Prospects who aren’t ready to buy – or who are “sitting on the fence” – tend to be resistant to even well-crafted marketing messages. But a bunch of well aimed marketing case studies can often tip the scales in your favour.
“Sell benefits, not features” is good advice, but benefit-rich copy can actually deter prospects who haven’t reached the decision stage yet.
And too many benefits in the absence of marketing proof elementscan ring hollow in today’s increasingly sceptical marketplace.
We published our first marketingcase study back in 2005 and I quickly realised the power of case studies as a versatile and effective marketing tactic.
Why are marketing case studies so effective?
Here are three reasons:
Case studies show, they don’t tell. Telling you I can get you more qualified leads is one thing. Showing you how a similar company to yours got 145% more leads with 24% lower marketing costs is another.
Prospects are typically curious to understand how others have achieved the results they desire. They will eagerly devour a well-constructed case study.
Case studies are also a great tool for closing fence-sitting prospects. For many years I’ve asked prospects why they chose to work with us, and the most common response seems to be, “I was impressed by your case studies”, or “I saw you helped someone in my industry so I figure you can help us too”.
Now let’s look at how to structure and effectively promote a case study, and then some marketing case study examples for you to replicate.
Our Recommended Case Study Template
Here’s the case study structure we’ve adopted which has proven effective:
Start with a major headline that summarises the key result achieved: e.g. “Investment Property Strategist Triples Leads In 6 Months”. This gets the prospect excited about reading on.
Then introduce the background. In other words, the “Before” scenario.Don’t bore the reader with too many details about the history of the client. But DO provide an insight into the “trigger” that led to them seeking your assistance. e.g. “The client noticed smaller competitors starting to appear ahead of them on Google”. And,DO talk about the negative effects of the “Before” state. E.g. “New customer acquisition that had previously been growing by 10% every quarter had flatlined for the last 12 months.”
Now talk about the solution. Here’s where you explain what you did to achieve the outcomes. I like to list different services or solutions in the form of bullet points. Also, include significant details and facts and figures to add “richness” to the story.Where possible, demonstrate with images, screenshots or other proof elements. Emphasise anything you did differently to the standard approach, or anything that highlights your point-of-difference benefits.
Now talk about your results. Results are the crux of any good case study.I like to go with a number of punchy bullet points, populated with specific numbers. E.g. “Lead volume up 75%… New customer volume from online sources up 145%… 1,540 more organic search engine visitors per month.”
Include a testimonial from the client. What was their reaction to your work? The “Before-During-After” approach is a good structure for testimonials. A strong testimonial adds texture and credibility to the data in your core case study.
End with a call-to-action. This can be relatively low-key. For example, “Contact us to explore how you can enjoy similar breakthrough results.”
You can see more examples of different implementations of this concept on our online marketing case studies page.
How To Promote Your Case Study
A case study that never gets read won’t help you.
Here are some of our favourite promotional methods:
Optimise each case study for search engines. A good start is using a <title> tag on your case study pages in the format: “<INDUSTRY> <SERVICE> case study”. For example, “Accountant online marketing case study” or “Car sales lead generation case study”. This will tend to rank you well for anyone searching for case studies about your industry.
Send case studies to your email subscribers. These emails achieve high engagement both as broadcasts, and as “drip emails” within an automation sequence.
Create a print booklet of case studies to send to prospects and clients via snail mail or distribute at trade shows.
Case studies make great social media updates and can be recycled every few months using different headlines.
22 Marketing Case Study Examples
1. Fuji Xerox Australia Business Equipment
Tripled leads for 60% less marketing spend
In 90 days, we doubled web lead flow with lower marketing costs.
Read the full case study here.
Paul Strahl, National e-Business Manager
2. Surf Live Saving Foundation
Surf Lottery Grows Online Revenue 47%
Marketing Results delivered tangible business improvements, including 47% higher revenue from digital, year-on-year.
Read the full case study here.
Yin Tang, Surf Live Saving Foundation
3. ABC Reading Eggs
Integrated Search and Conversion Management For ABC Reading Eggs
Marketing Results have been instrumental in profitably expanding our ad spend, while removing waste.
Read the full case study here.
Matthew Sandblom, Managing Director ABC Reading Eggs
4. MAP Home Loans
From 70 hour weeks to 40 hour weeks with 100% annual growth
I now make twice as much money, have less stress and fewer hours.
Read the full case study here.
Craig Vaunghan, Principal MAP Home Loans
5. Inkjet Wholesale
Online Advertising ROI Doubles – In Just Three Months
We couldn’t be happier – conversion rates are up, costs are down, ROI has doubled.
A New Pipeline Delivering a Steady Flow of Web Leads
Outstanding quality of web generated leads!
Read the full case study here.
Yannick Ieko, Director Super Finance
13. College For Adult Learning – Training Organisation
300%+ More Sales With 60% Lower Cost Per Sale
I expect at least another 60% more leads and 80-90% more revenue by continuing to work with Marketing Results.
Rob Golding, Director College For Adult Learning
Read the full case study here.
14. The Gourmet Guardian – Food Safety Programs
4 times more leads and a 269% revenue increase
Your AdWords strategies have quadrupled leads, almost tripled revenue and reduced my dependence on contract work to zero.
Read the full case study here.
Gavin Buckett, Managing Director The Gourmet Guardian
15. Quick Coach – Life Coaching Courses
More Qualified Sales Plus A Facebook ROI of 1285%
The results have been fantastic… I have had over 500 potential students opt in via Google wanting to change their lives and those of their clients.
Read the full case study here.
Glen Murdoch, Founder & CEO Quick Coach
16. Investment House – Property Development
Clients lined up for everything we can find
We have clients lined up for everything we can find.
Read the full case study here.
Colin Ferguson, Managing Director Investment House
17. Cosmetic Surgery Lead Generation
257% increase in qualified lead volume
In less than a year, our enquiry volume increased by over 257% while increasing the quality and conversion rate of those leads.
Read the full case study here.
Dee Tozer, Managing Director Medici Clinics
18. All Suburbs Catering
61% ROI gain in less than 5 months…
20% more enquiries for 34% less cost – a compounded gain of 61% in only 5 months.
Read the full case study here.
Jeff Veale, Managing Director All Suburbs Catering
19. Trilogy Funding
549 qualified sales leads in 3 months
549 qualified sales leads in 3 months.
Read the full case study here.
Ed Nixon, Principal Trilogy Funding
20. Customized Stickers
Online revenue rockets by 800%
With Marketing Result on our side, our website revenue has increased by over 800% in only 18 months.
Read the full case study here.
Anthony Khoury, Managing Director Customized Stickers
21. Technoledge
Engaging CEOs of ideal target companies
We’re routinely seeing CEOs of Australian hi techs with turnover of $5 million to $50 million (our target audience) opting in and proceeding to self-qualify before they contact us for a meeting. This is what digital marketing is supposed to do.
Read the full case study here.
Tracey James, Director Technoledge
22. First Aid Training
Specialist First Aid Training Company Doubles Revenue In 6 Months
We’ve streamlined customer acquisition, increased customer lifetime value, and doubled our revenue in 6 months!
Read the full case study here.
Dave Hundt, Director Kids First Aid
I encourage you to put these tips into action and see how they work for you.
What other ways have you used case studies effectively in your business?
Researchers might study a group of people in a certain setting or look at an entire community. For example, psychologists might explore how access to resources in a community has affected the collective mental well-being of those living there.
In marketing, a case study is an in-depth study of the effectiveness of a certain tool, tactic, or strategy. It focuses on measurable outcomes, like an increase in sales, visitors, or production hours. Typically, it includes a few key elements: Introduction to the customer/client.
He has helpfully characterised three main types of case study: intrinsic, instrumental and collective[8]. An intrinsic case study is typically undertaken to learn about a unique phenomenon. The researcher should define the uniqueness of the phenomenon, which distinguishes it from all others.
Briefly outline the case to identify its significance. State the report's aim(s). Provide the organisation of the main ideas in the report. Briefly describe the key problem and its significance (You usually do not need to provide details of findings or recommendations.
It discusses the seven steps employed in a case study approach, namely: (1) Justification for the research paradigm and research methodology, (2) Justification for the case study method, (3) Criteria for judging the quality of case study design (4) Designing the case study, (5) Criteria for selecting a case design, (6) ...
Downloadable PDF is the most common study case format, but it could be shared as a website page section, a video, or a slide presentation. Although the content itself is more important than the appearance, some rules could organize ideas to make reading more attractive and fluid.
A case study shouldn't be longer than 500-750 words. Any more and people just won't read it. Cut out repetition, shorten quotes, and make sure everything you write is vital to the story. Go for the story, not the name.
Case studies involve the documented history and comprehensive analysis of a situation concerning subjects such as industries, organizations, and markets.
Case studies usually follow a typical story structure, which means they have a beginning, middle, and end. Think of them as a “before and after” snapshot of a customer's business – complete with quotes, statistics, and images. Business case studies are often created by the marketing team and given to the sales team.
Case studies tend to focus on qualitative data using methods such as interviews, observations, and analysis of primary and secondary sources (e.g. newspaper articles, photographs, official records). Sometimes a case study will also collect quantitative data.
For example, case studies in medicine may focus on an individual patient or ailment; case studies in business might cover a particular firm's strategy or a broader market; similarly, case studies in politics can range from a narrow happening over time (e.g., a specific political campaign) to an enormous undertaking ( ...
There are a few noteworthy sites that provide free online access to case studies, including: MIT Sloan School of Management LearningEdge Case Studies. The New York Times Case Studies. The Case Centre - Free Case Collections.
Again, there are generally three parts: 1) restate POV + meta-statement regarding observations; 2) specific observations and their implications; 3) implications for future research and/or design.
In conclusion, there is no right or wrong in how long a case study should be there is however some guidelines to follow. The recommended number of pages should be somewhere between 5-15. This seems to be an appropriate form to stick to.
A case study research paper usually examines a single subject of analysis, but case study papers can also be designed as a comparative investigation that shows relationships between two or more subjects.
Facts are the “who, when, what, where, and why” of the case. Describe the history of the dispute, including the events that led to the lawsuit, the legal claims and defenses of each party, and what happened in the trial court. Do not merely copy the facts verbatim; not every detail is important.
It takes a lot of time for preparations and planning to write a case study. Many case studies last around 3-6 months but may also continue for years (WikiHow, 2016). Normally, the author is not given much time for each case study. It occurs a lot of time consuming moments during the whole process from start to finish.
Ah, the case study: One of the most important pieces of marketing content for a business, and yet all too often, also the most boring. The problem with this is,...
Literature, Marketing. Dr. Barbara is a highly experienced writer and author who holds a Ph.D. degree in public health from an Ivy League school. She has worked...
A case study shouldn't be longer than 500-750 words. Any more and people just won't read it. Cut out repetition, shorten quotes, and make sure everything you write is vital to the story. Go for the story, not the name.
Divide the problem into parts. The first step to answering case interview questions is to divide a complex problem into smaller, more manageable parts. ...
It discusses the seven steps employed in a case study approach, namely: (1) Justification for the research paradigm and research methodology, (2) Justification for the case study method, (3) Criteria for judging the quality of case study design (4) Designing the case study, (5) Criteria for selecting a case design, (6) ...
Case studies usually follow a typical story structure, which means they have a beginning, middle, and end. Think of them as a “before and after” snapshot of a customer's business – complete with quotes, statistics, and images. Business case studies are often created by the marketing team and given to the sales team.
He has helpfully characterised three main types of case study: intrinsic, instrumental and collective[8]. An intrinsic case study is typically undertaken to learn about a unique phenomenon.
For example, case studies in medicine may focus on an individual patient or ailment; case studies in business might cover a particular firm's strategy or a broader market; similarly, case studies in politics can range from a narrow happening over time (e.g., a specific political campaign) to an enormous undertaking ( ...
https://www.crazyegg.com › Blog › Content Marketing
A marketing case study can show you how to improve your own marketing techniques. Read on for a detailed guide to creating marketing case studies as well as fou...
Introduction: My name is Melvina Ondricka, I am a helpful, fancy, friendly, innocent, outstanding, courageous, thoughtful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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