In selling HR services and products, one marketing tool my clients rely heavily on is the case study.

Drawing on all the benefits of social proof, a real customer of yours explains how easy the implementation, training and day-to-day life is with you on board.

And, of course, showcases the huge business benefits they gain from working with you.

According to 2019 research by the Content Marketing Institute, marketers rate case studies as the most effective content for buyers in the evaluation and purchase stage of the buyer’s journey.

But how to get them right?

Case studies should sound impartial. They’re about your customer, after all. But if you write a case study well, you can make it all about how your product or service solves everyday challenges at the same time.

A great case study will describe a situation familiar to your target audience’s concerns, and move them to imagine how life will be when they hire you.

Here you’ll find what I’ve learned about creating the types of case study that go on to help to sell.

1. Start your case study research with the client interview

It’s not rocket science, but the simplest way to write an authentic-sounding case study is to start by talking to your customer.

That said, when I’m writing case studies for my clients (and I have written dozens and dozens), my first port of call is the consultant or account manager that knows their customer/ client and the project well. It makes for a more informed client conversation once I get to talk to the client.

Have the client talk through how life was before and after using your product or service. You want them to describe their frustrations and their relief today in their own words will instantly appeal to a potential lead.

Yes, it can be tricky to get time in your client’s diary and then there’s the hurdle of getting written permission and sign-off on the finished piece, but it’s worth it.

My recommendation is to ask quickly, when the wins from switching to your assessment or technology are still fresh in your customer’s mind - or the coaching and training is getting great feedback. In my experience if you raise the request for a case study during the sales process, (and ask them them to sell it in to their company if needed), sign-off happens more quickly. Remember, it’s a free marketing opportunity for them too internally.

Share an initial draft of the case study as early as you can to make sure the core message and angle is agreed by your client.

2. Find the killer hook for your story

“Storytelling” is mentioned constantly in marketing today, but that really is what a case study is all about. Your client went on a journey from having a problem to finding you and solving it.

Even the most basic case study framework offers plenty of content, so take the time to get to the heart of the challenge. Find the killer fact and then you can tell a simple and compelling story around that.

And don’t be afraid to add some personality and ramp up the tension to keep your audience engaged.

3. Getting your case study outline right

Once you’ve found the meaty idea to grab your target audience, you need a logical structure that helps your potential customers follow the journey and understand the wins.

After years of case study writing for HR marketing, I’ve found this outline consistently works well:

• Company background – this doesn’t need to be long but enough for the reader to position them in their mind if they’ve not heard of them before.

• The challenge and the pain it caused – what was happening for HR teams and the company before you arrived? How did candidates, employees and HR leaders feel?

• How the company researched the solution – what did they see in the marketplace that made them choose you? (There might be some great marketing insights here for you too.)

• Your business’s solution – include details of the work involved, how long it took, who provided support and training.  

• The results – describe these as tangibly as you can in your case study conclusion, including numbers and feedback from users.

• And to show you’re committed for the long term, include your client’s next steps. How will they build on this success?

Updating your case study later on to include wider benefits in retention or candidate performance will make it even more persuasive.

4. Be specific about the how and what

Make it easy for any potential client to imagine working with you by getting specific.

Don’t get carried away with details of processes and blow by blow accounts of what happened when but include enough to answer concerns they’ll have.

What did you actually do during implementation, and how did it work? Describe the communication plan and roll-out to the rest of the organisation. How did it fit with other related HR, recruitment or talent activities?

Your client might be delighted to reach a larger talent pool or better quality candidates, but it’s even more attractive if you can add numbers to the results. Have they shortened the average time to fill a role, cut HR candidate processing admin or saved money on onboarding?

5. Get creative with your case study marketing strategy

Once you’ve invested in creating your case study, make sure it works hard for you.

• Find ways to repurpose the content, e.g. a slide deck, infographic or video

• Share a speaker platform with your client - or enter the work done together for one of the many HR awards.

• Add it to a website landing page as an extra nudge for readers to call, use the quotes as testimonials

• Include in your email nurturing campaigns

• Produce supporting content for those who want to get into the details

Need a helping hand?

Case studies bring your product or service to life for a prospect.

But they need to tell a story that draws your reader in that just happens to mention you along the way.

In more than 25 years of working with and selling to HR professionals, I’ve seen how tricky it can be to get the balance right.

If you’re selling HR related products or services and would like to add case studies to your marketing strategy, let’s talk.

I can share a case study outline to collect them yourself, finish off or tidy up existing case studies, or quickly create a whole new set of these powerful tools for you from scratch.