100+ Case Study Examples for Sales and Marketing

Browse through a wide range of case study templates from various industries.

Imagine you come home after a long, tiring week of work, and you decide to satiate your taste buds by ordering a delicious, exotic dish. What would be your further course of action? Let us guess - you pull out your phone, log in to your favourite on-demand food delivery platform, search for the dish you're looking for, and hit the order button. Oh, wait! We missed out a crucial action that most of us perform while ordering a palate from a new food outlet – Rating & reviews!  

The first instinct that each one of us has when we subscribe to a new product or service is to get validation or proof from others.

In this post, we talk about one such crucial marketing collateral that provides  proof  to your prospects – Case Studies.

What is a Case Study?

Case studies are an indispensable tool for providing proof of quality and utility. They help demonstrate exactly what you have done to help other customers or clients attain their goals. They're sure to draw potential clients because they establish the factor of faith in the ability of your products or services.

To some, case studies may seem dull and boring, but it remains an integral part of a content marketing strategy for almost every B2B company. A content marketing report states that 70% of B2B marketers believe case studies are an effective tool for the content marketing mix.

How long should your case study be? 

If you type this query into the Google search bar, the answer that pops up on your screen is 500 to 1500 words. Although this is fairly ideal, it is important to note that there is no hard and fast rule for the word limit of a case study. Like everything else in Marketing, the answer is - it depends. 

Depends on various factors like the industry you’re writing the case study for, the narrative you’re building, the audience you’ll cater to and the like. 

Case studies are primarily built to generate an in-depth understanding of why exactly prospects should choose your product. In today’s world, where all content consumers have an attention span of roughly 7 seconds (if not lesser) - getting them to read a case study that’s nothing less than 500 words requires skill, to say the least. 

The length of a case study depends on the following factors :

Target audience

Identifying the target audience for your case study is the first and foremost step of the writing process. Who will be reading this case study and how do you tailor it to fit their flow of reading? It’s no big secret that everyone’s attention span varies. (We hear you. Do people even have an attention span these days?) 

Thanks to the myriad of visual content available in abundance, going through a 50-word post, let alone a 500-word case study, might be an arduous task for most people. However, this massively depends on the target audience and the industry your client belongs to. 

Case studies provide deep insight into your product/service and give potential customers one, if not more, solid reasons to get onboard. 

Formulating your case study based on these parameters will result in the best outcomes. 

For example, if your product caters directly to the general public (B2C) , then your case studies have to be short, precise and to the point. It has to provide just the right amount of information to put forth about your company, the services you offer, its features and benefits. Hence, these case studies can be anywhere between 100-300 words. 

On the other hand, formulating a case study for a B2B audience will require more detailed insights, examples, solution-oriented steps, and overall contain highly compelling research. This is solely because the individuals reading our case studies will be established business professionals looking to invest a good amount in your product . These case studies can extend up to 1500 words . 

Purpose of the case study 

The second factor/question to keep in mind is, “Why are we writing this case study?”. Here we cannot help but think of the famous quote - “You can’t understand someone until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes.” 

It’s safe to say that this quote is applicable to almost every situation in life. Especially while selling a product. Or, attempting to do so. In this stage, you need to take into consideration 3 very important factors :  

At which point of the sales process are we sending out this case study?

For starters, case study content changes according to the various points of the sales process it is being sent out during. The content required for a case study at the beginning of the sales process differs from the content required for a case study when the deal is about to be closed. 

Case studies sent out at the beginning of the sales process focus on the following :

  • Recognition of your company/brand  
  • An insight into your company & what you do 
  • A generic overview of what your product offers 

Hence, these case studies can range anywhere from 300-500 words.

Case studies sent out at the end of the sales process focus on the following :

  • Presenting a precise problem faced by a client
  • Presenting how your company provided a solution for the same 
  • The process
  • Use-case specific insights

Hence, the sky’s the (word) limit with these case studies. The length that narrates to your prospect that your company is the best solution is the length you stop at. 

What do we want our readers to take away from this case study?

The length of your case study also majorly depends on the point you want to put forth in your case study. Are you trying to simply establish brand identity? Are you talking about a new campaign run by your company? Or is it a case study showcasing the work you did for a specific client? 

Creative of Three Questions To Keep In Mind Before Writing A Case Study

What medium are we sending the case study via? 

The medium through which your case study is being sent is a key point while determining the length of your case study. 

Let us throw in a quick example here. We are in the midst of our relentless online shopping phase and our package has finally arrived. Obviously, we can’t wait to go through the contents of the package (Because which order even is this?) - Doesn’t it make the unpacking process much easier when the packaging is precise and easy to open? Who wants loads of duct tape and clunky wrapping? It instantly puts us off, and we might even decide to open it later.  Similarly, the medium via which you send your case study and the presentation of it matters a lot. 

Here are some of the methods through which you can send your case study :

A good ol’ fashioned e-mail

“I’ll send across an email” is a phrase most of us have probably used more than our names. And, that’s fine. 

Sending your case studies and other documents through email has unmistakably been the go-to method for the longest time. Even so, sending your documents and case studies via email have its pros and cons. 

If you include a number of attachments, your prospects might have a hard time going back and forth between the document and email to open it up. The best option, in this case, is to include a single case study and make it crisp & concise in order to avoid shuffling between tabs. So, we’d say a single case study, about 500 words. 

A personalized storyboard

Personalized. Pretty. Extremely easy to go through. Nothing against emails, but imagine sending your case studies in a personalized collection that is exclusive to your reader, gives them a binge-worthy experience with your case studies, enables them to pick up exactly where they left off and much more. 

With a presentation like this, we’re sure the length of your case study isn’t going to stop readers from going through the contents of your case study.

Types of Case Studies

Case studies can be broadly classified into the following categories:

1. Third-Person Case Studies

An external agency primarily publishes this type of case study. This external research & consulting firm validates the solution provided by your company to your customers and publishes the same on its website.

2. Explanatory Case Studies

Explanatory case studies are primarily descriptive studies. They typically use one or two instances of a phenomenon or event to show the existing solution. Explanatory case studies primarily exist to familiarize the unfamiliar situation to prospects and give them a brief overview of the subject.

3. Instrumental Case Study

To gain insight into a phenomenon, an instrumental case study is deployed. The focus of this type of case study is not on the results but on the phenomenon. It tries to make the prospects discern the relationship between the phenomenon and its solution.

4. Implementation Case Study

This is perhaps the most important type of case study for a content marketer. It encompasses how your business went about executing the solution of a customer's challenge.

Case studies are the best example of marketing collateral used during the consideration stage and are used to showcase the success stories of your company. They can be written as single-page or multi-page documents.

Steps to writing a case study solution

Crafting the headline.

Headlines are the hellos in the world of writing. Just as a simple hello can help gain surface-level insight into a person, a headline establishes just that about a piece of written content. 

The first step to drafting a case study is also to pick a suitable headline. 

The headline of a case study has to include the following elements :

  • The name of the company
  • The use case
  • The results
  • Quantitative data (all about the numbers)

Let’s go with a fictional take on this - 

Let’s say you have a company, “Mattleberg Associates."

Mattleberg Associates offer consultative tools and guidance to understand, buy and adopt marketing technology tools for an enterprise. If Mattleberg Associates is to write a case study on how their product benefited a client of theirs, Acme Corporation , and upped their sales turnover by 70% , 

This is how the case study should ideally be titled : 

Acme Corp’s Sales Turnover Increased by 70% - Meet the Mattleberg MarTech Tool that made it possible. 

By glancing at this case study title, the reader gets an insight into the company (Mattleberg), the client (Acme Corp), the use case (Increasing sales turnover), the industry (Sales and Marketing) and the outcome (A 70% increase). 

Highlighting the challenge/situation 

In this part of the case study, the problem is made aware to the reader. This is where we let the reader know that “Hey, there was a grave situation taking place, and this is how it played out.”. 

In this part, you have to mention : 

  • The challenge that was present
  • The root cause of the problem 
  • Statistics about the same 

Arriving at the solution

This part of your case study has to be your company’s stellar introduction.

In this part of the case study, you will include :

  • How the client arrived at your company 
  • The process of how the client fixed on your company (yay!)
  • The executives involved in the process 

Behold! The results

Quantitative results .

This indicates the end of the case study. This is the part you indicate that Happily Ever After was made possible. Here is where you include all of the magical numbers that were a result of your company’s product/service, the remarkable results of the process and the outcome. 

Qualitative results

Remember when Spotify allowed 6500 of their employees to work from anywhere in the world? 

Now, fast forward to a year later; Spotify has released a statement saying their turnover rate dropped and they’re doing great! 

Here’s another example of how a qualitative result approach can be included in your case studies. This is the tie between quantitative and qualitative results. They go hand in hand. 

Tying this back to the topic, while writing a case study and mentioning the end results, it is important to also mention how the process eased the lives of the team, resulting in joy in the workplace and so on. This, in return, can directly result in quantitative results. :)

Best Practices to implement while writing a Case Study

More often than not, content marketers find it a herculean task to create a case study that is intriguing for their prospects. Here are 5 easy tips to make your case studies less boring, and more engaging.

1. Incorporate visuals in your case study

Multimedia can make your case studies more engaging and provide you with a means to connect with auditory and visual learners. Here are two ways in which you can incorporate multimedia in your case study:

  • Include pictures, charts, and infographics to interpret a story out of the content-heavy data.
  • Incorporate videos in your case studies and use them throughout your integrated marketing communication.

2. Prioritize firsthand knowledge over second-hand evidence

Case studies are stories. And stories can be narrated aptly only when you get real firsthand insights from the customer. Hence, to write a good case study, all you need is an excellent customer interview. Refrain from writing case studies based on resources such as testimonial quotes, videos, email, and so on.

It will only make your case studies time-consuming and difficult (or dare we say boring?).

3. Use slide-in call-to-action in lieu of pop-ups

Huge pop-ups can be annoying to the readers. Hence, marketers should try to use slide-in call-to-action that does the same job without distracting your prospects.

4. Don't be keen on listing the problem statement/challenge

Get into the shoes of your prospects while writing the challenge section. Most businesses often commit the mistake of writing the problem of a case study that caters to a narrow audience. To effectively hook a broader target audience , you should address the problem by considering the perspective of different prospects and write a detailed and compelling challenge . Your case study's first sentence should always address a broad business issue, and provide the reader with context.

5. Improve the tone of the customer quotes

Being a case study writer, you should not be transfixed on strictly reproducing all the customer quotes as it is - that is what a reporter does. As a case study writer, you should embellish the customer quotes in a way that makes their point effective. However, the altered quote should not drift away from the actual customer quote and should live up to the spirit of the customer's statement.

Examples of Case Studies

Here is a list of the finest examples of case studies across each sector with our commentary on a handpicked few to further ease your process of writing a case study.

To give you a holistic understanding of different types of case studies, we have collated the best templates from each industry.

  • Aviation and Defense 
  • Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI)
  • Energy & Utility
  • Healthcare and Life Sciences
  • Manufacturing
  • Technology and Services
  • Telecommunications

Best Case Study Examples for Aviation, Aerospace & Defense Sector

Case Study-Aviation & Defense Sector

While there are over 10+ example case studies that have been handpicked for the Aviation, Aerospace and Defence sector, we are highlighting only about 2 of them for a quick reference on why it works and most importantly, we like them.

1. Electromagnetic Solutions | Leonardo

Type of case study : Explanatory

Leonardo, first, defined their electromagnetic solutions and then furnished an explanatory case study to further enlighten their target audience to the solution they offer. They provided their prospects with a lucid explanation of the phenomenon with their solution in this case study.

2. Indira Gandhi International Airport | Collins Aerospace

Type of case study: Implementation

This case study is one of the best templates you will find in the aviation & defence sector. Two reasons make it exceptional. First, Collins has tailored the case study in a way that it can collaborate with direct marketing efforts . The case study is brief, yet gives a clear explanation of how it went about executing the solution. Also, the testimonial Collins took from Delhi International Airport Ltd., explained in a nutshell, the outstanding results they produced.

Best Case Study Examples for BFSI Sector

Case Study-BFSI Sector

While there are over 10+ example case studies that have been handpicked for the BFSI sector, we are highlighting only about 2 of them for a quick reference on why it works and most importantly, we like them.

1. Implementing a Complete Target-Date Fund Solution |  JPMorgan Chase

Type of case study: Explanatory

Writing a case study in the sector of financial services is tricky, to say the least. If you are looking to benchmark a case study, this should undoubtedly be the one. JPMorgan deep-dived to explain the needs of the client and listed out the top investment priorities. After that, the cast study introduced the unique solution offered to give their prospects a gist of the same. 

2. Global Inventory Management | Broadridge

Broadridge created a stellar case study by incorporating a testimonial, visuals, and an elaborate solution together. The cast study went one step ahead by talking about how it will utilize this opportunity to build Broadridge's future solutions.

Best Case Study Examples for Energy & utilites Sector

Case Study-Energy & Utility Sector

While there are over 10+ example case studies that have been handpicked for the Energy & Utilities sector, we are highlighting only about 2 of them for a quick reference on why it works and most importantly, we like them.

1. Creating Value through Technology and Innovation | Canadian Natural Resources Limited (CNRL)

Type of case study: Instrumental

This case study focuses more on the different technologies offered by CNRL. What makes this case study unique is that the brand has included various collaborations for each technology and clearly demarcated the status of each technique. The usage of visuals and quantifiable results is spot on!

2. City of Monterey Park | Engie

Engie has produced a phenomenal template for a case study in the energy sector. Prospects could better relate to this kind of a case study because it includes multiple testimonials alongside the images of the solution which can serve as the best catalyst for prospects in the consideration stage of the buyer journey.

Best Case Study Examples for Healthcare & Life Sciences Sector

Case Study-Healthcare & Life Science Sector

While there are over 10+ example case studies that have been handpicked for the Healthcare and Life-sciences sector, we are highlighting only about 2 of them for a quick reference on why it works and most importantly, we like them.

1. BD Vacutainer | Becton Dickinson and Company

BD did a fantastic job of quantifying its success in solid numbers. They have incorporated the same in their headline to make it a worthy read for a prospect. Furthermore, they included a separate "results" section which listed out the benefits and illustrated the same using a bar graph. These best practices help a prospect digest text-heavy content easily.

2. Helping Biopharma Companies Unravel the Many Facets of the Oncology Market | McKesson Corporation

This template is an excellent example of an instrumental case study in the healthcare sector. McKesson takes the onus on them to educate the healthcare industry on the oncology market. It provides vital insights into how the biopharma industry can leverage McKesson's resources and excel in oncology.

Best Case Study Examples for Logistics Sector

Case Study-Logistics Sector

While there are over 10+ example case studies that have been handpicked for the Logistics sector, we are highlighting only about 2 of them for a quick reference on why it works and most importantly, we like them.

1. Inventory Optimization Case Study | Neovia Logistics

Type of case study: Third-Person

This case study serves as a great template of collaboration with other organizations to deliver a customized solution for your customer. Neovia Logistics and SAP Service Parts Planning worked in unison to provide a top-notch solution for inventory management. This template makes a brilliant usage of coloured theme and an engaging dashboard to display the results lucidly.

2. Building a better distribution model to accommodate rapid growth | FedEx Corporation

FedEx adopts a customer-centric approach in this case study and explains the challenges faced by the customer in detail. It elaborately explains how the problems of temperature-sensitive products of the clients were dealt with. This type of case study can prove to be very useful as a marketing communication  for a client dealing in a similar sector.

Best Case Study Examples for Manufacturing Sector

Case Study-Manufacturing Sector

While there are over 10+ example case studies that have been handpicked for the Manufacturing sector, we are highlighting only about 2 of them for a quick reference on why it works and most importantly, we like them.

1. Twilight River Cruises | Mitsubishi Electric

The testimonial and the embedded hyperlinks (that redirects to their product range) make this case study stand apart from others. Mitsubishi Electric has ensured that the client furnishes a well-crafted testimonial that makes the prospects acquire faith in their prowess.

2. Danfoss' Digital Journey and Strategic Approach to MES | Siemens

This is, by far, the best template we have discovered in the manufacturing sector. It ticks all the boxes for writing a stellar case study – slide-in CTAs (call-to-action), integration with social media, an excellent testimonial, captivating visuals, and a consistent theme. You do not want to miss this out!

Best Case Study Examples for Technology & Services Sector

Case Study-Technology & Services Sector

While there are over 10+ example case studies that have been handpicked for the Technology & Services sector, we are highlighting only about 2 of them for a quick reference on why it works and most importantly, we like them.

1. FreshDesk - Case Study | Chargebee

The best thing about this case study is that Chargebee incorporated testimonials from different departments and individuals. The case study uses crisp headlines and explains the challenge in detail before jumping the gun to mention the results.

2. Aspire Systems Provides Data Integration Services  | Aspire Systems

For a technical product/software, it is important to know where to use technical keywords and where to use plain, simple language. Aspire Systems did a fantastic job of creating different sections for a summary (in plain language) and a tech snapshot (where they mention the suite of data management products). It also included an image of the system architecture to educate their prospects on the process and solutions.

Best Case Study Examples for Telecommunications Sector

Case Study-Telecommunications

While there are over 10+ example case studies that have been handpicked for the Telecommunications sector, we are highlighting only about 2 of them for a quick reference on why it works and most importantly, we like them.

1. Managed Network Services | Telkomtelstra

Incorporating video testimonials in the case study is one of the best practices to be followed to create a compelling case study; and, Telkomtelstra has done that precisely. The practice of integrating social media in your overall content marketing strategy never fails to fetch you brownie points!

2. Supporting the community with a mobilized workforce | Rogers Communications Inc.

Rogers Communications has adopted the strategy of assigning a dedicated page for case studies. It has also integrated social media and slide-in CTAs buttons, in this case study, for enhanced engagement. A unique practice that Rogers embraced in this case study was to mention the details of the current services with that particular client. You may want to consider this strategy while writing your upcoming case study!

Strategies to leverage the power of Case Studies 

On the same lines, let us now deep-dive into how content marketers can leverage the power of case studies to their full potential. Mentioned below are some of the strategies you can use to incorporate case studies into your organization's overall integrated marketing communications strategy.

1. Highlight the case studies on a dedicated page

When B2B customers search online for your goods and services, they will search for your company's websites as well as your rivals' websites. So make sure the case studies on your website are easy to find. Refrain from categorizing them in the section of "downloads" or "resources" list, or hiding them so profoundly that visitors need to find them on your search facility.

Offer multiple paths that will lead them directly to the stories of customers that most interest them. Feature your homepage with a recent case study. Ask your webmaster to set up a display that will generate a different case study each time the visitor clicks on a new page or returns to a given page.

Be sure to provide a link where more case studies can be found by the visitor, in case the story does not match the interests of the visitor.

2. Include case studies in white papers

Do you have a case study showing how a client used your product or service to solve a widespread problem in the industry? If so, you have the building blocks for an effective white paper . Case studies and effective white papers share the same basic structure: challenge/solution.

You will need to develop the problem section further, examine previous solutions and why they are not working, and present your solution as part of a generic class.

However, once you have described your solution, you can introduce your particular product by means of an abbreviated version of your case study.

3. Include case studies in press releases

The company press releases are the perfect platform to share customer stories with prospects, customers, partners, and employees. The case studies in your prospect press releases allow you to highlight your solutions and the different verticals that you represent.

This helps to develop trust over time. In addition, case studies are great for keeping partners informed about how customers use your solutions. You'll support their sales efforts by providing customers with new ideas that they can present. You'll also keep them excited about your partnership, as well as about your products and services.

4. Collaborate your direct marketing efforts with case studies

Many of the most popular all-time direct mail promotions start with a story. Stories are enthralling. They promise entertainment and news. Of course, they gain our attention. Hence, a well-written case study for a newsletter or a direct mail campaign can be an excellent lead material.

Moreover, with a lead drawn from a recent case study, you'll not only get the attention of your prospects right away but also establish credibility with a real-world illustration of what your company has done for others already.

5. Consolidate your SEO strategy with case studies

Case studies can be among the best content types to attract attention from search engines. Phrases of keywords are the SEO currency . And if well-written, it is most likely that your case studies will include several instances of keywords and phrases relevant to the product or service they feature.

Make sure you incorporate the links and meta tags to boost the search engine rankings. Google attaches great importance to links, so be sure to link back to your case studies from press releases, blog posts, and discussion forums that refer to them. Encourage your clients to link your website to their success stories.

Even meta tags can improve your search rankings. Ensure that the title and description tags are used well by including your target keywords in them.

6. Collaborate your case studies with your social media marketing strategy

Social media provides a range of platforms to distribute case studies to your target audience. You can post a link to your latest case studies on Twitter, LinkedIn, and other platforms. Forums are another excellent platform way to promote your customer success.

Trade associations and LinkedIn Groups provide thousands of tightly focused discussions across the entire spectrum of interests in the industry. And most of these forums will let you post links, making it easy to reach specific audiences.

Case studies are vital building blocks for your brand’s social currency. With the right balance between data and a compelling narrative, case studies go a long way in positioning your brand as the ideal choice in the minds of your prospects.

So before you rule out this collateral as mundane and boring, ask yourself again - would you order from a restaurant that is not backed by good reviews and ratings?

Other interesting blogs that might help bolster your content marketing strategy:

100+ Best Examples of Press Release Templates

100+ Brochure Examples for Sales and Marketing

100+ Testimonial Examples for Sales and Marketing

The Best White Paper Examples for B2B Marketers      

  • Case Study Templates
  • Case Studies
  • Marketing Collateral
  • Content Marketing

PAPERFLITE'S CONTENT TECHNOLOGY IN ACTION

It's easier than falling off a log.

(DON'T ASK US HOW WE KNOW THAT)

sales problems case study

Thanks for joining Paperflite! One of our customer success representatives will be in touch with you shortly.

Please watch your mailbox for an email with next steps.

Start Now

Subscribe to Our Blog

Stay up to date with the latest marketing, sales, and service tips.

The 22 Best Case Study Examples That Boost Sales (+ Templates and Tips)

Jackie Jacobson

Jackie Jacobson | June 29, 2023 | Case Studies | 20 min read

Quick Links

  • 1.   What Is It?
  • 2.   Why They're Important
  • 3.   Case Study Length
  • 4.   Where Do I Put Them?
  • 5.   Case Study Format
  • 6.   How to Write One
  • 7.   Examples
  • a.   PDF
  • b.   Online

The Best Case Study Examples

  • 1.  Adobe: Royal Bank of Scotland
  • 2.  BrightEdge: Stanley
  • 3.  LeadGnome: Host Analytics
  • 4.  Bitly: Vissla
  • 5.  Taboola: The Line
  • 6.  OutBrain: Lane Bryant
  • 7.  Google Analytics: Optimizely
  • 8.  LinkedIn: HubSpot
  • 9.  LevelEleven: Staples
  • 10.  Life Size: Rackspace
  • 11.  Five9: Weed Man
  • 12.  LogMeIn: Extent Technologies
  • 13.  Red Hat: North Carolina State Websites
  • 14.  VMWare: CenturyLink
  • 15.  HPE: Mendix
  • 16.  Gravitate: Global Expeditions Group
  • 17.  IDEO: INFARM
  • 18.  Forge and Smith: Happy Planet
  • 19.  CoSchedule: English Heritage
  • 20.  Slack: OpenAI
  • 21.  Square: The Epicurean Trader
  • 22.  Bluleadz: BandGrip

Building an effective content marketing strategy that can take your prospects through every stage of the buyer's journey means creating a variety of content.

From relevant, informative blog content to engaging webpages, landing pages, whitepapers, and emails, a comprehensive content marketing strategy should run deep.

One powerful, but often underused, piece of content is the case study .

What Is a Case Study?

A case study acts a narrative, featuring real-world situations where certain products or services are used in a way that demonstrates their value. They are a special type of thought leadership content that brands can use in marketing and sales to guide their target audience to the decision stage of their buyer's journey . Engaging case studies walk prospects through how a real life customer identified a specific pain point , started using your product or service, and overcame that pain point while reaping additional benefits.

A case study is a unique type of thought leadership content that tells a story.

Case studies are narratives that feature real world situations or uses of products or services to demonstrate their value. A well written case study will follow a customer as they define a problem, determine a solution, implement it, and reap the benefits.

Case studies offer readers the ability to see a situation from the customer's perspective from beginning to end. 

Need an example of a case study? Check out some of our case studies here !

Why case studies are important.

A marketing case study is one of the most compelling content items in your sales funnel .

It’s the perfect way to guide people into and through the decision phase, when they have the best options laid out on the table and they’re ready to puzzle through that final selection.

Because of this, case studies are uniquely useful as bottom of the funnel content .

case studies are bottom of the funnel content

By the time prospects are ready to read case studies, they have a nuanced grasp of the problem in front of them. They also have a good selection of potential solutions and vendors to choose from.

There may be more than one option that’s suitable for a given situation. In fact, there usually is. But there’s just one option that fits the prospect best. The challenge is figuring out which one.

Since B2B decision makers aren’t mind readers, they need content to bridge the gap between “what they know about your solution” and “what they know about their own business.” The case study does that by showing how a similar customer succeeded.

The more similar the prospect is to the customer in the case study, the more striking it will be.

For that reason, you might want to have a case study for every buyer persona you serve. And naturally, case studies pertain to specific products or services, not your whole brand.

So, you could find yourself with multiple case studies for each buyer type.

However, the effort is worth it, since case studies have a direct impact on sales figures.

bofu-fill-pipeline

How Long Should a Case Study Be?

Honestly, the more to-the-point you can be in a case study, the better.

Great case studies should pack a lot of meaning into a small space. In the best examples, your reader can grasp the single main idea of each page in a short paragraph or two.

Each detail should build on the next, so they’ll keep moving forward until the end without getting distracted.

Sure, it’s no Dan Brown novel, but if you do it right, it’ll still be a real page-turner.

Note: Some businesses will have a brief case study in PDF form to use as sales collateral then a longer form, more in-depth version of the same case study on their website. In this case, it can be normal to write a lengthier case study.

Where Should I Put My Case Studies?

Anywhere you want, really!

Ideally, you should upload case studies somewhere on your website so new leads coming to your site have the opportunity to see just how kickass your business is at driving revenue and results for your current customers.

Whether it's an online case study or a PDF version, making your successes available to the public can prove just how valuable your efforts are.

Plus, make sure every member of your sales team has access to your case studies so they can use them as sales collateral to send to prospects and opportunities! A quick PDF attachment to a sales email can be very convincing.

It can also help to sprinkle links and CTAs to your case studies throughout your content:

Get Free Case Study Templates

The Best Case Study Format

  • Introduction: Provide context for the story.
  • Challenge: Describe the primary issue being faced.
  • Solution: Identify the product or service being used.
  • Benefit: Emphasize the most impactful advantages.
  • Result: Detail the specific outcomes the customer earned.

Like press releases, case studies often fall into a certain specific format.

While it’s not required that you have all of the possible topics in a particular order, picking a consistent format will help you accelerate production down the road. It also makes your content easier to read.

Many B2B businesses use the following approach:

  • Introduction: sets the stage by providing context for the situation.
  • Challenge: discusses the key problem that the customer was facing.
  • Solution: a basic overview of the product or service the customer used.
  • Benefit: recaps the solution’s top advantages – why it was the right choice.
  • Result: the positive business outcome arising from the solution and benefits.

This formula gives you enough flexibility to highlight what’s most important about your enterprise, solution, and the customer you’re showcasing.

At the same time, it ensures that your team will know exactly what information they need to compile to design case studies in the future.

It also serves as an intuitive trail of breadcrumbs for your intended reader.

How to Write a Case Study

writing-case-study

1. Ask Your Client/Customer for Approval.

This first step is crucial because it sets the layout for your entire case study. 

If your client or customer gives the ok to use their name and information, then you can add as much detail as you want to highlight who they are, what you helped them do, and the results it had.

But, if they would rather remain anonymous or want you to leave out any specific details, you’ll have to find a way to keep your information more generalized while still explaining the impact of your efforts.

2. Gather Your Information.

Like any good story, a marketing case study has a beginning, middle, and end. Or, you could think of it as “before, during, and after.”

Before: The Problem

Your case study will always open by presenting a problem suffered by one of your clients.

This part of the study establishes what’s at stake and introduces the characters – your company, the client company, and whichever individual decision makers speak for each side.

During: The Solution

Once you define the problem, the next step presents your offering, which serves as the answer to the dilemma.

Your product or service is, in a very real sense, the hero of the story. It catalyzes the change, which you describe in terms of your features, advantages, and other differentiators.

After: The Result

In the final step, you discuss the “happy ending” brought about by your solution.

Returning to the “stakes” you established at the very start, you expand on how much better things are thanks to your intervention. You want prospects to imagine themselves enjoying that level of success.

3. Get a Quote.

Of course, a study about two corporations isn’t very interesting on its own. The best case studies personify the protagonists, including the vendor and the client company, by having plenty of quotes peppered throughout the entire story.

Naturally, the business problem to be solved is the big, bad villain here, so you want the client (and preferably, your own team as well) to weigh in on that problem: How complex it is, what solving it would mean, and what not solving it would cost.

Then, as the situation turns around, testimonials become essential.

Naturally, the longest, most emphatic testimonial should come from the top decision maker. But you should aim to include a glowing quote from many different stakeholders – representing the full cast of “characters” who might be making consensus buying decisions around your solution.

Note: Don’t use a testimonial or quote if your case study is anonymous. 

4. Find Some Compelling Graphics.

A case study isn’t a whitepaper: You shouldn’t be trudging through page after page of text.

In fact, some of the most powerful case studies establish their own vivid, graphics-heavy style – looking a lot more like an infographic, or even a magazine, than traditional B2B marketing collateral.

Color blocks , strong contrasts, skyscraper photography, and hero shots are all on the table when it comes to case studies. The more data you have to convey, the more creative you should be in presenting it so it can be understood at a glance. 

15 Great Examples of Offline Case Studies

1. adobe: royal bank of scotland.

adobe-case-study

This study focuses on the solutions Adobe provided for the Royal Bank of Scotland. Their top challenges included fostering a culture of data driven decision making, eliminating disjointed systems, and delivering digital experiences that are relevant and easy to use.

Adobe's approach resulted in a 20 percent increase in conversion, as well as improved internal communications, faster optimization, and a reduction of their content management footprint. 

2. BrightEdge: Stanley

In 2015, Stanley consolidated two separate brand web properties into one site. The process needed to mitigate traffic disruption, improve traffic, and increase organic search results.

The results? Almost 40 percent of keywords Stanley ranked for were on the first page of organic results, and the company generated a 100 percent lift in revenue, thanks to support from the BrightEdge platform.

3. LeadGnome: Host Analytics

leadgnome-case-study

Host Analytics moved to an account based marketing strategy in 2015. They noticed that the marketing efforts were limited by a large number of low quality needs.

Their problem was solved when they used an automated email marketing approach from LeadGnome to nurture and qualify leads via email marketing.

4. Bitly: Vissla

Vissla is an online ecommerce company with a need to understand big data across multiple marketing platforms.

Bitly provided a a way to consolidate data and literally link channels together to display all information on a single dashboard.

5. Taboola: The Line

taboola-case-study

The Line is an online boutique that offers shoppers a unique experience and showcases products that can be found at their brick and mortar store in NYC's Soho neighborhood. Their goal was to increase first time visitors to their site.

Taboola offers a product that drives first time users. The result? Over 72 million impressions within three months, and email subscriber growth of 12 percent.

6. OutBrain: Lane Bryant

Lane Bryant, the leading retailer for women sized 14 – 28, launched a campaign designed to celebrate all women and redefine the traditional notion of sexy with a simple message – ALL women are sexy.

The goal was to amplify the campaign and drive traffic and engagement.

The result? OutBrain used media amplification to take the campaign viral, resulting in over 48,500,000 impressions in just two weeks!

case-study-template-inline-cta

7. Google Analytics: Optimizely

optimizely-case-study

Optimizely is a leading online A/B testing and user experience optimization platform that offers innovative data-driven marketing solutions to maximize user experience and keep them coming back for more. 

The challenge they faced was better identifying page views to determine where customers are in the buying cycle.

The solution was provided by using data from Google Analytics Premium to successfully move leads through the sales funnel.

8. LinkedIn Marketing Solutions: HubSpot

HubSpot, in search of quality leads, turned to LinkedIn Marketing Solutions to engage with marketing professionals in small to medium sized businesses, targeting them with ebooks, webinars, and how-to guides. Sponsored organic content appeared in members' LinkedIn feeds.

The result: 400 percent more leads within their target audience than efforts on other platforms.

9. LevelEleven: Staples

leveleleven-case-study

LevelEleven helped Staples focus their teams on the critical sales activities that matter.

The end result? Their team developed a better understanding of the KPIs that matter and experienced a 182 percent increase in key selling activities.

10. LifeSize: Rackspace

Rackspace is a world leader in hybrid cloud computing with offices throughout the world. The challenge was collaborating and communicating across offices.

The approach? LifeSize created a video solution to build stronger relationships across international offices.

11. Five9: Weed Man

weedman-case-study

Five years ago, the lawn care company Weed Man had an idea -- If their phone-based reps could connect with more prospects, more decisions would result, without adding sales reps.

The solution? Five9 assisted Weed Man with migrating their data to the cloud. This case study shows why SMBs like Weed Man should store business data on the cloud for CRM.

12. LogMeIn: Extent Technologies

One of the better, more concise case study examples, this one page synopsis clearly defines the challenges and goals of Extent.

It explores how LogMeIn provided effective solutions and produced stellar results, including a boost in staff productivity, an increase in first contact resolution rate, and an improvement in overall service. 

13. Red Hat: North Carolina State Websites

redhat-case-study

Under mandate from the governor, the North Carolina Department of Information Technology needed to update state websites to overcome complex processes and limited technical resources.

The resulting solutions from Red Hat reduced maintenance times and lowered staffing costs.

14. VMWare: CenturyLink

This study addresses the complexities of cloud hosted infrastructure. One element of all case study examples is to educate perspective clients about the services and products offered.

This study takes a complex subject and makes it easy to understand, while clearly outlining the solutions VMWare can provide.

15. Hewlett Packard Enterprise: Mendix

hewlett-packard-case-study

This study breaks down another complex subject: rapid hosted cloud app development.

HPE links to additional content so readers can gain even more knowledge about the subject and the solutions HPE offers.

7 of the Best Online Case Studies

1. gravitate: global expeditions group.

Gravitate case study

This case study is a great example of how to break up a detailed case study for an easier read.

Gravitate starts off by introducing their client, Global Expeditions Group (GXG), to give visitors a little background into what they do. They then dive straight into what their role was in helping GXG with a robust content marketing strategy.

What catches your eye at the beginning of this case study is the results. Rather than forcing readers to find out the impact of their efforts at the very end, they call out some major statistics and improvements that they helped GXG achieve. It's a great way to entice readers to keep them wanting to learn just how they did it.

Gravitate did a great job breaking up their rather long case study. Since it focuses on an entire content marketing strategy, they put various parts of their case study into separate sections, from their rebranding efforts to their website design and copywriting.

2. IDEO: INFARM

What we like so much about IDEO's case study about INFARM is that it reads just like a simple blog post – there's no sections and no busy graphics. While this doesn't work for everyone, it really matches the vibe of IDEO's brand.

This case study is short, sweet, and to the point, with the largest elements on the page being the images and a quote. At the very top, they outline the entire case study in two small sections – the challenge and the outcome.

What we like about this particular case study is how IDEO talks about what's next for INFARM. Beyond the typical problem-solution-result structure, they took it one step further to talk about the future and what INFARM plans on doing next. 

3. Forge and Smith: Happy Planet

Forge and Smith Happy Planet Case Study

Forge and Smith effectively uses real mockups and examples from the work they did for Happy Planet to showcase their work in action.

This case study is perfectly designed into multiple modules to break up chunks of text into three phases. They start off with the objectives they set in place for their website design and development work for Happy Planet, which is pretty unique for a case study.

What's great about this case study is the opportunity to view the finished website. A hyperlink isn't just hidden within the text forcing you to dig around looking for it; it's called out right then and there to let you view their finished work on the Happy Planet website.

Another great feature is the option to view a previous case study or all the case studies if you're interested. No need to locate the main page, you have direct access! 

forge and smith related case studies

4. CoSchedule: English Heritage

CoSchedule treats their case studies as customer stories, highlighting who their customers are and how their platform was able to help them. Their case study on English Heritage is simple to view and comprehend.

On the left, there is a customer spotlight on English Heritage, complete with a company logo, brief description, industry, company size, size of the marketing team, and more. These little details help give you a better idea of who the company is.

Then, on the right side of the screen, is a blog-like case study.

Rather than breaking up their message into the standard format, CoSchedule calls out the results that English Heritage has seen since switching to CoSchedule. Within each result, they touch on the challenge they had before CoSchedule then the lasting impact it created.

Throughout the case study, CoSchedule includes relevant screenshots and impactful quotes from English Heritage employees. This helps readers visualize what they are talking about.

5. Slack: OpenAI

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools have quickly claimed center stage in the digital world. Slack is one business that hopped on the bandwagon and incorporated AI generated assistance into their platform, and this case study tells a story of success using modern technology.

In this case study , Slack relies heavily on testimonials to share the impact that OpenAI has made on their product. The story of Slack and OpenAI is told directly to readers by the people who experienced the partnership and how it can improve user experience for all kinds of businesses. Sharing a success story in this way makes the whole case study feel much more personal than just providing a list of statistics. 

When customers read through the case study, they'll get to know perspectives from multiple people, hopefully coming across one that really resonates with them. 

6. Square: The Epicurean Trader

The Epicurean Trader case study featured on the Square website follows the tried and true structure for a closer look into a success story. First, this case study introduces The Epicurean Trader and what problems they were facing as a retail business. 

The next section of the case study discusses the solution proposed by Square and the implementation of their products as The Epicurean Trader expanded their business. Finally, this case study concludes with notable impacts as a result of using Square's software, including revenue growth and comparisons to standards set within the industry. 

Reading through this case study, you'll join The Epicurean Trade on their journey to enhance their retail practices. Thanks to testimonials from the owner of the business, you'll also get an inside look at how this brand was able to grow with some help from Square. 

Overall, this case study example is clear, concise, and easy to follow. Readers will get to know a highlighted business and how Square stepped in to resolve a problem they were facing. 

7. Bluleadz: BandGrip

BZ-BandGrip case study

We couldn't  not pat our own backs for recently publishing a case studies page on our website.

Bluleadz often uses case study PDFs as sales collateral to send to qualified prospects. While we used these PDF designs internally, we wanted to make sure our client success stories were available to everyone coming to our site.

Thus, our case study page was born.

Our BandGrip case study really sticks out to us. We start off by introducing who BandGrip is, who they serve, and what they do.

Then, we highlight the struggles they were having with getting demo sign-ups on their page. We included relevant quotes from the CEO to show their need for a solution.

We then begin to outline all the pre-show and post-show tactics that we implemented to help them tackle their challenge and earn them more demo sign ups. Landing page screenshots and other various graphics help readers visualize what we were able to do.

Toward the end of the case study, we highlight the impact of our efforts, calling out some of the major statistics. 

Highlight Your Past Successes to Attract Future Business

Each of these case study examples does an excellent job of outlining the challenges, solutions, and results provided. If you are building a portfolio of case studies, use these excellent examples for inspiration and format.

Once you master the art of the case study, you’ll find it’s packed with marketing power, giving you a huge ROI for the time you put into creating it.

If your leads have been falling off in the decision phase, a marketing case study may be just what you need.

Case studies are a powerful tool in your content marketing arsenal, so why not create one today? Click below to create your very own case study!

click here to download the offer

General FAQ

What is a case study.

Case studies are narratives that feature real-world situations or uses of products or services to demonstrate their value. A well-written case study will follow a customer as they define a problem, determine a solution, implement it, and reap the benefits.

The more to-the-point you can be in a case study, the better. Case Studies typically range from 500 words to 1,500 words depending on what's getting highlighted.

What Format Should My Case Study Be In?

Typically, a case study contains an introduction, a challenge, a solution, a benefit, and a result.

Why are Case Studies Important?

Case studies allow businesses to showcase how their product or service has been implemented successfully by their customers. It allows businesses to show how their product/service is actually used and the impact that it can have.

Jackie Jacobson

Jackie Jacobson

Jackie is a Copywriter at Bluleadz. She graduated from Elon University with a degree in Creative Writing and is currently living in Charlotte, NC. If you need her, you can find her exploring the city or relaxing with a good book.

More Marketing Insights

Can't find what you're looking for try using a keyword..

sales problems case study

Ready to up your game? Subscribe now.

sales problems case study

How to Use Sales Case Studies Effectively (With Examples and Mistakes to Avoid)

Scott Barker

  • February 10, 2021

Used right, sales case studies can boost your deal closing ratio, making them a valuable addition to your sales enablement library.

But here’s the thing…

There are hundreds of tutorials on how to create them. Not so much on how to use them in your sales process.

So that’s what we’re going to cover here. Keep reading for practical tips on how you can use your case studies to attract new prospects and convert existing prospects into paying customers.

  • The value of a case study
  • How to use case studies in the sales process
  • Types and examples of sales case studies
  • Making case studies easy to use
  • What not to do

What Is a Case Study?

Let’s make sure we’re all on the same page here.

A case study in sales is any story, data, or evidence of your product or service benefitting a customer.

Case studies aren’t really about your company though. This is an easy mistake to make. The focus should always be on the benefits your customers and clients experience because of your company.

They should be data-focused, and should include the problem the customer went through and how your product helped the customer overcome it.

Case studies give you the ability to frame your product in the way you want.

sales problems case study

They allow you to build one of the most valuable and hard-to-find things in sales — trust .

This makes the case study one of your most powerful sales tools.

The Value of a Case Study

A tool is only as good as its craftsman, and it’s the same with case studies. They aren’t the smoking gun that will immediately close the deal, but in the hands of a skilled SDR or AE, they can help you control the narrative and bat away objections .

Richard Harris of Harris Consulting had this to say,

“Case studies don’t actually make the sale. What they do is provide real-world validation.

The real value of a case study only applies once a conversation around the prospect use case has occurred. In most cases, the case study just verifies your legitimacy and allows the prospect to ‘check the box.’

You must have case studies, though. That’s for sure.”

That real-world validation is key. Hearing a convincing pitch is one thing, but seeing how a product or service works in the real world goes a long way to stripping objections and building trust in your brand.

A case study may not make someone buy, but not having a case study will almost certainly make it harder to close the deal.

How to Use Case Studies in the Sales Process

That’s all well and good, but how do you actually use a case study in your sales process?

Sales expert and VP of Sales at Vector Solutions, Phil Gerbyshak , shared with us the different ways his team utilizes case studies.

“My sales team uses case studies extensively for social proof.

We use them in first contact with customers as an opening attention grabber, to overcome an objection, and lastly, to ask for references.”

The concept of social proof is important. It builds trust in your brand’s ability to follow through with your promises and to solve your customer’s problems.

Here are some practical tips for using case studies to do that at every stage of the buyer’s journey.

Attracting and engaging new leads

As an online lead generation tool , case studies make an attractive offer. They have the added bonus of attracting your ideal customer at the precise moment they’re actively looking for solutions.

For this, rather than a one-page write-up, think in terms of a free guide detailing the challenges company X was facing, how their problem was solved, and what their experience has been with your product.

But free downloads aren’t the only way to use case studies to generate leads. They’re also a great format for webinars .

Of course, the key is to get the topic right. You want to focus on your customer and the success they’ve enjoyed, not on your company and product.

Good: How Company X Doubled Their Revenue in Y Weeks

Bad: How [Product Name] Helped Company X Overcome Y

RELATED: The Power of Social Selling (+ 7 Rules for Storytelling in Sales)

Don’t forget cold outreach . Case studies are the perfect excuse to reach out to a new lead. They ensure your first touch is value-add and selfless.

Building confidence during discovery and demos

Case studies can be used to answer questions, show use-cases, and prove that your product does what you say it does.

During any call , you can use them to keep things from stalling out or taking a negative turn.

And it’s easy to make the offer a natural part of your conversation. Phil told us that his team broaches the subject directly. They’ll ask something like,

“Here are some relevant results a company like yours got with us. Is this of interest to you?”

During a demo , case studies can turn a boring features-review into an engaging presentation.

And it’s as simple as telling stories about previous customers who struggled with specific problems, then showing how one of your features solves that problem.

You don’t need to trick the prospect into seeing a case study. This is information they likely want to see so they can make an informed purchase.

Often the best way to bring up a case study with a prospect is to simply ask if they want to see it.

Overcoming objections

One of the most valuable (and most obvious) benefits of a case study is using it to overcome objections .

Alex Greer , Founder & CEO, SIGNAL HQ, says,

“They are a great way to alleviate fear that an investment in a new solution may not work, or generate enthusiasm about the new capabilities a solution unlocks for an organization. Ultimately, they demonstrate your business has experience working with similar customers, and that your solution drives results.”

Fear is the enemy of every sale.

Your customers have to make a very important decision. They have to decide to invest a large amount of money and time into trying your solution to their problem. There will always be fear initially that your solution will be a poor investment.

Case studies allow you to address your customers’ pain points directly, with real-world data .

Phil again shared with us how his company brings this up to the customer. Once they find their customers’ main concern they’ll say something like,

“A client in a similar situation to you had that concern, and here’s what they did…”

Similar is the key here.

Your case study needs to be as similar to your current customer as possible. Richard Harris says that your,

“Potential customers want to know the case study, but they’ll rarely believe the case study will be equal to them.”

Many prospects think that their company and its problems are so unique that no case study will truly capture the depth of their problem. Sometimes this is true, sometimes not. That’s not important.

What is important is that you realize you’ll always be fighting an uphill battle to prove your case study applies to your prospect.

The less similar the case, the harder that fight will be. Which is why choosing a case study that’s too dissimilar can end up creating more objections instead of removing them.

So make life easier for yourself. Take the time to pick as similar a case study as you can.

What Are the Three Types of Case Studies?

There are a few types of sales case studies:

  • Explanatory
  • Instrumental
  • Implementation

We’ll cover these types in more detail below, along with case study examples for each.

1. Explanatory Case Study

It is essential to remember that a case study incorporates an oral discussion of your findings with the potential client before they commit to anything, as it can make or break a sale.

Explanatory case studies are primarily descriptive studies that do well with complex solutions common in  enterprise technology   and healthcare. They typically use a few instances of a phenomenon to show how the existing solution works. Explanatory case studies only use one or two occurrences to familiarize prospects with how to solve an unfamiliar problem.

Sales Case Study Example: Chargebee

Chargebee  has a great  explanatory case study  of how their customer, Freshdesk, was able to scale their helpdesk services from 500 to 8,000 customers by introducing a single source of truth onto a single dashboard.

2. Instrumental Case Study

One way to help your prospects gain insight into the solution you are selling is through an instrumental case study.

This type of case study does not focus on the results, but instead on understanding the relationship between the problem and its solution. This works best for technical products or software programs. When things get technical, however, it can be hard to know when to use technical terms or plain language.

Sales Case Study Example: Aspire Systems

Aspire Systems  created an  instrumental case study  where they developed a data integration platform for a leading vendor of data integration solutions. With this case study, they did a fantastic job of creating summary sections using layperson terms while using images of their system architecture that clearly shows their processes even when using technical language.

3. Implementation Case Study

The implementation case study is a quick way to showcase your previous customer’s success stories. This type of case study shows what problem needed to be solved, what solution was used, and how it was implemented.

It’s important for sales reps to quickly showcase the problem-solution-result, and a great way to do so is through a brief case study that focuses on the implementation part. Implementation case studies can be just one page or several, but it should always include the problem being solved, how the solution was executed, and why this particular solution stands out as an example for other companies in similar industries.

Sales Case Study Example: Mitsubishi Electric

Mitsubishi Electric  created a  one-pager  case study for sales teams about how their solution helped Twilight Cruises address passenger complaints about comfort. This implementation case study stands out because Mitsubishi ensured that Twilight furnished a well-crafted testimonial about the new air conditioning units in a way that it builds faith and trust among readers.

Making Case Studies Easy to Use

sales problems case study

For your case studies to be relevant, you need to be able to choose the perfect case study for the perfect moment.

You likely have been given a large pile of resources to help you sell — from random specs and data to full-on case studies.

It can often be overwhelming, and finding the gold in that pile can often be difficult.

Alex Greer had some more tips for us here,

“It’s important for everyone in your sales organization to know exactly where to access an index or database of all your referenceable customers and collateral. You can organize this with something as simple as an Excel or Google Sheet, or a more robust asset management system in Salesforce, Highspot, Showpad, or similar.

This customer reference index should have (at least) the following types of tags, since each customer will give their own set of permissions:

– Publicly Referencable by Name? (Yes/No)

– Publicly Referencable in Written Communication? (Yes/No)

– Permission to display logo? (Yes/No)

– Links to Testimonial Webpages

– Links to Testimonial Videos

– Links to Written Case Studies

– Links to Webinars

– Links to Slides”

Having an index like this is perfect for keeping track of your case studies, so you’re not jumping from email to email, or wasting time searching through your hard drive to find the one case study that’s a perfect fit.

RELATED: The Complete Guide To Auditing Your Sales Content Library

Even with an index like this, though, it’s important to know your case studies well. You need to know what to look for when you start dealing with a client.

Another excellent way to utilize an index like this is to put it on your website and let it do much of your work for you.

Create a case studies page

One of the most valuable resources you can provide on your website is an easy-to-find page on your website filled with all of your best case studies. Your sales teams can even use them to nudge prospects closer to their buying decision!

This does two things for you.

  • It works passively to attract new customers who are impressed with what you’ve done for other companies.
  • It works as a valuable resource when you’re selling.

When you’re talking to a prospect, it acts as a database, where you can easily search the exact study you need. It also allows you to direct customers to it, or show them directly if you’re talking to them in-person.

Outreach does a great job with this. They have a Customer Stories page that’s easy to find and chock full of great case studies.

case study for sales teams

Today’s buyers are used to having a huge amount of data available to them. When buying anything, their first instinct is to look at user reviews.

Deloitte’s consumer review says that “customers are very used to having a huge amount of data available to them.” What’s more, ”81% of customers read reviews and check ratings.”

So make the data available.

Give your customers the tools to sell themselves on you.

If you don’t have a page like this, then you need one. Your website is free real estate to show people how great your company and product is. Use it.

Use case studies to get case studies

All of these benefits require that you have applicable case studies to use. So an important way to utilize your case studies is to use them to actually to get more case studies and reviews.

Phil Gerbyshak says that his team does this by, again, being very straightforward and simply saying,

“We have a review/case study from a client like you, would you be open to sharing one as well?”

This will help keep your case studies page and index full and make sure you and your sales team have the ammunition to keep every deal moving forward.

What NOT to Do

There are a few pitfalls to avoid when using case studies.

Don’t lie or stretch the truth.

This should be pretty obvious. These days it is easier than ever to fact check. If you’re caught in a lie, any trust you’ve built up — and likely the sale itself — is gone.

Don’t forget who you’re talking to.

Like I mentioned before, the case study should be a similar case to the customer you’re speaking to. They shouldn’t need to stretch their imagination to see how this applies to them.

Don’t focus on how great your company is.

The case study’s focus should be on the customer’s benefit .

If it sounds too much like propaganda or a promo, you’ll lose your customer focus.

Once people think they’re being sold to, they’ll often either stop listening or stop trusting you. They’ll start looking much more critically at everything you’re saying, wondering if you’re telling them the truth or not.

If you do a case study right, they’ll still walk away thinking your company is great, even though you never told them that directly.

Don’t forget about the data.

The more data-focused, the better. A good case study should be backed by facts, even if you’re telling it in story form. This has the added bonus of lending itself to visually engaging elements such as graphs and charts.

Final Words

Case studies can be a very powerful tool to have in your sales toolbelt. So, equip yourself.

Gather your case studies, and use them to convert potential sales into very real revenue.

Scott Barker

Scott Barker

More like this....

  • GTM 90: The GTM Playbook Under Attack and Bootstrapping a Community to Multi-Million Dollar Revenue with James Kaikis
  • What Sellers Need to Know About Closing Enterprise Deals

GTM 89: Bundling the GTM Stack, Secrets of Winning Investors & Landing Key Hires with Daniel Ruiz

Join us today, insider access to the gtm network and the best minds in tech., you may also like....

sales problems case study

Want insider access? Sign up here.

GTMnow

Experience, strategy, and insights to help take you from 0 to IPO.

  • Customer Success

Watch This Live Event

28 Case Study Examples Every Marketer Should See

Caroline Forsey

Published: March 08, 2023

Putting together a compelling case study is one of the most powerful strategies for showcasing your product and attracting future customers. But it's not easy to create case studies that your audience can’t wait to read.

marketer reviewing case study examples

In this post, we’ll go over the definition of a case study and the best examples to inspire you.

Download Now: 3 Free Case Study Templates

What is a case study?

A case study is a detailed story of something your company did. It includes a beginning — often discussing a conflict, an explanation of what happened next, and a resolution that explains how the company solved or improved on something.

A case study proves how your product has helped other companies by demonstrating real-life results. Not only that, but marketing case studies with solutions typically contain quotes from the customer. This means that they’re not just ads where you praise your own product. Rather, other companies are praising your company — and there’s no stronger marketing material than a verbal recommendation or testimonial. A great case study is also filled with research and stats to back up points made about a project's results.

There are myriad ways to use case studies in your marketing strategy . From featuring them on your website to including them in a sales presentation, a case study is a strong, persuasive tool that shows customers why they should work with you — straight from another customer. Writing one from scratch is hard, though, which is why we’ve created a collection of case study templates for you to get started.

Fill out the form below to access the free case study templates.

sales problems case study

Free Case Study Templates

Showcase your company's success using these three free case study templates.

  • Data-Driven Case Study Template
  • Product-Specific Case Study Template
  • General Case Study Template

You're all set!

Click this link to access this resource at any time.

There’s no better way to generate more leads than by writing case studies . But without case study examples to draw inspiration from, it can be difficult to write impactful studies that convince visitors to submit a form.

Marketing Case Study Examples

To help you create an attractive and high-converting case study, we've put together a list of some of our favorites. This list includes famous case studies in marketing, technology, and business.

These studies can show you how to frame your company offers in a way that is both meaningful and useful to your audience. So, take a look, and let these examples inspire your next brilliant case study design.

These marketing case studies with solutions show the value proposition of each product. They also show how each company benefited in both the short and long term using quantitative data. In other words, you don’t get just nice statements, like "This company helped us a lot." You see actual change within the firm through numbers and figures.

You can put your learnings into action with HubSpot's Free Case Study Templates . Available as custom designs and text-based documents, you can upload these templates to your CMS or send them to prospects as you see fit.

case study template

1. " How Handled Scaled from Zero to 121 Locations with the Help of HubSpot ," by HubSpot

Case study examples: Handled and HubSpot

What's interesting about this case study is the way it leads with the customer. That reflects a major HubSpot cornerstone, which is to always solve for the customer first. The copy leads with a brief description of why the CEO of Handled founded the company and why he thought Handled could benefit from adopting a CRM. The case study also opens up with one key data point about Handled’s success using HubSpot, namely that it grew to 121 locations.

Notice that this case study uses mixed media. Yes, there is a short video, but it's elaborated upon in the other text on the page. So while your case studies can use one or the other, don't be afraid to combine written copy with visuals to emphasize the project's success.

Key Learnings from the HubSpot Case Study Example

  • Give the case study a personal touch by focusing on the CEO rather than the company itself.
  • Use multimedia to engage website visitors as they read the case study.

2. " The Whole Package ," by IDEO

Case study examples: IDEO and H&M

Here's a design company that knows how to lead with simplicity in its case studies. As soon as the visitor arrives at the page, they’re greeted with a big, bold photo and the title of the case study — which just so happens to summarize how IDEO helped its client. It summarizes the case study in three snippets: The challenge, the impact, and the outcome.

Immediately, IDEO communicates its impact — the company partnered with H&M to remove plastic from its packaging — but it doesn't stop there. As the user scrolls down, the challenge, impact, and progress are elaborated upon with comprehensive (but not overwhelming) copy that outlines what that process looked like, replete with quotes and intriguing visuals.

Key Learnings from the IDEO Case Study Example

  • Split up the takeaways of your case studies into bite-sized sections.
  • Always use visuals and images to enrich the case study experience, especially if it’s a comprehensive case study.

3. " Rozum Robotics intensifies its PR game with Awario ," by Awario

Case study example from Awario

In this case study, Awario greets the user with a summary straight away — so if you’re feeling up to reading the entire case study, you can scan the snapshot and understand how the company serves its customers. The case study then includes jump links to several sections, such as "Company Profile," "Rozum Robotics' Pains," "Challenge," "Solution," and "Results and Improvements."

The sparse copy and prominent headings show that you don’t need a lot of elaborate information to show the value of your products and services. Like the other case study examples on this list, it includes visuals and quotes to demonstrate the effectiveness of the company’s efforts. The case study ends with a bulleted list that shows the results.

Key Learnings from the Awario Robotics Case Study Example

  • Create a table of contents to make your case study easier to navigate.
  • Include a bulleted list of the results you achieved for your client.

4. " Chevrolet DTU ," by Carol H. Williams

Case study examples: Carol H. Williams and Chevrolet DTU

If you’ve worked with a company that’s well-known, use only the name in the title — like Carol H. Williams, one of the nation’s top advertising agencies, does here. The "DTU," stands for "Discover the Unexpected." It generates interest because you want to find out what the initials mean.

They keep your interest in this case study by using a mixture of headings, images, and videos to describe the challenges, objectives, and solutions of the project. The case study closes with a summary of the key achievements that Chevrolet’s DTU Journalism Fellows reached during the project.

Key Learnings from the Carol H. Williams Case Study Example

  • If you’ve worked with a big brand before, consider only using the name in the title — just enough to pique interest.
  • Use a mixture of headings and subheadings to guide users through the case study.

5. " How Fractl Earned Links from 931 Unique Domains for Porch.com in a Single Year ," by Fractl

Case study example from Fractl

Fractl uses both text and graphic design in their Porch.com case study to immerse the viewer in a more interesting user experience. For instance, as you scroll, you'll see the results are illustrated in an infographic-design form as well as the text itself.

Further down the page, they use icons like a heart and a circle to illustrate their pitch angles, and graphs to showcase their results. Rather than writing which publications have mentioned Porch.com during Fractl’s campaign, they incorporated the media outlets’ icons for further visual diversity.

Key Learnings from the Fractl Case Study Example

  • Let pictures speak for you by incorporating graphs, logos, and icons all throughout the case study.
  • Start the case study by right away stating the key results, like Fractl does, instead of putting the results all the way at the bottom.

6. " The Met ," by Fantasy

Case study example from Fantasy

What's the best way to showcase the responsiveness and user interface of a website? Probably by diving right into it with a series of simple showcases— which is exactly what Fantasy does on their case study page for the Metropolitan Museum of Art. They keep the page simple and clean, inviting you to review their redesign of the Met’s website feature-by-feature.

Each section is simple, showing a single piece of the new website's interface so that users aren’t overwhelmed with information and can focus on what matters most.

If you're more interested in text, you can read the objective for each feature. Fantasy understands that, as a potential customer, this is all you need to know. Scrolling further, you're greeted with a simple "Contact Us" CTA.

Key Learnings from the Fantasy Case Study Example

  • You don’t have to write a ton of text to create a great case study. Focus on the solution you delivered itself.
  • Include a CTA at the bottom inviting visitors to contact you.

7. " Rovio: How Rovio Grew Into a Gaming Superpower ," by App Annie

Case study example from App Annie

If your client had a lot of positive things to say about you, take a note from App Annie’s Rovio case study and open up with a quote from your client. The case study also closes with a quote, so that the case study doesn’t seem like a promotion written by your marketing team but a story that’s taken straight from your client’s mouth. It includes a photo of a Rovio employee, too.

Another thing this example does well? It immediately includes a link to the product that Rovio used (namely, App Annie Intelligence) at the top of the case study. The case study closes with a call-to-action button prompting users to book a demo.

Key Learnings from the App Annie Case Study Example

  • Feature quotes from your client at the beginning and end of the case study.
  • Include a mention of the product right at the beginning and prompt users to learn more about the product.

8. " Embracing first-party data: 3 success stories from HubSpot ," by Think with Google

Case study examples: Think with Google and HubSpot

Google takes a different approach to text-focused case studies by choosing three different companies to highlight.

The case study is clean and easily scannable. It has sections for each company, with quotes and headers that clarify the way these three distinct stories connect. The simple format also uses colors and text that align with the Google brand.

Another differentiator is the focus on data. This case study is less than a thousand words, but it's packed with useful data points. Data-driven insights quickly and clearly show how the value of leveraging first-party data while prioritizing consumer privacy.

Case studies example: Data focus, Think with Google

Key Learnings from the Think with Google Case Study Example

  • A case study doesn’t need to be long or complex to be powerful.
  • Clear data points are a quick and effective way to prove value.

9. " In-Depth Performance Marketing Case Study ," by Switch

Case study example from Switch

Switch is an international marketing agency based in Malta that knocks it out of the park with this case study. Its biggest challenge is effectively communicating what it did for its client without ever revealing the client’s name. It also effectively keeps non-marketers in the loop by including a glossary of terms on page 4.

The PDF case study reads like a compelling research article, including titles like "In-Depth Performance Marketing Case Study," "Scenario," and "Approach," so that readers get a high-level overview of what the client needed and why they approached Switch. It also includes a different page for each strategy. For instance, if you’d only be interested in hiring Switch for optimizing your Facebook ads, you can skip to page 10 to see how they did it.

The PDF is fourteen pages long but features big fonts and plenty of white space, so viewers can easily skim it in only a few minutes.

Key Learnings from the Switch Case Study Example

  • If you want to go into specialized information, include a glossary of terms so that non-specialists can easily understand.
  • Close with a CTA page in your case study PDF and include contact information for prospective clients.

10. " Gila River ," by OH Partners

Case study example from OH Partners

Let pictures speak for you, like OH Partners did in this case study. While you’ll quickly come across a heading and some text when you land on this case study page, you’ll get the bulk of the case study through examples of actual work OH Partners did for its client. You will see OH Partners’ work in a billboard, magazine, and video. This communicates to website visitors that if they work with OH Partners, their business will be visible everywhere.

And like the other case studies here, it closes with a summary of what the firm achieved for its client in an eye-catching way.

Key Learnings from the OH Partners Case Study Example

  • Let the visuals speak by including examples of the actual work you did for your client — which is especially useful for branding and marketing agencies.
  • Always close out with your achievements and how they impacted your client.

11. " Facing a Hater ," by Digitas

Case study example from Digitas

Digitas' case study page for Sprite’s #ILOVEYOUHATER campaign keeps it brief while communicating the key facts of Digitas’ work for the popular soda brand. The page opens with an impactful image of a hundred people facing a single man. It turns out, that man is the biggest "bully" in Argentina, and the people facing him are those whom he’s bullied before.

Scrolling down, it's obvious that Digitas kept Sprite at the forefront of their strategy, but more than that, they used real people as their focal point. They leveraged the Twitter API to pull data from Tweets that people had actually tweeted to find the identity of the biggest "hater" in the country. That turned out to be @AguanteElCofler, a Twitter user who has since been suspended.

Key Learnings from the Digitas Case Study Example

  • If a video was part of your work for your client, be sure to include the most impactful screenshot as the heading.
  • Don’t be afraid to provide details on how you helped your client achieve their goals, including the tools you leveraged.

12. " Better Experiences for All ," by HermanMiller

Case study example from HermanMiller

HermanMiller sells sleek, utilitarian furniture with no frills and extreme functionality, and that ethos extends to its case study page for a hospital in Dubai.

What first attracted me to this case study was the beautiful video at the top and the clean user experience. User experience matters a lot in a case study. It determines whether users will keep reading or leave. Another notable aspect of this case study is that the video includes closed-captioning for greater accessibility, and users have the option of expanding the CC and searching through the text.

HermanMiller’s case study also offers an impressive amount of information packed in just a few short paragraphs for those wanting to understand the nuances of their strategy. It closes out with a quote from their client and, most importantly, the list of furniture products that the hospital purchased from the brand.

Key Learnings from the HermanMiller Case Study Example

  • Close out with a list of products that users can buy after reading the case study.
  • Include accessibility features such as closed captioning and night mode to make your case study more user-friendly.

13. " Capital One on AWS ," by Amazon

Case study example from Amazon AWS

Do you work continuously with your clients? Consider structuring your case study page like Amazon did in this stellar case study example. Instead of just featuring one article about Capital One and how it benefited from using AWS, Amazon features a series of articles that you can then access if you’re interested in reading more. It goes all the way back to 2016, all with different stories that feature Capital One’s achievements using AWS.

This may look unattainable for a small firm, but you don’t have to go to extreme measures and do it for every single one of your clients. You could choose the one you most wish to focus on and establish a contact both on your side and your client’s for coming up with the content. Check in every year and write a new piece. These don’t have to be long, either — five hundred to eight hundred words will do.

Key Learnings from the Amazon AWS Case Study Example

  • Write a new article each year featuring one of your clients, then include links to those articles in one big case study page.
  • Consider including external articles as well that emphasize your client’s success in their industry.

14. " HackReactor teaches the world to code #withAsana ," by Asana

Case study examples: Asana and HackReactor

While Asana's case study design looks text-heavy, there's a good reason. It reads like a creative story, told entirely from the customer's perspective.

For instance, Asana knows you won't trust its word alone on why this product is useful. So, they let Tony Phillips, HackReactor CEO, tell you instead: "We take in a lot of information. Our brains are awful at storage but very good at thinking; you really start to want some third party to store your information so you can do something with it."

Asana features frequent quotes from Phillips to break up the wall of text and humanize the case study. It reads like an in-depth interview and captivates the reader through creative storytelling. Even more, Asana includes in-depth detail about how HackReactor uses Asana. This includes how they build templates and workflows:

"There's a huge differentiator between Asana and other tools, and that’s the very easy API access. Even if Asana isn’t the perfect fit for a workflow, someone like me— a relatively mediocre software engineer—can add functionality via the API to build a custom solution that helps a team get more done."

Key Learnings from the Asana Example

  • Include quotes from your client throughout the case study.
  • Provide extensive detail on how your client worked with you or used your product.

15. " Rips Sewed, Brand Love Reaped ," by Amp Agency

Case study example from Amp Agency

Amp Agency's Patagonia marketing strategy aimed to appeal to a new audience through guerrilla marketing efforts and a coast-to-coast road trip. Their case study page effectively conveys a voyager theme, complete with real photos of Patagonia customers from across the U.S., and a map of the expedition. I liked Amp Agency's storytelling approach best. It captures viewers' attention from start to finish simply because it's an intriguing and unique approach to marketing.

Key Learnings from the Amp Agency Example

  • Open up with a summary that communicates who your client is and why they reached out to you.
  • Like in the other case study examples, you’ll want to close out with a quantitative list of your achievements.

16. " NetApp ," by Evisort

Case study examples: Evisort and NetApp

Evisort opens up its NetApp case study with an at-a-glance overview of the client. It’s imperative to always focus on the client in your case study — not on your amazing product and equally amazing team. By opening up with a snapshot of the client’s company, Evisort places the focus on the client.

This case study example checks all the boxes for a great case study that’s informative, thorough, and compelling. It includes quotes from the client and details about the challenges NetApp faced during the COVID pandemic. It closes out with a quote from the client and with a link to download the case study in PDF format, which is incredibly important if you want your case study to be accessible in a wider variety of formats.

Key Learnings from the Evisort Example

  • Place the focus immediately on your client by including a snapshot of their company.
  • Mention challenging eras, such as a pandemic or recession, to show how your company can help your client succeed even during difficult times.

17. " Copernicus Land Monitoring – CLC+ Core ," by Cloudflight

Case study example from Cloudflight

Including highly specialized information in your case study is an effective way to show prospects that you’re not just trying to get their business. You’re deep within their industry, too, and willing to learn everything you need to learn to create a solution that works specifically for them.

Cloudflight does a splendid job at that in its Copernicus Land Monitoring case study. While the information may be difficult to read at first glance, it will capture the interest of prospects who are in the environmental industry. It thus shows Cloudflight’s value as a partner much more effectively than a general case study would.

The page is comprehensive and ends with a compelling call-to-action — "Looking for a solution that automates, and enhances your Big Data system? Are you struggling with large datasets and accessibility? We would be happy to advise and support you!" The clean, whitespace-heavy page is an effective example of using a case study to capture future leads.

Key Learnings from the Cloudflight Case Study Example

  • Don’t be afraid to get technical in your explanation of what you did for your client.
  • Include a snapshot of the sales representative prospects should contact, especially if you have different sales reps for different industries, like Cloudflight does.

18. " Valvoline Increases Coupon Send Rate by 76% with Textel’s MMS Picture Texting ," by Textel

Case study example from Textel

If you’re targeting large enterprises with a long purchasing cycle, you’ll want to include a wealth of information in an easily transferable format. That’s what Textel does here in its PDF case study for Valvoline. It greets the user with an eye-catching headline that shows the value of using Textel. Valvoline saw a significant return on investment from using the platform.

Another smart decision in this case study is highlighting the client’s quote by putting it in green font and doing the same thing for the client’s results because it helps the reader quickly connect the two pieces of information. If you’re in a hurry, you can also take a look at the "At a Glance" column to get the key facts of the case study, starting with information about Valvoline.

Key Learnings from the Textel Case Study Example

  • Include your client’s ROI right in the title of the case study.
  • Add an "At a Glance" column to your case study PDF to make it easy to get insights without needing to read all the text.

19. " Hunt Club and Happeo — a tech-enabled love story ," by Happeo

Case study example from Happeo

In this blog-post-like case study, Happeo opens with a quote from the client, then dives into a compelling heading: "Technology at the forefront of Hunt Club's strategy." Say you’re investigating Happeo as a solution and consider your firm to be technology-driven. This approach would spark your curiosity about why the client chose to work with Happeo. It also effectively communicates the software’s value proposition without sounding like it’s coming from an in-house marketing team.

Every paragraph is a quote written from the customer’s perspective. Later down the page, the case study also dives into "the features that changed the game for Hunt Club," giving Happeo a chance to highlight some of the platform’s most salient features.

Key Learnings from the Happeo Case Study Example

  • Consider writing the entirety of the case study from the perspective of the customer.
  • Include a list of the features that convinced your client to go with you.

20. " Red Sox Season Campaign ," by CTP Boston

Case study example from CTP Boston

What's great about CTP's case study page for their Red Sox Season Campaign is their combination of video, images, and text. A video automatically begins playing when you visit the page, and as you scroll, you'll see more embedded videos of Red Sox players, a compilation of print ads, and social media images you can click to enlarge.

At the bottom, it says "Find out how we can do something similar for your brand." The page is clean, cohesive, and aesthetically pleasing. It invites viewers to appreciate the well-roundedness of CTP's campaign for Boston's beloved baseball team.

Key Learnings from the CTP Case Study Example

  • Include a video in the heading of the case study.
  • Close with a call-to-action that makes leads want to turn into prospects.

21. " Acoustic ," by Genuine

Case study example from Genuine

Sometimes, simple is key. Genuine's case study for Acoustic is straightforward and minimal, with just a few short paragraphs, including "Reimagining the B2B website experience," "Speaking to marketers 1:1," and "Inventing Together." After the core of the case study, we then see a quote from Acoustic’s CMO and the results Genuine achieved for the company.

The simplicity of the page allows the reader to focus on both the visual aspects and the copy. The page displays Genuine's brand personality while offering the viewer all the necessary information they need.

  • You don’t need to write a lot to create a great case study. Keep it simple.
  • Always include quantifiable data to illustrate the results you achieved for your client.

22. " Using Apptio Targetprocess Automated Rules in Wargaming ," by Apptio

Case study example from Apptio

Apptio’s case study for Wargaming summarizes three key pieces of information right at the beginning: The goals, the obstacles, and the results.

Readers then have the opportunity to continue reading — or they can walk away right then with the information they need. This case study also excels in keeping the human interest factor by formatting the information like an interview.

The piece is well-organized and uses compelling headers to keep the reader engaged. Despite its length, Apptio's case study is appealing enough to keep the viewer's attention. Every Apptio case study ends with a "recommendation for other companies" section, where the client can give advice for other companies that are looking for a similar solution but aren’t sure how to get started.

Key Learnings from the Apptio Case Study Example

  • Put your client in an advisory role by giving them the opportunity to give recommendations to other companies that are reading the case study.
  • Include the takeaways from the case study right at the beginning so prospects quickly get what they need.

23. " Airbnb + Zendesk: building a powerful solution together ," by Zendesk

Case study example from Zendesk

Zendesk's Airbnb case study reads like a blog post, and focuses equally on Zendesk and Airbnb, highlighting a true partnership between the companies. To captivate readers, it begins like this: "Halfway around the globe is a place to stay with your name on it. At least for a weekend."

The piece focuses on telling a good story and provides photographs of beautiful Airbnb locations. In a case study meant to highlight Zendesk's helpfulness, nothing could be more authentic than their decision to focus on Airbnb's service in such great detail.

Key Learnings from the Zendesk Case Study Example

  • Include images of your client’s offerings — not necessarily of the service or product you provided. Notice how Zendesk doesn’t include screenshots of its product.
  • Include a call-to-action right at the beginning of the case study. Zendesk gives you two options: to find a solution or start a trial.

24. " Biobot Customer Success Story: Rollins College, Winter Park, Florida ," by Biobot

Case study example from Biobot

Like some of the other top examples in this list, Biobot opens its case study with a quote from its client, which captures the value proposition of working with Biobot. It mentions the COVID pandemic and goes into detail about the challenges the client faced during this time.

This case study is structured more like a news article than a traditional case study. This format can work in more formal industries where decision-makers need to see in-depth information about the case. Be sure to test different methods and measure engagement .

Key Learnings from the Biobot Case Study Example

  • Mention environmental, public health, or economic emergencies and how you helped your client get past such difficult times.
  • Feel free to write the case study like a normal blog post, but be sure to test different methods to find the one that best works for you.

25. " Discovering Cost Savings With Efficient Decision Making ," by Gartner

Case study example from Gartner

You don't always need a ton of text or a video to convey your message — sometimes, you just need a few paragraphs and bullet points. Gartner does a fantastic job of quickly providing the fundamental statistics a potential customer would need to know, without boggling down their readers with dense paragraphs. The case study closes with a shaded box that summarizes the impact that Gartner had on its client. It includes a quote and a call-to-action to "Learn More."

Key Learnings from the Gartner Case Study Example

  • Feel free to keep the case study short.
  • Include a call-to-action at the bottom that takes the reader to a page that most relates to them.

26. " Bringing an Operator to the Game ," by Redapt

Case study example from Redapt

This case study example by Redapt is another great demonstration of the power of summarizing your case study’s takeaways right at the start of the study. Redapt includes three easy-to-scan columns: "The problem," "the solution," and "the outcome." But its most notable feature is a section titled "Moment of clarity," which shows why this particular project was difficult or challenging.

The section is shaded in green, making it impossible to miss. Redapt does the same thing for each case study. In the same way, you should highlight the "turning point" for both you and your client when you were working toward a solution.

Key Learnings from the Redapt Case Study Example

  • Highlight the turning point for both you and your client during the solution-seeking process.
  • Use the same structure (including the same headings) for your case studies to make them easy to scan and read.

27. " Virtual Call Center Sees 300% Boost In Contact Rate ," by Convoso

Case study example from Convoso

Convoso’s PDF case study for Digital Market Media immediately mentions the results that the client achieved and takes advantage of white space. On the second page, the case study presents more influential results. It’s colorful and engaging and closes with a spread that prompts readers to request a demo.

Key Learnings from the Convoso Case Study Example

  • List the results of your work right at the beginning of the case study.
  • Use color to differentiate your case study from others. Convoso’s example is one of the most colorful ones on this list.

28. " Ensuring quality of service during a pandemic ," by Ericsson

Case study example from Ericsson

Ericsson’s case study page for Orange Spain is an excellent example of using diverse written and visual media — such as videos, graphs, and quotes — to showcase the success a client experienced. Throughout the case study, Ericsson provides links to product and service pages users might find relevant as they’re reading the study.

For instance, under the heading "Preloaded with the power of automation," Ericsson mentions its Ericsson Operations Engine product, then links to that product page. It closes the case study with a link to another product page.

Key Learnings from the Ericsson Case Study Example

  • Link to product pages throughout the case study so that readers can learn more about the solution you offer.
  • Use multimedia to engage users as they read the case study.

Start creating your case study.

Now that you've got a great list of examples of case studies, think about a topic you'd like to write about that highlights your company or work you did with a customer.

A customer’s success story is the most persuasive marketing material you could ever create. With a strong portfolio of case studies, you can ensure prospects know why they should give you their business.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in August 2018 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

New Call-to-action

Don't forget to share this post!

Related articles.

How to Write a Case Study: Bookmarkable Guide & Template

How to Write a Case Study: Bookmarkable Guide & Template

How to Market an Ebook: 21 Ways to Promote Your Content Offers

How to Market an Ebook: 21 Ways to Promote Your Content Offers

7 Pieces of Content Your Audience Really Wants to See [New Data]

7 Pieces of Content Your Audience Really Wants to See [New Data]

How to Write a Listicle [+ Examples and Ideas]

How to Write a Listicle [+ Examples and Ideas]

What Is a White Paper? [FAQs]

What Is a White Paper? [FAQs]

What is an Advertorial? 8 Examples to Help You Write One

What is an Advertorial? 8 Examples to Help You Write One

How to Create Marketing Offers That Don't Fall Flat

How to Create Marketing Offers That Don't Fall Flat

20 Creative Ways To Repurpose Content

20 Creative Ways To Repurpose Content

16 Important Ways to Use Case Studies in Your Marketing

16 Important Ways to Use Case Studies in Your Marketing

11 Ways to Make Your Blog Post Interactive

11 Ways to Make Your Blog Post Interactive

Showcase your company's success using these free case study templates.

Marketing software that helps you drive revenue, save time and resources, and measure and optimize your investments — all on one easy-to-use platform

Bidsketch

  • Start Free Trial

The Best Sales Case Studies You Should Read

sales problems case study

Diving into sales case studies from industry experts is a great example of how to do this. So, I’ve rounded up some of the best sales case studies out there, and discussed what the valuable takeaways are from each.

Check them out, and apply these techniques to your own business. You’ll be increasing your sales knowledge, as well as picking up helpful tips for how to actually implement what you’ve learned in the real world.

Want to see my top picks? Keep reading.

Why turn to sales case studies?

As I’ve discussed in my other sales articles here on the Bidsketch blog (I’ll link those below), the reality is that for many new entrepreneurs, selling is not something that comes easily. In fact, selling your products or services might be the hardest part of starting your business.

And honestly, it makes sense—you know that what you do or make is great, but you feel uncomfortable playing the role of a salesperson. If you don’t have a sales background, knowing how to appropriately pitch and position your business to gain clients can feel very foreign. Not only that, but to really succeed at selling, you will likely need to enter territories you are unfamiliar with, whether that be something like creating email drip campaigns, or actually making sales calls.

So, in addition to reading through resources on how to become a better salesperson, seeing examples of how businesses have implemented sales processes that worked for them can be both hugely informative and motivating. Examining sales case studies gives you a chance to see some of the techniques you have read about in action, and see what the actual ROI for employing those techniques has been.

Plus, you are getting the benefit of learning from the experts, because a lot of the best case studies are put out by sales and marketing firms as a means of advertising their services, or they are put out there by experts who are offering their commentary. So, you can take a leaf out of their book, without actually having to hire any fancy, expensive sales consultants to help you!

However, there is a lot of noise online when it comes to sales case studies. Plenty of sites offer up a bait and switch and expect you to pay or sign up in order to see the case studies they are offering. So, I’ve rounded up some of the best sales case studies out there, from a variety of industries and vantage points, that are free and available to anyone with an internet connection.

Neil Patel

Neil Patel has long been an expert in the entrepreneurship space. ( Source .)

1. Neil Patel, Quicksprout: Which of These 3 Sales Case Studies Will Grow Your Sales?

It’s always smart to turn to Neil Patel for advice; from internet marketing best practices to SEO, his insight is valuable and he continues to be one of the most respected thought leaders in the online entrepreneurship space.

In this article, Patel discusses three distinct sales strategies and walks readers through the application of each of them in detail. He ties the strategies back to his own business experience and includes sample email outlines that help illustrate what the sales strategy looks like in action.

Plus, he includes a list of action steps that you can follow in order to make the strategies he has outlined in his sales case studies work for you. Patel has written an article that is both a comprehensive guide to using three distinct sales strategies, as well as a place where readers can see case study examples of them in action, so while it is a fairly long read, it’s well worth it.

sales problems case study

Kissmetrics offers great examples from real businesses. Image via their article , also linked below.

2. Kissmetrics Blog: How These 7 Companies Increased Revenue by an Average of 425%

You’re likely familiar with Kissmetrics, either via their product or simply based on the fact that they are one of the most reliable, respected voices in the marketing metrics space.

Their case studies are, naturally, very reliant on metrics to tell a story. This makes these case studies a must-read, as getting hard data on how sales initiatives actually improved key metrics is surprisingly hard.

Like Patel’s article, Kissmetrics dives deep into each business, and they offer a clear takeaway for each that you can apply to your own sales and marketing processes.

sales problems case study

Modern Marketing Concepts offers a variety of case studies from their clients. ( Source .)

3. Modern Marketing Concepts:  Case studies

This New York-based “sales optimization company” Modern Marketing Concepts offers perhaps some of the best sales case studies that you can find specifically from a marketing firm.

Each case study is formatted as a quick, easy to digest PDF, that touches on the challenges Modern Marketing Concepts faced, and the solutions they put into place. They also include actual data demonstrating the success of each sales initiative.

While many sales case studies tend toward the vague and fluffy, those presented by Modern Marketing Concepts actually offer something concrete. Be sure to check these ones out.

sales problems case study

Featured Customers offers lots of case studies, like these ones from Soasta and their industry competitors. ( Source .)

4. Featured Customers: Soasta case studies, as well as competitors

Let’s get this out of the way at the outset: Featured Customers is a behemoth of a site to wade through. However, if you can navigate through all the information provided, you will actually find some great case studies to check out.

For example, following the link above will lead you to case studies from the software company Soasta, as well as their competitors. While case studies may not be the primary intended use of Featured Customers, it is a great resource to check out—if you have time to do a bit of digging.

sales problems case study

Soasta’s website offers even more of their sales case studies. ( Source .)

5. Soasta: Customers

Speaking of Soasta, going directly to their site yields tons of other great sales case studies that you should check out.

The best part? You can filter by industry—of which there are many, spanning industries from retail, to travel, to tech. Not only that, but the brands featured are some pretty big names, giving the case studies presented a level of resonance that discussion of smaller, unknown businesses might not have. Soasta’s case studies also include feedback from their customers themselves, which is definitely worth a read.

sales problems case study

Case studies via Inside Sales.

6. Inside Sales: Sales case studies

Here, Inside Sales has collected a list of case studies from their customers, which discuss how the businesses they have worked with have managed to increase their productivity levels after implementing the products Inside Sales offers.

The case studies presented here are succinct and informative; they clearly lay out the challenges facing the business, the solutions Inside Sales implemented, and the eventual results.

sales problems case study

Core DNA shares case studies specifically from ecommerce businesses. ( Source .)

7. Core DNA: 7 eCommerce Case Studies You Need to Steal From

If you run an ecommerce business, your sales needs and strategies will likely differ from those of entrepreneurs who run a brick and mortar business. So, checking out some ecommerce specific case studies is a good idea.

Now, this is not the only entry on this list that shows case studies from ecommerce businesses, but it is framed from the standpoint of a discussion of the metrics that matter specifically to ecommerce businesses. So, definitely check this one out if that is your business type.

Now that you have spent some time reading sales case studies, it’s time to create your own

Wait, what?

Seriously. You have seen how powerful a tool case studies can be for businesses; with that in mind, it’s a good idea to consider creating some case studies of your own.

Case studies make fantastic promotional tools when done correctly. You are spending tons of time researching sales processes and becoming a better salesperson so that you can generate more clients and revenue for your business—you should be putting that effort to work for you even in the future.

You can feature client case studies on your website, in marketing materials, and even use them as part of your sales pitch . Just like that, you’ve created a feedback loop in which the work you are doing now to better your sales ability will continue to benefit you in the future, driving more sales.

One of the biggest benefits of featuring your sales case studies is that they allow you to build a narrative. Storytelling is powerful, and the more you can tell a compelling story for your prospective customers, the better. So, frame your case study in such a way that you really highlight the story and paint a picture that shows all the ways hiring your business helped this other business grow and improve. By doing so, you’ll be leveraging storytelling and social proof, which makes a simple cold outreach call or email markedly more likely to be well-received.

For more on sales tactics, hiring sales staff for your team, and great resources to check out to help you improve your sales chops, check these recent articles out:

  • How to Deliver a Great Sales Pitch
  • How to Close a Sale: 5 Tips to Help You Secure More Business
  • The 11 Best Sales Techniques [Plus Formulas You Can Use Today]
  • How to Write a Follow up Email That Clients Will Respond To
  • Sales Definitions: The Ultimate A to Z Guide
  • The Sales Pipeline, Explained
  • Hiring a Sales Team: What Roles to Fill (and How to Decide If You Really Need One)
  • 31 Sales Questions to Help You Hire a Salesperson for Your Team
  • Sell Me This Pen: Why You Should Always See Potential Sales Hires In Action
  • The Best Sales Books for Entrepreneurs to Read in 2018
  • How to Find Email Addresses for Anyone
  • How to Choose the Best Sales Dashboard

Which case study did you find the most valuable to read, or do you have one to add to this list? Leave a comment and let me know.

Get Our $270M Client Proposal Kit (free)

image description

  • Created from research of 25,000 proposals worth $270M
  • Used by top agencies to land high paying clients
  • Includes templates, worksheets, cover page designs, and more

Business Advisor

Cracking the Sales Code: Lessons from 8 Sales Case Studies

While HubSpot’s sales report shows a decent close rate of 29%, the lower win rate of 21% suggests inefficiencies. This gap indicates that unqualified leads are likely slipping through the cracks, requiring a closer look at lead qualification and potentially a sales process refinement to improve conversion rates.

Challenges in selling may have many reasons:

  • Selling has become more challenging with the changes in consumer behavior.
  • Salespeople’s selling techniques are not as effective anymore as they were years ago.
  • The supply of products and/or services offered has saturated the market
  • The sales distribution has spread thinly among individual salespeople.

The journey from prospect to conversion is a maze of challenges, and within these challenges lie the keys to mastering the art of sales. 

To address these challenges and others, sales case studies offer valuable insights. Let’s delve into eight specific sales scenarios—selling something readily available for free, navigating crowded markets, approaching small and medium businesses with high-value solutions, tackling overseas sales, engaging with informed consumers, navigating long sales cycles, introducing emerging technologies, and overcoming price objections.

Each case study offers valuable lessons to be learned and applied to improve your sales strategy. The book, “ Built to Sell: Creating a Business That Can Thrive Without You ” provides essential guidance on transforming a business into a sellable asset by focusing on scalability and systematization. Integrating insights from this book into sales case studies offers valuable perspectives on how strategic planning and operational efficiency can lead to sustainable growth and increased valuation for businesses.

Now, in this exploration of sales case studies, let us delve into the dynamic process of sales and let us discuss challenging sales case studies and how to deal with them.

1. Selling Freemium Solutions

Some products that are being sold have some free alternatives that people can get to. Examples include paid content and their free content alternative, CRMs, project management tools, and others. However, some businesses can sell these products and make good business out of it.

Charging for something that could be obtained for free is feasible.

That’s why services and products vary immensely – from smartphones to finding a carpenter or looking for apartments in the same area.

So, how do you sell something that people could get for free?

Let’s take the case of selling a Bottled Water. In a world where water is freely available, selling bottled water faced the challenge of convincing consumers to pay for something they could obtain at no cost.

First, you need to identify the alternative options and how it presents an opportunity for your product.

Let’s review what the options are if you want to gather water for free. Roughly speaking, you can either drink tap water or go to the nearest mountain or lake with seemingly good water.

Tap water is known to contain certain chemicals like chlorine and aluminum sulfate. Pesticides and herbicides can also be found in some tests of tap water. This could cause asthma or different forms of skin damage, along with weakening the cells and a number of known and unknown problems (that add up with time).

It’s dependent on the region, your neighborhood, the building, and the pipe installation in your home. Filtering is not a top priority for many since tap water wasn’t meant to be consumed orally in the first place. Some safety mechanisms are in place, but that’s not nearly enough. Plus, if you visit relatives or friends, there’s no way you can test the water upfront (every time).

Spring water is somewhat clean as it’s being filtered through rocks. That said, you can’t rely on the structure of the water in different pools or rivers as it depends on different factors – like the flora or fauna living there, how far the stream is from the source, and the like (there are studies out there that explain everything more scientifically).

You also need to determine what makes your product better. This will help convince people to pay a premium.

Showcase the unique value proposition, emphasizing standards, safety, and convenience. The Bottled Water Case Study unveils the mastery of transforming a freely available resource into a premium, standardized product.

  • Standards and Safety: Bottled water positioned itself as a safer, standardized alternative to tap water. Compliance with government regulations and quality standards reassured consumers about the purity and safety of the product.
  • Convenience: The convenience of having access to clean water on the go became a significant selling point. Bottled water addressed the inconvenience and potential health risks associated with alternative sources, emphasizing the ease of carrying, accessibility, and reliability.
  • Environmental Factors: Some brands further elevated value by promoting eco-friendly practices, contributing to the sustainability narrative. This additional layer of value appealed to environmentally conscious consumers.

The Bottled Water Case Study demonstrates that by strategically emphasizing standards, safety, and convenience, a product can be transformed from a freely available resource into a premium solution with perceived value.

All things considered, there are good reasons why bottled water is priced when people can obtain it for free. The filtering process is different and is standardized across brands. It’s more widely available than public sources (except for tap water), and it’s easier to carry small bottles whenever needed.

Other goods, resources, tools, or services follow a similar process. Professional vendors invest in different activities to improve the quality of a product or a service – leading to higher demand and an actual business model. Free products and services always come with limitations – a premium provider can invest in customer support, the convenience of delivery, or anything else that is of value to the buyer.

To sum it up, identify pressing problems that free alternatives face (in this case, lack of standardization and possible health risks) and turn the narrative in your favor.

2. Selling Products With Too Many Competitors

Is your business one of the many vendors selling different flavors of the same product (or in a niche with many competitors)?

This is where storytelling comes into play. People need solutions to problems in their specific industries.

Storytelling allows for putting those features to work by defining practical scenarios. Each business is unique in a way – there is a company mission, and there are business goals. And the company culture.

There’s a backstory to starting the business and an ideal subset of problems that are uniquely solved by a solution.

Stand out through storytelling. Examine the strategies of iconic brands like Nike and McDonald’s. Learn how they leveraged storytelling to create a unique identity and connect with their audience.

What Makes You Different?

If you are entering a saturated market, the question is: what makes you different?

There are tons of supermarkets, design agencies, and dentist offices. Yet, each one of them profiles in something unique or has some vibe attuned to the energy of their ideal audience.

  • Nike sells sports equipment. But aside from the notorious “Just do it”, they’ve positioned themselves with multiple influencer-baked stories through athletes like Michael Jordan, Roger Federer, Tiger Woods, and lots of football players.
  • McDonald’s spent $2.3 million in 1967 for a national advertising campaign, building a solid brand, pioneering outstanding customer service, and innovating in the “Happy Meals” department. Since then, they’ve created hundreds of incredible campaigns, including “love story” journeys with marriage proposals in their stores, responses to international events, and pivots in takeaway products (among others).

Businesses operate in different manners and follow various business processes . Some focus on quality, others – on price.

Each market has value for a specific audience. To build the bond between your business and your market, you need a story that serves as the bridge between you and your customers.

The mastery of storytelling by Nike and McDonald’s highlights the power of creating a unique brand narrative. By going beyond features and connecting emotionally with consumers, these brands established themselves as leaders in saturated markets.

3. Selling High-Value Solutions to SMEs

Selling high-value solutions to SMEs involves addressing specific challenges faced by smaller businesses that may not have the resources of larger enterprises.

The thing is, most small and medium business owners provide services or products that are not completely digital. Those that sell online goods and services would do fine through on-site and online sales and marketing .

Most “outstanding” solutions fall into one of the following categories:

  • Those that would bring a ton of new customers to a business.
  • Solutions that depend on someone who will manage the process, configure parameters, and talk to support staff to leverage the solution (after the onboarding/training process).
  • Automation tools that will simplify the process (and possibly grow the traffic or bring new leads).
  • Software that promises everything but won’t commit to a “money-back guarantee” if something goes wrong.

If I receive a hard offer for something that would yield a good multiplier on an annual basis and I’m 100% confident that this would work, I’ll pay the right amount. But that’s never the case.

For instance, if your software truly promises 3x growth of the business in a year, a company may not be able to cope with hiring and training in order to accommodate that growth.

And some businesses do prefer to stay small. Not every company aims to be the next Facebook or Airbnb.

Other tools depend on team members who are heavily involved in operations, maintenance, and adherence to a process. A business may be unable to allocate the resources required for the job. A small team only employs so many decision-makers and managers capable of allocating a good chunk of their time to something new that may or may not work.

Categorize solutions and tailor offerings to bring new customers, simplify processes, or promise growth. Understand the nuances of guaranteeing ROI and the importance of building a convincing case.

  • Customer Acquisition Solutions: Tailor solutions that attract new customers to help SMEs expand their client base.
  • Process Simplification Tools: Develop solutions that streamline processes, ensuring efficiency and ease of operation for SMEs.
  • Growth-Promising Software: Offer tools that promise growth, providing SMEs with the means to scale their operations.
  • Building a Convincing Case: Understand that SMEs often need reassurance about the return on investment. Build a compelling case by showcasing success stories, emphasizing long-term benefits, and offering flexible payment plans.

Successfully delivering high-value solutions to SMEs requires a nuanced understanding of their needs. By categorizing solutions and addressing specific pain points, businesses can establish trust and demonstrate the tangible benefits of their offerings.

All in all, if you build the right case and warm up a lead enough, you may be able to close a (new) client with the right proposition. 

4. Selling Overseas

Expanding sales overseas involves navigating diverse markets, understanding cultural nuances, and overcoming logistical challenges inherent in international business.

Navigate international waters through a mix of digital marketing, local hires, social media, and strategic partnerships.

  • Digital Marketing Abroad: Leverage digital marketing strategies tailored to specific international markets. This includes localized content, targeted advertising, and SEO optimized for regional preferences.
  • Local Hires for Market Insight: Employ local sales representatives who understand the cultural, economic, and business landscapes. Their insights can guide effective market penetration and relationship building.
  • Social Media Engagement: Utilize social media platforms to engage with international audiences. Create content that resonates with diverse cultures and encourages dialogue with potential clients.
  • Strategic Partnerships: Form strategic partnerships with local businesses. Collaborations can provide access to established networks, facilitate smoother operations, and enhance credibility in the target market.

There are plenty of ways – some traditional, others – creative.

Are you selling services or products, digital or physical, B2B or B2C?

Do you target a single country or worldwide?

What are the demographics of your target audience?

What techniques do competitors use for selling?

For B2C sales (less expensive digital products/services), digital marketing and advertising work well. 

Here’s what else you need to consider as a set of strategies for multinational sales penetration.

  • Influencer marketing is a good investment, albeit long-term (it takes a while to work with multiple influencers on targeted campaigns).
  • Hiring a local salesperson in each area is also a great idea. Selling more expensive products in a specific country (say, the US) may justify hiring a local salesperson there. Attending conferences, trade shows, meetups – and meeting prospects locally.
  • Social media works in all cases, along with a well-maintained blog. The latter takes a while and is contingent on your content strategy and keyword research.
  • Personal branding online could help you land podcast appearances and other interviews. Being able to position yourself in the right media outlets (that your prospects read) may yield good results.
  • Consider partnerships, too. This is extremely valuable if you team up with a business managing a portfolio of “ideal” clients providing other services (complementing yours).

Triumph in international sales requires a multifaceted approach. By combining digital marketing, local expertise, social media engagement, and strategic partnerships, businesses can overcome the complexities of global markets and achieve success beyond borders.

5. Selling to “Informed” Consumers

In the age of information, consumers are more informed than ever before. They research products, read reviews, and compare options before purchasing. This shift in consumer behavior poses a unique challenge for sales professionals—how to engage and persuade individuals who already possess a wealth of information about the products or services they seek.

Adapt to the evolving consumer landscape by focusing on informed selling. Understand the preferences, knowledge, and expectations of modern consumers to tailor your approach.

Selling electric vehicles (EVs) in a market where consumers are becoming more informed about environmental issues and sustainable living was no easy feat for Tesla. But, Tesla strategically positioned its electric vehicles as not just cars but as a sustainable lifestyle choice. The company leveraged the increasing environmental awareness among consumers, emphasizing the benefits of EVs for reducing carbon footprints. 

Elon Musk’s transparent communication and updates on Tesla’s advancements in battery technology and autonomous driving also contributed to winning over the informed consumer. 

Acknowledge and respect the knowledge consumers bring to the table. Here’s how you can do it:

  • Embrace Transparency and Honesty: Be transparent about your product or service, providing comprehensive information that complements the consumer’s understanding. Consequently, you build trust by being honest about your offerings. If a product has limitations or certain conditions, communicate them openly. Consumers appreciate authenticity.
  • Tailor Your Pitch: Recognize that informed consumers seek personalized experiences. Tailor your sales pitch to address their specific needs and concerns. Showcase how your offering aligns with their individual preferences.
  • Become an Advisor: Position yourself as an advisor rather than just a seller. Offer valuable insights, additional information, and industry knowledge. By adding value, you position your brand as a trusted resource.
  • Leverage Digital Platforms: Meet informed consumers where they are – online. Utilize digital platforms, social media, and informative content to engage with your audience. Share educational content that goes beyond the basic product features.
  • Understand Their Requirements: Practice active listening. Understand the specific requirements of the consumer, and align your pitch with what matters most to them. This demonstrates that you value their individual needs.
  • Incorporate Consumer Feedback: Showcase that you value consumer opinions. Integrate feedback into your sales approach. Highlight improvements made based on customer input, demonstrating a commitment to continuous enhancement.
  • Stay Up To Date: The consumer landscape evolves rapidly. Stay current with industry trends, consumer preferences, and emerging technologies. An adaptable sales approach ensures you resonate with the ever-changing informed consumer.

Adapting to the informed consumer landscape is not about circumventing their knowledge but aligning your strategies to complement it. 

Understanding their preferences, acknowledging their expertise, and offering a personalized and value-driven approach can help you navigate the challenges of selling to a well-informed audience with finesse.

6. Selling Over Long Sales Cycles

Extended sales cycles can test the endurance of sales professionals. Today, the B2B purchasing process involves an average of seven decision-makers. Navigating through intricate decision-making processes, especially in industries with long buying cycles, requires a strategic and patient approach.

Cultivate patience and resilience. Learn effective strategies to nurture leads, build relationships, and stay top-of-mind during extended decision-making processes.

Here’s how you can go about it:

  • Long-Term Relationship Focus : Shift the focus from immediate transactions to long-term relationships. Understand that building trust and rapport takes time, especially in industries where decisions are intricate and involve multiple stakeholders.
  • Segmented Lead Nurturing : Divide your leads into segments based on their position in the sales funnel. Tailor your communication and engagement strategies according to each segment’s needs. Provide targeted content that addresses specific concerns at each stage.
  • Continuous Education : During prolonged sales cycles, prospects may seek deeper insights. Provide educational content that addresses industry challenges, emerging trends, and potential solutions. Position your brand as an authoritative source of valuable information.
  • Stay Top-of-Mind : Stay relevant in your niche . Regular, non-intrusive communication is key. Utilize newsletters, informative emails, and personalized updates to stay top-of-mind. Consistency in communication reinforces your commitment and interest in the prospect’s journey.
  • Adaptive Approach : Be adaptable in your sales strategies. Understand that client needs and priorities may shift during extended sales cycles. Stay informed about any changes in their organizational goals or challenges, and adjust your approach accordingly.
  • CRM Integration : Implement a robust Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system to track and manage interactions. Leverage automation to streamline communication and ensure that no prospect falls through the cracks during a lengthy sales cycle.
  • Timely and Relevant Follow-Ups : Timely follow-ups are crucial. However, ensure that your follow-ups are not perceived as intrusive. Instead, provide value with each interaction, offering additional insights, case studies, or information that aligns with the prospect’s needs.
  • Internal Resilience Training : Equip your sales team with resilience training. Extended sales cycles can be emotionally draining; having a resilient mindset is crucial. Train your team to bounce back from setbacks and remain focused on the long-term goal.
  • Proactive Relationship Management : Anticipate potential concerns that may arise during a prolonged sales cycle. Proactively address these concerns, demonstrating your commitment to understanding and overcoming obstacles.

IBM often deals with complex B2B sales cycles, especially in the technology and enterprise solutions sector. The good thing is that IBM understands the need for patience in enterprise-level sales so well that IBM is the seventh largest technology company by revenue and the 49th largest overall as of 2022 and is also one of the world’s largest employers, with over 297,900 employees worldwide in the same year.

The company focuses on relationship-building through continuous communication, providing valuable insights, and showcasing the long-term benefits of their solutions. IBM invests in educational content to guide prospects through the decision-making process, recognizing that major IT decisions take time and careful consideration.

Patience is not just a virtue; it’s a strategic advantage in navigating extended sales cycles. Staying adaptive to changing dynamics positions you for success in industries where patience truly pays off.

7. Selling Emerging Technologies

Challenge: Introducing and selling emerging technologies.

Navigating the uncharted waters of selling emerging technologies presents unique challenges. The market for these products is often undefined, and potential customers may be unfamiliar with the benefits or hesitant to adopt new, unproven solutions.

Embrace the unique challenges of selling cutting-edge products. Explore ways to position your offerings as solutions to emerging needs, targeting early adopters.

When Amazon introduced its voice-controlled virtual assistant, Alexa, it was a relatively new concept in the consumer market.

Amazon strategically targeted early adopters by emphasizing the convenience and futuristic aspects of voice-activated technology. They rolled out frequent updates, continually expanding Alexa’s capabilities, and integrated it with a variety of smart home devices. By positioning Alexa as an innovative solution for smart homes, Amazon effectively captured the early adopter market and set the stage for widespread adoption.

How can you do the same?

  • Identify Innovators and Early Adopters: Recognize that early adopters are key players in the technology adoption lifecycle. Understand their characteristics, motivations, and risk tolerance. Tailor your marketing and sales strategies to appeal to this audience.
  • Employ Informative Content Marketing: Develop comprehensive content that educates potential customers about the benefits and applications of the emerging technology. Use webinars, case studies, and whitepapers to showcase real-world scenarios and success stories.
  • Collaborate with Industry Influencers: Partner with influencers, thought leaders, or industry experts who can vouch for the credibility and potential of your emerging technology. Their endorsement can significantly impact early adopter confidence.
  • Offer Pilot Programs: Mitigate the risk for early adopters by offering pilot programs. Allow them to test the technology in a controlled environment, gathering feedback and addressing concerns before a full-scale launch.
  • Personalize Messaging: Craft messaging that speaks directly to the pain points and challenges early adopters face. Showcase how your technology provides innovative solutions and addresses their specific needs.
  • Iterate Product Development: Adopt an agile approach to product development. Leverage customer feedback to make continuous improvements and updates. Early adopters appreciate the opportunity to influence the direction of a product.
  • Establish Thought Leadership: Position your company as a thought leader in the emerging technology space. Publish insights, research, and predictions about industry trends. Build trust by demonstrating your commitment to staying at the forefront of technological advancements.
  • Participate in Industry Events: Attend and actively participate in industry events, conferences, and meetups focused on emerging technologies. Networking with potential early adopters provides valuable insights and establishes your presence in the community.
  • Highlight Early Success Stories: Showcase success stories of early adopters who have experienced positive outcomes with your technology. Peer testimonials and success narratives can be powerful motivators for others considering adoption.

Effectively selling emerging technologies requires a balance of innovation, education, and strategic partnerships. Remember this to successfully navigate the challenges associated with introducing cutting-edge products to the market

8. Selling Over Price Objections

Price objections are a common hurdle in the sales process. Customers may perceive your product or service as expensive, leading to hesitancy or the exploration of more budget-friendly alternatives.

Entering a market dominated by established razor brands, Dollar Shave Club needed to justify its subscription-based model. Dollar Shave Club addressed price objections by focusing on the convenience and cost-effectiveness of its subscription service. 

The company highlighted the quality of its razors, the simplicity of doorstep delivery, and the overall savings compared to traditional razor purchasing. By providing additional value through a hassle-free experience and high-quality products, Dollar Shave Club successfully attracted customers despite initial price objections.

Highlight the value proposition beyond price. Showcase the long-term benefits, unique features, and additional value your product or service brings to overcome objections.

  • Emphasize Comprehensive Value: Clearly communicate the holistic value your product or service provides. Highlight not only the immediate benefits but also the long-term advantages, cost savings, and positive impact on the customer’s business or life.
  • Highlight Unique Selling Points: Identify and emphasize the unique features or attributes that differentiate your offering from competitors. Showcase how these distinctive elements contribute to a superior customer experience or enhanced outcomes.
  • Provide ROI Demonstrations: Offer concrete demonstrations of the return on investment (ROI) that customers can expect. Use case studies, data analytics, or testimonials to illustrate how your product delivers tangible value that surpasses its cost.
  • Create Value-Added Bundles: Package your product or service with complementary offerings to create additional value. Bundling allows you to present a more attractive overall proposition, making the price seem reasonable in comparison to the bundled benefits.
  • Introduce Flexible Pricing Models: Explore flexible pricing options, such as tiered plans or subscription models. This allows customers to choose a pricing structure that aligns with their budget while still accessing essential features or services.
  • Share Customer Success Stories: Leverage the power of customer testimonials and success stories. Showcase how other customers have overcome initial price concerns and achieved significant value and satisfaction over time.
  • Offer Free Trials or Samples: Provide customers with the opportunity to experience your product or service through free trials or samples. Allowing them to test the offering firsthand can alleviate concerns and demonstrate its worth.
  • Educational Materials on Value: Develop educational content that specifically focuses on the value derived from your product or service. Highlight the unique attributes that contribute to a positive customer experience or solve critical problems.
  • Transparent Pricing Discussions: Be transparent in pricing discussions. Clearly articulate the value proposition and explain how the pricing structure aligns with the benefits and features offered. Open communication builds trust and addresses concerns.

Overcoming price objections involves showcasing the true worth of your product or service. 

Effectively communicating comprehensive value, emphasizing unique selling points, and providing tangible evidence of ROI position your offering as a valuable investment rather than a mere expense.

Without a doubt, the sales industry is a dynamic one that requires adaptability, ingenuity, and strategic thinking. Exploring the various sales case studies brings to light the contemporary sales process and have gleaned priceless insights from major players in the field. 

I hope these insights help you as you start your sales journey and provide you the confidence to confidently navigate the difficult sales landscape. With these lessons in hand, you’re well-positioned to succeed in the constantly changing field of salesmanship. Cracking the sales code is a quest that never ends.

Do you struggle with sales and other business challenges ? Head to this sales guide and learn more practical tips and strategies.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

sales problems case study

Blog – Creative Presentations Ideas

Blog – Creative Presentations Ideas

infoDiagram visual slide examples, PowerPoint diagrams & icons , PPT tricks & guides

sales problems case study

A Complete Guide to Presenting Sales Business Case Study with PowerPoint Graphics

Last Updated on September 8, 2022 by

Are you about to present a sales business case study to a potential client? Make it with an impact. Get inspired on how you can present such a presentation in a visual way, that will clearly explain the challenges and solutions your case study addressed.

Below we present several graphical ways how a sales business case study can be presented. We hope our slide examples and illustrations will give you a dose of inspiration for your next sales presentation.

Get all the graphics presented here, by clicking on the slide pictures to download the source illustration. See the full Sales Case Template for PowerPoint here .

What is a Sales Business Case Study?

A presentation story about how a business problem was solved, based on real-life examples. A good sales case study contains an overview of the whole process:

  • client and situation description
  • needs analysis
  • problem identification
  • gap analysis 
  • solutions alternatives analysis and proposal of best one
  • implementation plan of the final solution.

Focus on presenting one proposed solution and its benefits, compared with several alternative solutions. Include an analysis of financial impact, comparing financial KPIs before and after solution implementation.

Let me show you examples of how those topics can be visualized on a slide using PowerPoint graphics. 

Give a big picture of the sales case, show a roadmap to success

It’s good to start by showing the big overview picture. You can use the visual metaphor of a roadmap and show the path from the problem to the desired outcome. Add road milestones of your solution – see how we illustrated it using a curvy road shape and teardrop-like points.

business sales case study example with roadmap-diagram-slide-powerpoint-infodiagram

Present the business context of your sales case

In the beginning, explain the case background:

  • who was the client
  • what is the market or industry where the case study was done
  • describe the current operations and processes of the client
  • list the main problems and needs 

You can present all this information on one concise slide, like this:

sales business case study editable powerpoint slide infodiagram

Visualize KPI improvements by real numbers

The next thing you can present is showing an improvement that your solution delivered, or would deliver after full implementation. Present data from the client’s current situation analysis, for example, the status of current operations. How much they cost, or how long a certain activity takes. Then you can compare it with the cost and length of that activity when your solution will work. 

See how we used a slide layout with a vertical split, where on the right half we added a thematic picture as a background. The bar chart showing KPI improvement is placed on a picture with additional grey background, to ensure the data are clear to read. We highlighted the main KPI change with a separate ribbon shape over the graph.

kpi-improvements-slide-powerpoint-infodiagram

Draw a difference with Gap Analysis Bridge Infographics

Motivate a potential customer about why it is worth trying the presented solution. For that purpose, you can present a visual Gap Analysis slide. Such analysis shows the gap between current status and desired status. 

You can illustrate it by using bridge infographics, where you show on one side of your PowerPoint slide the current situation description, and on another side the desired situation. The gap between is the place for your solution – that will help a client to bridge that gap. 

A good idea is to use colors and icons to express the elements – red for a status – before, green for the desired status, and amber for the solution. If you don’t have those basic colors in your company template, you can also use red, green, and yellow colors from one of the standard PowerPoint palettes. I would just avoid using plain red and yellow colors. They tend to look too strong. It’s better to choose a darker shadow of that color. 

gap-analysis-bridge-diagram-powerpoint-infodiagram

Present Key Benefits of a Solution without bullet-points

When you have a slide with a list of benefits, instead of using boring bullet points, consider using a more graphical form for each item. See below how a number of items are embedded inside a circle. The distinctive colors of the circles and their size will make them the most attractive part of the slide to look at. 

You can add an illustration of the checklist to make the slide more graphical.

sales business case study with solution description ppt infographic template

Comparing Multiple Solution Alternatives

If you want to compare several possible solutions to a business case problem, you can use a table structure. A quick way to do it is to insert a standard PowerPoint table. 

However, such a table has its design limits – you can only have rectangle cells, for example. Therefore, we propose to create a table from shapes, like on the slide below. This offers you more possibilities to use the untypical design of cells, e.g. rounded corners, or easier adding of the icons. 

Icons are a great way to show the presence or absence of a specific feature. 

This way your comparison will look much more appealing. 

comparing-solution-alternatives-table-slide-powerpoint-infodiagram

How can these Business Sales Case Study slides benefit your business?

A well-structured business case presentation is a useful marketing tool for promoting a product or service you offer.

  • If you are a small business, then having a predesigned template will help you create quickly professional sales and marketing materials.
  • If you are part of a bigger corporation with a separate sales organization unit, then you can easily adapt this case study PowerPoint to your branding. It’s enough to copy these case study slides into your template and the colors will adapt to your palette.  Your whole sales team can reuse the template, copy from each other and adapt the product story to their clients. 

In both cases, having a predefined initial case presentation structure and accompanying graphics is a handy sales enablement tool. It allows your sales reps to quickly create presentations even on the run, with only adapting text content to a specific client. The recipients of the case presentation will also appreciate the clarity of the message thanks to the use of visual elements.

Concluding the effective way of presenting a case study

The well-presented case study is a powerful sales tool. Therefore, it should not be a boring monotonous presentation, but an engaging story, supported by visual slides highlighting the real case facts, process description, and measurable financial impact, if possible.

To present that information in an attractive and easy-to-digest way, I recommend using graphical forms – data visualization charts to present financial numbers, a diagram for presenting key benefits or processes, and infographic layouts to illustrate the main case KPI.

With basic design rules such as consistent style of icons and colors, not overloading the slide with content, and the use of graphical symbols, you can make a stunning presentation and overall impression.

Resource: Sales Case PowerPoint Template

The examples above used the graphics from a PowerPoint template on the topic of a Sales Case Study. All slides are available in the infoDiagram collection of presentation graphics.

Sales Case Study Presentation (PowerPoint Template)

Moreover, you can extend the deck with a universal set of elegant outline style diagrams right here with different graphics, styles, and a lot more.

Published by

' src=

Chief Diagram Designer, infoDiagram co-founder View all posts by Peter Z

We use essential cookies to make Venngage work. By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.

Manage Cookies

Cookies and similar technologies collect certain information about how you’re using our website. Some of them are essential, and without them you wouldn’t be able to use Venngage. But others are optional, and you get to choose whether we use them or not.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

These cookies are always on, as they’re essential for making Venngage work, and making it safe. Without these cookies, services you’ve asked for can’t be provided.

Show cookie providers

  • Google Login

Functionality Cookies

These cookies help us provide enhanced functionality and personalisation, and remember your settings. They may be set by us or by third party providers.

Performance Cookies

These cookies help us analyze how many people are using Venngage, where they come from and how they're using it. If you opt out of these cookies, we can’t get feedback to make Venngage better for you and all our users.

  • Google Analytics

Targeting Cookies

These cookies are set by our advertising partners to track your activity and show you relevant Venngage ads on other sites as you browse the internet.

  • Google Tag Manager
  • Infographics
  • Daily Infographics
  • Template Lists
  • Graphic Design
  • Graphs and Charts
  • Data Visualization
  • Human Resources
  • Beginner Guides

Blog Graphic Design

15+ Professional Case Study Examples [Design Tips + Templates]

By Alice Corner , Jan 12, 2023

Venngage case study examples

Have you ever bought something — within the last 10 years or so — without reading its reviews or without a recommendation or prior experience of using it?

If the answer is no — or at least, rarely — you get my point.

Positive reviews matter for selling to regular customers, and for B2B or SaaS businesses, detailed case studies are important too.

Wondering how to craft a compelling case study ? No worries—I’ve got you covered with 15 marketing case study templates , helpful tips, and examples to ensure your case study converts effectively.

Click to jump ahead:

  • What is a Case Study?

Business Case Study Examples

Simple case study examples.

  • Marketing Case Study Examples

Sales Case Study Examples

  • Case Study FAQs

What is a case study?

A case study is an in-depth, detailed analysis of a specific real-world situation. For example, a case study can be about an individual, group, event, organization, or phenomenon. The purpose of a case study is to understand its complexities and gain insights into a particular instance or situation.

In the context of a business, however, case studies take customer success stories and explore how they use your product to help them achieve their business goals.

Case Study Definition LinkedIn Post

As well as being valuable marketing tools , case studies are a good way to evaluate your product as it allows you to objectively examine how others are using it.

It’s also a good way to interview your customers about why they work with you.

Related: What is a Case Study? [+6 Types of Case Studies]

Marketing Case Study Template

A marketing case study showcases how your product or services helped potential clients achieve their business goals. You can also create case studies of internal, successful marketing projects. A marketing case study typically includes:

  • Company background and history
  • The challenge
  • How you helped
  • Specific actions taken
  • Visuals or Data
  • Client testimonials

Here’s an example of a marketing case study template:

marketing case study example

Whether you’re a B2B or B2C company, business case studies can be a powerful resource to help with your sales, marketing, and even internal departmental awareness.

Business and business management case studies should encompass strategic insights alongside anecdotal and qualitative findings, like in the business case study examples below.

Conduct a B2B case study by researching the company holistically

When it comes to writing a case study, make sure you approach the company holistically and analyze everything from their social media to their sales.

Think about every avenue your product or service has been of use to your case study company, and ask them about the impact this has had on their wider company goals.

Venngage orange marketing case study example

In business case study examples like the one above, we can see that the company has been thought about holistically simply by the use of icons.

By combining social media icons with icons that show in-person communication we know that this is a well-researched and thorough case study.

This case study report example could also be used within an annual or end-of-year report.

Highlight the key takeaway from your marketing case study

To create a compelling case study, identify the key takeaways from your research. Use catchy language to sum up this information in a sentence, and present this sentence at the top of your page.

This is “at a glance” information and it allows people to gain a top-level understanding of the content immediately. 

Purple SAAS Business Case Study Template

You can use a large, bold, contrasting font to help this information stand out from the page and provide interest.

Learn  how to choose fonts  effectively with our Venngage guide and once you’ve done that.

Upload your fonts and  brand colors  to Venngage using the  My Brand Kit  tool and see them automatically applied to your designs.

The heading is the ideal place to put the most impactful information, as this is the first thing that people will read.

In this example, the stat of “Increase[d] lead quality by 90%” is used as the header. It makes customers want to read more to find out how exactly lead quality was increased by such a massive amount.

Purple SAAS Business Case Study Template Header

If you’re conducting an in-person interview, you could highlight a direct quote or insight provided by your interview subject.

Pick out a catchy sentence or phrase, or the key piece of information your interview subject provided and use that as a way to draw a potential customer in.

Use charts to visualize data in your business case studies

Charts are an excellent way to visualize data and to bring statistics and information to life. Charts make information easier to understand and to illustrate trends or patterns.

Making charts is even easier with Venngage.

In this consulting case study example, we can see that a chart has been used to demonstrate the difference in lead value within the Lead Elves case study.

Adding a chart here helps break up the information and add visual value to the case study. 

Red SAAS Business Case Study Template

Using charts in your case study can also be useful if you’re creating a project management case study.

You could use a Gantt chart or a project timeline to show how you have managed the project successfully.

event marketing project management gantt chart example

Use direct quotes to build trust in your marketing case study

To add an extra layer of authenticity you can include a direct quote from your customer within your case study.

According to research from Nielsen , 92% of people will trust a recommendation from a peer and 70% trust recommendations even if they’re from somebody they don’t know.

Case study peer recommendation quote

So if you have a customer or client who can’t stop singing your praises, make sure you get a direct quote from them and include it in your case study.

You can either lift part of the conversation or interview, or you can specifically request a quote. Make sure to ask for permission before using the quote.

Contrast Lead Generation Business Case Study Template

This design uses a bright contrasting speech bubble to show that it includes a direct quote, and helps the quote stand out from the rest of the text.

This will help draw the customer’s attention directly to the quote, in turn influencing them to use your product or service.

Less is often more, and this is especially true when it comes to creating designs. Whilst you want to create a professional-looking, well-written and design case study – there’s no need to overcomplicate things.

These simple case study examples show that smart clean designs and informative content can be an effective way to showcase your successes.

Use colors and fonts to create a professional-looking case study

Business case studies shouldn’t be boring. In fact, they should be beautifully and professionally designed.

This means the normal rules of design apply. Use fonts, colors, and icons to create an interesting and visually appealing case study.

In this case study example, we can see how multiple fonts have been used to help differentiate between the headers and content, as well as complementary colors and eye-catching icons.

Blue Simple Business Case Study Template

Marketing case study examples

Marketing case studies are incredibly useful for showing your marketing successes. Every successful marketing campaign relies on influencing a consumer’s behavior, and a great case study can be a great way to spotlight your biggest wins.

In the marketing case study examples below, a variety of designs and techniques to create impactful and effective case studies.

Show off impressive results with a bold marketing case study

Case studies are meant to show off your successes, so make sure you feature your positive results prominently. Using bold and bright colors as well as contrasting shapes, large bold fonts, and simple icons is a great way to highlight your wins.

In well-written case study examples like the one below, the big wins are highlighted on the second page with a bright orange color and are highlighted in circles.

Making the important data stand out is especially important when attracting a prospective customer with marketing case studies.

Light simplebusiness case study template

Use a simple but clear layout in your case study

Using a simple layout in your case study can be incredibly effective, like in the example of a case study below.

Keeping a clean white background, and using slim lines to help separate the sections is an easy way to format your case study.

Making the information clear helps draw attention to the important results, and it helps improve the  accessibility of the design .

Business case study examples like this would sit nicely within a larger report, with a consistent layout throughout.

Modern lead Generaton Business Case Study Template

Use visuals and icons to create an engaging and branded business case study

Nobody wants to read pages and pages of text — and that’s why Venngage wants to help you communicate your ideas visually.

Using icons, graphics, photos, or patterns helps create a much more engaging design. 

With this Blue Cap case study icons, colors, and impactful pattern designs have been used to create an engaging design that catches your eye.

Social Media Business Case Study template

Use a monochromatic color palette to create a professional and clean case study

Let your research shine by using a monochromatic and minimalistic color palette.

By sticking to one color, and leaving lots of blank space you can ensure your design doesn’t distract a potential customer from your case study content.

Color combination examples

In this case study on Polygon Media, the design is simple and professional, and the layout allows the prospective customer to follow the flow of information.

The gradient effect on the left-hand column helps break up the white background and adds an interesting visual effect.

Gray Lead Generation Business Case Study Template

Did you know you can generate an accessible color palette with Venngage? Try our free accessible color palette generator today and create a case study that delivers and looks pleasant to the eye:

Venngage's accessible color palette generator

Add long term goals in your case study

When creating a case study it’s a great idea to look at both the short term and the long term goals of the company to gain the best understanding possible of the insights they provide.

Short-term goals will be what the company or person hopes to achieve in the next few months, and long-term goals are what the company hopes to achieve in the next few years.

Check out this modern pattern design example of a case study below:

Lead generation business case study template

In this case study example, the short and long-term goals are clearly distinguished by light blue boxes and placed side by side so that they are easy to compare.

Lead generation case study example short term goals

Use a strong introductory paragraph to outline the overall strategy and goals before outlining the specific short-term and long-term goals to help with clarity.

This strategy can also be handy when creating a consulting case study.

Use data to make concrete points about your sales and successes

When conducting any sort of research stats, facts, and figures are like gold dust (aka, really valuable).

Being able to quantify your findings is important to help understand the information fully. Saying sales increased 10% is much more effective than saying sales increased.

While sales dashboards generally tend it make it all about the numbers and charts, in sales case study examples, like this one, the key data and findings can be presented with icons. This contributes to the potential customer’s better understanding of the report.

They can clearly comprehend the information and it shows that the case study has been well researched.

Vibrant Content Marketing Case Study Template

Use emotive, persuasive, or action based language in your marketing case study

Create a compelling case study by using emotive, persuasive and action-based language when customizing your case study template.

Case study example pursuasive language

In this well-written case study example, we can see that phrases such as “Results that Speak Volumes” and “Drive Sales” have been used.

Using persuasive language like you would in a blog post. It helps inspire potential customers to take action now.

Bold Content Marketing Case Study Template

Keep your potential customers in mind when creating a customer case study for marketing

82% of marketers use case studies in their marketing  because it’s such an effective tool to help quickly gain customers’ trust and to showcase the potential of your product.

Why are case studies such an important tool in content marketing?

By writing a case study you’re telling potential customers that they can trust you because you’re showing them that other people do.

Not only that, but if you have a SaaS product, business case studies are a great way to show how other people are effectively using your product in their company.

In this case study, Network is demonstrating how their product has been used by Vortex Co. with great success; instantly showing other potential customers that their tool works and is worth using.

Teal Social Media Business Case Study Template

Related: 10+ Case Study Infographic Templates That Convert

Case studies are particularly effective as a sales technique.

A sales case study is like an extended customer testimonial, not only sharing opinions of your product – but showcasing the results you helped your customer achieve.

Make impactful statistics pop in your sales case study

Writing a case study doesn’t mean using text as the only medium for sharing results.

You should use icons to highlight areas of your research that are particularly interesting or relevant, like in this example of a case study:

Coral content marketing case study template.jpg

Icons are a great way to help summarize information quickly and can act as visual cues to help draw the customer’s attention to certain areas of the page.

In some of the business case study examples above, icons are used to represent the impressive areas of growth and are presented in a way that grabs your attention.

Use high contrast shapes and colors to draw attention to key information in your sales case study

Help the key information stand out within your case study by using high contrast shapes and colors.

Use a complementary or contrasting color, or use a shape such as a rectangle or a circle for maximum impact.

Blue case study example case growth

This design has used dark blue rectangles to help separate the information and make it easier to read.

Coupled with icons and strong statistics, this information stands out on the page and is easily digestible and retainable for a potential customer.

Blue Content Marketing Case Study Tempalte

Case Study Examples Summary

Once you have created your case study, it’s best practice to update your examples on a regular basis to include up-to-date statistics, data, and information.

You should update your business case study examples often if you are sharing them on your website .

It’s also important that your case study sits within your brand guidelines – find out how Venngage’s My Brand Kit tool can help you create consistently branded case study templates.

Case studies are important marketing tools – but they shouldn’t be the only tool in your toolbox. Content marketing is also a valuable way to earn consumer trust.

Case Study FAQ

Why should you write a case study.

Case studies are an effective marketing technique to engage potential customers and help build trust.

By producing case studies featuring your current clients or customers, you are showcasing how your tool or product can be used. You’re also showing that other people endorse your product.

In addition to being a good way to gather positive testimonials from existing customers , business case studies are good educational resources and can be shared amongst your company or team, and used as a reference for future projects.

How should you write a case study?

To create a great case study, you should think strategically. The first step, before starting your case study research, is to think about what you aim to learn or what you aim to prove.

You might be aiming to learn how a company makes sales or develops a new product. If this is the case, base your questions around this.

You can learn more about writing a case study  from our extensive guide.

Related: How to Present a Case Study like a Pro (With Examples)

Some good questions you could ask would be:

  • Why do you use our tool or service?
  • How often do you use our tool or service?
  • What does the process of using our product look like to you?
  • If our product didn’t exist, what would you be doing instead?
  • What is the number one benefit you’ve found from using our tool?

You might also enjoy:

  • 12 Essential Consulting Templates For Marketing, Planning and Branding
  • Best Marketing Strategies for Consultants and Freelancers in 2019 [Study + Infographic]

Sales Case Study: How to Make a Sale in 7 Steps

Save for later

Sales case studies are a great way to learn how to make a sale. I remember when I was first starting in sales, I would read as many sales case studies as I could get my hands on. They were a huge help in learning the ropes and understanding the different steps involved in making a sale. This sales case study will show you how to make a sale in 7 steps. By following these simple steps, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a top-performing sales rep!

Sales Case Study: Successful Sales Techniques

A sales case study is an important tool for sales teams. It can provide insight into how other companies have been able to successfully sell products and services and can help sales teams learn new strategies and techniques.

Additionally, sales case studies can help to identify potential customers and target markets.

What are Sales Case Studies and How Do They Help You?

sales problems case study

A case study analyzes a specific instance –– or case if you will –– that shows how your product has been effective in solving a problem.

When you market with customer success stories, you allow your prospective customers to get to know your existing customers on a more personal level. This can help them see how your product has benefited other people, which can in turn make it easier for them to purchase.

Would you hire a company to produce video content for you if they just said, “We produce high quality, high return-on-investment (ROI) generating videos”?

Wouldn’t it be more beneficial for you to see the quality of their work first and read a personal recommendation from someone who has worked with them before through case studies? This way, you can make a more informed decision about whether or not this is the right company for your needs.

Most customers read reviews before making a purchase. This is because 81% of people do their research before buying anything.

B2B sales are just like any other kind of sale – the prospect does their research before committing to a purchase. To get an idea of what a company is like, it can be helpful to read reviews from past customers. This way, you can learn about a company’s reputation before making a decision.

Case studies are an excellent way to show your potential customers the benefits of your product or service. By reading about how other companies have benefited from using your product, they can see the logic behind your claims and also get a sense of what a satisfied customer looks like. This can help to remove any objections they may have about purchasing from you.

How to Write a Sales Case Study

The customer is a small business owner who needs help with bookkeeping and accounting. They have a goal of being able to track their finances and make better decisions for their business. We helped them by providing bookkeeping and accounting services. The result was that they were able to track their finances and make better decisions for their business.

sales problems case study

B2B Case Study

88% of customers trust online reviews, so having testimonials and reviews on your site is a great way to establish credibility.

When you’re marketing to other businesses, case studies can be extremely impactful. Why? Because when your target audience reads about success stories within their industry, they’ll assume that the same approach will work for them.

Marketing Case Study

Case studies are an excellent way to show that you are comfortable in a specific field and familiar with industry-specific needs. By using case studies, you can demonstrate that you have the expertise to provide targeted results to that industry.

Sales Case Study Examples

Customer case studies are a particularly effective way of selling.

A sales case study is an in-depth look at how your service or product helped a client. It not only shows their opinion of your brand but highlights the results they achieved with you.

Make Impactful Statistics Pop in Your Sales Case Study

Case studies don’t have to be limited to just written words. You can include images, videos, and more.

To make your statistics pop in your sales case study, use icons to highlight areas that are particularly interesting or relevant. This will help your readers quickly identify the most important information in your study.

sales problems case study

Icons are visual images that help to summarize important information quickly.

The use of icons in the business case study examples above helps to quickly represent areas of impressive growth and act as visual cues to help draw the reader’s attention to certain parts of the page.

Use High Contrast Shapes and Colors in Your Sales Case Study

Use contrasting colors and shapes to help your key info pop.

Use a different or complementary color scheme, or add a graphic such as a square or a circle.

sales problems case study

This visual design uses blue boxes to separate the information to make it more readable.

This information is easily digestible and retainable for a potential customer, thanks to the use of icons and strong statistics.

sales problems case study

8. Tips For Creating a More Effective Sales Case Study

sales problems case study

Case studies are a powerful way to increase conversions and revenue.

They show how your product/service helps customers achieve their own goals.

An extensive, detailed, and specific case study that outlines your achievements and shows potential customers how you helped them achieve their goals.

Writing a compelling and action-oriented case study can be a real challenge. Most out there are boring, uninspiring, and fail to deliver all the information they should.

It’s time to change that. Here are 8 tips to help you create a more effective case study.

1. Write About Someone Your Customer Can Relate

If your target audience is in the education industry, then make a case study about one of your university clients .

If it’s related to the automotive industry, then make a case study about car parts and car accessories.

The purpose of your case study is to show that you are comfortable in their industry, you understand their specific needs, and you know how to deliver results.

Think about writing a how-to post for a blog. The content is geared toward average readers. But when you read a case study that deals with your industry and needs, you are much more likely to understand and apply the information presented.

The same can be said for case studies – people reading them will think that the same methods worked for the company.

This means you’ll need to write multiple case studies, each tailored to a different customer type.

2. Narrate a Story From Start to Finish

Storytelling is a powerful marketing tool. They allow readers to get to know your customers on a deeper level.

Who is the customer? What do they do? What are their needs and goals? How do you satisfy those needs so they can meet those goals?

Continue following up with your customer in your case studies and show how your solutions provide ongoing value.

In your case studies, be sure to include both the emotional benefits of your solutions as well as more concrete, measurable results.

Did your software help boost productivity, reduce turnover, or free up employees’ time? By including these metrics, you’ll provide your readers with a complete picture of how your services have helped your customers.

3. Make Your Case Study Easier to Read

No one likes reading large blocks of texts, regardless of how informative or entertaining they might be. Like a blog post, a case study should be easily scanned and readable.

Use the same elements of content and writing that you would for an article, blog post, or website copy.

When you’re writing a case study, use effective design elements like bold or italic fonts, bullet points, and header tags to help readers easily digest the information.

By including these simple, yet effective, techniques in your case studies, you’ll help readers find the information they’re looking for and better understand your value proposition.

In addition to writing blog posts, consider including videos and other types of media to spice things up.

Including images of your actual customers, screenshots of your results, or even videos of you explaining your process will help make your case studies more engaging.

4. Highlight Real Numbers

Have you ever wondered if doubled traffic in a case study meant going from 100 to 200 visitors or 10,000 to 20,000?

To strengthen your case studies, share exact figures. Show how much your increase in website traffic, sales, or whatever else matters to your clients.

This adds credibility to your case studies and builds trust with your audience.

Your case studies should be as detailed and as factual as humanly possible. Don’t just say you increased their website traffic by 50%, say you boosted their web traffic by 50%, and back it up with hard numbers.

sales problems case study

It’s important to provide context when sharing these statistics. Explain why they’re important to you and your company.

sales problems case study

By showing your customers’ journeys, you can show readers how you’ve helped customers get to where they are now.

Including before and after photos in your case studies helps your readers visualize the results you achieved for your clients. Seeing these before and after shots lets your prospects know that you are capable of achieving similar results for them.

5. Talk About Specific Strategies

So, you managed to improve your client’s web traffic? How did you do it?

This is where you tell the prospect which products or services you used to achieve your goal.

“Thanks to our digital marketing strategies, we increased website traffic from 2,000 to 15,000 visitors a month in just three months. Our social media marketing campaigns on Facebook and Youtube helped increase our brand awareness, and our link-building campaigns helped us rank higher on search engines.”

Don’t worry about giving away your secrets — your goal here is to establish yourself as a thought leader and showing that you know your stuff is key to that.

6. Test Different Content Formats

You don’t have to always write case studies in story format.

Try interviewing your clients and asking them the same questions, such as how they started their business, what their goals are, and what you did to help them.

Be sure to include quotes from your customers in your case studies. This will make your stories more believable and relevant to your prospects than if you were to tell your story yourself.

If you’re looking for ways to make your case studies more engaging, consider using infographics, webinars, or podcasts. These formats can help you capture your audience’s attention and communicate your key points more effectively. Experiment with different content types to see what works best for your business and your customers.

When Vortex switched to a brochure style, they noticed a significant boost in conversion rates. Their case studies highlight exactly how they achieved those results and can help convince customers that the same techniques will work for them.

sales problems case study

7. Repurpose Your Case Study for Different Audiences

While some people are happy reading your text-based case studies, other people may like to listen to them, watch them, or see them in a visual format. So, take your written content and repurpose it as a podcast, a YouTube video, or an engaging infographic.

sales problems case study

The main benefit of video marketing is that videos are easily sharable. This means that your case study could reach more potential customers.

You can embed case studies in ebooks, blog posts, and resource guides. You can also link your case study to posts that prove your value and mention them in webinars.

8. Make Your Case Study Easily Accessible

What’s the point of creating a great case study if no one ever reads them? Be sure to organize your case studies in a way that makes them easy to locate.

List them on your website, optimize them for search engines, and promote them on your social media accounts.

Here are a few examples of easy-to-find case studies.

Amazon Web Services

If you’re in an industry like manufacturing, finance, or fitness and are looking for a case study, check out what Amazon Web Services has to offer. With AWS Digital Asset Management , industries like manufacturing, finance, or fitness can leverage a centralized, secure, and easily accessible platform to manage their extensive digital assets, simplifying the workflow while ensuring data integrity and accessibility.

sales problems case study

The case study section on the landing page for drupal.org features several success stories from major brands, making it simple to see how Drupal can help your business.

sales problems case study

How to Use Case Studies in Marketing

sales problems case study

Follow up your case studies with blog posts that highlight a challenge or obstacle that your customer or company faced. Then, show the steps you took to overcome that issue.

In your post, show the steps you took to solve these issues.

Let’s say we had a client case study that detailed how a company used videos to build their trust. We might write a blog post that was called “Using Videos To Build Your Brand’s Credibility”.

A customer success blog post should focus on how your customers overcame their challenges and used your product or service to do so.

sales problems case study

Most customers don’t want to spend a long time reading through a long explanation when they’re buying something. It’s much easier for them to watch the video that explains the service or product quickly. Our research shows that 96% of buyers would prefer watching a short video over having to read long explanations.

It’s easier for them and saves time if they view a video that gives them all the information they’re looking for.

Including statistics, and data, and ending with a call to action, video case studies are a great way to show your prospect how your product/service has benefited someone else.

If you can demonstrate to your prospects how your product or service is helping them solve their problem, you will be in an excellent spot.

Through videos, you can establish an emotional connection between your brand, product, and customers. Having satisfied customers explain the benefits of your product will help build a stronger relationship with your prospects.

This leads to more sales and more loyal clients.

sales problems case study

You can display your testimonials or customer success stories directly on your home page. This will show web visitors that other people have had success with your product or service.

How to Present Your Case Studies

Here are a few suggestions for how to display your success stories:

  • Feature a quote from your case study on your homepage
  • Create a dedicated page featuring your testimonial or video case study
  • Include a graphic or image of your case study

Email Marketing

Case studies are a great way to connect with those already-cold, disengaged contacts and re-ignite their interest.

Our preferred method is product-specific segments.

Do you have case studies from a specific product or service? Look at your analytics to see who was at one time interested in it.

Then, send an email to your subscriber list with your case study.

Social Media

sales problems case study

Case studies are an easy way to promote your business on social.

Share a link to your customer’s success story and mention them.

To get the most out of a case study, post the case study in a way where readers are inspired to action. Focus on the benefits, be direct, and link to the page.

What other creative ways can you think of to use social media to promote your case study?

There are many ways to use a case study on social media.

You can show your happy, smiling face with a testimonial on your Facebook page, your Twitter account, and your LinkedIn profile.

You can also share your case study on LinkedIn, or add it to your company’s page.

Finally, you can post your case studies in related Facebook groups, or tweet about them. By doing all of these things, you will increase your engagement, and reach more potential clients.

sales problems case study

According to Accenture, 41% of customers switched to a different business due to a lack of personalized communication.

When quoting your case studies, choose quotes that are specific to how your company helped the customer or quote metrics that demonstrate what the results were.

“We were able to increase the number of our email list by 80% in only a year. Their professionalism, dedication, and results speak for themselves.”

These quotes are a great way to boost your social media presence and website views.

Newsletters

sales problems case study

Case studies can be included in your newsletter to both attract new potential clients and solidify your relationship with existing ones.

When companies focus on their customers, they not only improve relationships with current clients but can also attract more business. It’s natural to want to be part of a group, and when customers see that a business cares about them, they’re more inclined to support that company.

Case Studies for sales teams

sales problems case study

Did you know that 70% of B2B customers do their research before even speaking to a sales rep? And 44% of those same people are looking for a specific solution before reaching out to a salesperson.

As customers become more and more educated, sales reps need content that speaks to each stage of a buyer’s journey. This ensures that reps are providing customers with information that’s relevant to their stage in the buying process.

Case studies are an excellent way to showcase your successes.

Have you heard of the saying “right place right time”?

Case studies are a great way to build credibility and trust with potential buyers. By showing past successes, you can demonstrate to potential clients that your product works.

What is a Sales Case Study?

To recap, a sales case study is a written document that describes a sales process from start to finish. It details the challenges faced by the salesperson and how they were overcome. A sales case study can be used to teach best practices, highlight successes, and identify areas for improvement.

A good example of a case study is a research paper that analyzes a particular subject in depth. Case studies are usually conducted on people, businesses, or organizations, and they often involve interviews and observation in addition to secondary research.

A sales case study is a great way to learn how to make a sale. This sales case study has shown you how to make a sale in 7 steps. By following these simple steps, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a top-performing salesman or woman!

Need Help Automating Your Sales Prospecting Process?

LeadFuze gives you all the data you need to find ideal leads, including full contact information.

sales problems case study

Go through a variety of filters to zero in on the leads you want to reach. This is crazy specific, but you could find all the people that match the following: 

  • A company in the Financial Services or Banking industry
  • Who have more than 10 employees
  • That spend money on Adwords
  • Who use Hubspot
  • Who currently have job openings for marketing help
  • With the role of HR Manager
  • That has only been in this role for less than 1 year

Want to help contribute to future articles? Have data-backed and tactical advice to share? I’d love to hear from you!

We have over 60,000 monthly readers that would love to see it! Contact us and let's discuss your ideas!

Justin McGill

About Author: Justin McGill

Read our ultimate guides on:.

  • B2B Lead Generation
  • Google Alerts
  • Account Based Marketing
  • Prospecting
  • LinkedIn Sales Navigator
  • Sales Strategy
  • Cold Calling
  • Sales Pitch

Share the Knowledge

Find fresh leads, instantly., contact data for 500m+ people and 10m+ companies, globally., leads are cleaned and verified in real-time., build lists for custom audience ad targeting, direct mail, cold email, social selling, or even cold calling campaigns..

Find Fresh Leads

Helping sales, marketing, and recruiting teams find new leads.

How to write a case study — examples, templates, and tools

How to write a case study — examples, templates, and tools marquee

It’s a marketer’s job to communicate the effectiveness of a product or service to potential and current customers to convince them to buy and keep business moving. One of the best methods for doing this is to share success stories that are relatable to prospects and customers based on their pain points, experiences, and overall needs.

That’s where case studies come in. Case studies are an essential part of a content marketing plan. These in-depth stories of customer experiences are some of the most effective at demonstrating the value of a product or service. Yet many marketers don’t use them, whether because of their regimented formats or the process of customer involvement and approval.

A case study is a powerful tool for showcasing your hard work and the success your customer achieved. But writing a great case study can be difficult if you’ve never done it before or if it’s been a while. This guide will show you how to write an effective case study and provide real-world examples and templates that will keep readers engaged and support your business.

In this article, you’ll learn:

What is a case study?

How to write a case study, case study templates, case study examples, case study tools.

A case study is the detailed story of a customer’s experience with a product or service that demonstrates their success and often includes measurable outcomes. Case studies are used in a range of fields and for various reasons, from business to academic research. They’re especially impactful in marketing as brands work to convince and convert consumers with relatable, real-world stories of actual customer experiences.

The best case studies tell the story of a customer’s success, including the steps they took, the results they achieved, and the support they received from a brand along the way. To write a great case study, you need to:

  • Celebrate the customer and make them — not a product or service — the star of the story.
  • Craft the story with specific audiences or target segments in mind so that the story of one customer will be viewed as relatable and actionable for another customer.
  • Write copy that is easy to read and engaging so that readers will gain the insights and messages intended.
  • Follow a standardized format that includes all of the essentials a potential customer would find interesting and useful.
  • Support all of the claims for success made in the story with data in the forms of hard numbers and customer statements.

Case studies are a type of review but more in depth, aiming to show — rather than just tell — the positive experiences that customers have with a brand. Notably, 89% of consumers read reviews before deciding to buy, and 79% view case study content as part of their purchasing process. When it comes to B2B sales, 52% of buyers rank case studies as an important part of their evaluation process.

Telling a brand story through the experience of a tried-and-true customer matters. The story is relatable to potential new customers as they imagine themselves in the shoes of the company or individual featured in the case study. Showcasing previous customers can help new ones see themselves engaging with your brand in the ways that are most meaningful to them.

Besides sharing the perspective of another customer, case studies stand out from other content marketing forms because they are based on evidence. Whether pulling from client testimonials or data-driven results, case studies tend to have more impact on new business because the story contains information that is both objective (data) and subjective (customer experience) — and the brand doesn’t sound too self-promotional.

89% of consumers read reviews before buying, 79% view case studies, and 52% of B2B buyers prioritize case studies in the evaluation process.

Case studies are unique in that there’s a fairly standardized format for telling a customer’s story. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for creativity. It’s all about making sure that teams are clear on the goals for the case study — along with strategies for supporting content and channels — and understanding how the story fits within the framework of the company’s overall marketing goals.

Here are the basic steps to writing a good case study.

1. Identify your goal

Start by defining exactly who your case study will be designed to help. Case studies are about specific instances where a company works with a customer to achieve a goal. Identify which customers are likely to have these goals, as well as other needs the story should cover to appeal to them.

The answer is often found in one of the buyer personas that have been constructed as part of your larger marketing strategy. This can include anything from new leads generated by the marketing team to long-term customers that are being pressed for cross-sell opportunities. In all of these cases, demonstrating value through a relatable customer success story can be part of the solution to conversion.

2. Choose your client or subject

Who you highlight matters. Case studies tie brands together that might otherwise not cross paths. A writer will want to ensure that the highlighted customer aligns with their own company’s brand identity and offerings. Look for a customer with positive name recognition who has had great success with a product or service and is willing to be an advocate.

The client should also match up with the identified target audience. Whichever company or individual is selected should be a reflection of other potential customers who can see themselves in similar circumstances, having the same problems and possible solutions.

Some of the most compelling case studies feature customers who:

  • Switch from one product or service to another while naming competitors that missed the mark.
  • Experience measurable results that are relatable to others in a specific industry.
  • Represent well-known brands and recognizable names that are likely to compel action.
  • Advocate for a product or service as a champion and are well-versed in its advantages.

Whoever or whatever customer is selected, marketers must ensure they have the permission of the company involved before getting started. Some brands have strict review and approval procedures for any official marketing or promotional materials that include their name. Acquiring those approvals in advance will prevent any miscommunication or wasted effort if there is an issue with their legal or compliance teams.

3. Conduct research and compile data

Substantiating the claims made in a case study — either by the marketing team or customers themselves — adds validity to the story. To do this, include data and feedback from the client that defines what success looks like. This can be anything from demonstrating return on investment (ROI) to a specific metric the customer was striving to improve. Case studies should prove how an outcome was achieved and show tangible results that indicate to the customer that your solution is the right one.

This step could also include customer interviews. Make sure that the people being interviewed are key stakeholders in the purchase decision or deployment and use of the product or service that is being highlighted. Content writers should work off a set list of questions prepared in advance. It can be helpful to share these with the interviewees beforehand so they have time to consider and craft their responses. One of the best interview tactics to keep in mind is to ask questions where yes and no are not natural answers. This way, your subject will provide more open-ended responses that produce more meaningful content.

4. Choose the right format

There are a number of different ways to format a case study. Depending on what you hope to achieve, one style will be better than another. However, there are some common elements to include, such as:

  • An engaging headline
  • A subject and customer introduction
  • The unique challenge or challenges the customer faced
  • The solution the customer used to solve the problem
  • The results achieved
  • Data and statistics to back up claims of success
  • A strong call to action (CTA) to engage with the vendor

It’s also important to note that while case studies are traditionally written as stories, they don’t have to be in a written format. Some companies choose to get more creative with their case studies and produce multimedia content, depending on their audience and objectives. Case study formats can include traditional print stories, interactive web or social content, data-heavy infographics, professionally shot videos, podcasts, and more.

5. Write your case study

We’ll go into more detail later about how exactly to write a case study, including templates and examples. Generally speaking, though, there are a few things to keep in mind when writing your case study.

  • Be clear and concise. Readers want to get to the point of the story quickly and easily, and they’ll be looking to see themselves reflected in the story right from the start.
  • Provide a big picture. Always make sure to explain who the client is, their goals, and how they achieved success in a short introduction to engage the reader.
  • Construct a clear narrative. Stick to the story from the perspective of the customer and what they needed to solve instead of just listing product features or benefits.
  • Leverage graphics. Incorporating infographics, charts, and sidebars can be a more engaging and eye-catching way to share key statistics and data in readable ways.
  • Offer the right amount of detail. Most case studies are one or two pages with clear sections that a reader can skim to find the information most important to them.
  • Include data to support claims. Show real results — both facts and figures and customer quotes — to demonstrate credibility and prove the solution works.

6. Promote your story

Marketers have a number of options for distribution of a freshly minted case study. Many brands choose to publish case studies on their website and post them on social media. This can help support SEO and organic content strategies while also boosting company credibility and trust as visitors see that other businesses have used the product or service.

Marketers are always looking for quality content they can use for lead generation. Consider offering a case study as gated content behind a form on a landing page or as an offer in an email message. One great way to do this is to summarize the content and tease the full story available for download after the user takes an action.

Sales teams can also leverage case studies, so be sure they are aware that the assets exist once they’re published. Especially when it comes to larger B2B sales, companies often ask for examples of similar customer challenges that have been solved.

Now that you’ve learned a bit about case studies and what they should include, you may be wondering how to start creating great customer story content. Here are a couple of templates you can use to structure your case study.

Template 1 — Challenge-solution-result format

  • Start with an engaging title. This should be fewer than 70 characters long for SEO best practices. One of the best ways to approach the title is to include the customer’s name and a hint at the challenge they overcame in the end.
  • Create an introduction. Lead with an explanation as to who the customer is, the need they had, and the opportunity they found with a specific product or solution. Writers can also suggest the success the customer experienced with the solution they chose.
  • Present the challenge. This should be several paragraphs long and explain the problem the customer faced and the issues they were trying to solve. Details should tie into the company’s products and services naturally. This section needs to be the most relatable to the reader so they can picture themselves in a similar situation.
  • Share the solution. Explain which product or service offered was the ideal fit for the customer and why. Feel free to delve into their experience setting up, purchasing, and onboarding the solution.
  • Explain the results. Demonstrate the impact of the solution they chose by backing up their positive experience with data. Fill in with customer quotes and tangible, measurable results that show the effect of their choice.
  • Ask for action. Include a CTA at the end of the case study that invites readers to reach out for more information, try a demo, or learn more — to nurture them further in the marketing pipeline. What you ask of the reader should tie directly into the goals that were established for the case study in the first place.

Template 2 — Data-driven format

  • Start with an engaging title. Be sure to include a statistic or data point in the first 70 characters. Again, it’s best to include the customer’s name as part of the title.
  • Create an overview. Share the customer’s background and a short version of the challenge they faced. Present the reason a particular product or service was chosen, and feel free to include quotes from the customer about their selection process.
  • Present data point 1. Isolate the first metric that the customer used to define success and explain how the product or solution helped to achieve this goal. Provide data points and quotes to substantiate the claim that success was achieved.
  • Present data point 2. Isolate the second metric that the customer used to define success and explain what the product or solution did to achieve this goal. Provide data points and quotes to substantiate the claim that success was achieved.
  • Present data point 3. Isolate the final metric that the customer used to define success and explain what the product or solution did to achieve this goal. Provide data points and quotes to substantiate the claim that success was achieved.
  • Summarize the results. Reiterate the fact that the customer was able to achieve success thanks to a specific product or service. Include quotes and statements that reflect customer satisfaction and suggest they plan to continue using the solution.
  • Ask for action. Include a CTA at the end of the case study that asks readers to reach out for more information, try a demo, or learn more — to further nurture them in the marketing pipeline. Again, remember that this is where marketers can look to convert their content into action with the customer.

While templates are helpful, seeing a case study in action can also be a great way to learn. Here are some examples of how Adobe customers have experienced success.

Juniper Networks

One example is the Adobe and Juniper Networks case study , which puts the reader in the customer’s shoes. The beginning of the story quickly orients the reader so that they know exactly who the article is about and what they were trying to achieve. Solutions are outlined in a way that shows Adobe Experience Manager is the best choice and a natural fit for the customer. Along the way, quotes from the client are incorporated to help add validity to the statements. The results in the case study are conveyed with clear evidence of scale and volume using tangible data.

A Lenovo case study showing statistics, a pull quote and featured headshot, the headline "The customer is king.," and Adobe product links.

The story of Lenovo’s journey with Adobe is one that spans years of planning, implementation, and rollout. The Lenovo case study does a great job of consolidating all of this into a relatable journey that other enterprise organizations can see themselves taking, despite the project size. This case study also features descriptive headers and compelling visual elements that engage the reader and strengthen the content.

Tata Consulting

When it comes to using data to show customer results, this case study does an excellent job of conveying details and numbers in an easy-to-digest manner. Bullet points at the start break up the content while also helping the reader understand exactly what the case study will be about. Tata Consulting used Adobe to deliver elevated, engaging content experiences for a large telecommunications client of its own — an objective that’s relatable for a lot of companies.

Case studies are a vital tool for any marketing team as they enable you to demonstrate the value of your company’s products and services to others. They help marketers do their job and add credibility to a brand trying to promote its solutions by using the experiences and stories of real customers.

When you’re ready to get started with a case study:

  • Think about a few goals you’d like to accomplish with your content.
  • Make a list of successful clients that would be strong candidates for a case study.
  • Reach out to the client to get their approval and conduct an interview.
  • Gather the data to present an engaging and effective customer story.

Adobe can help

There are several Adobe products that can help you craft compelling case studies. Adobe Experience Platform helps you collect data and deliver great customer experiences across every channel. Once you’ve created your case studies, Experience Platform will help you deliver the right information to the right customer at the right time for maximum impact.

To learn more, watch the Adobe Experience Platform story .

Keep in mind that the best case studies are backed by data. That’s where Adobe Real-Time Customer Data Platform and Adobe Analytics come into play. With Real-Time CDP, you can gather the data you need to build a great case study and target specific customers to deliver the content to the right audience at the perfect moment.

Watch the Real-Time CDP overview video to learn more.

Finally, Adobe Analytics turns real-time data into real-time insights. It helps your business collect and synthesize data from multiple platforms to make more informed decisions and create the best case study possible.

Request a demo to learn more about Adobe Analytics.

https://business.adobe.com/blog/perspectives/b2b-ecommerce-10-case-studies-inspire-you

https://business.adobe.com/blog/basics/business-case

https://business.adobe.com/blog/basics/what-is-real-time-analytics

How to write a case study — examples, templates, and tools card image

  • Browse All Articles
  • Newsletter Sign-Up

sales problems case study

  • 05 Dec 2023
  • Cold Call Podcast

What Founders Get Wrong about Sales and Marketing

Which sales candidate is a startup’s ideal first hire? What marketing channels are best to invest in? How aggressively should an executive team align sales with customer success? Senior Lecturer Mark Roberge discusses how early-stage founders, sales leaders, and marketing executives can address these challenges as they grow their ventures in the case, “Entrepreneurial Sales and Marketing Vignettes.”

sales problems case study

  • 22 Feb 2021

Reaching Today's Omnichannel Customer Takes a New Sales Strategy

For salespeople working harder than ever to stay ahead of customers' evolving buying habits, Frank Cespedes offers timeless advice in his new book, Sales Management That Works. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

sales problems case study

  • 04 May 2020
  • Research & Ideas

Predictions, Prophets, and Restarting Your Business

Businesses are starting to plan their re-entry into the market, but how do they know what that market will look like? Frank V. Cespedes warns against putting too much trust in forecasters. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

sales problems case study

  • 22 Oct 2019

Use Artificial Intelligence to Set Sales Targets That Motivate

Setting sales targets has always been an inexact science, with serious consequences if done poorly. Using AI-based advanced analytics might be the answer, argues Doug Chung. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

sales problems case study

  • 30 Jun 2019
  • Working Paper Summaries

The Comprehensive Effects of Sales Force Management: A Dynamic Structural Analysis of Selection, Compensation, and Training

When sales forces are well managed, firms can induce greater performance from them. For this study, the authors collaborated with a major multinational firm to develop and estimate a dynamic structural model of sales employee responses to various management instruments like compensation, training, and recruiting/termination policies.

sales problems case study

  • 22 Apr 2019

Why Salespeople Struggle at Leading

When salespeople become managers, they often do a horrible job. Four key steps can help them—and all soon-to-be managers—make the shift, says Frank V. Cespedes. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

sales problems case study

  • 09 Aug 2018

Two Million Fake Accounts: Sales Misconduct at Wells Fargo

Coming out of the financial crisis, Wells Fargo was one of the world’s most successful banks. But then its sales culture went wild, opening more than 2 million fake accounts. Suraj Srinivasan discusses what went wrong. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

sales problems case study

  • 09 Jul 2018

Overcoming the Challenges of Selling Brand New Technology (Hey, Need a 3-D Printer?)

Selling technology that is new to the market involves tricky tradeoffs around prospect targeting, channels, and tactics. Frank Cespedes makes the point with 3-D printers. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

sales problems case study

  • 06 Jun 2018

Cut Salaries or Cut People? The Best Way to Survive a Downturn

When times are tight, companies usually respond with employee layoffs. But what if they held on to workers and cut their salaries instead? New research by Christopher Stanton and colleagues has the answer. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

  • 29 Apr 2018

Analyzing the Aftermath of a Compensation Reduction

This study of the effects of compensation cuts in a large sales organization provides a unique lens for analyzing the link between compensation schemes, worker performance, and turnover.

  • 06 Jul 2017

Do All Your Detailing Efforts Pay Off? Dynamic Panel Data Methods Revisited

Personal selling in the form of detailing to physicians is the main go-to-market practice in the pharmaceutical industry. This paper provides a practical framework to analyze the effectiveness of detailing efforts. The method and empirical insights can help firms allocate sales-force resources more efficiently and devise optimal routes and call-pattern designs.

  • 05 Apr 2017

For Women Especially, It Pays to Know What Car Repairs Should Cost

Consumers can negotiate cheaper auto repair prices by convincing service reps they know something about market rates—helping women overcome gender discrimination, according to recently published research by Ayelet Israeli and co-authors. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

  • 22 Mar 2017

What's the Ideal Frequency for a Sales Quota?

Sales reps feed on two forms of compensation: salary, and a bonus tied to achieving a periodic quota. Would a more frequent quota incentivize better numbers? Doug Chung and Das Narayandas offer some answers. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

  • 20 Feb 2017

Where Should We Build a Mall? The Formation of Market Structure and Its Effect on Sales

In spite of the recent surge in e-commerce, brick-and-mortar retail, specifically in the form of large-scale shopping malls, is still the dominant venue for consumer purchases in the developed world. The construction of mass-scale shopping malls has also experienced tremendous growth in newly industrialized countries such as China. This research provides a rigorous, yet practical, framework to understand and evaluate why retail stores join a shopping mall and how their decisions affect mall revenue. The model can be extended and applied to a number of settings where a decision maker must choose among alternative sites to construct a market, for example, for transportation hubs such as airports or train stations.

  • 25 Jan 2017

The Effects of Quota Frequency on Sales Force Performance: Evidence from a Field Experiment

This study of different sales quotas and their effect on sales performance at a major retail chain in Sweden finds that changing from a monthly to a daily quota plan increases performance mainly for low-performing salespeople.

  • 06 Dec 2016

Assortment Rotation and the Value of Concealment

Assortment rotation is the retailing practice of changing the assortment of products offered to customers throughout a selling season. It is used by both brick-and-mortar and online retailers as a strategy for gaining competitive advantage. This paper studies assortment rotation in product categories such as apparel, accessories, and toys, where consumers typically make multiple purchases during a season. The authors identify and explain a new reason for retailers to frequently rotate their assortment: Consumers may purchase more products throughout the selling season if a retailer conceals a portion of its full product catalog from consumers by rotating its assortment. Aside from its scholarly contributions, the paper provides practical insights to retailers to guide their assortment rotation strategy decisions.

  • 21 Nov 2016

It Matters That Your CEO Doesn't Know Much About Sales

Sales appears to be getting short-changed in the C-suite, says Frank Cespedes. What’s needed are more links between top executives and the customer-facing side of the business. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

  • 28 Mar 2016

Do Incentive Plans for Exemplary Employees Lead to Productive or Counterproductive Outcomes?

This study of a mobile phone retail company shows that incentive contracts that selectively incentivize exemplary employees (that is, preferential incentive plans) may be helpful when companies want to motivate employees to pursue objectively measured goals in addition to relevant tasks not explicitly written into their contracts. However, preferential incentive plans may lead to unintended consequences if they trigger perceptions of inequity.

  • 08 Sep 2014

The Strategic Way To Hire a Sales Team

The equivalent of an entire sales force is replaced at many firms every four years, so it's critical that go-to-market initiatives remain tied to strategic goals. Frank Cespedes explains how in his book, Aligning Strategy and Sales. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.

  • 01 Apr 2013

First Minutes are Critical in New-Employee Orientation

Employee orientation programs ought to be less about the company and more about the employee, according to new research by Daniel M. Cable, Francesca Gino, and Bradley R. Staats. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.

sales problems case study

10 Best Case Study Examples for Marketers

  • Written by: Rishabh Pugalia
  • Updated: January 2, 2024

Did I miss any points? Let’s connect on LinkedIn .

Popular Searches:

  • Testimonial Video Templates
  • SaaS Case Study
  • Testimonial Video Examples
  • Video Testimonial Services
  • Video Testimonial Tool
  • Customer Video Testimonials

Case studies give confidence to the ICP in their purchasing decisions . Shared as marketing collateral, the best case study examples carry strong social proof of how businesses or people have benefitted from a product.

The studies take a closer look at what works and how. They are especially useful for testing out the successes of SaaS products for their specialized nature. The ICP is not just reassured but also helped with a step-by-step solutions guide to boot.

Customer stories and a user reports-based b2b example of a case study get prospects to think – “If they can do it, why can’t I?”. This triggers a FOMO reaction, nudging prospects to move faster along the sales funnel.

It’s no coincidence that 73% of the most successful content marketers today use case studies. Further, nearly 50% of SaaS companies say case study in content marketing has improved their sales. ( Forbes , Sept 2022)

Here’s what some marketers think are benchmarks for product case study examples to stand out:

Today, there are many ready-to-use DIY apps for creating strong content. You can sign up for a free account with most of them. Check out:

  • Figma and ClickUp for customer story and report templates .
  • Videopeel for video feedback sharing.
  • Flourish for interactive data visualization and more.

To be honest, currently, there are way too many apps in the content creator’s toolkit. It can easily get overwhelming and lead to messy workflows. That’s why we find so many case studies ending up in the “white noise” of content marketing.

The result? Fancy graphics and meaningless fluff fill up the pages. BUT marketers fail to tell the world what kind of problems their products have solved and how.

We will assess some content examples later in this article to see which features stand out in case studies for marketing use cases.

We have made videos for 150+ B2B & SaaS companies.

Explainer Video, Product Demo, Remote Video Testimonials, and more.

sales problems case study

What Is a Case Study?

A case study in marketing is a narrative on how a product/service solved a real-life challenge for a customer. The study is backed by results, documentary assurances (like a customer video testimonial), and data .

Case studies are good for attracting new buyers. You can see how prospects are constantly interested in learning about various products. They find it doubly interesting when their queries are not addressed from a sales perspective.

Reason? Fact-based content like case studies seem less salesy and, thus, more authentic.

In many particularly good case study examples, storytelling formats are used to introduce a customer. From there, the customer starts narrating the product story, not the brand.

Here is what such a format can capture:

  • Introduction to the customer:  He/she is a relatable profile for the ICP.
  • A brief rundown of the problems: Talks about the pain points set in real-life situations.
  • Various product touch points: Sheds light on the buyer journey. Beginning from the customer’s first encounter with the product to the consultation and, finally, the big buy.
  • The product as the solution: Elaborates how the product simplifies tasks, followed by the delivery of measurable results.
  • Resolution process: Breaks down a product’s resolution process into stages – this helps measure the buyer journey against a timeline.
  • Concrete outcomes: Many specific outcomes are listed in the conclusion.

FURTHER READING

  • Build trust using Remote Video Testimonials
  • 15 Video Testimonial Questions to Ask Your Customers

Types of Case Study

A marketing strategy matures by developing a full-funnel scope. Meaning — it guides the buyer journey from the top to the bottom of the marketing funnel stages. It begins with Awareness then comes Interest, then Desire, and finally Action – covering the entire AIDA spectrum.

So, should case studies be part of your round-the-funnel toolkit?

We’ve noted a few style formats to help you understand.

1. Problem Solution

This one makes your customer the key individual on a hero’s journey . They face various challenges but overcome them and ultimately succeed with the help of your product. It’s like your product is the wise guide, like Mr. Miyagi in ‘Karate Kid,’ helping them along the way.

We studied case study examples in the problem-solution format. They are custom-suited for prospects taking an interest. If they find a viable solution in your product, there is a good chance they will convert.

  • The customer is introduced to an adverse situation
  • The problem statement is delivered in the customer’s own words
  • A solution is explored through your offering
  • Measurable data is given to back claims of success
  • Impact statement (again, delivered in the client’s own words)
  • The best examples of case studies call for readers/viewers to experience similar success

Check out the Amazon customer story mentioned below of how Scenario used AWS Generative AI to produce 100,000 images daily.

sales problems case study

It scaled their productivity within 2 months – and that’s a great story!

OUTSOURCING VIDEO TESTIMONIAL SERVICES

Click here to learn how to choose the best provider.

2. Before/After

So, your product makes a difference. How about making that visible?

Before/after case studies rope in visual learners present across the funnel stages. Here’s what they do:

  • Product is vividly shown: Raises awareness level by several notches
  • Parks viewer interest: Prospects’ doubts are answered with FAQs and visuals indicating solid outcomes
  • Assures with market and social proof: Triggers conversions

Consider this Salesforce case study example.

sales problems case study

It builds a story around Spotify coming to grips with personalized marketing at scale (propped by data silos). Soon, Salesforce’s Marketing Cloud transformed the scenario.

sales problems case study

We know how to sell your story using your product UI

3. Success Story

People make emotional decisions (not necessarily all bad ones), even in business! Marketers are largely in the practice of using emotion to their selling advantage. See below:

sales problems case study

Many branding case study examples that we studied (of Gong, Ramp, Asana, Shopify, and more) use the format of a customer’s success story. By telling the story of a challenge overcome, these brands anchor mainly on their prospects’ mental state . It covers people’s deeply felt wishes and aspirations.

There are ways to get your ICP’s attention with emotional appeal in all varieties of content. One particular example of case study which we studied showed how that is possible for factual content types as well.

  • Build a case study on a theme of struggle anyone can empathize with (migration, recession, gender inequality)
  • Let the story build up to a point where the customer’s quality of life improves when your product solves a particular problem
  • Give data to support your claims
  • End with an empathic call to action: “Need help with something similar? Chat with us.”

Remember, empathy prompts knee-jerk reactions and pushes forward buying decisions for prospects still in doubt.

4. Interview Style

The Q&A style is aptly called the “ Crisco ” of content marketing. In case studies, an interview-style Q&A smoothens the creases in introducing a problem. Next, it goes on to deliver nuanced views on the problem.

Here’s what makes a Q&A case study so convincing:

  • Unfiltered user perspectives
  • Two or more viewpoints shared (depending on the number of users participating)
  • Pinpointed questions, bringing out specific outcomes of the product

The spontaneity of video case study examples in the interview style is hard to top in any other format. It also gives businesses the perfect opportunity to use information shared by users through their questionnaires (check this OliverWyman sample).

10 Best Case Study Examples

In product marketing, case studies strengthen the resolve of prospective buyers about their purchase. We discovered that particularly great case study examples offer facts and customer stories that prospects can trust.

The studies also help set realistic expectations before people decide to finally buy something. We have put together 10 case studies with special features. Reproducing certain specifics, as highlighted in the samples below, will increase the chances of getting your ICP’s attention on your content.

1. Content Beta

sales problems case study

Type: B2B Journey Summary: A creative design company handled the end-to-end video production process for a software firm. They also solved brand alignment and scaling problems by offering a CaaS (creative as a service) solution. What we Liked: Before/After comparative diagrams and business impact quantified with data

sales problems case study

Category: Collection of customer stories Summary: An app for managing corporate expenses saves time and worries What We Liked: The video of a customer speaking of their journey, the minimalist design, collection of customer stories as a case study

sales problems case study

Category: Success Story

Summary: Efficiency for a team increases significantly with a remote work management solution

What we Liked: Creatively featured quotes to create scroll-stopping points

sales problems case study

Summary: A revenue intelligence platform optimized sales pipeline

What we Liked: Multimedia embedding, light interface, and stylish use of different fonts

sales problems case study

Category: Customer Experience

Summary: A web3 marketplace increases visibility for an art project

What we Liked: Showcase of finished creatives, bright layout, and use of GIFs creating a playful aesthetic

sales problems case study

Category: Customer Story Gallery

Summary: An eCommerce company lists case studies about the many ways it has helped small businesses sell their products

What we Liked: These company case study examples can be filtered according to industry, product, region, use case, and others

sales problems case study

Category: Interview-style

Summary: A homestay marketplace presents the opportunity for ‘experience hosting’

What we Liked: Use of candid conversation in interview style, personal storytelling

sales problems case study

Category: Problem Solution

Summary: A conversational marketing company helps increase market-qualified leads for a search-as-a-service platform

What we Liked: This example of a case study has a forward approach with a comment on future plans

9. Biteable

sales problems case study

Summary: An on-brand video maker helps make professional-looking videos quicker

What we Liked: Clear metrics and video marketing tips shared at the end

sales problems case study

Category: Experience Story

Summary: An e-commerce company focused on handmade goods and craft supplies helps build a curated vintage article shop

What we Liked: An aptly placed CTA, in this case study example, deepens the curiosity that the title creates for the reader

Case Study Format

As the curated examples suggest, case studies for marketing can take inspiration from different creative styles. Brands today experiment with — multimedia embedding, first-person narrated user-generated content, visuals-centric skimmable forms , etc, to create their case studies.

Regardless, the underlying bare-bones structure of a case study needs to remain constant. Only then can you bring out the distinct flavor of this content type.

Our survey of different business case study examples reveals a format like this:

  • Introduction: Gives background to the customer and the challenge scenario.
  • Problem: Studies the main difficulty the customer was facing.
  • Resolution: Gives an overview of the product or service the customer comes in contact with.
  • Advantage: Summarizes the top benefits of the solution – why it was the appropriate selection.
  • Outcome: The affirmative business result stems from the solution and advantages.

Having a standard structure is useful for many reasons. It allows the creative team working on a case study to understand exactly which pieces of information and assets to look for. At the same time, there is flexibility to highlight the USP of your business.

How to Write a Case Study

Case studies are factual and data-oriented . Research papers are quite the same. Only, they don’t tell a story.

When we placed some product case study examples under the scanner, different storytelling frameworks were found. Some were structured as a “hero’s journey,” while others were mindblowing success stories. We noticed all of them had a clear beginning, middle, and end corresponding to:

  • Scenario and problem
  • Product and solution
  • Results and Quantifiable Outcomes

Our close reading of the case studies also gave us insights into writing them for the desired effect on prospects. Here is a process breakdown:

  • Give the study a title indicating the problem your product has solved:  This will create an instant connection with your ICP, who are trying to solve similar challenges.
  • Introduce the customer with the background:  This Freshbooks case study example focuses on a client who is a young mother surviving a recession while trying to run a business. The scope here for creating an emotional connection with the ICP is strong.
  • Present the problem and tie it to the product:  This is the core of your content. Many B2B case study examples we came across had this part as the lengthiest segment. You may show how the customer tried other ways of dealing with the problem before discovering your product.
  • Bring out the solution: Deliver a vicarious experience for your ICP by going into the details of the customer’s journey. Trace it from product purchase to onboarding and use the solution for one or more use cases.
  • Demonstrate the results: Plug data in to support the positive outcomes from your solution. Here, data covers more than numbers. Customer quotes, polls, and reviews found on business after product use count as data, too.
  • End with a CTA: Invite prospects to experience the explained product benefits themselves. Instead of a buy button, try lead nurturing with a demo request or a ‘learn more’ CTA. Gives you more time to strengthen the lead before attempting to convert them.

Why Choose Content Beta?

If you are running a company with a small crew, surfing case study examples of multiple delivery format options, narrative styles, and new design elements can slow down your workflows. Yet, competitor research and the continuous creation of case studies remain essential for the marketing strategy of any Saas product.

This is where the Content Beta’s skilled design team can add value.

Get Content Beta’s Creative as a Service for a video (in case you want to make a video case study) and the design team on standby for a fixed monthly cost.

We are a 4.5+ rated team on TrustPilot with a proven track record of delivering well-researched case studies on time. Our team makes content creation a thoroughly collaborative process with these cutting-edge functionalities in our work portal:

  • Credits Roll Over: Unused credits are transferred to the next cycle, so you don’t have to pay for anything extra. Learn more about our pricing .
  • Quick Revisions: Add your comments to a creative in the making.
  • Cloud Storage: Upload all brand assets you want the case study to feature.
  • Collaboration: Invite your team to collaborate on the project

Schedule a call with us today!

We take inspiration from as many case study examples as possible when creating one for our brand (or our clients). Surfing through different samples increases our options for creative storytelling and gives insight into what other businesses are doing.

The range of innovative elements found in case study design examples on the web is multiplying by the day . Think – animations, UGC snippets, AR and VR segments, microlearning modules, and more.

Keeping an inventory of curated examples just helps you find relevant materials quickly.

The key elements of a marketing case study are:

  • The problem statement or scenario,
  • The product as the solution,
  • Quantitative results.

The best practices for writing a marketing study are:

  • Quoting excerpts of customer-speak about your product and brand
  • Giving data to support statements
  • Presenting in a skimmable and visually rich format
  • Placing a CTA to progress lead nurturing

The common mistakes to avoid in case study writing for marketing are:

  • Not focusing enough on customer experience
  • Writing in a jargon-heavy language that buyers cannot understand
  • Not providing data to back claims of success for your product

sales problems case study

+1-(707)-240-8320 [email protected]

484 Virginia Pine TER, Sunnyvale 94086, CA, US

Flinders House, Bear Point, 2 E Parkside, London SE10 0FQ, UK

B702, Bharat Ark, Andheri, Mumbai 400053. IN

Video Portfolio Design Portfolio Case Studies About Us Services Pricing Guides Sign-in FAQ Join our team Partner with us Schedule a call

Privacy Policy Terms of Service Sitemap

Product Demo Video Remote Video Testimonials Social Media Videos Presentation Design Service Creative-as-a-Service Product Launch Content Onboarding Video Explainer Video App Demo Sales Video Video Ad Go-to-Market Bundle Product Marketing Video Video Course Editing Product Training Video Podcast Editing Service Convert Docs to Videos

Podcast with SaaS Leaders The B2B Creative SaaS Academy Directory The Product Marketing Show New Things in Customer Education

Sales Enablement Playbook Go-To-Market Playbook Marketing Trends Mega Swipe File Product Demo Testimonial Video Product Training YouTube Analysis

sales problems case study

All rights reserved.

Home Blog Business How to Present a Case Study: Examples and Best Practices

How to Present a Case Study: Examples and Best Practices

Case Study: How to Write and Present It

Marketers, consultants, salespeople, and all other types of business managers often use case study analysis to highlight a success story, showing how an exciting problem can be or was addressed. But how do you create a compelling case study and then turn it into a memorable presentation? Get a lowdown from this post! 

Table of Content s

  • Why Case Studies are a Popular Marketing Technique 

Popular Case Study Format Types

How to write a case study: a 4-step framework, how to do a case study presentation: 3 proven tips, how long should a case study be, final tip: use compelling presentation visuals, business case study examples, what is a case study .

Let’s start with this great case study definition by the University of South Caroline:

In the social sciences, the term case study refers to both a method of analysis and a specific research design for examining a problem, both of which can generalize findings across populations.

In simpler terms — a case study is investigative research into a problem aimed at presenting or highlighting solution(s) to the analyzed issues.

A standard business case study provides insights into:

  • General business/market conditions 
  • The main problem faced 
  • Methods applied 
  • The outcomes gained using a specific tool or approach

Case studies (also called case reports) are also used in clinical settings to analyze patient outcomes outside of the business realm. 

But this is a topic for another time. In this post, we’ll focus on teaching you how to write and present a business case, plus share several case study PowerPoint templates and design tips! 

Case Study Woman Doing Research PPT Template

Why Case Studies are a Popular Marketing Technique 

Besides presenting a solution to an internal issue, case studies are often used as a content marketing technique . According to a 2020 Content Marketing Institute report, 69% of B2B marketers use case studies as part of their marketing mix.

A case study informs the reader about a possible solution and soft-sells the results, which can be achieved with your help (e.g., by using your software or by partnering with your specialist). 

For the above purpose, case studies work like a charm. Per the same report: 

  • For 9% of marketers, case studies are also the best method for nurturing leads. 
  • 23% admit that case studies are beneficial for improving conversions. 

Moreover, case studies also help improve your brand’s credibility, especially in the current fake news landscape and dubious claims made without proper credit. 

Ultimately, case studies naturally help build up more compelling, relatable stories and showcase your product benefits through the prism of extra social proof, courtesy of the case study subject. 

Case Study Computer PPT Template

Most case studies come either as a slide deck or as a downloadable PDF document. 

Typically, you have several options to distribute your case study for maximum reach:

  • Case study presentations — in-person, virtual, or pre-recorded, there are many times when a case study presentation comes in handy. For example, during client workshops, sales pitches, networking events, conferences, trade shows, etc. 
  • Dedicated website page — highlighting case study examples on your website is a great way to convert middle-on-the-funnel prospects. Google’s Think With Google case study section is a great example of a web case study design done right.

Case Study Example Google PPT Template

  • Blog case studies — data-driven storytelling is a staunch way to stand apart from your competition by providing unique insights, no other brand can tell. 
  • Video case studies — video is a great medium for showcasing more complex business cases and celebrating customer success stories.

Once you decide on your case study format, the next step is collecting data and then translating it into a storyline. There are different case study methods and research approaches you can use to procure data. 

But let’s say you already have all your facts straight and need to organize them in a clean copy for your presentation deck. Here’s how you should do it. 

Business Case Study Example PPT Template

1. Identify the Problem 

Every compelling case study research starts with a problem statement definition. While in business settings, there’s no need to explain your methodology in-depth; you should still open your presentation with a quick problem recap slide.

Be sure to mention: 

  • What’s the purpose of the case study? What will the audience learn? 
  • Set the scene. Explain the before, aka the problems someone was facing. 
  • Advertise the main issues and findings without highlighting specific details.

The above information should nicely fit in several paragraphs or 2-3 case study template slides

2. Explain the Solution 

The bulk of your case study copy and presentation slides should focus on the provided solution(s). This is the time to speak at length about how the subject went from before to the glorious after. 

Here are some writing prompts to help you articulate this better:

  • State the subject’s main objective and goals. What outcomes were they after?
  • Explain the main solution(s) provided. What was done? Why this, but not that? 
  • Mention if they tried any alternatives. Why did those work? Why were you better?

This part may take the longest to write. Don’t rush it and reiterate several times. Sprinkle in some powerful words and catchphrases to make your copy more compelling.

3. Collect Testimonials 

Persuasive case studies feature the voice of customer (VoC) data — first-party testimonials and assessments of how well the solution works. These provide extra social proof and credibility to all the claims you are making. 

So plan and schedule interviews with your subjects to collect their input and testimonials. Also, design your case study interview questions in a way that lets you obtain quantifiable results.

4. Package The Information in a Slide Deck

Once you have a rough first draft, try different business case templates and designs to see how these help structure all the available information. 

As a rule of thumb, try to keep one big idea per slide. If you are talking about a solution, first present the general bullet points. Then give each solution a separate slide where you’ll provide more context and perhaps share some quantifiable results.

For example, if you look at case study presentation examples from AWS like this one about Stripe , you’ll notice that the slide deck has few texts and really focuses on the big picture, while the speaker provides extra context.

Need some extra case study presentation design help? Download our Business Case Study PowerPoint template with 100% editable slides. 

Case Study Man With Giant Clipboard PPT Template

Your spoken presentation (and public speaking skills ) are equally if not more important than the case study copy and slide deck. To make a strong business case, follow these quick techniques. 

Focus on Telling a Great Story

A case study is a story of overcoming a challenge, and achieving something grand. Your delivery should reflect that. Step away from the standard “features => benefits” sales formula. Instead, make your customer the hero of the study. Describe the road they went through and how you’ve helped them succeed. 

The premises of your story can be as simple as:

  • Help with overcoming a hurdle
  • Gaining major impact
  • Reaching a new milestone
  • Solving a persisting issue no one else code 

Based on the above, create a clear story arc. Show where your hero started. Then explain what type of journey they went through. Inject some emotions into the mix to make your narrative more relatable and memorable. 

Experiment with Copywriting Formulas 

Copywriting is the art and science of organizing words into compelling and persuasive combinations that help readers retain the right ideas. 

To ensure that the audience retains the right takeaways from your case study presentation, you can try using some of the classic copywriting formulas to structure your delivery. These include:

  • AIDCA — short for A ttention, I nterest, D esire, C onviction, and A ction. First, grab the audience’s attention by addressing the major problem. Next, pique their interest with some teaser facts. Spark their desire by showing that you know the right way out. Then, show a conviction that you know how to solve the issue—finally, prompt follow-up action such as contacting you to learn more. 
  • PADS — is short for Problem, Agitation, Discredit, or Solution. This is more of a sales approach to case study narration. Again, you start with a problem, agitate about its importance, discredit why other solutions won’t cut it, and then present your option. 
  • 4Ps — short for P roblem, P romise, P roof, P roposal. This is a middle-ground option that prioritizes storytelling over hard pitches. Set the scene first with a problem. Then make a promise of how you can solve it. Show proof in the form of numbers, testimonials, and different scenarios. Round it up with a proposal for getting the same outcomes. 

Take an Emotion-Inducing Perspective

The key to building a strong rapport with an audience is showing that you are one of them and fully understand what they are going through. 

One of the ways to build this connection is by speaking from an emotion-inducing perspective. This is best illustrated with an example: 

  • A business owner went to the bank
  • A business owner came into a bank branch 

In the second case, the wording prompts listeners to paint a mental picture from the perspective of the bank employees — a role you’d like them to relate to. By placing your audience in the right visual perspective, you can make them more receptive to your pitches. 

Case Study Medical Example PPT Template

One common question that arises when creating a case study is determining its length. The length of a case study can vary depending on the complexity of the problem and the level of detail you want to provide. Here are some general guidelines to help you decide how long your case study should be:

  • Concise and Informative: A good case study should be concise and to the point. Avoid unnecessary fluff and filler content. Focus on providing valuable information and insights.
  • Tailor to Your Audience: Consider your target audience when deciding the length. If you’re presenting to a technical audience, you might include more in-depth technical details. For a non-technical audience, keep it more high-level and accessible.
  • Cover Key Points: Ensure that your case study covers the key points effectively. These include the problem statement, the solution, and the outcomes. Provide enough information for the reader to understand the context and the significance of your case.
  • Visuals: Visual elements such as charts, graphs, images, and diagrams can help convey information more effectively. Use visuals to supplement your written content and make complex information easier to understand.
  • Engagement: Keep your audience engaged. A case study that is too long may lose the reader’s interest. Make sure the content is engaging and holds the reader’s attention throughout.
  • Consider the Format: Depending on the format you choose (e.g., written document, presentation, video), the ideal length may vary. For written case studies, aim for a length that can be easily read in one sitting.

In general, a written case study for business purposes often falls in the range of 1,000 to 2,000 words. However, this is not a strict rule, and the length can be shorter or longer based on the factors mentioned above.

Our brain is wired to process images much faster than text. So when you are presenting a case study, always look for an opportunity to tie in some illustrations such as: 

  • A product demo/preview
  • Processes chart 
  • Call-out quotes or numbers
  • Custom illustrations or graphics 
  • Customer or team headshots 

Use icons to minimize the volume of text. Also, opt for readable fonts that can look good in a smaller size too.

To better understand how to create an effective business case study, let’s explore some examples of successful case studies:

Apple Inc.: Apple’s case study on the launch of the iPhone is a classic example. It covers the problem of a changing mobile phone market, the innovative solution (the iPhone), and the outstanding outcomes, such as market dominance and increased revenue.

Tesla, Inc.: Tesla’s case study on electric vehicles and sustainable transportation is another compelling example. It addresses the problem of environmental concerns and the need for sustainable transportation solutions. The case study highlights Tesla’s electric cars as the solution and showcases the positive impact on reducing carbon emissions.

Amazon.com: Amazon’s case study on customer-centricity is a great illustration of how the company transformed the e-commerce industry. It discusses the problem of customer dissatisfaction with traditional retail, Amazon’s customer-focused approach as the solution, and the remarkable outcomes in terms of customer loyalty and market growth.

Coca-Cola: Coca-Cola’s case study on brand evolution is a valuable example. It outlines the challenge of adapting to changing consumer preferences and demographics. The case study demonstrates how Coca-Cola continually reinvented its brand to stay relevant and succeed in the global market.

Airbnb: Airbnb’s case study on the sharing economy is an intriguing example. It addresses the problem of travelers seeking unique and affordable accommodations. The case study presents Airbnb’s platform as the solution and highlights its impact on the hospitality industry and the sharing economy.

These examples showcase the diversity of case studies in the business world and how they effectively communicate problems, solutions, and outcomes. When creating your own business case study, use these examples as inspiration and tailor your approach to your specific industry and target audience.

Finally, practice your case study presentation several times — solo and together with your team — to collect feedback and make last-minute refinements! 

1. Business Case Study PowerPoint Template

sales problems case study

To efficiently create a Business Case Study it’s important to ask all the right questions and document everything necessary, therefore this PowerPoint Template will provide all the sections you need.

Use This Template

2. Medical Case Study PowerPoint Template

sales problems case study

3. Medical Infographics PowerPoint Templates

sales problems case study

4. Success Story PowerPoint Template

sales problems case study

5. Detective Research PowerPoint Template

sales problems case study

6. Animated Clinical Study PowerPoint Templates

sales problems case study

Like this article? Please share

Business Intelligence, Business Planning, Business PowerPoint Templates, Content Marketing, Feasibility Study, Marketing, Marketing Strategy Filed under Business

Related Articles

Business Plan Presentations: A Guide

Filed under Business • February 2nd, 2024

Business Plan Presentations: A Guide

Learn all that’s required to produce a high-quality business plan presentation in this guide. Suggested templates and examples are included.

The OODA Loop Decision-Making Model and How to Use it for Presentations

Filed under Business • January 16th, 2024

The OODA Loop Decision-Making Model and How to Use it for Presentations

OODA Loop is a model that supports people and companies when defining important decisions in teams or individuals. See here how to apply it in presentation slide design.

Best 23 PowerPoint Templates to Start 202

Filed under Design • December 1st, 2023

Best 23 PowerPoint Templates to Start 202

2023 is around the corner, and for that very reason we want to list a selection of PowerPoint templates to start your projects in style.

Leave a Reply

sales problems case study

  • Success Stories

They Ask, You Answer Mastery

A coaching & training program that drives unmatched sales & marketing results.

Sales Performance Mastery

Improve the competencies and close rates of your sales organization.

Website Mastery

Web design, development & training for your team.

HubSpot Mastery

Everything you need to get the most from HubSpot.

AI Enablement Mastery

Unlock the power of AI in all aspects of your revenue operations.

More Services

  • Paid Search & Social
  • Request a Speaker
  • Join the Community

Learning Center

Free resources to help you improve the way you market, sell and grow your business.

  • Podcast Episodes
  • Tools & Assessments

Quick Links

  • What is They Ask, You Answer
  • Free Sales & Marketing Assessment
  • Certifications
  • The Endless Customers Podcast
  • Meet the Team
  • Certified Coaches

Free Assessment:  How does your sales & marketing measure up?

Free Assessment:

John Becker

By John Becker

Dec 20, 2023

Join 40,000+ sales and marketing pros who receive our weekly newsletter.

Get the most relevant, actionable digital sales and marketing insights you need to make smarter decisions faster... all in under five minutes.

The 7 Most Common Sales Problems — And How To Solve Them

The 7 Most Common Sales Problems — And How To Solve Them

7 most common sales problems

  • Each sale takes way too long
  • You don't have enough leads
  • Your leads are unqualified
  • You're wasting your effort on bad-fit prospects
  • You're spending too much time on low-value tasks
  • You're not getting the training you need
  • You're struggling to prepare for meetings

In a now-famous article published in The Wall Street Journal in 2021, author Patrick Thomas asked the question many business leaders have been wondering for a while now: Why are so few people pursuing a career in sales?

The article touched a nerve and went viral, getting shared over and over on LinkedIn and other platforms. 

The question was a valid one.

Despite high earning potential and a slew of openings, young professionals were not choosing sales as a career — and mid-career salespeople were leaving the field. S ales offers a lucrative career path, but it has its challenges both as a career and as a responsibility within an organization. 

sales-career

Whether you’re a young professional looking to get started in sales or a veteran sales rep hoping to solve some of your persistent challenges, this article is for you. 

Below, we’ll cover:

The state of sales today

  • Six common problems sales teams face
  • How to solve them

Whether you’re a sales rep, sales manager, marketing team member, or business leader, this information will help you chart your course forward. 

Let’s dive in together.

The sales industry is full of myths and misperceptions. If you’ve never worked in sales, you likely have an image of a used car salesman in your head, complete with a phony smile and aggressive sales pitch.

If you have worked in sales, you know it can be a stressful job with hard-to-hit monthly quotas, but it's also rewarding work that puts relationships at the center of everything.   

sales-relationships

In reality, modern salespeople are relationship builders. They guide and educate prospects as they move toward a purchase.

There’s a lot less pitching and a lot more listening than th ere might have been 20 years ago. According to research from Salesforce , nearly 90% of salespeople say that selling today is more about listening to the customers than it is about talking to the customers.      

Sales reps are not just listening. They're answering questions, they’re managing emotions, shaping expectations, and building trust with prospects. Taking these steps helps eliminate many sales problems from the very start.

To watch a good sales rep in action is to see deft emotional intelligence on full display. 

Salespeople are a business’s gatekeepers

Salespeople a re the face of your organization. They reach out, shake hands (often virtually), and bring customers into the fold.

salespeople-brand

In their  role, they are always in the process of building relationships and providing guidance. Sales professionals who give off a pushy, arrogant, or aloof vibe make your whole company seem that way.

Sales teams that freely share the internal knowledge base of your company create bonds and build trust with their prospects and customers.

7 common sales problems (and how to solve them)

Whether they’re selling products or services, B2B or B2C, pros everywhere face the same challenges. There’s a reason these problems are so widespread: They’re notoriously tricky and hard to solve.

Below, I’ll lay out seven common challenges, as well as the solutions we at IMPACT have found to work. 

I’m not claiming I can instantly boost all sales performance. In fact, the solutions I present take time and commitment, but they should start moving you and your sales team in the right direction.

Here are the seven common sales problems — and how to solve them.

Problem #1: Each sale takes way too long

The bigger and more expensive the thing you sell, the more likely that your sales process will be lengthy . After all, there’s no sales process to sell a stick of gum, but bigger ticket items come with more questions, and buyers will need more information and more touchpoints.

Why it’s a problem

Long processes are a problem for a number of reasons. First off is the obiovus one, the longer a sale takes, the more time your team has to spend on it. This translates to fewer opportunities and fewer sales. 

But it’s not just that. 

Salespeople get emotionally bought in to every deal. They build relationships. Some companies have sales processes that last months. For a sales rep who invests six months into a prospect only to have the deal fall through, the effect can be devastating and demoralizing.

How to solve it

Answer prospect questions ahead of time with content

The fastest way to shorten the sales cycle is with sales enablement materials . Have your sales team compile a list of the most common questions they hear from customers. Then, work with the marketing team to develop resources that thoroughly answer these questions .

buyer-education

Sales enablement content could take many forms: blog articles, videos, buyer’s guides, research reports, product stats, or case studies. They should be suited to different steps in the sales process.

More broad, generalized content can be given to prospects early on, whereas case studies would work well with later-stage prospects. 

But this type of content only gets created if your sales and marketing teams work together on it, so get ready to collaborate.

Bonus tip: Align your sales process around buyer decision points

Your sales process should not be arbitrary.

Chart out the decisions a customer has to make in order to buy from you. Then, make sure your sales process aligns with these decision points. This will keep you from making a sales process that moves too fast or too slow .  

Problem #2: You don’t have enough leads

Every customer starts off as a lead — but not every lead becomes a customer. A healthy sales funnel has leads coming in all the time so that paying customers can come out the other end. 

You need leads to have sales, and you need sales to have revenue. Without leads, your business is in rough shape. 

Sales managers should routinely check on each sales rep’s pipeline. While it’s exciting to see late-stage deals move closer to closing, it’s critical to pay attention to the other end of the funnel, too, to make sure good-fit leads are coming in.

Generate better leads with high-quality content — both on and off your platform

There’s no silver bullet to bring in more leads. Many marketing teams will seek to boost organic web traffic, hoping more traffic will mean more leads. Unfortuna tely, this often leads to fluffy content that might drive traffic, but not the kind you’re looking for . 

fluffy-content

Marcus Sheridan, author of They Ask, You Answer, started his career as a pool installer. He found that he could get thousands of visits to a blog post titled “Top 10 games to play at your pool party” , but this was not traffic with buying intent , so the high numbers didn’t really matter, from a revenue standpoint.

Instead, he found that thoroughly answering buyer questions was a better tactic. So, instead he’d write something like “Fiberglass pools vs. concrete pools: An honest comparison for your project.”

Sure, the traffic numbers weren’t as high, but the second article drove real leads to his website and gave his sales team a solid foundation. (As a secondary benefit, the same piece of content could be used with prospects already in the funnel.)

The key is being unbiased in the content, and presenting the information fairly.

You shouldn't just rely on your website, though. Social media is more important every year. So is YouTube. And don't forget about short-form video content for YouTube Shorts , Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, or any other spot your ideal customers spend time.

Presenting the same content in multiple formats can serve a wider audience. 

This is that same pool article I mentioned above, this time presented in a video:

Problem #3: Your leads are unqualified 

Sales success depends on a steady stream of qualified leads. That is, leads who:

  • Can afford what you sell
  • Are ready to buy 
  • Are decision-makers for the organization (in the B2B world)

Unqualified leads are just the opposite, and if your sales funnel is full of people who aren't going to buy from you, all your other efforts will be for nothing.

You can do everything right — great sales calls, good rapport, smooth presentation — but if the prospect can’t afford you, you’re not going to get the sale.

Commit to buyer education

The biggest factor in lead qualification is budget. If someone can’t afford what you’re selling, it’s best for everyone to k now that as early as possible. Yet, thousands of companies are reluctant to address pricing on their websites . 

As a result, potential customers enter the sales process without knowing if they can actually buy the thing they’re looking at.

bad-fit-prospect

And it’s not just price.

Buyers have questions. The more questions you can answer on your website, the fewer unqualified leads you’ll have. Those who are not a good fit for what you’re selling will opt out and stop wasting your sales team’s time. 

Problem #4: You’re wasting your effort on bad-fit prospects

It’s often pretty easy to spot an unqualified lead. They usually can’t afford what you’re selling or they’re simply not ready to buy.  Bad-fit prospects are a little different.

Think of a bad-fit prospect as a person who is sure to become an unhappy customer. They might have the money and the inclination to buy, but the fit just isn’t right.

Maybe they have unrealistic expectations. Maybe there’s a cultural misalignment. A bad-fit prospect might seem good on paper, but it’s just not going to be the right relationship for either of you. 

Happy, satisfied customers build your brand and spin your flywheel, talking about your organization with friends and colleagues.

They leave positive online reviews.

They bring you referral business. 

sales-bad-fit

Unhappy customers do just the opposite. Selling to someone who will steer others away from your brand is worse than not making a sale at all.

Know exactly what you sell — and who it’s for

It’s tempting to say that what you sell is the right solution for everyone, but we all know it’s not true.

  • A pickup truck is the right vehicle for some buyers but not others.
  • An adjustable-rate mortgage is perfect for certain homebuyers but a nightmare for others.

Every business needs to determine what it sells and who it sells to.

You never want to force prospects to buy something that’s not right for them — and the sooner you’re aware of a bad fit, the sooner your sales team can counsel them out of the sales process. 

Doing so benefits the prospect and your business, which will see an increased customer lifetime value.

At IMPACT, we teach our clients to produce “product/service fit” materials that sales reps can share with prospects. 

Look at this example from a business called Office Interiors. 

The video explains the product and provides information, but it doesn’t go for a hard sell. Instead, it explains who would (and would not) be a good fit for what they’re selling:

Problem #5: You’re spending too much time on low-value tasks

According to research from InsideSales, most sales reps spend only about 37% of their time actually selling . 

Sales is a numbers game. If you want more sales to happen, you need to have more of everything that comes before a sale: more leads, more sales calls, more opportunities. This is not blanket permission to spray and pray — just a reminder that more time spent not selling translates into fewer sales. 

sales-reps-selling

On top of that, your sales team is compensated based on the deals they close. With limited opportunities comes limited earning potential — and this leads to anxiety, frustration, and resentment, compounding any sales problems greatly.

Sales reps need to guard their calendars

The statistic above should be a call to action for all businesses. Yes, there are always going to be meetings, training, and administrative work. But the fact is that your sales team likely spends 63% of its time not selling. 

  • For sales representatives: Advocate for yourself and guard your calendar. If you need time for prospecting, block it off on your calendar. Doing research ahead of a call? Block it off. If someone books time with you during prime selling hours, ask to reschedule. Your time is a vital asset. Don’t let other people squander it. 
  • For sales leaders: You will need to run point on this. Is there a meeting that could be an email? Could training and feedback come asynchronously? Could that 60-minute huddle be completed in 30 minutes? Take a fresh look at your team’s calendars. Get creative about how you can give your team its time back.

Problem #6: You're not getting the training you need 

The success of a business rests with its sales team. But sales teams are over-stressed, undertrained, and subject to high turnover. 

According to data from  Task Drive , n early 70% of all salespeople say they have not received any formal training in sales. Instead, they describe themselves as “self-taught social sellers.”

An under-trained sales team is less likely to be successful. They stumble in front of buyers, creating a poor impression of the brand they represent. And, in turn, the customer experience suffers. 

Research shows that 58% of buyers say that sales reps can’t answer their questions effectively . In the B2B space, it’s even higher, with 82% of buyers reporting that sales reps are unprepared.  

Make time for training

I know what you're thinking — Didn't you just say "guard your calendars"?

Yes, but there's a difference between unnecessary meetings and highly-necessary training. If you really want to improve sales performance, it's not just about getting more at-bats. It's about coaching, mentorship, and a positive culture of feedback. 

The best sales training is personalized, continual, and supportive .

Some of the biggest problems sales reps face can be solved by putting the customer at the center of the whole buying process. 

Problem #7: You're struggling to prepare for meetings

Sales reps' time is precious, but with a calendar full of meetings, it can be hard to find the time to prepare for each one. 

An underprepared sales rep is an unsuccessful sales rep. You always want to give your buyer the impression that you're very well-versed in what you're selling and who you're selling to.

Use AI to improve your prep work.

Here in the AI revolution, you can find tools to help make your preparation more efficient.

My colleague Chris Duprey, an experienced sales coach, shared this list of AI-based tasks and activities for sales reps . 

  • Call review with AI.   AI tools like   Gong   and   Chorus   will automatically record and sort your Zoom calls, and then provide detailed insights that range from the high level (think: how much time did I have my slide deck up during that one-hour meeting?) to the specific (how clearly did I articulate the ‘next steps’ at the end of the call?)
  • Role-play with AI.   We all know that role-plays work — and we all know that people often don’t like doing them. With a few prompts, you can create a basic role-play scenario with   ChatGPT .
  • Ask for feedback on a presentation.   If you’ve been staring at the same text for an hour, AI can see your work with fresh eyes. Put the text from your slides into a chat and ask for feedback. Are there holes in your logic? Do you belabor certain points? Let a tool read the slide deck before you show it to a client.
  • Use an AI slide builder   to create a rough draft presentation that you can fine-tune. I use   Slides AI .
  • Research a company’s website.   If you don’t have time to pore over dozens of pages, ask AI to do it. Use a ChatGPT plugin to access the internet and put in a company’s URL. It will come back with takeaways you can research further.
  • Write outreach emails much quicker than before.   If you train AI on your voice and style, smart composers like   Grammarly   or   Jasper   can crank out emails that you’ll just need to polish.

And this is just the tip of the iceberg. There are AI tools that can speed up any time-consuming task on your plate.  

Empowering your sales team for success

Today, buyers are more savvy and well-informed than ever. Unfortunately, some sales teams are holding on to outdated sales techniques that don’t fit the way today’s customers make purchases. They’re still stuck in the hard-sell mindset that’s turning off buyers — and causing so many young professionals to resist going into sales. 

The antidote to the vast majority of sales problems is education:

  • When we focus on buyer education , some of our most persistent sales challenges vanish. We shorten the sale cycle, build trust, and weed out bad-fit prospects.
  • When we focus on our own education , we stay up to date on new technology that can help us do our job better. But that’s not all. Education keeps us open to feedback, willing to grow, and more likely to collaborate. 

Before the internet changed how people buy, sales reps held all the information. This led to distrust and unhappy customers. Today, education can free the buyers and the sales reps from that highly flawed model. 

When businesses commit to solving the most persistent sales problems, it benefits both seller and buyer. 

At IMPACT, we train businesses to put their customers at the center of their marketing and sales efforts.

If you want to begin to see what’s possible, take our free course: The Fundamentals of Virtual Selling . Suddenly the sales outcomes you’re shooting for will not seem so out of reach. 

Related Articles

Build a winning sales culture: 6 steps for sales managers and reps.

John Becker

4 Smart Ways to Fix Your Sales Presentations

Becca Manganello

What is 'Assignment Selling'? Using Content to Close Deals Faster

5 real-life sales scenarios where you need assignment selling (w/ templates).

Tom DiScipio

The Best Sales Enablement Tools for Your Team in 2024

Sales vs marketing in 2024: what’s the difference.

Marcus Sheridan

4 Common Assignment Selling Mistakes (and How to Fix Them)

A sales presentation is not what your buyers want.

Chris Duprey

HubSpot CRM Review — Pros and Cons

Your buyers want to control the sales process; here’s how to let them, the best sales training programs check these 4 boxes, my best sales reps haven’t hit their quotas all year: what do i do, how to run a revenue team meeting (+ example agendas), how to improve your sales process, how to create a sales process that closes more deals, 5 ways to get your sales team excited about creating content, the lazy sales technique your buyers hate scoping disguised as discovery, 4 tried-and-true tips for using video in sales prospecting, 4 videos that will streamline your sales process — and don’t require a videographer.

Zach Basner

Here's Why You Keep Getting Garbage Inbound Marketing Leads

Jessica Palmeri

How Does They Ask, You Answer Benefit Sales?

What is a revenue team, 24 essential questions for understanding your ideal customer (+ infographic).

Dia Vavruska

What Is a Buyer Persona (And Do You Really Need One)?

Join the 40,000+ sales and marketing pros who receive our weekly insights, tips, and best practices., thanks, stay tuned for our upcoming edition..

sales problems case study

6 Brilliant Small Business Case Study Examples For Marketers

Explore case study examples for small businesses. Additionally, find strategies for handling common challenges and solutions for growing your business.

6 Brilliant Case Study Examples for Small Businesses

Every business starts small.

The success of a business lies in its strategy to overcome any challenge during its journey.

If you are trying to take your business to new heights, start identifying challenges and create solutions.

The best way is to learn from sundry success stories.

There are several case studies of different businesses that can teach you which strategy to take for selling your product and attracting the target audience.

In this article, we will discuss some of the top case study examples that can assist in upscaling small businesses.

Let’s begin.

Challenges Faced by Small Businesses

As far as businesses go, there are always hurdles that need to be defeated. Starting a business is itself a big achievement for entrepreneurs, but the main challenge is maintaining one.

There are three common challenges businesses need to overcome. These include managing the expenses, hiring people, and following new trends to develop a customer base.

1. Increased Expenses

Every business revolves around money. There are different areas where businesses have to spend their money. But the issue is handling the financial hurdles. With an unplanned budget and financial advice, businesses will be spending more than they need to.

Keeping an eye on expenses is important because the expenses determine the profit the business will make.

However, it is not easy to reduce the expense. It’s affected by demand and supply. If businesses need to keep up with the market’s demands, then the chance of increasing expenses is 100%.

2. More and Skilled Manpower Required

Businesses don’t run themselves. They need manpower with skills to handle different departments. Generally, the number of employees in a small business ranges from 1 to 500 people. Getting this manpower is easy but getting a skilled one is difficult and time-consuming.

Whenever looking for manpower, businesses need to decide what skills they want in their candidate. The problem is candidates can’t always fulfill all the requirements. Besides, hiring manpower also increases the expenses.

3. Keeping Up With the Latest Trends

The market is fluid. It changes and introduces new trends. Small businesses need to keep up with the changing trends to keep their business growing. But this is where many businesses start to fall apart.

The thing about new trends is that businesses need to sell their products at the right time. It means they have to keep on studying the market to speculate their next products. If a small business fails to deliver during the peak of the trend, then it will suffer a heavy loss.

Solutions to Grow a Small Business

The best thing about businesses is that there is an attempt to find a solution for every challenge. It brings out the competition in the market, which is huge for surfacing different kinds of solutions a business can adopt.

1. Reduce the Expenses

When it comes to expenses, businesses are focused on spending huge sums on communication because communication is the key element of increasing customers and revenue. It’s not a big problem for big companies, but it is expensive for small businesses.

Fortunately, the cloud telephony system has removed the dilemma while making business budgets because cloud phone services are cheaper than plain old telephone services.

It reduces the initial cost of new businesses up to 90%. Recent surveys suggest that over 74% of businesses prioritize cloud phone systems as their urgent investment.

The same goes for marketing which is necessary to attract potential customers. Small businesses don’t have enough budget to advertise their products.

The best solution for this is using social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, etc. to promote and sell their products .

Case Study: Coffman Engineers

Coffman Engineers clearly states that although the cost of using a virtual phone number adhered to cloud phone is 50% more per employee, it still provides overall 25% more savings than plain old telephone service (POTS).

Coffman Engineers have been relying on cloud phones ever since their one office location faced a disaster. Now they have a disaster recovery feature built into their cloud phone system. It helped them to be ready for any disasters without losing communication with employees.

Not just that, they found all the necessary features bundled into one subscription package in a VoIP phone system. Such a facility enabled them to handle all their business communication using only one platform.

Key Takeaways

  • Small businesses must invest in cloud telephony for business communication.
  • Extensive use of social media to promote and sell your products/service.

2. Improve Employee Productivity

As we have already discussed earlier, manpower is a big challenge for small businesses. Hiring more employees doesn’t mean higher productivity. Businesses need to hire the right candidates to keep their expenses in check and improve productivity.

There are different tools available that can monitor what the employees are doing. Time tracking tools and workforce management tools are key components every business needs.

Especially in remote working scenarios, these tools are crucial to getting the full effort for the employees. Companies have seen a 35%-40% rise in productivity in employees working remotely with the use of tracking tools.

Case study: On The Map Marketing

On The Map Marketing , a digital marketing agency, used time tracking tools that showed that remote working employees tend to work more hours since they can work at flexible hours.

On The Map Marketing first started using the time tracking tool when they were opening their office in Riga, Latvia. The CTO of the company wanted the time spent on different tasks on his computer as well as managing the remote working employees.

Using a time tracking tool , they were able to track their productivity with a detailed report of their daily activities during office hours. It helped them calculate salary bonuses. They also found the productivity level of each employee to determine their value for the company.

  • Small businesses should use a time tracking tool to make sure employees focus on their office work.
  • Small businesses can track the performance of each employee at office locations or remote working locations.

3. Reward Your Customers

A business becomes successful when it can keep its customers happy. In efforts to upscale a small business quickly, the marketplace has seen a decline in the quality of products and services. It is a primary reason for customer dissatisfaction.

About 45% of business professionals rate customer experience as their top priority for growing a business.

Survey says more than 85% of buyers are willing to spend more for a better customer experience. Therefore, small businesses need to focus on improving their quality of products and services, which is a powerful indicator of customer experience.

Case study: Starbucks

Starbucks introduced a Reward Loyalty Program in which customers collect stars to get exciting rewards. This program drives 40% of Starbucks’s total sales .

By adapting the gamification method, Starbucks added a reward loyalty program to their already established app. This move drastically increased sales and digital traffic. They brought mobile payment, customer loyalty, and content partnership in one powerful app.

Customers started registering for My Reward via their app. They are given stars(points) in exchange for their interaction in the app or purchase made. The higher the number of stars a customer gets, the better rewards they get.

  • Small businesses can give different forms of rewards for more customer engagement.
  • Improvement in customer service can drive more sales and attract more customers.

4. Build Your Brand

Small businesses should learn to build their brand image . While marketing any product or service, the brand image is a key factor for understanding how people view your business.

A brand image must first include mission, vision, and values. It also requires a brand positioning statement that can set your business apart from the competitors.

It’s important to create a unique brand personality. For this, businesses need to design a good logo because customers are most likely to recognize a business looking at a logo. They will have to identify their target audience to craft a good brand image.

According to a study, around 89% of users stay loyal to a business with a good brand image .

Case study: Apple

Apple logo is a well-recognized design that reflects the brand value. Over the years, the Apple logo has gone through several design changes.

The most important rebranding of the company came when Steve Jobs changed the logo which impacted the overall personality of the company. Now, this logo is the most recognized logo in the world.

Looking at the Apple logo, customers can feel a sense of trust, reliability, and innovation . It is the main reason for the huge sales of all Apple products across the globe.

  • Branding helps a business build strong relationships with prospects and attract them to be loyal customers.
  • Small businesses need to create a strong brand image to sell their products efficiently.

5. Prioritize on Partnerships

Partnerships and collaboration can lift the businesses to maximize their cost savings. It allows businesses to strengthen their programs using available resources and tools.

This has a direct effect on improving the efficiency of their operations. It improves the credibility of the business in the marketplace.

Case study: RENAULT & NISSAN

Renault and Nissan have a strong partnership in automobiles. Their partnership made a remarkable achievement of making up 10% of new car sales worldwide .

Renault and Nissan chose to make an alliance rather than a merger because an alliance has many stronger benefits than a merger would give.

With an alliance, they can access more geographical areas where foreign investments are restricted. These companies got better chances to enter each other’s territory where they were already established companies because of the alliance.

Although they faced numerous challenges including fluctuation in price share, they managed to resolve issues and succeed.

  • Small businesses can collaborate with other businesses to increase their chances of higher product sales and profit for everyone.
  • Partnership with other businesses allows all parties to take benefits from each other’s strong areas.

6. The Right Marketing Strategy

Every business requires to sell its product and services to the market. Without marketing, a business cannot compete in the marketplace. The first thing about marketing is knowing your target audience and competitors.

When small businesses know who they are competing against, it will help them to see how the competitors are executing their business and attracting their customers.

One such way is to grow your website traffic which can bring you more leads and eventually customers. And how do you increase your website traffic? SEO. If done right, Search Engine Optimization can drive huge traffic to your website to reach your marketing goals.

Case study: Zapier

Zapier used an SEO strategy revolving around long-tail keywords for generating organic traffic to their website. They created 25,000 unique landing pages for unique keywords.

Zapier had a structure and layout for each page including well-optimized human written content. They outsourced SEO content and focused on a playbook for the onboarding process and launched new apps so that they can get partners to write content for them.

On top of that, they also outsourced link building to their partners. These partners wrote valuable guest post content of Zapier on their site and gave a backlink to Zapier. It helped Zapier to get new users as well as drive their website traffic.

  • Small Businesses should improve their website traffic by adding more landing pages with relevant content.
  • Backlinks through guest posts on other websites can drive more website traffic and attract more prospects.

Now that we have discussed these examples, let’s see how you can create these studies.

Now that you have a fair idea of the business challenges and solutions, there is a good chance of delivering a good strategy for growing your small business.

On top of that, the case study examples above will help you view how other businesses overcome their situation to take their business to new heights.

The most important aspect of upscaling a small business is understanding the customer’s needs. Therefore, you should design a persuasive marketing strategy to attract customers and compete with other businesses in the market.

And a good marketing strategy for any business must include social media. And to make the most of your social media marketing efforts try SocialPilot for free today.

Frequently Asked Questions

🌟 How do you upscale a small business?

Upscaling a small business is a very challenging process. Whether it's making a budget or hiring employees, you have to focus on things that are best for your business. Planning, targeting prospects, marketing strategy, etc. are crucial steps for upscaling businesses and competing with big companies.

🌟 What is a small scale business?

Small scale businesses or Small scale industries (SSI) provide products and services on a small level. Normally in the US, a small business consists of less than 250 employees. Also, it has small capital investments and less office space.

🌟 Why do entrepreneurs find it difficult to scale up?

New entrepreneurs find difficulty in scaling up their businesses because they don’t know what to do. Even if they know, they have to face many challenges like market research, finding loans, allocating space, etc. Also, legal matters are always a major concern for making changes.

🌟 Why is scalability important in business?

Scalability is important because it directly impacts business competition, profitability, brand image, and product quality. Since small businesses have huge growth potential and high return on investment (ROI), they have to properly focus on scalability.

🌟 When should you scale a business?

A small business should look for upscaling its business if it has achieved a minimum annual growth of 20% over 2-3 years with only 10 or more active employees.

About the Author

Picture of Sujan Thapaliya

Sujan Thapaliya

Sujan Thapaliya is the CEO and Co-founder of KrispCall . He has a wealth of computer, communications, and security experience. Through KrispCall, he aspires to make business communication safer, reliable, and more affordable.

Related Posts

11 Exclusive Social Media Tools for Your Small Business in 2023

Manage social media effortlessly.

  • Trial Begins Immediately
  • No CC Required
  • Change Plans Anytime
  • Cancel Anytime

Start Your 14-Day Free Trial

  • © 2024 SocialPilot Technologies Inc. All Rights Reserved.
  • Privacy Policy & GDPR
  • Terms of Service
  • Cookie Settings
  • Follow us :

💥 Reach thousands of inboxes in minutes: All new 'Email Campaigns' is here! - Learn More

  • CRM Modern and flexible CRM for all teams
  • Automation Automate processes & customer journeys
  • Conversations Engage and support customers across all channels
  • Campaigns Generate leads with personalized marketing campaigns
  • Analytics Make better decisions with rich data and insights
  • Sales Pipelines
  • Sales Automation
  • Smart Emails
  • Built-in Calling
  • Built-in Texting
  • Meeting Schedular
  • Power Dialer
  • Marketing Automation
  • Inbound Sales
  • Outbound Sales
  • Remote Sales
  • Account Based Sales
  • Sales Leaders
  • Small Businesses
  • Real Estate
  • Construction
  • More Industries
  • Customer Stories
  • How we Compare
  • Security & Trust
  • Blog Every ounce of marketing, sales & CX knowledge you need!
  • Product Updates Latest features and additions in Salesmate CRM.
  • Support Portal Understand every bit of Salesmate from our experts.
  • How-to Videos Visual content to gain in-depth knowledge of Salesmate.
  • Free Tools & Templates Wide range of resources and tips for business growth.
  • Product Integrations Connect Salesmate with your favorite apps using APIs.

🚀January Experience Updates: 3 Key changes to kick-start 2024

  • Conversations
  • Analytics AI
  • Product Updates
  • Support Portal
  • How-to Videos
  • Free Tools & Templates
  • Product Integrations

19 Top sales challenges 2024 and beyond [With proven solutions]

Key takeaways.

  • Top-performing reps consider customer preferences, market trends, and technology advancements to overcome core challenges in sales.
  • Embracing a buyer-first approach is one of the top challenges for salespeople.
  • Personalization in sales interactions is crucial to attracting modern customers.
  • Aligning marketing and sales teams enhances overall sales efficiency.
  • CRM and automation tools help sales teams work smarter by organizing tasks and increasing productivity.

Sales is an experimental art.

The past years have proven the demand for innovative ways as per the market trends (Remember how COVID pushed businesses online?). 

Looking ahead to 2024 and beyond, it is essential to focus on  data analytics, personalization at scale, and AI to improve your sales approach.    

This blog discusses the top 19 sales challenges and solutions for reps to overcome obstacles, enhance their strategies, and achieve better results.

Let’s dive into how sales are changing and the new challenges reps face to close deals.

Changing sales landscape – Raises top challenges for sales teams  

19 biggest sales challenges and their proven solutions .

Let’s understand how these four trends raise the biggest challenges in sales: 

  • Economic shifts : The financial uncertainties lead to longer sales cycles and raise sales obstacles around pricing.
  • Customer expectations are high on personalization : Granular-level personalization is the expectation of prospects, making it one of the biggest sales and marketing challenges. 
  • Value-driven sales in demand : People prefer products that offer value, suggesting a move towards a value-based selling approach.
  • Integration of AI in sales : AI offers efficiencies but challenges personal connection, urging a balanced approach to tech integration. 

Moving on to discover the most common sales challenges faced by sales professionals with their possible solutions. 

In every  sales process , reps encounter a set of common challenges, from identifying the sales-worthy leads, effective nurturing to get prospects engaged, handling objections, etc.

Let’s explore how to overcome challenges in sales with strategic solutions:

1. Adopting the buyer-first approach in the sales process

Our modern buyers know what they want and expect reps to serve them what they’re looking for: 

Shifting the mindset from what we sell to what you are looking for is a sales challenge for reps used to a push sales strategy. 

A recent Sales Gravvy podcast  with Carole Mahoney stressed the demand for the adoption of  a buyer-first approach.

Selling isn’t just about selling anymore; it’s about genuinely solving problems for your buyers, building relationships, and gaining trust.  

Solution:  

  • Research your target audience and create a customer persona to understand what your prospects are looking for. 
  • To tailor your approach, use CRM and analytics to understand your target buyer’s preferences and common pain points. 
  • Practice listening to your prospects’ thoughts to uncover their true needs.

2. Realizing a solid product doesn’t guarantee sales  

This sales challenge is faced by reps who don’t follow any strategy and practice pitching their product benefits to the target prospects. 

So, they end up empty-handed and losing the opportunity. 

Solution: 

  • Firstly, find your unique value proposition to understand  what makes your product different from competitors.
  • Discover how you solve specific problems or meet the unique needs of your ideal customers. 
  • Focus on educating your audience and adopt a value-based selling approach. 

3. Lack of brand reputation and trust 

Building a brand reputation is one of the biggest challenges in sales and marketing.

For sales reps, closing deals for new businesses without brand awareness and reputation becomes a significant sales challenge.

However, it is not that you won’t give results without a brand image.

For a new business without a strong brand presence, overcoming trust barriers in the buyer’s journey involves strategic actions.

  • Sales reps can’t directly build brand reputation alone but can help by focusing on customer needs and ensuring a good buying experience.
  • Ensure honesty and clarity in all communications (during phone calls or emailing).
  • Leverage customer feedback to improve service and offerings.

4. Qualifying MQLs as sales leads 

MQLs (Marketing qualified leads) show initial interest but haven’t yet demonstrated a readiness to buy.  

The biggest challenge lies in focusing your efforts on leads with a higher chance of purchasing and ensuring sales resources are used most effectively.

Overcoming these sales challenges will help reps save more time and grow sales counts faster. 

  • Using a lead qualification framework that includes lead scoring helps pinpoint which prospects are truly ready. This way your teams will likely focus on the right people and win deals.
Read more : 6 Solid sales qualification frameworks every rep should know!

5. Not getting enough time for prospecting 

Prospecting is the first sales pipeline stage. It involves practices identifying and contacting potential customers(or prospects) to convert them into clients.

According to ZoomInfo, sales prospecting is one of the powerful ways to grow sales for  70% of B2B companies . 

Effective time management is crucial for overcoming obstacles in sales, especially for prospecting.

However, with the pressure of converting the ongoing leads in their sales pipeline and other day-to-day activities, most reps find it challenging to dedicate time to prospecting.

  • Plan your to-do tasks and dedicate a specific time slot for sales prospecting (cold calls or emailing). 
  • You can use a Power Dialer to save time and increase efficiency. 
  • Set your email outreach on autopilot with the support of powerful cold email software. 
Related read : Overcome sales prospecting challenges by following these tips and tricks.

6. Lack of time for selling 

A sales rep does a lot in a day, including collecting details about leads, nurturing them, drafting sales emails, updating records, etc.

Besides, if things aren’t organized, more time is wasted searching for information, and sales reps don’t have enough time to focus on selling. 

A study by Salesforce states that sales reps spend a mere  28% of their week  actively selling.

  • Evaluate your daily routine and find the time-consuming activities. If all are repetitive tasks, automate them using a Sales Automation tool . 
  • A cold email outreach tool can help you with email builder, customizable templates, and sequences .

Upgrade yourself to leverage tools for data organization, meeting scheduling, email outreach, and all your mundane tasks – Ever experienced what a powerful CRM can do?  – Streamline the entire business and boost productivity.

Manage your entire business with Salesmate CRM!

Explore Salesmate and see how the platform streamlines your marketing, sales, and customer support tasks smartly.

7. Sales and marketing teams misalignment 

Reps struggle in sales due to ineffective misalignment of sales and marketing teams within the organization. 

For instance, if your sales and marketing teams are using two different tools for working and managing data, issues like data loss and duplication will be a day-to-day time waster.   

To succeed with Smarketing (a business strategy that involves the close alignment of the sales and marketing team.), you need to break these organizational silos and combat them to develop an integrated system. 

Solution:   

  • Conduct regular meetings collaboratively and discuss aligning goals.
  • Keep updating each other’s efforts and progress.  
  • In your next meeting, suggest trying CRM and automation tools for enhancing team efficiency. (If not considered yet.)

8. Making every sales interaction personalized 

A personalized offer more often attracts the right audience. Also, top-performing sales teams are  2.8 times more likely  to focus on personalizing customer experiences.

But, personalizing each interaction to the specific needs and preferences is a major challenge for reps.

Also, managing the scale of personalization when targeting prospects with varied customer personals is a matter of challenge.  

  • Develop buyer personas and segment the customer base to create more targeted communication strategies. 
  • For engaging with inbound leads, make sure your customer understanding is on point to hit their pain point, be a solution to their challenges, or more. 
  • Be an active lister to your prospect during discovery calls and meetings to propose personalized offers. 
  • Technologies like CRM, customer data analytics, and AI can help you understand your target customer behavior for personalized communication. 
Explore :  12 Types of sales emails to increase customer engagement  

9. Not getting a response from the prospect 

After a few initial interactions, most of the prospects stop responding. Several sales reps get demotivated by this silence.

They abandon the lead and start focusing on another prospect. Due to this, most of the leads aren’t converted. In fact, a study revealed that 79% of marketing leads never convert into sales.  

Solution:   

  • Try to connect with somebody else from the prospect’s company.  
  • Connect with your prospects using different channels besides calls and emails, such as text messages and social media sites. 
  • Setting up an automated follow-up process with email and text sequences will boost your productivity and responses.
  • Connect with the prospect at different hours. Find the best time to send sales emails or dial the prospect. 

Boost responses with Sequences!

You can automate your outreach and follow-ups with Salesmate to drive more business opportunities at your door.

10. Securing the first meeting with the prospect 

For every rep, landing that first discovery meeting with the lead they’re chasing is one of the biggest sales challenges. 

  • Prioritize responses to inbound inquiries and thoroughly research the prospects to ensure your message resonates with their needs and challenges. 
  • Use targeted, value-driven outreach strategies that clearly express the benefits of meetings. 
  • To increase your chances of being noticed, implement a multi-touchpoint approach (emails, calls, social media, and direct mail). 
Tip – Make your every message/pitch hyper-personalized to win the meeting! 

11. Nailing the discovery meeting  

Securing a discovery meeting is one of the successful milestones in a B2B sales process for reps, so you can’t lose the chance to win the deal at this point. 

Building rapport, impressive presentation, discovering pain points, and planning time in discovery meetings are some of the sales problems for reps.  

Here’s how you should schedule to keep all things on track: 

  • Prepare thoroughly by researching the prospect’s business, industry, and potential challenges they may be facing. 
  • Be an empathetic and active listener to understand their situation.
  • Ask open-ended  discovery questions  to discover the challenges and desires of prospects.
  • Summarize key points to confirm understanding and demonstrate active listening. 
  • Position yourself as a consultant rather than just a salesperson by offering initial insights or values that align with their expressed needs. 

12. Inability to answer prospect’s questions  

Modern buyers are intelligent and well-informed. They are updated with the latest market trends and popular technologies. 

So, they tend to ask a lot of questions. Most of the time, sales reps go blank and cannot answer these questions.  

Are you facing this issue too? If yes, then here are things you need to do.

  • First, ensure you have good product/service knowledge. 
  • Make a list of questions that you often get and prepare for it.  
  • Have a mock call session with your senior. 

13. Winning at negotiation  

Most of the deals are lost during the negotiation stage of the sales process. 

Several prospects are unwilling to compromise or find common ground.  

Besides, the prospect’s reluctance annoys the sales reps, who end up venting their anger in an unpleasant way.  

  • Stay calm during the negotiation and think before you respond to objections.  
  • Research and explore various  negotiation tactics  to deal with reluctant prospects. 
  • Identify the prospects’ pressure points and make them visualize the consequences of not addressing the problem right now. 
  • First, quote a high price, then offer a low-price option with limited features. While the prospect is swinging between two offers, make the actual proposal.   
Want to know what do best sales negotiators do differently to close deals?

14. Inability to handle criticism or rejection  

Most sales reps often struggle with rejection and feedback, leading to discouragement.

This even affects their next deal as they cannot focus on communication due to the disappointment from the rejection or criticism they face.  

  • Practice and prepare a good response when you hear a no. 
  • Don’t get emotionally hijacked, work on your EQ (Emotional Intelligence) skills. 
  • Ask your senior to conduct a mock call session to prepare you to handle rejection on sales calls. 
  • Create many opportunities for yourself so that few rejections don’t affect your target. 

15. Competing with competitors  

Most of the sales reps get to hear statements like…  

“ The [X competitor] is offering a product at a much lower price ”  

“[Y competitor is giving 4 months free subscription to their service] .” 

From lowering prices to offering freebies, businesses are doing all it takes to surpass their competitors. 

Eventually, potential buyers pick such points and use them as a shield to get the product at a better price.  

And sales reps go blank when they face such questions or make some impulsive decision that might result in losing the opportunity.

  • Map out the strengths and weaknesses of your competitors after an in-depth competitive analysis with a sales battle card . 
  • Find out how you are better than your competitors and explain it to your potential buyers. 
  • Share case studies and testimonials of satisfied customers who chose you over the competitors. 
Interesting read :  Top inside sales challenges that reps face!

16. Selling to groups over a solo buyer  

This is one of the biggest challenges of B2B sales, and you’ll agree that convincing a group of key decision-makers compared to an individual is tougher.

The negotiation process becomes complex with endless questions, the sales cycle lengthens, and it is challenging to convince different people with varied perspectives.

This scenario requires preparation for multiple aspects to close more deals.

  • Look at group dynamics and grasp each contact’s role and preferences within their company. 
  • Understand the company’s industry position, challenges, and goals. 
  • Address both collective needs and individual concerns during sales communication. 
  • Strengthen your case with relevant case studies and testimonials. 

Set your mundane tasks on autopilot for high productivity!

Salesmate offers a powerful automation suite to set your marketing and sales activities in automated mode. You just keep track of the success graph.

17. To leverage social selling for broader sales growth  

Sales reps sometimes miss out on leveraging social selling to the fullest.   

However, not utilizing social platforms to their potential is a common challenge to understand and overcome.   

Note that 72% of social sellers who leverage social media meet their sales quota.  

Let’s find out what social platforms give the highest ROI: 

Solution:    

  • Evaluate and identify the best platform for your business to engage the audience, establish trust, and sell.   
  • Build a personal brand and engage with potential customers to gain trust. 
  • Share content that adds value to your potential buyer’s work and demonstrates thought leadership.  
  • Practice social listening to understand customer needs that align with your brand’s offerings.   
  • Take the help of social selling tools to track metrics to measure your sales efforts and optimize for higher ROI.  

18. Ineffective training received by sales reps

Most organizations set high expectations but fail to provide proper  sales enablement  training to the reps for handling today’s intelligent buyers. 

Thus, the lack of proper sales training is one of the primary causes of low sales productivity.

  • Find the areas where training is required and request management to invest in training. 
  • Be thorough with the sales collaterals to improve your product/service knowledge. 
  • Explore solutions from industry experts, and also take help from your sales team to improve. 
  • Ask your sales managers/leaders to evaluate your performance and give you genuine feedback to improve. 
  • Attending live webinars to learn from industry experts will also help to improve. 

19. Leveraging the right technologies to overcome modern sales hurdles 

Sales reps are progressive in their working style compared to back then but still lack when it comes to utilizing technology. 

A survey by  Harvard Business Review  stated, “Sales  representatives believe that technology has not simplified their job or made it less expensive; instead, it has just been an added thing to learn.”

This sentiment highlights a significant challenge, especially as businesses expect their sales teams to grow sales and boost productivity.

I found these four sales challenges associated with the  resistance to adopting modern technologies.  

  • Effective data management and utilization for sales 
  • Effective lead engagement in a longer sales cycle 
  • Inability to track deals 
  • Adopting the new player – AI for effective sales 

The solution to these challenges lies in adopting a robust Sales CRM that can help you with:  

  • Lead management to organize and segment the contact details of prospects/leads for the business. 
  • Lead engagement with emails or text to maintain their interest throughout longer sales cycles. 
  • Sales pipeline management to visualize the entire sales cycle plus identify bottlenecks and opportunities. 
  • Sales Automation saves you time from indulging in repetitive tasks by setting them on autopilot. 
  • AI integration to speed up activities like writing cold emails, generating text responses, or scheduling meetings.  

Grow your business faster with AI-powered CRM!

With our all-in-one AI-driven CRM and automation platform, you can improve sales communication, productivity, and revenue.

Wrap up on sales problems and solutions

Overcoming sales challenges requires a deep understanding of customer needs, strategic use of technology, and a commitment to personalization and efficiency.

Lack of time management and effective objection handling are some of the biggest sales challenges for reps.

To overcome your sales challenges, you need to understand what your prospects want, how to achieve it, and what technologies support you to make the process quicker. 

Sales reps must leverage technology and insights to advance prospects through the sales funnel smoothly. 

Frequently asked questions

Dealing with constant changes and uncertainty in the market is one of the top sales challenges that impact client engagement and the decision-making process. 

Here are the major challenges in B2B sales:

  • Long sales cycles and complex purchasing processes due to multiple decision-makers.
  • Demonstrating deep knowledge and expertise to engage educated buyers. 
  • Prospects don’t have enough budget.
  • Prioritizing customer retention to leverage existing customers.

A major sales problem is securing a first meeting with a prospect, often due to ineffective communication strategies and the difficulty of presenting a compelling value proposition. 

Here are the five biggest sales challenges for small business owners:

  • Manage finances and funding
  • Stand out against bigger rivals
  • Hiring talented people and employee retention
  • Handle legal compliance
  • Keep up with digital shifts

The top three remote sales challenges are:

  • Getting engagement in virtual meetings
  • Adapting to technology like digital tools
  • Building relationships without in-person interactions

Here are the three biggest ethical selling challenges:

  • Honesty and transparency : Struggling with truthfulness and full disclosure to customers.
  • Conflict of interest : Balancing company goals with customer needs impartially.
  • Data privacy and security : Handling customer data ethically and securely.

Sonali Negi

Sonali is a writer born out of her utmost passion for writing. She is working with a passionate team of content creators at Salesmate. She enjoys learning about new ideas in marketing and sales. She is an optimistic girl and endeavors to bring the best out of every situation. In her free time, she loves to introspect and observe people.

You may also enjoy these

Sales follow up: 7 tried & tested strategies [8 templates inside] .

Sales follow up is a process that salespeople use to reconnect with potential clients after their initial meeting...

How to use sales battle card to boost win rates (Templates)

Claiming you're unmatched doesn't always seal the...

10 Best sales management tools that you must check in 2024!

A sales management software solution designed to manage and optimize the sales process, from lead management to...

Value-based selling: Transforming customer needs into sales

In a survey by ValueSelling Associates Inc., it was found that 87% of high-growth companies use a value-based...

Discovery meeting: How to do it successfully? [Free template]

Imagine stepping onto the stage, the spotlight hits, and the audience waits with bated breath. This is your...

Hertz CEO Kathryn Marinello with CFO Jamere Jackson and other members of the executive team in 2017

Top 40 Most Popular Case Studies of 2021

Two cases about Hertz claimed top spots in 2021's Top 40 Most Popular Case Studies

Two cases on the uses of debt and equity at Hertz claimed top spots in the CRDT’s (Case Research and Development Team) 2021 top 40 review of cases.

Hertz (A) took the top spot. The case details the financial structure of the rental car company through the end of 2019. Hertz (B), which ranked third in CRDT’s list, describes the company’s struggles during the early part of the COVID pandemic and its eventual need to enter Chapter 11 bankruptcy. 

The success of the Hertz cases was unprecedented for the top 40 list. Usually, cases take a number of years to gain popularity, but the Hertz cases claimed top spots in their first year of release. Hertz (A) also became the first ‘cooked’ case to top the annual review, as all of the other winners had been web-based ‘raw’ cases.

Besides introducing students to the complicated financing required to maintain an enormous fleet of cars, the Hertz cases also expanded the diversity of case protagonists. Kathyrn Marinello was the CEO of Hertz during this period and the CFO, Jamere Jackson is black.

Sandwiched between the two Hertz cases, Coffee 2016, a perennial best seller, finished second. “Glory, Glory, Man United!” a case about an English football team’s IPO made a surprise move to number four.  Cases on search fund boards, the future of malls,  Norway’s Sovereign Wealth fund, Prodigy Finance, the Mayo Clinic, and Cadbury rounded out the top ten.

Other year-end data for 2021 showed:

  • Online “raw” case usage remained steady as compared to 2020 with over 35K users from 170 countries and all 50 U.S. states interacting with 196 cases.
  • Fifty four percent of raw case users came from outside the U.S..
  • The Yale School of Management (SOM) case study directory pages received over 160K page views from 177 countries with approximately a third originating in India followed by the U.S. and the Philippines.
  • Twenty-six of the cases in the list are raw cases.
  • A third of the cases feature a woman protagonist.
  • Orders for Yale SOM case studies increased by almost 50% compared to 2020.
  • The top 40 cases were supervised by 19 different Yale SOM faculty members, several supervising multiple cases.

CRDT compiled the Top 40 list by combining data from its case store, Google Analytics, and other measures of interest and adoption.

All of this year’s Top 40 cases are available for purchase from the Yale Management Media store .

And the Top 40 cases studies of 2021 are:

1.   Hertz Global Holdings (A): Uses of Debt and Equity

2.   Coffee 2016

3.   Hertz Global Holdings (B): Uses of Debt and Equity 2020

4.   Glory, Glory Man United!

5.   Search Fund Company Boards: How CEOs Can Build Boards to Help Them Thrive

6.   The Future of Malls: Was Decline Inevitable?

7.   Strategy for Norway's Pension Fund Global

8.   Prodigy Finance

9.   Design at Mayo

10. Cadbury

11. City Hospital Emergency Room

13. Volkswagen

14. Marina Bay Sands

15. Shake Shack IPO

16. Mastercard

17. Netflix

18. Ant Financial

19. AXA: Creating the New CR Metrics

20. IBM Corporate Service Corps

21. Business Leadership in South Africa's 1994 Reforms

22. Alternative Meat Industry

23. Children's Premier

24. Khalil Tawil and Umi (A)

25. Palm Oil 2016

26. Teach For All: Designing a Global Network

27. What's Next? Search Fund Entrepreneurs Reflect on Life After Exit

28. Searching for a Search Fund Structure: A Student Takes a Tour of Various Options

30. Project Sammaan

31. Commonfund ESG

32. Polaroid

33. Connecticut Green Bank 2018: After the Raid

34. FieldFresh Foods

35. The Alibaba Group

36. 360 State Street: Real Options

37. Herman Miller

38. AgBiome

39. Nathan Cummings Foundation

40. Toyota 2010

Writing A Case Study

Case Study Examples

Barbara P

Brilliant Case Study Examples and Templates For Your Help

15 min read

Case Study Examples

People also read

A Complete Case Study Writing Guide With Examples

Simple Case Study Format for Students to Follow

Understand the Types of Case Study Here

It’s no surprise that writing a case study is one of the most challenging academic tasks for students. You’re definitely not alone here!

Most people don't realize that there are specific guidelines to follow when writing a case study. If you don't know where to start, it's easy to get overwhelmed and give up before you even begin.

Don't worry! Let us help you out!

We've collected over 25 free case study examples with solutions just for you. These samples with solutions will help you win over your panel and score high marks on your case studies.

So, what are you waiting for? Let's dive in and learn the secrets to writing a successful case study.

Arrow Down

  • 1. An Overview of Case Studies
  • 2. Case Study Examples for Students
  • 3. Business Case Study Examples
  • 4. Medical Case Study Examples
  • 5. Psychology Case Study Examples 
  • 6. Sales Case Study Examples
  • 7. Interview Case Study Examples
  • 8. Marketing Case Study Examples
  • 9. Tips to Write a Good Case Study

An Overview of Case Studies

A case study is a research method used to study a particular individual, group, or situation in depth. It involves analyzing and interpreting data from a variety of sources to gain insight into the subject being studied. 

Case studies are often used in psychology, business, and education to explore complicated problems and find solutions. They usually have detailed descriptions of the subject, background info, and an analysis of the main issues.

The goal of a case study is to provide a comprehensive understanding of the subject. Typically, case studies can be divided into three parts, challenges, solutions, and results. 

Here is a case study sample PDF so you can have a clearer understanding of what a case study actually is:

Case Study Sample PDF

How to Write a Case Study Examples

Learn how to write a case study with the help of our comprehensive case study guide.

Case Study Examples for Students

Quite often, students are asked to present case studies in their academic journeys. The reason instructors assign case studies is for students to sharpen their critical analysis skills, understand how companies make profits, etc.

Below are some case study examples in research, suitable for students:

Case Study Example in Software Engineering

Qualitative Research Case Study Sample

Software Quality Assurance Case Study

Social Work Case Study Example

Ethical Case Study

Case Study Example PDF

These examples can guide you on how to structure and format your own case studies.

Struggling with formatting your case study? Check this case study format guide and perfect your document’s structure today.

Business Case Study Examples

A business case study examines a business’s specific challenge or goal and how it should be solved. Business case studies usually focus on several details related to the initial challenge and proposed solution. 

To help you out, here are some samples so you can create case studies that are related to businesses: 

Here are some more business case study examples:

Business Case Studies PDF

Business Case Studies Example

Typically, a business case study discovers one of your customer's stories and how you solved a problem for them. It allows your prospects to see how your solutions address their needs. 

Medical Case Study Examples

Medical case studies are an essential part of medical education. They help students to understand how to diagnose and treat patients. 

Here are some medical case study examples to help you.

Medical Case Study Example

Nursing Case Study Example

Want to understand the various types of case studies? Check out our types of case study blog to select the perfect type.

Psychology Case Study Examples 

Case studies are a great way of investigating individuals with psychological abnormalities. This is why it is a very common assignment in psychology courses. 

By examining all the aspects of your subject’s life, you discover the possible causes of exhibiting such behavior. 

For your help, here are some interesting psychology case study examples:

Psychology Case Study Example

Mental Health Case Study Example

Sales Case Study Examples

Case studies are important tools for sales teams’ performance improvement. By examining sales successes, teams can gain insights into effective strategies and create action plans to employ similar tactics.

By researching case studies of successful sales campaigns, sales teams can more accurately identify challenges and develop solutions.

Sales Case Study Example

Interview Case Study Examples

Interview case studies provide businesses with invaluable information. This data allows them to make informed decisions related to certain markets or subjects.

Interview Case Study Example

Marketing Case Study Examples

Marketing case studies are real-life stories that showcase how a business solves a problem. They typically discuss how a business achieves a goal using a specific marketing strategy or tactic.

They typically describe a challenge faced by a business, the solution implemented, and the results achieved.

This is a short sample marketing case study for you to get an idea of what an actual marketing case study looks like.

 Here are some more popular marketing studies that show how companies use case studies as a means of marketing and promotion:

“Chevrolet Discover the Unexpected” by Carol H. Williams

This case study explores Chevrolet's “ DTU Journalism Fellows ” program. The case study uses the initials “DTU” to generate interest and encourage readers to learn more. 

Multiple types of media, such as images and videos, are used to explain the challenges faced. The case study concludes with an overview of the achievements that were met.

Key points from the case study include:

  • Using a well-known brand name in the title can create interest.
  • Combining different media types, such as headings, images, and videos, can help engage readers and make the content more memorable.
  • Providing a summary of the key achievements at the end of the case study can help readers better understand the project's impact.

“The Met” by Fantasy

“ The Met ” by Fantasy is a fictional redesign of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, created by the design studio Fantasy. The case study clearly and simply showcases the museum's website redesign.

The Met emphasizes the website’s features and interface by showcasing each section of the interface individually, allowing the readers to concentrate on the significant elements.

For those who prefer text, each feature includes an objective description. The case study also includes a “Contact Us” call-to-action at the bottom of the page, inviting visitors to contact the company.

Key points from this “The Met” include:

  • Keeping the case study simple and clean can help readers focus on the most important aspects.
  • Presenting the features and solutions with a visual showcase can be more effective than writing a lot of text.
  • Including a clear call-to-action at the end of the case study can encourage visitors to contact the company for more information.

“Better Experiences for All” by Herman Miller

Herman Miller's minimalist approach to furniture design translates to their case study, “ Better Experiences for All ”, for a Dubai hospital. The page features a captivating video with closed-captioning and expandable text for accessibility.

The case study presents a wealth of information in a concise format, enabling users to grasp the complexities of the strategy with ease. It concludes with a client testimonial and a list of furniture items purchased from the brand.

Key points from the “Better Experiences” include:

  • Make sure your case study is user-friendly by including accessibility features like closed captioning and expandable text.
  • Include a list of products that were used in the project to guide potential customers.

“NetApp” by Evisort 

Evisort's case study on “ NetApp ” stands out for its informative and compelling approach. The study begins with a client-centric overview of NetApp, strategically directing attention to the client rather than the company or team involved.

The case study incorporates client quotes and explores NetApp’s challenges during COVID-19. Evisort showcases its value as a client partner by showing how its services supported NetApp through difficult times. 

  • Provide an overview of the company in the client’s words, and put focus on the customer. 
  • Highlight how your services can help clients during challenging times.
  • Make your case study accessible by providing it in various formats.

“Red Sox Season Campaign,” by CTP Boston

The “ Red Sox Season Campaign ” showcases a perfect blend of different media, such as video, text, and images. Upon visiting the page, the video plays automatically, there are videos of Red Sox players, their images, and print ads that can be enlarged with a click.

The page features an intuitive design and invites viewers to appreciate CTP's well-rounded campaign for Boston's beloved baseball team. There’s also a CTA that prompts viewers to learn how CTP can create a similar campaign for their brand.

Some key points to take away from the “Red Sox Season Campaign”: 

  • Including a variety of media such as video, images, and text can make your case study more engaging and compelling.
  • Include a call-to-action at the end of your study that encourages viewers to take the next step towards becoming a customer or prospect.

“Airbnb + Zendesk” by Zendesk

The case study by Zendesk, titled “ Airbnb + Zendesk : Building a powerful solution together,” showcases a true partnership between Airbnb and Zendesk. 

The article begins with an intriguing opening statement, “Halfway around the globe is a place to stay with your name on it. At least for a weekend,” and uses stunning images of beautiful Airbnb locations to captivate readers.

Instead of solely highlighting Zendesk's product, the case study is crafted to tell a good story and highlight Airbnb's service in detail. This strategy makes the case study more authentic and relatable.

Some key points to take away from this case study are:

  • Use client's offerings' images rather than just screenshots of your own product or service.
  • To begin the case study, it is recommended to include a distinct CTA. For instance, Zendesk presents two alternatives, namely to initiate a trial or seek a solution.

“Influencer Marketing” by Trend and WarbyParker

The case study "Influencer Marketing" by Trend and Warby Parker highlights the potential of influencer content marketing, even when working with a limited budget. 

The “Wearing Warby” campaign involved influencers wearing Warby Parker glasses during their daily activities, providing a glimpse of the brand's products in use. 

This strategy enhanced the brand's relatability with influencers' followers. While not detailing specific tactics, the case study effectively illustrates the impact of third-person case studies in showcasing campaign results.

Key points to take away from this case study are:

  • Influencer marketing can be effective even with a limited budget.
  • Showcasing products being used in everyday life can make a brand more approachable and relatable.
  • Third-person case studies can be useful in highlighting the success of a campaign.

Marketing Case Study Example

Marketing Case Study Template

Now that you have read multiple case study examples, hop on to our tips.

Tips to Write a Good Case Study

Here are some note-worthy tips to craft a winning case study 

  • Define the purpose of the case study This will help you to focus on the most important aspects of the case. The case study objective helps to ensure that your finished product is concise and to the point.
  • Choose a real-life example. One of the best ways to write a successful case study is to choose a real-life example. This will give your readers a chance to see how the concepts apply in a real-world setting.
  • Keep it brief. This means that you should only include information that is directly relevant to your topic and avoid adding unnecessary details.
  • Use strong evidence. To make your case study convincing, you will need to use strong evidence. This can include statistics, data from research studies, or quotes from experts in the field.
  • Edit and proofread your work. Before you submit your case study, be sure to edit and proofread your work carefully. This will help to ensure that there are no errors and that your paper is clear and concise.

There you go!

We’re sure that now you have secrets to writing a great case study at your fingertips! This blog teaches the key guidelines of various case studies with samples. So grab your pen and start crafting a winning case study right away!

Having said that, we do understand that some of you might be having a hard time writing compelling case studies.

But worry not! Our expert case study writing service is here to take all your case-writing blues away! 

With 100% thorough research guaranteed, our professional essay writing service can craft an amazing case study within 6 hours! 

So why delay? Let us help you shine in the eyes of your instructor!

AI Essay Bot

Write Essay Within 60 Seconds!

Barbara P

Dr. Barbara is a highly experienced writer and author who holds a Ph.D. degree in public health from an Ivy League school. She has worked in the medical field for many years, conducting extensive research on various health topics. Her writing has been featured in several top-tier publications.

Get Help

Paper Due? Why Suffer? That’s our Job!

Keep reading

Case Study

sales problems case study

Data Analytics Case Study Guide 2024

by Sam McKay, CFA | Data Analytics

sales problems case study

Data analytics case studies reveal how businesses harness data for informed decisions and growth.

For aspiring data professionals, mastering the case study process will enhance your skills and increase your career prospects.

Sales Now On Advertisement

So, how do you approach a case study?

Use these steps to process a data analytics case study:

Understand the Problem: Grasp the core problem or question addressed in the case study.

Collect Relevant Data: Gather data from diverse sources, ensuring accuracy and completeness.

Apply Analytical Techniques: Use appropriate methods aligned with the problem statement.

Visualize Insights: Utilize visual aids to showcase patterns and key findings.

Derive Actionable Insights: Focus on deriving meaningful actions from the analysis.

This article will give you detailed steps to navigate a case study effectively and understand how it works in real-world situations.

By the end of the article, you will be better equipped to approach a data analytics case study, strengthening your analytical prowess and practical application skills.

Let’s dive in!

Data Analytics Case Study Guide

Table of Contents

What is a Data Analytics Case Study?

A data analytics case study is a real or hypothetical scenario where analytics techniques are applied to solve a specific problem or explore a particular question.

It’s a practical approach that uses data analytics methods, assisting in deciphering data for meaningful insights. This structured method helps individuals or organizations make sense of data effectively.

Additionally, it’s a way to learn by doing, where there’s no single right or wrong answer in how you analyze the data.

So, what are the components of a case study?

Key Components of a Data Analytics Case Study

Key Components of a Data Analytics Case Study

A data analytics case study comprises essential elements that structure the analytical journey:

Problem Context: A case study begins with a defined problem or question. It provides the context for the data analysis , setting the stage for exploration and investigation.

Data Collection and Sources: It involves gathering relevant data from various sources , ensuring data accuracy, completeness, and relevance to the problem at hand.

Analysis Techniques: Case studies employ different analytical methods, such as statistical analysis, machine learning algorithms, or visualization tools, to derive meaningful conclusions from the collected data.

Insights and Recommendations: The ultimate goal is to extract actionable insights from the analyzed data, offering recommendations or solutions that address the initial problem or question.

Now that you have a better understanding of what a data analytics case study is, let’s talk about why we need and use them.

Why Case Studies are Integral to Data Analytics

Why Case Studies are Integral to Data Analytics

Case studies serve as invaluable tools in the realm of data analytics, offering multifaceted benefits that bolster an analyst’s proficiency and impact:

Real-Life Insights and Skill Enhancement: Examining case studies provides practical, real-life examples that expand knowledge and refine skills. These examples offer insights into diverse scenarios, aiding in a data analyst’s growth and expertise development.

Validation and Refinement of Analyses: Case studies demonstrate the effectiveness of data-driven decisions across industries, providing validation for analytical approaches. They showcase how organizations benefit from data analytics. Also, this helps in refining one’s own methodologies

Showcasing Data Impact on Business Outcomes: These studies show how data analytics directly affects business results, like increasing revenue, reducing costs, or delivering other measurable advantages. Understanding these impacts helps articulate the value of data analytics to stakeholders and decision-makers.

Learning from Successes and Failures: By exploring a case study, analysts glean insights from others’ successes and failures, acquiring new strategies and best practices. This learning experience facilitates professional growth and the adoption of innovative approaches within their own data analytics work.

Including case studies in a data analyst’s toolkit helps gain more knowledge, improve skills, and understand how data analytics affects different industries.

Using these real-life examples boosts confidence and success, guiding analysts to make better and more impactful decisions in their organizations.

But not all case studies are the same.

Let’s talk about the different types.

Types of Data Analytics Case Studies

 Types of Data Analytics Case Studies

Data analytics encompasses various approaches tailored to different analytical goals:

Exploratory Case Study: These involve delving into new datasets to uncover hidden patterns and relationships, often without a predefined hypothesis. They aim to gain insights and generate hypotheses for further investigation.

Predictive Case Study: These utilize historical data to forecast future trends, behaviors, or outcomes. By applying predictive models, they help anticipate potential scenarios or developments.

Diagnostic Case Study: This type focuses on understanding the root causes or reasons behind specific events or trends observed in the data. It digs deep into the data to provide explanations for occurrences.

Prescriptive Case Study: This case study goes beyond analytics; it provides actionable recommendations or strategies derived from the analyzed data. They guide decision-making processes by suggesting optimal courses of action based on insights gained.

Each type has a specific role in using data to find important insights, helping in decision-making, and solving problems in various situations.

Regardless of the type of case study you encounter, here are some steps to help you process them.

Roadmap to Handling a Data Analysis Case Study

Roadmap to Handling a Data Analysis Case Study

Embarking on a data analytics case study requires a systematic approach, step-by-step, to derive valuable insights effectively.

Here are the steps to help you through the process:

Step 1: Understanding the Case Study Context: Immerse yourself in the intricacies of the case study. Delve into the industry context, understanding its nuances, challenges, and opportunities.

Data Mentor Advertisement

Identify the central problem or question the study aims to address. Clarify the objectives and expected outcomes, ensuring a clear understanding before diving into data analytics.

Step 2: Data Collection and Validation: Gather data from diverse sources relevant to the case study. Prioritize accuracy, completeness, and reliability during data collection. Conduct thorough validation processes to rectify inconsistencies, ensuring high-quality and trustworthy data for subsequent analysis.

Data Collection and Validation in case study

Step 3: Problem Definition and Scope: Define the problem statement precisely. Articulate the objectives and limitations that shape the scope of your analysis. Identify influential variables and constraints, providing a focused framework to guide your exploration.

Step 4: Exploratory Data Analysis (EDA): Leverage exploratory techniques to gain initial insights. Visualize data distributions, patterns, and correlations, fostering a deeper understanding of the dataset. These explorations serve as a foundation for more nuanced analysis.

Step 5: Data Preprocessing and Transformation: Cleanse and preprocess the data to eliminate noise, handle missing values, and ensure consistency. Transform data formats or scales as required, preparing the dataset for further analysis.

Data Preprocessing and Transformation in case study

Step 6: Data Modeling and Method Selection: Select analytical models aligning with the case study’s problem, employing statistical techniques, machine learning algorithms, or tailored predictive models.

In this phase, it’s important to develop data modeling skills. This helps create visuals of complex systems using organized data, which helps solve business problems more effectively.

Understand key data modeling concepts, utilize essential tools like SQL for database interaction, and practice building models from real-world scenarios.

Furthermore, strengthen data cleaning skills for accurate datasets, and stay updated with industry trends to ensure relevance.

Data Modeling and Method Selection in case study

Step 7: Model Evaluation and Refinement: Evaluate the performance of applied models rigorously. Iterate and refine models to enhance accuracy and reliability, ensuring alignment with the objectives and expected outcomes.

Step 8: Deriving Insights and Recommendations: Extract actionable insights from the analyzed data. Develop well-structured recommendations or solutions based on the insights uncovered, addressing the core problem or question effectively.

Step 9: Communicating Results Effectively: Present findings, insights, and recommendations clearly and concisely. Utilize visualizations and storytelling techniques to convey complex information compellingly, ensuring comprehension by stakeholders.

Communicating Results Effectively

Step 10: Reflection and Iteration: Reflect on the entire analysis process and outcomes. Identify potential improvements and lessons learned. Embrace an iterative approach, refining methodologies for continuous enhancement and future analyses.

This step-by-step roadmap provides a structured framework for thorough and effective handling of a data analytics case study.

Now, after handling data analytics comes a crucial step; presenting the case study.

Presenting Your Data Analytics Case Study

Presenting Your Data Analytics Case Study

Presenting a data analytics case study is a vital part of the process. When presenting your case study, clarity and organization are paramount.

To achieve this, follow these key steps:

Structuring Your Case Study: Start by outlining relevant and accurate main points. Ensure these points align with the problem addressed and the methodologies used in your analysis.

Crafting a Narrative with Data: Start with a brief overview of the issue, then explain your method and steps, covering data collection, cleaning, stats, and advanced modeling.

Visual Representation for Clarity: Utilize various visual aids—tables, graphs, and charts—to illustrate patterns, trends, and insights. Ensure these visuals are easy to comprehend and seamlessly support your narrative.

Visual Representation for Clarity

Highlighting Key Information: Use bullet points to emphasize essential information, maintaining clarity and allowing the audience to grasp key takeaways effortlessly. Bold key terms or phrases to draw attention and reinforce important points.

Addressing Audience Queries: Anticipate and be ready to answer audience questions regarding methods, assumptions, and results. Demonstrating a profound understanding of your analysis instills confidence in your work.

Integrity and Confidence in Delivery: Maintain a neutral tone and avoid exaggerated claims about findings. Present your case study with integrity, clarity, and confidence to ensure the audience appreciates and comprehends the significance of your work.

Integrity and Confidence in Delivery

By organizing your presentation well, telling a clear story through your analysis, and using visuals wisely, you can effectively share your data analytics case study.

This method helps people understand better, stay engaged, and draw valuable conclusions from your work.

We hope by now, you are feeling very confident processing a case study. But with any process, there are challenges you may encounter.

EDNA AI Advertisement

Key Challenges in Data Analytics Case Studies

Key Challenges in Data Analytics Case Studies

A data analytics case study can present various hurdles that necessitate strategic approaches for successful navigation:

Challenge 1: Data Quality and Consistency

Challenge: Inconsistent or poor-quality data can impede analysis, leading to erroneous insights and flawed conclusions.

Solution: Implement rigorous data validation processes, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and reliability. Employ data cleansing techniques to rectify inconsistencies and enhance overall data quality.

Challenge 2: Complexity and Scale of Data

Challenge: Managing vast volumes of data with diverse formats and complexities poses analytical challenges.

Solution: Utilize scalable data processing frameworks and tools capable of handling diverse data types. Implement efficient data storage and retrieval systems to manage large-scale datasets effectively.

Challenge 3: Interpretation and Contextual Understanding

Challenge: Interpreting data without contextual understanding or domain expertise can lead to misinterpretations.

Solution: Collaborate with domain experts to contextualize data and derive relevant insights. Invest in understanding the nuances of the industry or domain under analysis to ensure accurate interpretations.

Interpretation and Contextual Understanding

Challenge 4: Privacy and Ethical Concerns

Challenge: Balancing data access for analysis while respecting privacy and ethical boundaries poses a challenge.

Solution: Implement robust data governance frameworks that prioritize data privacy and ethical considerations. Ensure compliance with regulatory standards and ethical guidelines throughout the analysis process.

Challenge 5: Resource Limitations and Time Constraints

Challenge: Limited resources and time constraints hinder comprehensive analysis and exhaustive data exploration.

Solution: Prioritize key objectives and allocate resources efficiently. Employ agile methodologies to iteratively analyze and derive insights, focusing on the most impactful aspects within the given timeframe.

Recognizing these challenges is key; it helps data analysts adopt proactive strategies to mitigate obstacles. This enhances the effectiveness and reliability of insights derived from a data analytics case study.

Now, let’s talk about the best software tools you should use when working with case studies.

Top 5 Software Tools for Case Studies

Top Software Tools for Case Studies

In the realm of case studies within data analytics, leveraging the right software tools is essential.

Here are some top-notch options:

Tableau : Renowned for its data visualization prowess, Tableau transforms raw data into interactive, visually compelling representations, ideal for presenting insights within a case study.

Python and R Libraries: These flexible programming languages provide many tools for handling data, doing statistics, and working with machine learning, meeting various needs in case studies.

Microsoft Excel : A staple tool for data analytics, Excel provides a user-friendly interface for basic analytics, making it useful for initial data exploration in a case study.

SQL Databases : Structured Query Language (SQL) databases assist in managing and querying large datasets, essential for organizing case study data effectively.

Statistical Software (e.g., SPSS , SAS ): Specialized statistical software enables in-depth statistical analysis, aiding in deriving precise insights from case study data.

Choosing the best mix of these tools, tailored to each case study’s needs, greatly boosts analytical abilities and results in data analytics.

Final Thoughts

Case studies in data analytics are helpful guides. They give real-world insights, improve skills, and show how data-driven decisions work.

Using case studies helps analysts learn, be creative, and make essential decisions confidently in their data work.

Check out our latest clip below to further your learning!

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the key steps to analyzing a data analytics case study.

When analyzing a case study, you should follow these steps:

Clarify the problem : Ensure you thoroughly understand the problem statement and the scope of the analysis.

Make assumptions : Define your assumptions to establish a feasible framework for analyzing the case.

Gather context : Acquire relevant information and context to support your analysis.

Analyze the data : Perform calculations, create visualizations, and conduct statistical analysis on the data.

Provide insights : Draw conclusions and develop actionable insights based on your analysis.

How can you effectively interpret results during a data scientist case study job interview?

During your next data science interview, interpret case study results succinctly and clearly. Utilize visual aids and numerical data to bolster your explanations, ensuring comprehension.

Frame the results in an audience-friendly manner, emphasizing relevance. Concentrate on deriving insights and actionable steps from the outcomes.

How do you showcase your data analyst skills in a project?

To demonstrate your skills effectively, consider these essential steps. Begin by selecting a problem that allows you to exhibit your capacity to handle real-world challenges through analysis.

Methodically document each phase, encompassing data cleaning, visualization, statistical analysis, and the interpretation of findings.

Utilize descriptive analysis techniques and effectively communicate your insights using clear visual aids and straightforward language. Ensure your project code is well-structured, with detailed comments and documentation, showcasing your proficiency in handling data in an organized manner.

Lastly, emphasize your expertise in SQL queries, programming languages, and various analytics tools throughout the project. These steps collectively highlight your competence and proficiency as a skilled data analyst, demonstrating your capabilities within the project.

Can you provide an example of a successful data analytics project using key metrics?

A prime illustration is utilizing analytics in healthcare to forecast hospital readmissions. Analysts leverage electronic health records, patient demographics, and clinical data to identify high-risk individuals.

Implementing preventive measures based on these key metrics helps curtail readmission rates, enhancing patient outcomes and cutting healthcare expenses.

This demonstrates how data analytics, driven by metrics, effectively tackles real-world challenges, yielding impactful solutions.

Why would a company invest in data analytics?

Companies invest in data analytics to gain valuable insights, enabling informed decision-making and strategic planning. This investment helps optimize operations, understand customer behavior, and stay competitive in their industry.

Ultimately, leveraging data analytics empowers companies to make smarter, data-driven choices, leading to enhanced efficiency, innovation, and growth.

author avatar

Related Posts

4 Types of Data Analytics: Explained

4 Types of Data Analytics: Explained

Data Analytics

In a world full of data, data analytics is the heart and soul of an operation. It's what transforms raw...

Data Analytics Outsourcing: Pros and Cons Explained

Data Analytics Outsourcing: Pros and Cons Explained

In today's data-driven world, businesses are constantly swimming in a sea of information, seeking the...

What Does a Data Analyst Do on a Daily Basis?

What Does a Data Analyst Do on a Daily Basis?

In the digital age, data plays a significant role in helping organizations make informed decisions and...

sales problems case study

EY battle of brains - Power BI case study challenge Let your data tell the story!

EY Learning Solutions has launched a nationwide Power BI case study challenge aimed at UG and PG students to make them future ready

EY battle of brains: Power BI case study challenge

About the challenge

The challenge will take place in five phases: 

  • Individual registration  
  • Selection of case study
  • Undergo the sessions (live and eLearning) on Power BI
  • Diagnostic assessment  
  • Submission  

Eligibility 

Students enrolled in any undergraduate and postgraduate program are eligible to participate, regardless of their year of study.  

Step 1: Registration

Participant, with only individual participation allowed, can register by clicking below:

                                                Register here

Registrations are open from 16 April 2024 to 19 May 2024

Step 2: Selection of case study : The participants are required to select a case study (any one) from the following list based on their interest. The participants will have access to the synopsis for each case study to make an informed decision. 

1.    E-Commerce analytics: Marketplace price optimization analytics 

2.    Supply chain: Smarter stock management analysis 

3.    Social media analytics: Convert traffic into customers 

4.    Financial analytics: Cash flow analysis 

Step 3: Get familiar with Power BI : This challenge aims to equip participants with the Power BI tool, enabling them to excel in the case challenge. The comprehensive program includes access to eLearning materials and eight hours of live virtual training sessions. By participating in this program, students will gain the confidence to tackle any Power BI task. Please note that the schedule for the eight-hour virtual live sessions will be shared with all registered students 

Step 4: Diagnostic assessment: To optimize your learning experience and tailor the challenge to your needs, all participants must complete a mandatory quiz. Your score will be considered in the final evaluation of the case solution.

Diagnostic assessment details  

  • Duration : one hour 
  • Number of questions : 30 
  • Format : Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs), no negative marking 
  • Please note: Failure to participate in the quiz will result in disqualification 

Step 5: Final submission : Submit responses to the case study questions by 30 June 2024. The submissions should be shared in a Power BI file format (.pbix) which needs to be uploaded on the google drive.

IMPORTANT: Late entries will not be entertained.  

  • Registration open: 16 April 2024
  • Registration close: 19 May 2024
  • Training and learning period: 22 May 2024 to 11 June 2024
  • Diagnostic assessment:  15 June 2024
  • Final submission: 30 June 2024
  • Result announcement: 12 July 2024
  • Two months internship with EY India*
  • Gift hamper worth INR 10,000
  • Half a year access to any one eLearning certification program at EY Virtual Academy

1st Runner up:

  • Gift hamper worth INR 5000

2nd Runner up:

  • Gift hamper worth INR 2500

*The winners will secure pro-bono internships with EY 

All registered participants attending the session of eight hours will receive a certificate of participation from EY.

Additionally, all the registered participants will be eligible for 20% scholarship on EY Virtual Academy programs

Registration fee:

The registration fee for the competition is INR 2000 + GST

Evaluation criteria :

The case submissions will be evaluated basis the following:

  • Assessment scores 
  • Usage of the power BI tool 
  • Practical applicability and relevance of solution 
  • Depth of research 
  • Clarity of thought 
  • Content and writing style 

Important details: What to expect and what is expected

  • Stay committed to the spirit of fair competition 
  • Failure to follow the rules will result in disqualification
  • Each participant can submit only one solution to the case study. Requests for resubmission requests will not be accepted
  • Deadlines will not be extended
  • Absence from the quiz will result in disqualification
  • Plagiarism is strictly prohibited 
  • Please ensure that you use the same email address for all communication throughout the challenge

For more information reach out to us  [email protected]

Registration link 

Direct to your inbox

Stay up to date with our Editor's Picks newsletter. 

Like what you’ve seen? Get in touch to learn more.

Connect with us

Our locations

Legal and privacy

EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or more, of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients.

EY | Assurance | Consulting | Strategy and Transactions | Tax

EY is a global leader in assurance, consulting, strategy and transactions, and tax services. The insights and quality services we deliver help build trust and confidence in the capital markets and in economies the world over. We develop outstanding leaders who team to deliver on our promises to all of our stakeholders. In so doing, we play a critical role in building a better working world for our people, for our clients and for our communities.

EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or more, of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com.

© 2020 EYGM Limited. All Rights Reserved.

EYG/OC/FEA no.

This material has been prepared for general informational purposes only and is not intended to be relied upon as accounting, tax, or other professional advice. Please refer to your advisors for specific advice.

EY logo

Welcome to EY.com

In addition to cookies that are strictly necessary to operate this website, we use the following types of cookies to improve your experience and our services: Functional cookies to enhance your experience (e.g. remember settings), and  Performance cookies to measure the website's performance and improve your experience . , and Marketing/Targeting cookies , which are set by third parties with whom we execute marketing campaigns and allow us to provide you with content relevant to you.

We have detected that Do Not Track/Global Privacy Control is enabled in your browser; as a result, Marketing/Targeting cookies , which are set by third parties with whom we execute marketing campaigns and allow us to provide you with content relevant to you, are automatically disabled.

You may withdraw your consent to cookies at any time once you have entered the website through a link in the privacy policy, which you can find at the bottom of each page on the website.

Review our  cookie policy  for more information.

Customize cookies

I decline optional cookies

A popular YouTuber's negative video of Humane's AI Pin raises questions about critical reviews in the age of innovation

  • This post originally appeared in the Insider Today newsletter.
  • You can sign up for Business Insider's daily newsletter here .

Insider Today

Hello there! If you're struggling to decide the foods worth buying organic, best-selling author Michael Pollan has some suggestions for the ones worth splurging on to avoid harmful chemicals .  

In today's big story, we're looking at a critical tech review that caused a bit of a stir on social media .

What's on deck:

Markets: Goldman Sachs quiets the haters with a monster earnings report .

Tech: Leaked docs show one of Prime Video's biggest issues, forcing customers to abandon shows .

Business: The best bet in business these days? Targeting young men who like to gamble .

But first, the review is in!

If this was forwarded to you, sign up here.

The big story

Up for review.

"The Worst Product I've Ever Reviewed… For Now"

Marques Brownlee, the YouTuber better known as MKBHD, didn't mince words with the title of his review of Humane's AI Pin .

In a 25-minute video , Brownlee details all the issues he encountered using the AI device. (Spoiler alert: There were a lot.)

Brownlee's review aligns with other criticisms of the device . But not all of those came from someone with as much sway. His YouTube channel has more than 18 million subscribers.

One user on X pointed that out , calling the review "almost unethical" for "potentially killing someone else's nascent project" in a post reposted over 2,000 times. 

Most of the internet disagreed, and a Humane exec even thanked Brownlee on X for the "fair and valid critiques." 

But it highlights the power of Brownlee's reviews. Earlier this year, a negative video of Fisker's Ocean SUV by Brownlee also made waves on social media . 

Critical reviews in the age of innovation raise some interesting questions.

To be clear, there was nothing wrong with Brownlee's review. Humane's AI Pin costs $700. Watering down his review to ease the blow would be a disservice to the millions of fans relying on his perspective before making such a significant purchase.

Too often, companies view potential customers as an extension of their research and development. They are happy to sell a product that is still a work in progress on the promise they'll fix it on the fly. ("Updates are coming!")

But in a world of instant gratification, it can be hard to appreciate that innovation takes time. 

Even Apple can run into this conundrum. Take the Apple Vision Pro. Reviewers are impressed with the technology behind the much-anticipated gadget — but are still struggling to figure out what they can do with it . Maybe, over time, that will get sorted out. It's also worth remembering how cool tech can be, as Business Insider's Peter Kafka wrote following a bunch of trips in Waymo's software-powered taxis in San Francisco . Sure, robotaxis have their issues, Peter said, but they also elicit that "golly-gee-can-you-believe-it" sense.

As for Humane, America loves a comeback story. Just look at "Cyberpunk 2077." The highly anticipated video game had a disastrous launch in 2020 , but redeemed itself three years later, ultimately winning a major award .

Still, Humane shouldn't get a pass for releasing a product that didn't seem ready for primetime, according to the reviews. 

And its issue could be bigger than glitchy tech. Humane's broader thesis about reducing screen time might not be as applicable. As BI's Katie Notopolous put it: " I love staring at my iPhone ."

3 things in markets

1. Goldman finally strikes gold. After a rough stretch, the vaunted investment bank crushed earnings expectations , sending its stock soaring. A big tailwind, according to CEO David Solomon, is AI spawning " enormous opportunities " for the bank. 

2. Buy the dip, Wedbush says. Last week's drop among tech stocks shouldn't scare away investors , according to Wedbush. A strong earnings report, buoyed by the ongoing AI craze, should keep them soaring, strategists said. But JPMorgan doesn't see it that way, saying prices are already stretched .   

3. China's economy beat analysts' expectations. The country's GDP grew 5.3% in the first quarter of 2024, according to data published by the National Bureau of Statistics on Tuesday. It's a welcome return to form for the world's second-largest economy, although below-par new home and retail sales remain a cause for concern .

3 things in tech

1. Amazon Prime Video viewers are giving up on its shows. Leaked documents show viewers are fed up with the streamer's error-ridden catalog system , which often has incomplete titles and missing episodes. In 2021, 60% of all content-related complaints were about Prime Video's catalog.

2. Eric Newcomer is bringing his Cerebral Valley AI Summit to New York. The conference, originally held in San Francisco, is famous for producing one of the largest generative AI acquisitions ever. Now, it's coming to New York in June .

3. OpenAI is plotting an expansion to NYC. Two people familiar with the plans told BI that the ChatGPT developer is looking to open a New York office next year. That would be the company's fifth office, alongside its current headquarters in San Francisco, a just-opened site in Tokyo, and spots in London and Dublin.

3 things in business

1. America's young men are spending their money like never before. From sports betting to meme coins, young men are more willing than ever to blow money in the hopes of making a fortune .

2. Investors are getting into women's sports. With women like Caitlin Clark dominating March Madness headlines, investors see a big opportunity. BI compiled a list of 13 investors and fund managers pouring money into the next big thing in sports.

3. Bad news for Live Nation. The Wall Street Journal reports that the Justice Department could hit the concert giant with an antitrust lawsuit as soon as next month. Live Nation, which owns Ticketmaster, has long faced criticism over its high fees.

In other news

Blackstone hires Walmart AI whiz to supercharge its portfolio companies .

Taylor Swift, Rihanna, Blackpink's Lisa: Celebrities spotted at Coachella 2024 . 

NYC's rat czar says stop feeding the pigeons if you want the vermin gone .

A major Tesla executive left after 18 years at the company amid mass layoffs .

Some Tesla factory workers realized they were laid off when security scanned their badges and sent them back on shuttles, sources say .

New York is in, San Francisco is very much out for tech workers relocating .

AI could split workers into 2: The ones whose jobs get better and the ones who lose them completely .

Oh look at that! Now Google is using AI to answer search queries .

A longtime banker gives a rare inside look at how he is thinking about his next career move, from compensation to WFH .

Clarence Thomas didn't show up for work today .

What's happening today

Today's earnings: United Airlines, Bank of America, Morgan Stanley, and others are reporting . 

It's Free Cone Day at participating Ben & Jerry's stores. 

The Insider Today team: Dan DeFrancesco , deputy editor and anchor, in New York. Jordan Parker Erb , editor, in New York. Hallam Bullock , senior editor, in London. George Glover , reporter, in London.

Watch: Nearly 50,000 tech workers have been laid off — but there's a hack to avoid layoffs

sales problems case study

  • Main content

share this!

April 12, 2024

This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

fact-checked

trusted source

Problems with 3 Body Problem? Experts discuss physics, mathematics behind hit Netflix show

by Virginia Tech

three body problem

The science fiction television series 3 Body Problem, the latest from the creators of HBO's Game of Thrones, has become the most watched show on Netflix since its debut last month. Based on the bestselling book trilogy Remembrance of Earth's Past by Chinese computer engineer and author Cixin Liu, 3 Body Problem introduces viewers to advanced concepts in physics in service to a suspenseful story involving investigative police work, international intrigue, and the looming threat of an extraterrestrial invasion.

Yet how closely does the story of 3 Body Problem adhere to the science that it's based on? The very name of the show comes from the three-body problem, a mathematical problem in physics long considered to be unsolvable.

Virginia Tech physicist Djordje Minic says, "The three-body problem is a very famous problem in classical and celestial mechanics , which goes back to Isaac Newton. It involves three celestial bodies interacting via the gravitational force—that is, Newton's law of gravity. Unlike mathematical predictions of the motions of two-body systems, such as Earth-moon or Earth-sun, the three-body problem does not have an analytic solution."

"At the end of the 19th century, the great French mathematician Henri Poincaré's work on the three-body problem gave birth to what is known as chaos theory and the concept of the 'butterfly effect.'"

Both the novels and the Netflix show contain a visualization of the three-body problem in action: a solar system made up of three suns in erratic orbit around one another. Virginia Tech aerospace engineer and mathematics expert Shane Ross discussed the liberties the story takes with the science that informs it.

"There are no known configurations of three massive stars that could maintain an erratic orbit," Ross said. "There was a big breakthrough about 20 years ago when a figure eight solution of the three-body problem was discovered, in which three equal-sized stars chase each other around on a figure eight-shaped course. In fact, Cixin Liu makes reference to this in his books. Building on that development, other mathematicians found other solutions, but in each case, the movement is not chaotic."

Ross elaborated, "It's even more unlikely that a fourth body, a planet, would be in orbit around this system of three stars, however erratically—it would either collide with one or be ejected from the system. The situation in the book would, therefore, be a solution to the 'four-body problem,' which I guess didn't have quite the right ring to use as a title."

"Furthermore, a stable climate is unlikely even on an Earth-like planet. At last count, there are at least a hundred independent factors that are required to create an Earth-like planet that supports life as we know it," Ross said.

"We have been fortunate to have had about 10,000 years of the most stable climate in Earth's history, which makes us think climate stability is the norm when, in fact, it's the exception. It's likely no coincidence that this has corresponded with the rise of advanced human civilization."

Provided by Virginia Tech

Explore further

Feedback to editors

sales problems case study

Saturday Citations: Irrationality modeled; genetic basis for PTSD; Tasmanian devils still endangered

23 hours ago

sales problems case study

Lemur's lament: When one vulnerable species stalks another

Apr 20, 2024

sales problems case study

Study uncovers neural mechanisms underlying foraging behavior in freely moving animals

sales problems case study

Scientists assess paths toward maintaining BC caribou until habitat recovers

sales problems case study

European XFEL elicits secrets from an important nanogel

Apr 19, 2024

sales problems case study

Chemists introduce new copper-catalyzed C-H activation strategy

sales problems case study

Scientists discover new way to extract cosmological information from galaxy surveys

sales problems case study

Compact quantum light processing: New findings lead to advances in optical quantum computing

sales problems case study

Some plant-based steaks and cold cuts are lacking in protein, researchers find

sales problems case study

Merging nuclear physics experiments and astronomical observations to advance equation-of-state research

Relevant physicsforums posts, solar activity and space weather update thread, our beautiful universe - photos and videos, will we ever communicate with extraterrestial life in a reasonable time frame, orientation of the earth, sun and solar system in the milky way.

Apr 18, 2024

The linear polarization and brightness of pulsars

Recommendations for international research competitions.

More from Astronomy and Astrophysics

Related Stories

sales problems case study

What is the '3 Body Problem'? Astrophysicist explains concept behind hit Netflix show

Mar 27, 2024

The compelling mathematical challenge of the three-body problem

Aug 7, 2019

sales problems case study

Researchers crack Newton's elusive three-body problem

Dec 18, 2019

sales problems case study

Planet cannibalism is common, says cosmic 'twin study'

Mar 23, 2024

sales problems case study

Drunken solution to the chaotic three-body problem

Dec 28, 2021

sales problems case study

Novel theory addresses centuries-old physics problem

Apr 13, 2021

Recommended for you

sales problems case study

Technical trials for easing the (cosmological) tension

sales problems case study

Study suggests Io's volcanoes have been active for 4.5 billion years

sales problems case study

Cosmic rays streamed through Earth's atmosphere 41,000 years ago: New findings on the Laschamps excursion

sales problems case study

Unraveling water mysteries beyond Earth: Ground-penetrating radar will seek bodies of water on Jupiter

Let us know if there is a problem with our content.

Use this form if you have come across a typo, inaccuracy or would like to send an edit request for the content on this page. For general inquiries, please use our contact form . For general feedback, use the public comments section below (please adhere to guidelines ).

Please select the most appropriate category to facilitate processing of your request

Thank you for taking time to provide your feedback to the editors.

Your feedback is important to us. However, we do not guarantee individual replies due to the high volume of messages.

E-mail the story

Your email address is used only to let the recipient know who sent the email. Neither your address nor the recipient's address will be used for any other purpose. The information you enter will appear in your e-mail message and is not retained by Phys.org in any form.

Newsletter sign up

Get weekly and/or daily updates delivered to your inbox. You can unsubscribe at any time and we'll never share your details to third parties.

More information Privacy policy

Donate and enjoy an ad-free experience

We keep our content available to everyone. Consider supporting Science X's mission by getting a premium account.

E-mail newsletter

sales problems case study

Evidence Review of the Adverse Effects of COVID-19 Vaccination and Intramuscular Vaccine Administration

Vaccines are a public health success story, as they have prevented or lessened the effects of many infectious diseases. To address concerns around potential vaccine injuries, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) administers the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) and the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program (CICP), which provide compensation to those who assert that they were injured by routine vaccines or medical countermeasures, respectively. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine have contributed to the scientific basis for VICP compensation decisions for decades.

HRSA asked the National Academies to convene an expert committee to review the epidemiological, clinical, and biological evidence about the relationship between COVID-19 vaccines and specific adverse events, as well as intramuscular administration of vaccines and shoulder injuries. This report outlines the committee findings and conclusions.

Read Full Description

  • Digital Resource: Evidence Review of the Adverse Effects of COVID-19 Vaccination
  • Digital Resource: Evidence Review of Shoulder Injuries from Intramuscular Administration of Vaccines
  • Press Release

Recent News

sales problems case study

NAS Launches Science and Innovation Fund for Ukraine

sales problems case study

Science Academies Issue Statements to Inform G7 Talks

sales problems case study

Supporting Family Caregivers in STEMM

sales problems case study

A Vision for High-Quality Preschool for All

  • Load More...

COMMENTS

  1. 100+ Case Study Examples for Sales and Marketing

    The best thing about this case study is that Chargebee incorporated testimonials from different departments and individuals. The case study uses crisp headlines and explains the challenge in detail before jumping the gun to mention the results. 2. Aspire Systems Provides Data Integration Services | Aspire Systems.

  2. The 22 Best Case Study Examples That Boost Sales ...

    A case study is a unique type of thought leadership content that tells a story. Case studies are narratives that feature real world situations or uses of products or services to demonstrate their value. A well written case study will follow a customer as they define a problem, determine a solution, implement it, and reap the benefits.

  3. 15 Real-Life Case Study Examples & Best Practices

    15 Real-Life Case Study Examples. Now that you understand what a case study is, let's look at real-life case study examples. In this section, we'll explore SaaS, marketing, sales, product and business case study examples with solutions. Take note of how these companies structured their case studies and included the key elements.

  4. How to Use Sales Case Studies Effectively (With Examples and Mistakes

    2. Instrumental Case Study. One way to help your prospects gain insight into the solution you are selling is through an instrumental case study. This type of case study does not focus on the results, but instead on understanding the relationship between the problem and its solution.

  5. 28 Case Study Examples Every Marketer Should See

    Open up with a summary that communicates who your client is and why they reached out to you. Like in the other case study examples, you'll want to close out with a quantitative list of your achievements. 16. " NetApp ," by Evisort. Evisort opens up its NetApp case study with an at-a-glance overview of the client.

  6. The Best Sales Case Studies You Should Read

    Case studies via Inside Sales. 6. Inside Sales: Sales case studies. Here, Inside Sales has collected a list of case studies from their customers, which discuss how the businesses they have worked with have managed to increase their productivity levels after implementing the products Inside Sales offers.

  7. Cracking the Sales Code: Lessons from 8 Sales Case Studies

    4. Selling Overseas. Expanding sales overseas involves navigating diverse markets, understanding cultural nuances, and overcoming logistical challenges inherent in international business. Navigate international waters through a mix of digital marketing, local hires, social media, and strategic partnerships.

  8. A Complete Guide to Presenting Sales Business Case Study with

    See the full Sales Case Template for PowerPoint here. What is a Sales Business Case Study? A presentation story about how a business problem was solved, based on real-life examples. A good sales case study contains an overview of the whole process: client and situation description; needs analysis; problem identification; gap analysis

  9. 15+ Case Study Examples, Design Tips & Templates

    CUSTOMIZE THIS CASE STUDY TEMPLATE Related: 10+ Case Study Infographic Templates That Convert. Sales Case Study Examples. Case studies are particularly effective as a sales technique. A sales case study is like an extended customer testimonial, not only sharing opinions of your product - but showcasing the results you helped your customer ...

  10. Sales Case Study: How to Make a Sale in 7 Steps : LeadFuze

    1. Write About Someone Your Customer Can Relate. If your target audience is in the education industry, then make a case study about one of your university clients. If it's related to the automotive industry, then make a case study about car parts and car accessories.

  11. How to write a case study

    Case study examples. While templates are helpful, seeing a case study in action can also be a great way to learn. Here are some examples of how Adobe customers have experienced success. Juniper Networks. One example is the Adobe and Juniper Networks case study, which puts the reader in the customer's shoes.

  12. Sales: Articles, Research, & Case Studies on Sales

    by Doug J. Chung and Das Narayandas. This study of different sales quotas and their effect on sales performance at a major retail chain in Sweden finds that changing from a monthly to a daily quota plan increases performance mainly for low-performing salespeople. 06 Dec 2016. Working Paper Summaries.

  13. 16 Ways to Empower Your Sales Team with Case Studies

    7. Create a catalogue of one-sheet summaries for reps to show off at conventions and meetings. 8. Have reps email a testimonial video or audiogram from a case study as part of their nurturing ...

  14. 10 Best Case Study Examples for Marketers

    Category: Customer Story Gallery. Summary: An eCommerce company lists case studies about the many ways it has helped small businesses sell their products. What we Liked: These company case study examples can be filtered according to industry, product, region, use case, and others. 7. Airbnb. Category: Interview-style.

  15. How to Write and Present a Case Study (+Examples)

    The above information should nicely fit in several paragraphs or 2-3 case study template slides. 2. Explain the Solution. The bulk of your case study copy and presentation slides should focus on the provided solution (s). This is the time to speak at length about how the subject went from before to the glorious after.

  16. The 7 Most Common Sales Problems

    Sales enablement content could take many forms: blog articles, videos, buyer's guides, research reports, product stats, or case studies. They should be suited to different steps in the sales process. More broad, generalized content can be given to prospects early on, whereas case studies would work well with later-stage prospects.

  17. 6 Brilliant Small Business Case Study Examples For Marketers

    Case study: Starbucks. Starbucks introduced a Reward Loyalty Program in which customers collect stars to get exciting rewards. This program drives 40% of Starbucks's total sales. By adapting the gamification method, Starbucks added a reward loyalty program to their already established app. This move drastically increased sales and digital ...

  18. 11 Excellent Ways To Use Case Studies To Convert Leads Into Sales

    2. Post The Analytics. "Show, don't tell" is a very important concept when it comes to case studies. It's one thing to say, "We did all of these great things.". However, showing the ...

  19. The Best Way to Write Sales Case Studies That Get Leads

    Sales Case Study Template (Web): Use this Word-based template to craft your copy for your development team to turn into a web page. Sales Case Study Template (Word): If you'll be creating a downloadable PDF-based case study, use this Word template to compile your content before handing it to a designer. Bonus Audience Persona Template: Better ...

  20. 19 Top Sales Challenges 2024 and Beyond [With Proven Solutions]

    Share case studies and testimonials of satisfied customers who chose you over the competitors. Interesting read: Top inside sales challenges that reps face! 16. Selling to groups over a solo buyer . This is one of the biggest challenges of B2B sales, and you'll agree that convincing a group of key decision-makers compared to an individual is ...

  21. Top 40 Most Popular Case Studies of 2021

    Fifty four percent of raw case users came from outside the U.S.. The Yale School of Management (SOM) case study directory pages received over 160K page views from 177 countries with approximately a third originating in India followed by the U.S. and the Philippines. Twenty-six of the cases in the list are raw cases.

  22. Case Study: Product Sales Performance Analysis Using Excel

    Case Study: Product Sales Performance Analysis Using Excel. My journey to becoming a Data Scientist through the Women Techsters Fellowship Class of 2023, organized by Tech4Dev in Partnership with ...

  23. 28+ Case Study Examples

    Case studies are often used in psychology, business, and education to explore complicated problems and find solutions. They usually have detailed descriptions of the subject, background info, and an analysis of the main issues. ... Sales Case Study Examples. Case studies are important tools for sales teams' performance improvement. By ...

  24. Data Analytics Case Study Guide 2024

    A data analytics case study comprises essential elements that structure the analytical journey: Problem Context: A case study begins with a defined problem or question. It provides the context for the data analysis, setting the stage for exploration and investigation.. Data Collection and Sources: It involves gathering relevant data from various sources, ensuring data accuracy, completeness ...

  25. EY battle of brains

    Step 2: Selection of case study: The participants are required to select a case study (any one) from the following list based on their interest. The participants will have access to the synopsis for each case study to make an informed decision. 1. E-Commerce analytics: Marketplace price optimization analytics 2.

  26. MKBHD Review of Humane AI Is a Case Study of Criticism of Innovation

    In a 25-minute video, Brownlee details all the issues he encountered using the AI device.(Spoiler alert: There were a lot.) Brownlee's review aligns with other criticisms of the device.But not all ...

  27. Problems with 3 Body Problem? Experts discuss physics, mathematics

    The science fiction television series 3 Body Problem, the latest from the creators of HBO's Game of Thrones, has become the most watched show on Netflix since its debut last month. Based on the ...

  28. PDF A Case Study on Students' Critical Thinking in Online Learning

    This study aims to identify epistemological obstacles in critical thinking related to proof, generalization, alternative answers, and problem-solving. This online learning involved 30 prospective mathematics teachers through video conferences. An exploratory case study was conducted on 9 mathematics teacher candidates with the highest exam scores.

  29. New Comprehensive Review Examines Potential Harms of COVID-19

    WASHINGTON — A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine reviews evidence for 19 potential harms of the COVID-19 vaccines, and for nine potential shoulder injuries from intramuscular administration of vaccines more broadly. The committee that conducted the review identified sufficient evidence to draw 20 conclusions about whether these vaccines could cause ...