How to Write a Case Study

How to Write a Case Study

Many businesses focus their marketing efforts on things like advertisements, social media, and high-quality website content. While those are great aspects that create a solid foundation for any marketing program, you can reach even more potential customers with a well-written case study.

Case studies are basically success stories. The story might describe how your business successfully helped a customer or how a proposed solution can solve a key issue that your company is facing. Regardless of a case study’s ultimate goal, creating this content doesn’t happen instantly. It’s a process that starts with a lot of preparation.

Preparing your case study

A good case study can’t just be thrown together. It requires careful preparation and planning. Of course, the first decision you’ll need to make is whether you want to create the case study in-house or if you feel that outsourcing content will lead to a better product.

Regardless of who actually creates your case study, you’ll need to take some time to prepare and gather information before the writing can begin.

What information do you need to compile before you begin writing your case study?

Before you can start writing your case study, you’ll need to take several steps to compile a good deal of information. Here’s a checklist that you can use to make sure you’ve gathered all the pertinent facts and are prepared to start writing:

• Identify what kind of case study your ideal potential customer will want to read. Do they want to read a story, or do they need to see hard data and statistics? Will they want photographs or infographics? A case study is often a piece of marketing content, so give the people what they want.
• Collect background information on who your company is and who your client is. This will help your readers understand the context and why your customer chose you instead of a competitor.
• Identify the main issue or business problem that your customer was experiencing. Then, gather supporting evidence on how your company’s proposed solution was able to solve that problem.
• Conduct a case study interview with your client to obtain quotes to include in the case study itself. Make sure your client approves anything you’re going to publish!

Once you have these building blocks, you’re ready to start preparing your case study.

What are the main steps to preparing your case study?

The first step in preparing any written content is creating an outline. Perform a quick case study analysis to find out how long your piece should be, and then organize your thought process and main points into a story that flows together well.

You’ll also need to identify your thesis statement. Make this a strong, direct statement so your audience knows what your point is from the very beginning. Throughout the piece, present strong evidence showing how your company can solve your audience’s problem or pain point.

As long as you follow the right steps and prepare your case study well, you can pretty much ensure that it’ll be a successful piece of content!

What do you need to consider about how your case study will be used before you begin to write it?

In order to create an effective case study, you’ll need to consider how it’ll be used—and there are several different case study uses. For example, you might write a marketing case study for your website or as a press release. Or maybe you’re creating more of a business case study that’ll be used for training internal team members.

Determining how your case study will be used helps you write directly to your target audience. Part of your case study analysis will help you identify what they want to read. Then you can develop specific strategies to draft a case study that’s tailored to your ideal customers.

Steps for drafting a case study

Preparing and writing case studies are talents that not everyone possesses. You might have a great blog writer or a general marketing genius on your staff who won’t adapt well to case study research and creation. Don’t worry! There are steps you can follow -to create an effective case study.

What steps should you always follow when writing a case study?

Remember: a case study tells a story, even if it includes data and statistics. And good case studies include solid evidence for how your solution resolved an issue. Here are a few steps to follow when writing a good—better yet, great—case study:

• Identify what you’re writing about and who you’re writing for.
• Gather pertinent background information.
• Perform qualitative research for data and statistics.
• Prepare approved quotes from your case study interview that you want to include in the case study.
• Create an outline and write your thesis statement.

Then it’s time to start drafting your case study!

What is the first thing you should do when drafting a case study?

When you begin drafting your case study, the first thing you should do is create a case study template, or an outline. Writing case studies can be fun and will allow you to be creative. However, it’s always important to stick to the task at hand!

Sticking close to your template will help you stay on track so that you create a cohesive piece of content that will impress your audience. In fact, your case study template is a crucial part of the overall process of drafting your case study.

Why is it important to follow a process when you are drafting your case study?

Following a writing process is important in every piece of content. Think of the case study writing process as a road map that will help you get where you need to go.

When you follow the right case study method, you’ll be more productive and efficient because you’ll know where you’re going and how to get there. You’ll be able to stay focused and create an excellent piece of content.

Your process might include following a template or using another successful case study as an example that inspires you. Regardless of what the actual process is, it can help you finalize your entire case study.

How to finalize a case study

Finishing any piece of content is always a great feeling. And this includes finalizing the case study writing process! You feel confident that you’ve produced an interesting manuscript with strong supporting evidence that backs up your thesis statement. There are just a few more steps to finalizing your case study.

What does it mean to finalize your case study?

Finalizing your case study basically means putting the finishing touches on your final draft. Every manuscript can be a little rough, even after a couple of drafts. So the finishing process includes some polishing.

Whether you’re working on marketing case studies or writing more of a business case, you’ll need a fresh set of eyes to make sure that your draft is ready for the public. Ask a couple of colleagues to carefully read the entire case study. Have them not only proofread for typos but also make sure that the overall story flows. In other words, ask them to double-check these components so you can finalize the case study.

What do you need to check when you are finalizing your case study?

In addition to proofreading your entire case study, there are several things you’ll need to check when finalizing your manuscript. Make sure your content checks all the necessary boxes.

For example, is there an easy-to-follow flow to your case study’s overall story? Did you clearly identify the key problem, the proposed solution, and any alternative solutions? Did you include data from credible sources? Also, make sure you conveyed all relevant facts as strong supporting evidence to your thesis statement. Remove any statements that don’t support your overall point or provide solid evidence for the main point you’re making in your case study.

If you feel that you’ve accomplished all these goals, congratulations! You’ve likely created a complete and well-written case study.

What tools can you use to ensure that your case study is complete and well written?

There are several tools you can use to ensure your case study is ready for the public eye. Here are a few you can take advantage of:

• The built-in spell check and grammar check that come standard on programs like Microsoft Word.
• An online readability score program to make sure that your case study is easy to read. You can find free options with just a quick internet search.
• If you’ve written a marketing case study, find an online search engine optimization (SEO) app. These programs can help make sure that you’ve used the relevant keywords that will drive more traffic to your online case study.

Another tool you can use is a case study template. Fortunately, these resources are all around you—and are very often available at no cost!

Get started with case study templates

Templates are always helpful. Whether you’re new to case study writing or are just looking for a fresh way to approach this type of content, it never hurts to have a guide.

For specific help in case study writing, look around online for a free case study template that lends well to your topic. Templates will vary depending on whether you’re writing a business case study or a more marketing-themed piece. And don’t forget to use a content quality checklist! Even if you think you’ve written the perfect case study, you could be missing some elements. However, a good all-around case study template can help ensure that you hit the target on all aspects.

What are some examples of good all-around case study templates?

You can find examples of good case study templates and examples throughout the Internet. Look around online for what expert case study writers recommend, and what templates they suggest. Browse through a variety and pick and choose which aspects and case study format you think lend well to your purpose.

Additionally, you can read through client case studies on your competitors’ websites. Take a keen eye to their content and see what works and doesn’t work. Use their existing case studies to strengthen your own!

Keep in mind that different case study templates might be better for business or marketing case studies. If you’re going to include data and statistics in your case study, make sure the template you follow can accommodate that. And if you’re writing more of a marketing case study, your template should be set up to attract your potential customer.

What are some examples of specialized case study templates for different uses of case studies?

The case study method varies depending on each case study’s industry and purpose. While some case studies require qualitative research and a lot of statistics, others will be stronger because you identify the key issue and your company’s solution.

Each case study example will be different depending on the industry. Marketing case studies are vastly different than business case studies, and both of those are entirely different content than academic case studies. As you search for templates, you’ll need to make sure you choose the right one.

Why is it a good idea to use a template when starting to write a case study?

Using a case study template is a great way to make sure you’re on your way to writing the perfect case study. As long as you can adapt the template to your specific needs, it can be a great solution to help you create an outstanding case study.

Enlist the experts to create the perfect case study

You know your business inside and out—and Elite Editing knows how to communicate directly with your customers and your internal teams. We’ll create clear and effective case studies that only expert content creators can produce.

Visit our website to learn more!