Turning Success Stories into Leads: How to Use Case Studies to Boost Sales Revenue

Using case studies can increase your sales revenue by as much as 185%, according to digital marketing and SEO expert Neil Patel. Who couldn’t benefit from that kind of boost? Of course, the big concern for most people is that a “case study” seems more formal than traditional marketing efforts. 

Here’s the secret: it’s not. Sure, the format is a little more formal, and the information is presented in a certain way, but it doesn’t have to win any awards or pass certain “guidelines” to qualify. Writing a case study, or several of them, is as simple as knowing:

• Who the case study involves (your client)
• What the pain point or problem was
• How you provided the solution
• The results the client experienced as a result of your product/service 

Let’s start with the basics. 

What is a case study?

For those unfamiliar, a case study is essentially an in-depth review or a firsthand look at how your product or service works in practice. It takes a real client with a real-world problem and uses their success story to help demonstrate how your business can benefit other customers. 

Instead of your landing pages promising to “increase profits by 150%” or “generate instant results,” you can give people real, tangible evidence. Plus, it also helps people visualize themselves in a similar situation, helping them transfer the benefits of the case study client to their own experience. 

A case study explains very clearly the elements we touched on above. It covers the client's pain point or issue, the process of coming up with potential solutions, how your product or service came into play, and the results that occurred. It’s a real-world example, and there’s not much better than that when it comes to marketing. 

Why case studies work 

Many people claim that case studies are a marketing essential — they’re not, not really, but they absolutely should be. The biggest reason? Because the average business owner might not even understand what a case study is, let alone how much value it can bring to the business. 

People love stories. They love success stories, especially. If you can create a story about your brand with case studies, you can put ideas into people’s heads and inspire them to take action and do business with you. This makes people feel like they’re part of the action, like they’re getting a unique perspective from the customer directly. 

Case studies also provide an essential consumer element: social proof. It’s the opposite of “everyone jumping off a bridge”— case studies get people on board because they see others succeeding. More and more, those looking for solutions are turning to social media to find answers, both from brands and other consumers with firsthand experience. 

Case studies build brand trust, demonstrate success, and position you as an expert in your industry. They do all this without you saying the words, making them all the more valuable to other potential customers. They’re also inexpensive, which makes them great for any marketing budget looking for affordable ways to increase leads and sales. 

How to capitalize on case studies for success 

Of course, you can’t just write up a sloppy piece on how you sold your product to XYZ Company, and they said they loved it and their sales were up 45%. It would be best to have a well-crafted piece laid out in a way that highlights the key points and showcases exactly what you did. 

Here are some tips:

• Determine the problem being faced (focus on an issue that targets a specific audience or clientele). This will help you narrow down which clients to use for case studies on certain aspects of your business. 

• Choose which ideal customer or audience you’re going to profile. For example, if you want to increase your customer base of small business owners, you should create case studies about other small business owners. 

• Gather important data and facts about the entire interaction. If you can, get input from the client you are showcasing in the case study. You can even create a form that allows them to outline their problem, your solution, the benefits, and the results. 

• Don’t just post them on your website. You can use case studies in email marketing, newsletters, marketing materials, social media websites, and even videos to get more people’s attention and provide a compelling story. 

• Make sure that your case studies set you apart from the competition. Find a way to highlight your unique value proposition (UVP) in each case study you post and tie it into the specific use case being discussed. 

• Use visuals and videos to help you explain outcomes, results, and other details. People don’t like to read a long article or a huge wall of text. Use infographics, charts, and other visual tools to break up content and provide easily digestible proof. 

• Choose a format and stick with it. Case studies are known for being a bit more professional, including their formatting. If you create a case study in a different layout each time, it will look like you don’t have a solid strategy for case studies, which is even worse than not using them at all. 

When your studies start producing leads, will you be ready?

Getting new leads is one thing. Handling them is something else entirely. Fortunately, you’re not on your own. While you’re building your case study empire, the team at Smith.ai can be here to support you with assistance for outreach campaigns, lead intake, appointment scheduling, and even things like website chat. Our virtual receptionists can also act as your 24/7 answering service so you never miss a lead again. 

To learn more, schedule a consultation or reach out to hello@smith.ai. 

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