5 tips to capture value through case studies

You’ve secured the client, planned the project, and delivered something special. The hard work is done. Now, it’s time to shout about it. Offering insight into the moving parts of a project and its successes, case studies are a powerful tool for B2B companies. How can you ensure you’re getting as much value from them as possible?

1. Offer a clear problem and solution

All business and client relationships start with one thing: a problem that needs solving. Your case studies should focus on that, outlining the issues the client was running into and the steps you took to fix them.

As you do, make sure the language is clear and keep in mind that it’s not all about you. Put your customers and their problems first, using their wins as your success story.

If you look at our case studies, you’ll see we split each into Ask and Solution sections which clearly outline what the client’s problem was followed by the actionable solution Motum B2B offered.

2. Lean into storytelling

If there’s something people invest in, it’s a story. Especially if a collaboration with a client has been a longer process with different elements, readers will be interested in hearing how that went.

Did your client have any specific or unique requirements/issues that you went out of your way to resolve? How did you approach those challenges? Was there any extra value you provided that your competitors wouldn’t, and what was the lasting impact?

Remember, this storytelling can go beyond just the project. It’s a means to prove how thoroughly you understand your customer, the market, and their challenges.

3. Include proof

The principal benefit of a case study comes with the professional proof they offer. Words are great, but you should showcase the result of a piece of work. Is there a way to show off the project via links, screenshots, photos, or video embedded into the page?

Do you have any metrics or key pieces of data you can use to quantify results and bring home how successfully it was delivered? Are there any testimonials you can include from clients to prove what a good job your team did?

4. Let your images do the talking

Visuals matter. Use images as another way to tell your story and bring out the best parts of the project you’re championing. Are there any visuals, like sketches, concepts, or schematics you can include that demonstrate your thought process or illustrate the steps you took to get to the finished result? Before and after photos are great for this.

Perhaps you could create a short video that better takes people through the journey or design screenshots in a way that highlights key aspects of a piece of work.

5. Think holistically

Once you have your case study live, think about it in the context of your site, your customer, and your content strategy.

Where do case studies live on your website and how are they organized? How are you sharing them on social media, and leaning into storytelling to make them as compelling as possible? Are there any other places you can use them or resources you link them to?

There will also be potential to turn this piece of content into others you can use. You could lift a testimonial and turn it into a visual for social media or highlight a key stat in a graphic that you use elsewhere, for example.

Remember...

It’s important to think about each case study through the relationship you have with clients. There may be times information will be confidential or you can’t share as many details as you might like.

Think about what you can and can’t show and be open to shifting the format or approach, so it best fits your working relationship.