How I helped an enterprise SaaS product team reimagine, then standardize a new approach to creating B2B case studies
Backstory | With wins in our overall blog strategy and execution, our client referred us to her Product Marketing partner. I helped my team land and expand our account by showing how case studies could (and should) be reframed as customer spotlight stories. (There’s a reason marketers are dropping “case studies” for “customer stories.” This semantic shift underscores that social proof is way more compelling than documents describing business transactions.)
It’s not rocket science, but sometimes (especially when we’re moving fast or in startup mode) we get caught up in talking about features and use cases. We forget to connect those details to the humans using them. Customer stories are more sticky than punch lists, especially when they show customers as the heroes of their own stories using your products and services.
Focus on impact: How did you help your customers solve their unique (yet universal) business problems?
Honor relationships: How did you help your customer stakeholders, their customers, and their org look authentically good?
Build confidence: How do you add the right amount of energy and playfulness to each story so prospects keep reading and develop deeper curiosity and excitement?
Be you, deliberately: What’s the right tone to strike for your own brand voice (ex., how humble or audacious do you want to be)?
Set healthy boundaries: Every customer counts, but some customer brands might count against you and negatively impact your own brand equity. Be willing to tell a blinded customer story if you’re in your early stage (or sales throws up blockers).
Insights | Case studies are about customers first. By extension, they lend social proof about your brand and product or service’s value. Their success is your success. So, frame your stories around what they achieved and nod to your “discreet” role in facilitating that success.
Also, this type of content can forgive (even welcome) a bit more voice. Pepper in more informal tones and wordplay. Like lash extensions or a pair of flashy socks, judicously injecting a bit more personality in “case studies” will surprise and delight people. In other words, they’ll make you likeable. (We buy from people we like.)
Deliverables: Research, copywriting, copy editing
Creative partner: Sara Gates (copy)
