and other technical details, make sure the terminology used in the case study is not too tough to comprehend.

Give Credit Where Necessary

Make sure you include all the major and minor contributions made by a client or a team member in the case study. Add links to the client’s site, so that the prospect will know that it’s an existing business and can contact them for any references.

Make it Visually Appealing

Use a lot of infographics, images and graphs to make the case study visually appealing. This will also help you highlight your important achievements and grab the attention of the readers.

The Ideal Structure of a Case Study

While writing a case study, there are a lot of points you need to keep in mind in order to make it compelling and realistic. So, here is an ideal structure you should follow while writing a case study.

Start with a Solution-related Headline

A headline is one of the most important aspects of writing a case study. “How-to” titles work well for case studies.

Give an Overview

Give a short overview of the problem of your client, the objective of the project and the solution adopted.

Process of Reaching the Expected Solution

In this section, you can add some detail to help a prospective lead understand why and how you are the best choice to assist their business.

The Result

This is a crucial part of your case study. Add sufficient details, facts and figures to convince the client and back your claim.

Add Client Quotes

Adding client quotes in the case study is a must. Using genuine client quotes helps in making the case study reliable.

Add a Call to Action

Make sure you add a CTA that takes the potential client to your ‘products and services’ page.

Common Mistakes When Creating a Case Study

Even an expert writer may end up making some of common mistakes that can ruin a case study. Here are some common mistakes to avoid while preparing a case study:

• Forgetting the customer

This is a common mistake that almost all B2B companies make. A case study will convert only when a prospect can identify with the customer’s experiences.

• Not using Relevant Data

A case study needs to prove facts. There may be instances in which you can’t add the exact numbers for confidentiality purposes, but you can always add growth percentages, comparisons or any other relevant information that indicates a change in numbers.

• Not adding CTA

Not mentioning a clear next step at the end of a case study can do more harm than good. Add links to your services or offer a free consultation to engage with the prospective lead.

Common Pitfalls when Promoting a Case Study

Creating an impeccable case study will not give the desired results as long as you don’t promote it in the right way. Here are pitfalls that you need to avoid while promoting a case study.

• Using the Same Format for All Channels

Reformatting a case study is something that a lot of B2B businesses ignore. Reimagine the case studies so that they meet the specifications of all the channels such as SlideShare and YouTube.

• Not using the social platforms

Social media is a powerful platform, which when used with perfection, can take your brand ahead of your competitors. However, a lot of the B2B case studies don’t have social media buttons, which can take the readers to the official accounts of organizations.

• Not Optimizing the Case Study

Proper HTML and Meta tags are a must for any type of content that you publish, including case studies. A lot of B2B companies don’t add crosslinks to the relevant products or services on the site, which nullifies the objective of creating a case study.

Last Few Words

A well-written case study can help in delivering the right context, relevance and credibility. So, keep in mind the important points mentioned above and create something that grabs the attention of your prospects and persuades them to avail your products or services. To be on the safer side, you can partner with agencies such as Envigo, that have expertise in creating B2B case studies that convert. Feel free to get in touch with us and find out how we can help you in creating a compelling case study that converts.