The first thing to understand about case studies is what they are, and what they should not be. Case studies are a viable and effective way to persuade and entice prospects to hire you and your firm. They should not be used to pat yourself on the back for the great work you’ve done or to brag about the top-notch clients you have in your database.
The real objective in writing a case study should be to demonstrate how you and your firm handled a specific challenge so that prospects, in relating to the challenge you describe, can see the value you brought to solving the issue. They identify with the challenge, see how you resolved it and then internalize that you and your firm would be of great help in meeting their challenges and needs.
A well-written case study typically has four sections:
- The name of the client or a description of the client (industry, size of company, client base, etc.)
- An overview of the challenge you and your firm were asked to resolve
- A description of the work you and your firm performed to resolve the challenge
- Details of the results you achieved
If you follow this format, it will make it easy for prospective clients to understand the types of work you and your firm undertake and the results you achieve on behalf of your clients. As prospects relate to what they read, they can easily see why you and your firm would be a good fit for their needs.
