Case studies are the backbone of any good B2B sales and marketing programme. For decades, good case studies have demonstrated how products and services are achieving favourable results and helped business development teams move potential customers closer to a sale. When writing a case study, one of the most important steps we can take is to think about how we’ll structure the story and how we’ll design the communication of the message. Back when I was a junior reporter, my editors trained me to structure feature stories in a certain way. In other words, they taught me to write in a way that is clear, compelling, and concise. Today, we call this stickiness (In the early 2000s stickiness was only used in reference to pub carpets – oh how times have changed!).
The lessons I learned about how to be a great features writer have informed how we approach B2B case study writing at Attract & Engage, and they can help change the way you think about creating a great case study too.
In this article, I’ll show how having a case study roadmap doesn’t bog you down. It frees you up. I’ll also share my favourite THREE case study structures for you to take away and use in your own business and help you write case studies that are clear, compelling and concise.
Why Having a Case Study Structure is a Great Idea
When I mention a case study structure to clients, some of them confuse it with a mere list. They think that if we organise what we want to say in the case study into a list of information bullet points, we’ll have a sticky structure. Not so.
Don’t misunderstand me: a list can be a wonderful thing. I’m a huge fan of the LinkedIn ‘Listicle’ post type, for example. But, when it comes to communicating the compelling story of a complex business challenge – the innovative way that challenge was overcome, and the ‘art of the possible’ that’s been enabled – lists don’t rise to the level required of a fully-fledged structure.
A case study structure, as we define it at Attract & Engage, is a business story that logically and emotively connects ideas and evidence with one another, organizing them into a beginning, middle, and an end.
When you nail a great structure your case study keeps prospects reading (watching or listening), enhances ‘stickiness’ by helping prosects remember important messages, and makes your life easier because creating libraries of case study content is time intensive. As our team of B2B copywriters find, leveraging a disciplined case study structure boosts processing fluency and means you can concentrate on capturing and communicating the most compelling detail to your audience.
Three Case Study Structures (You’re Welcome!)
1) Situation Task Action Result (STAR)
Based on the STAR method of behavioral-based interview often used in the job interview process. Outline a business challenge that transpired, evoke an emotive situation. Discuss the challenge in detail and what you did to help the client address it. End with an exploration of the results you achieved.
2) Problem Solution Benefit
Evoke a problem, describe a solution, conclude by exploring the benefit your solution has delivered to the client.
3) Comparison Contrast Conclusion
When making a comparison in a case study, we find it works to begin by pausing to reflect on the similarities, then the differences. Wrap up your case study by coming to a conclusion that demonstrates why a client chose X over Y.
I’ve emphasized three case study structures, but you can choose to structure your case study communications using any of the formulas presented as well as others you find elsewhere. Focus on mastering one or two structures that work for your business depending on the client story. You might decide to opt for one defacto structure for consistency to begin with, adding a couple more context-specific case study structures you think you’ll use frequently as you become more confident, remembering to always aim for case studies that are clear, compelling, and concise.
OK, Let’s Circle Back to the Start …
You likely started reading this article because you’re unhappy with the quality of your firm’s case studies, or your boss has called. “Quick, we’re tendering for a big project, and I need some knock out case studies to include in the pack. Have them on my desk by the end of the week.”
Hopefully, you now think: “A case study structure that delivers a clear, concise, and compelling story that’s sticky for our audience? I know exactly where to start.”
And, hey, if things change and the deadline gets pushed, get in touch with us and leave it up to the experts.
