Why Your Case Studies Aren't Moving Any Needle
Donald Felix
B2B Marketing Content Writer (Freelancer) | For SaaS businesses & marketing agencies, I write blog posts, lead magnets, and case studies optimized for positive ROI.
Creating case study content is something that most agency owners understand to be very important. Unfortunately, getting it right is not an easy thing for everyone. And that’s why results from case study content creation are rarely equal.
On the extreme side of things, many people are not getting any results from this type of content.
Starting with good intentions is understandable. But if you are not getting any results from your marketing case study writing, you need to start thinking differently.
Perhaps, you’ve already heard that doing the same thing over and over again will get you anywhere. Assuming you’ve been wondering why you don’t get positive results after all your good intentions and invested resources, there could be multiple reasons for that.
In this post, I’ll discuss some of the common reasons most marketing case study content doesn’t move any needle.
Further down the line, we’ll also identify and discuss some things you can do differently. Doing these things could help you start getting better results. As you might have learned, it is not enough to create great content.
In case you are running a marketing agency, it is also not enough to be the best person who is delivering the most valuable results in your niche or industry.
You’ve got to learn how to go beyond content creation. And that’s what this entire post is all about.
Case Study Content Format: Five Mistakes To?Avoid
#1: Lame Case Study Content?Title
The word lame refers to a state of being ‘unable to walk without difficulty as a result of an injury or illness affecting the leg or foot.’ In this case, the reference is to an animal. Now the question to ask is this — is your case study content supposed to walk or move the needle in any way?
From a different perspective, you may want to look at it this way. Why did you invest time or money in case content writing for your marketing agency? What was your specific intent?
Looking at the above definition of the word lame, what could be the exact reason why your case study content is failing to move any needle.
A lame title is just one reason. Regardless of where you are publishing content online or the type of content, the title is one of the most influential factors for success. Your content title often determines if the target reader will spare some minutes to read more or keep scrolling away.
If you cannot catch and hold my attention with your case study content title, you have lost me within the first 3–5 seconds. In the context of case study writing, lame titles lack the following.
Now think about all of the recent content titles that caught your attention online. Which of these elements above did you notice? It doesn’t matter whether you are writing them or outsourcing. If your marketing case study writing lacks these elements of attractive titles, you won’t have the chance of using it to convert prospects into paying clients.
One mistake I see some agencies make is to state the client company name as the case study content title. And publish on their website. Yes, the content is about the client.
But why would a potential client stop and spend his precious time reading it if the title is not attractive?
Think about it.
What to do: Consider the characteristics of lame titles mentioned above. Think about the opposite of those elements. Use those opposites as pointers to write more attractive titles for your marketing case study content. Remember, getting better results demands that you do some things differently.
Check this guide on how to write an attractive headline with a hook.
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#2: Absence of Storytelling Substance
B2B case study writing is about telling a story and sharing some experiences from the perspective of a customer. That’s why they are called customer success stories in some circles.
Lame titles aside, when your marketing agency case studies lack the storytelling substance, it becomes harder to change perception, emotion, and purchase decisions. That’s what I mean by moving a needle in this context. Yes, we all know that every good story should have a beginning, middle, and end.
Think about this in terms of the challenge, solution, and results formula that everyone follows.
But then, if it sounds too generic, no single reader will find an element of trust in your case study content. It doesn’t matter how many prospects you have in your sales pipeline.
According to the Leadership Institute, ‘stories bring the teller’s emotion to life for the audience.’
In other words, stories are supposed to build an emotional connection. And that’s how you can build trust as a bridge.
Without that element of emotional relatability, your prospects reading a case study can hardly see real possibilities from the perspective of a happy customer or the storyteller.
Here is how Dr. Paul Zak, a neuroeconomist put it.
The best way to excite oxytocin, the neurotransmitter that creates trust, is to have sex, kiss, or hug. Neither of these is solid options in the boardroom, during a sales presentation, or on stage at a conference. So the next best oxytocin-emitting activity is to tell a story.
Contrary to these points, many people still make the mistake of jumping into the results section of a case study to quote some generic numbers. Unfortunately, stating generic numbers in a disjointed context won’t make any difference.
Hint — it is in our nature as humans to learn from the struggles, decisions, mistakes, and experiences of other people like ourselves. For more insights, check this post on how social proof influences purchase decisions.
Interestingly, a good number of your potential clients need answers to the questions inside their heads. For example, why would your marketing agency services work for my company?
It’s not just about the results you delivered to other clients.
What to do: think and start from the angle of telling a story. From the customer perspective, make the story attractive, engaging, and influential. Use imagery and try to evoke some emotions with your target readers or prospective clients. Check this post on why stories sell to learn more.
#3: Lack of Relevant?Visuals
Telling some prospective clients to trust you is one thing. Their decision to trust you or not is another different thing. And that, my friend, is outside your control. But then, what can you do in the competition to win quality leads, deals, and revenue?
You can read the rest of the content here — https://demandloophq.com/case-study-content/
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