Case Study Title
To get the most clicks and attention to your case study, your headline should contain 3 elements:
Specific Benefit
First, state the benefits that the “hero” of your case study saw. The more specific, the better.
Example: “How a Busy Mom Lost 9 Pounds of Fat in 30 days”
A number
Second, you want to include at least one number. This number adds credibility to your case study by showing you have actual data behind your content.
Example: “Link Building Case Study: How I Increased My Search Traffic by 110% in 14 Days”
Timeframe
Finally, specify how long it took to see those benefits. The shorter the time frame the better.
Good Example: “From Geek to Freak: How I Gained 34 lbs. of Muscle in 4 Weeks”
Pro Tip: Don’t be afraid to write about modest results in your case study. In fact, modest results are usually BETTER than uber-impressive results. Why? Because they’re more relatable. In other words, a case study of someone losing 10 pounds is often more compelling than one that describes how someone lost 100 pounds.
Case Study Introduction
Here’s what you include in your case study introduction:
First, start your intro off with EXACTLY what you’re going to show them in the case study. As the old journalism saying goes: “Don’t bury the lead”. 🙂
Example: “Today I’m going to show you how a busy single mom (Jane) dropped 9 pounds of body fat in a month.”
Next, break down some of the things that make you, your client, friend, or customer relatable.
Example: “And she was able to accomplish this despite the fact that she’s a busy executive that has very little time to exercise.”
Finally, preview the solution or system that was used to get this benefit. Then mention you’ll outline how they did it in detail.
Example: “In this case study I’ll show you the entire process that Jane used… step-by-step.”
Meet The Hero Section
The “Meet The Hero” section is where you introduce the hero of your case study. This section is important because it helps your reader connect with your hero and put themselves in your hero’s shoes.
Quick Introduction of Your Hero
Example: “Jane is a 39-year old mother of two that works as a busy executive at a bank. Her days consist of shuttling kids back and forth to school and soccer practice while answering emails on her phone. She’s the consummate super-busy 21st-century mom.”
Problem Story
Example: “Like many busy moms, Jane noticed that her jeans were a little more snug than they were a few years back.
She knew she should exercise, but with her demanding work schedule and kid’s activities, she didn’t have the time or energy to get to the gym.”
“Save The Cat Moment”
The term “Save The Cat” comes from the screenwriting classic, Save The Cat. It’s a small detail that makes your hero more human and relatable.
Good Example: “One day, after barely being able to button her favorite pair of jeans, Jane realized she needed to do something. So she called her sister, who recently dropped 10 pounds, for advice.”
Transition to the Case Study
Good Example: “Her sister referred Jane to me. And now it’s time for me to show you how Jane dropped those excess pounds in record time.”
Results Section
At this point, your reader is anxious to see how they did it. But before diving into the steps, whet their appetite with a quick overview of your hero’s results.
Your Results Section subheading should reiterate your hero’s results.
Example: “How I Boosted My Conversion Rate by 73.4% (Without A/B Testing)”
Here’s what to include in this section:
First, quickly outline the results that your Hero achieved.
Example: “Courtney made an appointment with me on January 3rd. On January 24th, here are her results:
- 8 pounds of weight loss (120 lbs to 112 lbs)
- Body fat percentage decrease of 2.1% (down from 30%)
- Lost 2 dress sizes
- And her jeans fit better than they have in years :-)”
Next, include a quick transition to the meat of your case study. This helps the reader understand the story is over and that it’s time to get into the meat of the content.
