Successful B2B case studies prove the value of your solution with credible evidence. The B2B world demands a higher level of engagement during the buying process. Sales cycles are longer and bigger sums are at stake.
With such a large investment involved, buyers want to be confident that their decision to partner with you is the right one. That’s why case studies are so important. Case studies help prospects visualize the impact your business has on their bottom line, ultimately bringing you more business. In this article, we identify five characteristics of a successful B2B case study, but first we need to highlight why case studies need to be as powerful, polished, and professional as possible.
Empower salespeople to help prospects make decisions
Thanks to Gartner research, we know that customer preferences are steadily shifting from face-to-face sales conversations to digital channels. B2B buyers spend only 17% of the buying process interacting with a salesperson. Due to the nature of the sales process, salespeople may spend around 5% of a customer’s total buying time. It’s only a small investment of time to influence a buying decision. And then there are millennials, a whopping 44% of whom would prefer not to interact with a salesperson at all in a B2B environment.
That doesn’t mean salespeople are a thing of the past, but it does mean that salespeople need to change how they approach prospects and what materials they bring to them. Salespeople just need to provide significant value to help self-educating customers make more confident decisions. B2B success stories are a vital sales tool
Demand Gen released a study on B2B buyer behavior that revealed three notable facts:
The most important reason for choosing a successful provider is that the provider demonstrates extensive knowledge of the solution and the business environment.
98% of B2B buyers consider it important to see case studies on a vendor website.
58% of B2B buyers engage with case studies during the buying process.
Even though case studies play an increasingly influential role, salespeople are still a vital part of the sales process. Of those who agreed that the vendors they surveyed were knowledgeable and provided valuable information, 81% said their experience with the salesperson positively influenced their decision to select that vendor.
Five characteristics of a successful B2B case study
With so much at stake, it’s important to create a case study that gets the job done that companies expect. Here are some characteristics of a successful B2B case study:
Focus on the customer
Case studies are all about the customer. If you waste valuable page space with marketing jargon borrowed from websites and brochures, you’ll quickly lose readers. This is not the place for that. Here you present a customer’s situation and how you helped them solve their problem.
A compelling story
A case study is the story of a customer’s experience using your product or service. It shouldn’t be a dry list of facts. Instead, the language you use should weave a story from the original situation to the outcome that your product or service caused or contributed to. And because it’s a story, it has to be interesting enough to captivate the reader enough to see themselves in the story.
Informative visual elements
When considering what images or graphics to include in your case study, remember that you’re telling a story. Words tell a story, but images and graphics need to support that story. Visual elements without a purpose create clutter and waste space.
If you use icons or other graphics, they need to clearly communicate the story elements they support. To advance your story, include images of featured customers using your product or show how your team serves them.
Essentially, you need to put your prospect in your featured customer’s shoes. If your potential customer can imagine themselves using your product or receiving your services, you’ve left a lasting impression in their mind.
The clear impact your solution has on the business Showcasing the results your featured customers achieved using your product or service is at the core of every case study. That’s why it’s not hard to believe that many case study readers will head straight to the results section to find out exactly what your company can do for them. The Results section is crucial, so it helps to be specific. You want to convey a statement that proves the causal connection between your service and positive business results. Likewise, percentages and big changes in numbers are impactful.
Quotes
Quotes from featured customers are a powerful form of social proof. Quotes can be even more impactful than a headline, as they summarize the speaker’s experience working with your company or solution. If a prospect reads nothing but the quote, the quote must be strong enough to encourage them to read the case study further.
Don’t leave the effectiveness of your case study to chance
Case studies are too important to leave to chance. Every effort should be made to create successful B2B case studies that make an impact and guide prospects through a protracted sales cycle.
If your company does not have the ability to create compelling case studies, it is important to work with a provider who is familiar with case study creation and B2B marketing.
