B2B case studies are an essential part of any business owner’s or marketing professional’s toolkit. They help demonstrate how your products or services can benefit the customer and, as a result, increase sales. As per a report, although marketers report that they provide their company’s sales teams with many different types of content, half (52%) say they most frequently provide case studies.

A reason for this could be their demand in the market by customers. According to a report, case studies were ranked “very important by” 52% of B2B buyers while evaluating vendors. Another report stated that 88% of consumers trust online ratings and reviews. Thus, case studies prove to be a reliable way to establish social proof – ranking up there with blogs, ebooks, and videos. A case study quickly demonstrates the field you are comfortable in and have the expertise to provide targeted results to that industry.

But creating good B2B case studies isn’t easy - it takes some planning, research, and skill. In this post, we will cover:

What exactly is a case study
How to create a case study (A step-by-step guide)
How to structure your case study
Business case study examples
Additional tips

We’ll also provide tips and advice on how to make your case studies stand out from the crowd. So, ready to take your case studies skills to the next level? Let’s get started!

What Exactly Is A B2B Case Study?

A B2B case study is a document or a content piece that outlines the business objectives, challenges, strategies, and results of a particular B2B project. They are easy, when done well, and can train prospects on what you do, how you work, and why they need it at that very moment. B2B case studies are factual narratives of usually about one person or an organization about their success over a specific period of time.

It can be used as a persuasive tool to convince other businesses to invest in or partner with you. B2B case studies can be beneficial in generating more leads, attracting more audiences, and expanding in new markets.

How To Create B2B Case Studies

Before anything else, research your target market. What do these people want? Why do they need it? What problems does this product or service solve for them? You will also want to identify any competition in the marketplace.

Once you have a good understanding of who your customer is and what motivates them, begin developing hypotheses about how your product or service could help them. What is it that could influence other businesses to your product or service? Be creative- after all, this is supposed to be a case study! – but make sure that every hypothesis has potential proof behind it.

Then, get started! Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you create your B2B case studies:

1. Think about the case study medium/format: A case study can be anything - documents, white papers, videos, podcasts, or infographics. Deciding on the format is important because it will dictate the level of detail you need to include in your case study. If your case study is going to be a document, you’ll need more information than if it’s going to be a video or infographic, or one-pager.

2. Find the template for the selected medium: Finding the best template for your B2B case studies is one of the most important steps in writing effective sales content. Here is a business case study template that you can use when creating videos.

3. Decide upon the right client/customer: Once you have considered the above factors, here are a few ways to select the right client:

Look at your portfolio of work and select a case study that would be the most beneficial to showcase your work
If you have several case studies that would be beneficial, then look at which client would be the most recognizable to your target audience
If you are looking to write a case study about a specific industry, then look for a client who has achieved remarkable results in that industry
Look for a client who would provide you with quotes and approval to write the case study quickly and easily

4. Gather information you already have about the client: Before starting the actual writing process, go through all the company documentation (website/blog/PDF), old presentations, analytics, and marketing materials that pertain to this particular client and gather as much data as possible about their product or service offering. Make sure you capture all key points from these sources before asking anything from the client. It could be that you already have all the information you need to create a B2B case study!

5. Draft a questionnaire for the client: Most of the time, businesses collect customer information to complete a case study. This is not just a simple binary survey. Asking the right questions is key to writing great business case studies. Here are a few essential questions to ask your clients:

What was your main problem or challenge before working with us?
How have we helped you solve that problem or meet those challenges?
Why did you choose us over other options?

In what ways do we help you enhance your competitive advantage?

6. Create Content and get it designed: Now that you know what your case study is going to cover, what data needs to be included, and have a template, start writing! Use short, powerful sentences to paint a vivid picture of what your hypothetical scenario looked like and the results you achieved with your strategies. Be sure to check for typos, grammar mistakes, and spelling mistakes.

Then, ask a friend or family member to check the content against their knowledge of what the company does/is known for. If there are any discrepancies, fix them before submitting your case study for design.

For designing, a good way to do it is by using an online tool like Canva.

Pro tip: Integrate SEO In Your Case Studies. Use keywords that your target audience might use to search for relevant content.

7. Share Your Case Study with the World

Don’t be afraid to share your case study with others in your industry or even outside of it. It can help people understand how you approach problem-solving and what makes your company unique. You can publish and share your business case study:

As a PDF or downloadable on your blog site
In a separate “Testimonials” tab on your Company website
On various social media platforms
In presentations

8. Share it with your sales team with an email template: You can also share the case study with your sales team along with an email template. Here’s a template of a B2B case study email:

Hi [name of the prospect client],

As a business owner in the [industry], we thought you might find our [product/service] useful for solving [pain point].

We’ve put together a case study about our cooperation with [name of existing client] to show you how successful this has proven for our existing clients.

In the attached report, we demonstrate:

The problem statement of our client
Our strategies and implementation
The results achieved by using our [product/service]

Hopefully, you find this case study interesting.

Feel free to get in touch if you have any more questions.

Regards,

[Name],

[Designation] at [company]

[Case study attachment]

How To Structure Your Case Study

Achieving a clear-cut structure will make it easier to read and help you to follow your argument more clearly, as well as provide readers with an overview of what they can expect from reading your case study further on in detail. Whether your case study is a one-pager or a video, we recommend focusing on the following outline:

Title: Keep your title short. Your client/customer’s company name + Results Achieved + Your Company’s name is the perfect way to title a B2B case study_._ For instance, a case study by a marketing firm would be something like **XYZ Corporation Increased Leads by 550% With ABC Company**.
About the client: In this section, introduce the client you served including the details about their industry, revenue, etc. You can take some information from their LinkedIn profile, website, or PRs.
The Problem/Opportunity: Add 2-3 lines about your client’s problem and any steps that they took to solve it. You can also include if there were any benchmarks that the client aimed to achieve.
Strategy and Implementation - Add the solution your company came up with. What were some of the challenges faced in trying to solve this problem? Was there anything unique about how this project was tackled that made it stand out from other solutions on offer? Write about one specific aspect of their solution - for example, designing a new product or implementing a successful marketing campaign. How did this contribution help achieve success for the client? What advantages did they have over their competitors in terms of achieving said success? Finally, what lessons can be learned from this case study that could be applied to future projects?
Results and Impact: Be specific and include numbers to demonstrate the magnitude of your contributions. Highlight the numbers prominently.
Client Testimonial: Include a visual quote of the client to support your case study. It adds credibility and builds trust amongst people.
CTA of your website to wrap up: Your readers will be more likely to take an action on your website after reading about the work you’ve done if you include a call to action at the end of your case study. A call to action doesn’t have to be pushy or sales-y, but it should encourage your readers to learn more about what you do or contact you for services.

To help you visualize it better, here is a business case study template that you can refer to.

B2B Case Study Examples From The Real World

When you’re considering how to market your product or service, it’s helpful to look at marketing case studies for inspiration. By seeing how other businesses have tackled similar marketing challenges, you can get a better sense of what will work for your business. Plus, seeing examples of beautiful and effective marketing collateral can give you some ideas for your own project.

Trello - Small Desk Plant Business Ups Sales by 30% With Trello

Trello’s customer stories page hosts a number of case studies. The case study is fascinating because it tells a story that flows smoothly from start to finish. It talks about the company, its problem statement, and how Trello was helpful in addressing those problems, along with numbers. This makes it easy to understand and very persuasive.
Sprinkler

Here’s a case study that has a clean and set format - the CTAs, different sections, info table, customer testimonials, etc. Sprinkler knows exactly what a reader would want and focuses on highlighting the numbers prominently and dividing their content into easy-to-read sections.
Bit.ly

Bitly’s case studies are short and to the point with powerful visuals and creatives. They talk about the goal, the before and after visuals, and the results. It’s just so simple to understand.

A Few Points To Remember

Here are some pointers businesses should keep in mind while creating case studies:

Tell a story: Your case study should be well-written and easy to follow, like a story. Be clear and concise – The goal of a case study is to demonstrate your business' strengths, not spend pages explaining concepts.
Ensure you have approval if you can use your client’s company name: Unless you have written permission from your client, do not use their company name or product names in your case study. Doing this can land you into trouble!
Categorize case studies as per the industry, product, or services: If your case study is about a specific industry, such as technology or construction, categorize it under that category. For product categories, think about the different types of products you offer and list them below. If your business offers services (like accounting or web design), break down the types of services offered and include examples in your case study.
Focus on your client, not your company: When writing b2b case studies, write about the client, their goals, and how your company can help them achieve them.
Create one even if you lack metrics: There are times when you do not have any quantifiable results to showcase. However, this should not refrain you from creating business case studies. You can lead with quotes, list benefits gained by using your strategies, or just showcase a simple “before” and “after”.

Leverage B2B Case Studies In Marketing

There you have it! All the tips and tools that you need to write compelling case studies. When done right, case studies not only amplify your brand reputation but also increase sales for your business. As such, be sure not to take this challenge lightly!

Leave us a comment if you have any questions or suggestions on how we can improve our content writing team. We love hearing from our readers!

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