03/12/2021
Customer is the HERO.
I see far too often is self-promotional "brochureware" disguised as a case study.
The *mistake* many companies make is to cast themselves, rather than their customer, as the hero of their case studies. The story line of many case studies is like a movie where villain ties a helpless damsel (the customer) to railroad tracks, and the hero (the selling company, or the vendor) rides in at the last minute to rescue the damsel in distress from an oncoming train.
A good case study will lead readers to identify with the customer. You want readers to vicariously experience the pain the customer was feeling and the success the customer achieved. When you make your company the hero of your case studies, you're asking readers to identify with your company, not the customer.
Tell the customer's story and describe what the customer was able to accomplish with, of course, help from your solution. So when you're preparing a case study, you can give your company a strong supporting role, but always let your customer be the star.
🟠 Solve the "Data Problem"
Most potential buyers turn to case studies to help them evaluate potential solutions and validate their purchase decisions. A case study needs to contain sufficient detail to describe the customer's business situation and challenges, the experience the customer had with your company's product or service, and the results the customer obtained.