case study email format

How to write a case study — examples, templates, and tools

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.

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.

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

Case study email templates

A great way to convince potential customers that your company can solve their problems is by providing real-life examples. Case study emails can do this by being the social proof that showcases how your customers use your products or services and what results they get. That could be driving sales, increasing productivity, or improving customer service, just to name a few examples.

How is a case study defined?

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Use our fully customizable pre-sale email templates to spark your potential and existing customer's interest in your sales campaigns.

Use our customer email templates to invite users to join your customer portal, reset their password, provide feedback, and more.

Email still remains one of the major customer service channels for a huge number of consumers. Check out our free customer service templates.

The article discusses the importance of email in sales and marketing with a potential return on investment of up to 4400%. Ready-made email templates for different occasions like sales introduction, prospect follow-up, loyalty programs, and customer birthday offer emails are featured. Reminder email templates for trial expiration, renewing subscription, and overdue payments are also discussed. Survey email templates, including tips for gaining customer feedback, and examples of bad email practices with tips for writing effective business emails are included as well.

You will be in Good Hands!

Supercharge your Cold Emails

The Complete Guide to Creating Effective Case Study Emails

Want your emails to drive more leads and sales? Forget generic blasts. You need strategic customer success stories that convert.

This guide will teach you how to craft compelling case study emails that grab attention and inspire action.

You’ll get hands-on tips to:

• Choose the perfect success stories
• Structure emails for higher open rates
• Write persuasive copy that sells
• Integrate case studies into your funnel
• Promote studies across every channel

Ready to turn your customer wins into an arsenal of selling case studies? Let’s get started!

Page Contents

What is a Case Study Email?

A case study email is a specialized type of email used in marketing and sales outreach . As the name suggests, case study emails showcase a detailed case study of how a customer achieved success using your product or service.

But what exactly is a case study? And how do case study emails differ from other email types you may use? Let’s break it down.

What is a Case Study?

A case study tells a data-driven story showcasing how a customer overcame a challenge by using your product or service. It focuses on quantifiable results and ROI achieved.

Case studies typically include:

• Problem: The customer’s situation and pain points before using your product.
• Solution: A summary of how your product or service solved their problem.
• Results: Concrete metrics and ROI the customer realized after implementation.
• Testimonial: A client quote or review validating your product’s impact.

For example, an HR SaaS company could share a case study about how Client X reduced time-to-hire by 37% and saved $284,000 in recruitment costs after using their AI-powered hiring platform.

The in-depth analysis proves your ability to deliver results and builds trust.

How Case Study Emails Differ from Other Email Types

Case study emails have a specific purpose – to showcase customer success stories to convert and persuade. This sets them apart from other types of emails:

• Sales emails aim to introduce your solution, pique interest, and directly sell. Case study emails take a subtler educational approach.
• Promotional emails announce offers and promotions. Case study emails focus on social proof.
• Newsletter content shares company updates, thought leadership , and engagement. Case study emails highlight client results.
• Transactional emails facilitate purchases, tracking, and customer service. Case study emails drive leads and conversions.

The unique format of case study emails helps position your product as the proven solution to customers’ needs through real-world examples .

When Should You Send Case Study Emails?

There are several strategic times when sending case study emails can make a big impact:

1. To Qualified Leads in the Consideration Stage

Prospects researching solutions and weighing options are perfect targets . Case studies can tip the scales by proving you understand their pains and can deliver results.

2. To Customers in Free Trial or Pilot Programs

Use case studies to convince satisfied trial users to convert to paid accounts.

3. During Customer Renewal/Retention Outreach

Remind customers why they chose you and reinforce the value delivered through case studies.

4. To Upsell/Cross-sell Existing Customers

Upgrade current customers to higher tiers or expanded offerings backed by proof points.

5. To Prospects Who Previously Showed Interest But Went Dark

Re-engage old leads with new success stories and incentives to revisit your solution.

6. When releasing new products or features

Back up your claims about new offerings with relatable stories of client wins.

7. To Support Content Marketing and Nurture Campaigns

Sync case study emails with your blog, social media, and nurture streams.

8. After Industry Events, Conferences, or Webinars

Follow up with highly relevant case studies around themes and verticals discussed.

Matching case studies to prospect needs and the stage of their journey is key to driving conversions.

Why are Case Study Emails Effective?

Case study emails give you an edge because they:

• Establish Credibility: 82% of buyers view case studies as trustworthy. They prefer validated peer experiences over claims from vendors.
• Showcase ROI: Case studies highlight the concrete ROI – time, money, efficiency – your solution drove for customers. This quantifiable proof accelerates and eases purchase decisions.
• Increase Perceived Value: Compelling stats on the results you’ve achieved make your solution seem more valuable and buyers more likely to pay higher prices.
• Differentiate from Competitors: Unique customer stories and quantifiable outcomes can set you apart and give you a competitive edge.
• Improve Conversion Rates: Emails with case studies can generate conversion rates up to 313% higher than product feature emails.
• Provide Social Proof: 88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. Case studies offer this social proof.

But not all case study emails are created equal. To maximize impact, you need compelling stories paired with skilled execution.

Let’s look at how to put together a winning case study email.

In summary, case study emails leverage the credibility of customer success stories to connect with prospects and tip them towards your solution. Sending them strategically can significantly move deals forward. Just be sure to highlight relevant examples and metrics tailored to each recipient’s needs. With well-crafted case study emails in your arsenal, you’ll be well on your way to driving conversions and revenue!

Elements of an Effective Case Study Email

Crafting a stellar case study email that captures attention and drives conversions takes skill. Let’s break down the key ingredients for case study email success.

Subject Line

The subject line is the first and possibly only chance to get your email opened.

Best Practices for Case Study Email Subject Lines

Apply these best practices when writing subject lines:

• Keep it short and scannable – Under 50 characters is best.
• Highlight the core benefit – Summarize the main outcome in 1-2 words like “increased sales” or “reduced costs.”
• Include specifics – Quantify results or mention the customer’s name.
• Trigger urgency – “In 30 days” or “How we achieved X% growth in 3 weeks.”
• Ask a question – “What if you could [benefit]?”
• Use power words – “Case study,” “Success story,” “Results.”
• Mention key terms – Include relevant keywords prospects seek.
• Test different options – A/B test to determine the highest performing subject line.

Case Study Email Subject Line Examples

Here are some example subject lines that apply the above tips:

• “Case Study: How Acme Co Increased Sales 72% in 6 Months”
• “See How We Reduced Hiring Costs 37% for Client X”
• “Client Story: 30-Day Trial to $2.4M in Lifetime Value”
• “What If You Could Gain 8 Hours Per Week? See How Client Y Did It”
• “Success Story – Beating the Competition with 147% More Engagement”

The subject line sets expectations about the value the email provides. Use it wisely to maximize open rates.

Introduction

The introduction paragraph serves two purposes:

• Grabs the reader’s attention
• Provides context on the case study

To craft an effective intro:

• Hook readers quickly – Ask a question, state an impressive stat, or reference recent news.
• Make it relevant – Connect to the prospect’s needs or industry.
• Establish credibility – Note your experience and expertise.
• Set expectations – Summarize the core benefit covered in the case study.

Here are two example opening paragraphs:

“Are you struggling to break through the noise on social media? See how partnering with our social media management experts helped Client X become an industry leader with content that generates 147% higher engagement than competitors.”

This introduction hooks readers by asking about a common pain point, positioning the sender as an expert, and setting expectations by previewing impressive results.

“As leaders in recruiting for Fortune 500 companies, we understand the challenges of finding top-tier executive talent. That’s why we developed our Executive Leadership Placement Program – an exclusive service that reduces time to hire senior roles by 45% on average. Read on to see how we partnered with Client Y to make their Director of Engineering placement a huge success.”

This introduction establishes credibility in a niche, relates to the target audience, and summarizes the program and results covered in the case study.

An engaging intro pulls readers in so they want to keep reading. Take the time to make this critical first impression count.

Problem Statement

The problem statement section explains:

• The customer’s situation before using your product
• Specific difficulties and pain points they faced

Illustrating the customer’s initial struggles enables prospects to relate to the scenario and primes them to see how you provided the solution.

To craft an effective problem statement:

• Provide specifics – Quantify their issues with metrics when possible.
• Use visuals – Charts demonstrating pain points make them more memorable.
• Limit jargon – Explain in simple terms easily understood by any reader.
• Tell a story – Build empathy by bringing the problem statement to life.

Here’s an example problem statement:

Client X is a fast-growing mid-sized SaaS company that struggled with an inefficient hiring process. Their team of 5 recruiters couldn’t keep up with the current needs of the engineering team. This resulted in:”

• Average time to fill a role of 89 days, 35% higher than industry benchmarks
• Peak recruiting costs of $8,400 per hire
• A negative impact on engineering productivity and product roadmap progress

This statement uses metrics, relatable challenges, and storytelling to help readers connect with Client X’s hiring struggles.

Vividly articulating the customer’s difficulties before your product builds anticipation for the solution.

Solution Summary

After setting the stage with the problem, the next step is showing how you swooped in to save the day.

The solution summary section explains:

• How your product or service solved the customer’s challenges
• The approach, program, or package you implemented

To write an effective solution summary:

• Connect to the problem – Explain how your solution addresses the root causes.
• Provide an overview – Briefly describe your product or methodology without getting into granular details.
• Use visuals – Diagrams of your workflow or solution design help cement understanding.
• Spotlight innovation – Highlight any proprietary processes or unique expertise you applied.

Here’s a sample solution summary:

“We customized our Executive Recruiting Program to meet Client X’s specific needs. This included:”

• Leveraging our network of passive executive candidates through invite-only ChannelRx
• Assigning a dedicated 3-person recruiting team with competency mapping expertise
• Proprietary Candidate Fit scoring using 1000+ datapoints to surface best matches
• Streamlined processes to accelerate interviews and offer timelines

This overview explains the solution, touches on differentiators like a proprietary scoring system, and sets the stage for impressive results.

Succinctly convey how you addressed the customer’s problem to spotlight the value you provide.

Results/Benefits

This is your chance to dazzle with jaws-dropping metrics that prove your solution worked wonders.

The results section quantifies:

• The concrete ROI and outcomes achieved
• How the customer benefitted from your product

When presenting results:

• Use specific metrics – % improvement, dollar amounts saved, higher scores, etc.
• Add visuals – Charts demonstrating dramatic before and after results.
• Quote metrics – Call out impressive stats in the body text.
• Provide timeframes – State the period over which the results occurred.
• List multiple benefits – Cover the wide range of improvements across metrics.

Here’s a results section example:

“Partnering with us enabled Client X to completely transform their hiring process and outcomes, including:”

• 55% reduction in time-to-fill for senior engineering roles – from 89 days to 40 days
• $13,000 lower recruiting cost per hire – a 65% reduction
• 4X more high-quality candidates identified through our ChannelRx network
• 79% of placed candidates still with Client X after 2 years, improving retention

Quantifiable proof of ROI and benefits is the whole point of case study emails – so make your results shine.

Social Proof

Social proof builds credibility through voices other than your own, like testimonials.

Include social proof via:

• Client quotes – Word-for-word glowing testimonials about your solution.
• Client logos – Instant brand recognition when prospects see logos of brands they know.
• Reviews – Ratings, awards, and media recognition validate quality.
• Case study details – Location, title, and details on the customer establish legitimacy.

Let’s look at some examples:

Client Quote

“Partnering with [Company] to upgrade our recruiting function has been transformational. The 55% reduction in time-to-fill critical roles has completely changed our hiring game.” – [Name, Title, Client X]

Client Logo

Featured Case Study: [Client Logo]

Rated #1 recruiting agency by Forbes 3 years running

Case Study Details

Acme Healthcare, Silicon Valley’s top hospital network with 10 locations…

Social proof elements lend third-party credibility to back up your amazing claims.

Call-to-Action

Every effective case study email needs a strong CTA guiding the reader to take your desired next step.

Strategic CTAs to include:

• “Schedule a Consultation” – Direct readers to book calls with sales reps .
• “Request a Free Demo'” – Get prospects to view personalized platform walkthroughs.
• “Get a Custom Proposal'” – Move top leads closer to purchase with pricing.
• “Read More Case Studies” – Send to your case study library to peruse more proof.
• “Join Our Upcoming Webinar'” – Promote related nurture content.
• “Download the Full Case Study PDF” – Share an in-depth looks at the client win.
• “Contact Our Team” – Make it easy for intrigued prospects to reach out.

And optimize your CTAs by:

• Making the CTA copy clear, concise, and action-oriented.
• Placing CTAs strategically at the bottom and in a section by themselves.

-Formatting CTAs prominently with color, size, and spacing to draw the eye.

• Using urgency triggers like “limited spots remaining.”

Here are examples of compelling case study email CTAs:

*See More Success Stories in Our Downloadable Case Study Collection [Download PDF]

Learn How We Can Replicate These Results for You [Schedule a Consultation]

Request a Custom Demo Tailored to Your Recruiting Needs [Get Your Demo]

Join Our Webinar on Cutting Hiring Timelines by 45% [Save Your Seat]

The CTA is one of the most critical elements – as it prompts the next step leading to a sale. Make it count.

With these essential ingredients – subject line , introduction, problem, solution, results, social proof, and call to action – you have a proven formula to create high-converting case study emails.

Now let’s look at some overarching strategies to take your case study email success to the next level.

Strategies for Successful Case Study Emails

You’ve got all the components to craft a persuasive case study email – but how do you take it to the next level?

Let’s explore proven strategies to get your emails opened, read, and driving conversions.

Research and Personalization

Generic case study emails sent en masse see dismal open and conversion rates.

To connect with recipients, you need personalized outreach tailored to their needs.

Strategies for personalization include:

Persona Targeting

Determine what buyer personas you want to reach, like CEOs, marketing managers, developers, etc. Identify their common pain points and goals. Then tailor your case study emails with relevant examples and messaging.

For instance, an email to developers might highlight technical challenges overcome. For CEOs, showcase executive-level ROI metrics.

Individual Research

For your most valued contacts and existing customers, research them more deeply through:

• LinkedIn profiles
• Company websites
• News mentions
• Academic and career backgrounds
• Previous correspondence

Then work these personal details into your emails . Reference past conversations, company milestones, and industry trends relevant to them.

This shows you did your homework and get much better response rates.

Trigger-based Outreach

Send targeted case studies when you know of triggers impacting recipients like:

• Renewing services
• Recently raised funding
• Launched rebranding/new strategy
• Job change/promotion
• Merger or acquisition
• Won an award
• Appeared at an event/conference

Connecting your case studies to what’s currently top of mind for recipients makes your outreach timely and relevant.

Dynamic Content

Marketing automation tools let you dynamically insert personalized content into case study emails like:

• Prospect’s name
• Website/company details
• Specific pain points they cited
• Mutual connections

This level of tailored messaging outperforms generic blasts.

Industry-Specific Stories

Send case studies featuring companies in the prospect’s same industry. For example, retailers want to see success stories from other retailers.

These highly aligned examples make it easier for recipients to envision the results they could achieve.

Personalized, contextual outreach shows recipients you understand their needs and captures more attention.

Follow-Up Sequence

One-off case study emails see very low conversion rates. You need multiple follow up touches over time to drive results .

Best practices for effective follow-up include:

Send at least 3 emails

Studies show it takes an average of 5-12 contacts to convert a cold lead. Sending just one email results in poor conversion.

Three emails is the minimum needed – initial outreach plus two follow ups for non-responders spaced 3-5 days apart.

Experiment with timing

Try different time intervals between follow-up emails to see what converts best. Some common approaches:

• 3 emails in 9 days (3/3/3 cadence)
• 5 emails in 3 weeks (3/5/7/9/11 cadence)

Pay attention to which follow ups get the most opens/clicks and conversions.

Progress through stages

Move contacts through a sequence that mirrors the standard sales funnel:

Email #1: Broad case study overview Email #2: Targeted case study matching needs Email #3: Custom proposal, demo, or call-to-action

Gradually provide more value and get more direct with your asks.

Send “breakup” emails

If non-responsive after 3+ emails, send a “breakup email” letting them know you’ll stop contacting them.

Ironically, many prospect reply to breakup emails to re-engage. Don’t leave follow-up sequences too soon.

Automate for efficiency

Marketing automation enables you to set up sequences, logic, and triggers to run campaigns seamlessly. No manual emailing required.

Don’t stop at one touch – persistently follow up for up to 10x better conversion.

A/B Testing

There’s no one “perfect” case study email for all purposes. You need to experiment and test different approaches.

Areas to A/B test include:

Subject Lines

Try multiple subject line options per campaign segment to see which earns higher open rates. Look at factors like:

• Word choice and phrasing
• Use of questions, numbers, power words
• Specificity (client name, metrics mentioned)
• Length and formatting

Email Content

Test how sections like the problem statement or results are written. For example, which converts better – 3 metrics or 5? Client logo visible or not?

Also test the overall style and tone of writing.

Calls-to-Action

Test placement on the page, wording, design, color, and actual offering. See which CTAs attract the most clicks.

Try different formats for images, charts and other visual elements. See if any significantly outperform in terms of engagement.

Email Length

Test shorter 1-2 paragraph case studies vs. longer, more in-depth stories. Length can impact open and completion rates .

Try minimum 3 variants per campaign and allocate at least 250 recipients per option for statistical significance.

Optimization through testing can improve performance by 49%. Find winning combinations.

Lead Nurturing Integration

Don’t send one-off case study emails randomly. Integrate them into your nurture programs for maximum impact.

Strategic nurturing approaches include:

New Lead Nurturing

Use case studies early in nurture journeys to showcase what you can deliver for leads similar to them. Builds credibility and trust .

Content Upgrades

Offer access to exclusive case studies as an upgrade incentive for providing contact info or completing a form.

Webinar Promotions

Support marketing webinars with case study emails reinforcing the topic being presented.

Renewal Nurturing

Send case studies recapping previous success working together when renewals approach.

Re-engagement Nurturing

Use case studies to remind inactive contacts of past wins and prompt re-engagement.

New Customer Onboarding

Welcome new customers by showcasing case studies aligned to their goals and use cases.

Customer Advocacy Nurturing

Ask satisfied customers for case study participation to turn them into powerful advocates.

Work case study emails into your nurture strategy rather than using them ad hoc.

Metrics Tracking

To refine your case study emails, you need to carefully track performance data.

Key metrics to monitor:

Shoot for 20-50%+ open rates depending on list size and segment. If too low, revisit subject lines and sender info.

Click-through Rates

Click-through rates on CTAs over 2% are decent. If lagging, test CTA design and copy.

Lead Conversion Rates

Measure the % of recipients who convert into sales qualified leads. Good conversion rate goals depend on list quality.

Unsubscribe Rate

High unsubscribe rates signal relevance issues. Improve list health and email personalization.

Engagement Times

When are emails opened? When are links clicked? Activity soon after sending is best.

Sales Impact

Ultimately, tie case study emails to pipeline influence, deal acceleration, and closed revenue.

Tools like Google Analytics make tracking email metrics simple. Analyze data to continuously improve.

Now let’s look at some best practices to take your case study emails to the next level.

Best Practices and Tips

Let’s round out your case study email expertise with some pro tips and best practices.

Follow these guidelines to take your efforts to the next level.

Choosing the Right Customer Stories

Not all customer success stories make compelling case studies. You need to carefully select which to highlight.

Ideally, choose stories that are:

Select clients in the prospect’s same industry, company size, role, etc. Similar pain points and use cases establish relevance.

For example, don’t highlight a Fortune 500 case study when targeting a startup.

While showcasing your long company history has merit, recent case studies are most relatable. Focus on wins from the past 2 years.

Choose clients that provide ample specifics on metrics, challenges, and results. Thin or vague stories don’t prove much.

Credentials

Showcasing instantly recognizable logos like Amazon or Apple brings built-in credibility. Big brands pack more punch.

Pull different types of companies, stats, and industries into the mix. This showcases your wide applicability.

Look beyond big name brands to niche but impressive client wins that highlight your expertise in specific areas. Provides depth.

Vet case study options using these criteria to feature your most powerful stories.

Highlighting Specific Use Cases

Rather than covering your solution broadly, zero-in on very specific use cases and challenges you’ve addressed.

For example:

Too broad: “We help recruiters improve their hiring.”

Specific: “We help staffing firms shorten time-to-fill for senior engineering roles.”

Ultra-targeted case studies showcase your specialized expertise needed to solve niche issues prospects face.

Optimizing Deliverability

Even amazing case study emails drive zero conversions if they land in spam folders.

Ensure proper deliverability through:

Sender reputation – Build trust and credibility for your domain with good email habits over time.

List hygiene – Ongoing list maintenance to remove inactive/bounced addresses.

Spam testing – Use tools like MailTester to check spam potential before sending.

Authentication – Implement email authentication like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC.

Personalization – Recipient-specific content shows you’re a real person emailing, not a bot.

Engagement metrics – Monitor unsubscribe rates, abuse reports, etc. Address issues lowering deliverability.

ISP relationships – Proactively report fraudulent emails impersonating your brand to major ISPs. Build trust.

Deliverability should be top priority – optimize it through best practices.

Leveraging Visuals

Emails with visuals see insane boosts in engagement – up to 200-300% higher CTRs.

Types of visuals to include:

• Client logos – Instant social proof and credibility
• Charts/graphs – Visually demonstrate impressive metrics and ROI
• Screenshots – Show your solution and UI/UX in action
• Photos – Spotlight customers looking happy/successful thanks to you
• Infographics – Creative way to showcase compelling stats
• Videos – Bring the case study to life (where possible)

Keep visuals consistent with your brand, aligned to content, and designed for easy mobile viewing.

Let visually-driven storytelling boost engagement.

Promoting Case Studies

Don’t silo case study emails. Promote your success stories across channels:

• Website – Create a public case study section prospects can browse.
• Blog – Publish in-depth studies on your blog and promote via email .
• Social media – Share client wins on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, etc.
• Ads – Run paid social/ SEM ads focused on your top case studies.
• Sales collateral – Feature on company fact sheets, sales presentations.
• PR – Pitch journalists to cover your most impressive customer stories.
• Events – Present case studies at webinars, conferences, and talks.

Cross-channel promotion expands your reach and positions studies as cornerstones of your marketing.

Now let’s switch gears to common mistakes to avoid with case study emails. Learn from others’ flubs!

Mistakes to Avoid

Creating winning case study emails takes skill. It’s also easy to make missteps that tank your results.

Let’s review common pitfalls to avoid.

Sending Without a Clear CTA

The purpose of case study emails is to drive prospects to take action. That doesn’t happen without a strong call to action.

Yet many neglect to include any CTA or bury it in the text.

Without clear direction, readers don’t convert.

Other CTA mistakes include:

• Weak CTAs like “Contact us with questions.” These won’t compel action.
• Linking to general website pages versus specific conversion-oriented pages. Don’t send readers into a confusing maze.
• Using “Learn More” as the default CTA for everything. Tailor CTAs to each use case and recipient.
• Relying solely on hyperlinked text. Buttons and contrasting colors better highlight CTAs.
• Assuming recipients will see and understand the value of clicking. Spell it out clearly.

Prioritize concise, benefit-driven CTAs in prominent positions. Don’t be afraid to explicitly guide recipients into converting.

Failing to Personalize

Yet another common stumbling block is sending blanket case study emails en masse without personalization.

This ignores the fact that the key to winning attention amidst inbox noise is relevance. Portray how you understand each prospect’s needs specifically.

Failure to tailor typically stems from:

• Rushing to blast out campaigns without strategic list segmentation
• Forgetting to integrate dynamic content and messaging options
• Not researching prospects beyond contact info to uncover pain points
• Having tight budgets or limitations preventing 1:1 outreach

Lack of personalization causes lower open rates, disconnected messaging, and poor conversion rates.

Segmenting lists, researching contacts, and integrating dynamic content is mandatory. Don’t take shortcuts – do the work to personalize.

Missing Follow-Up Opportunities

We’ve stressed the need for persistent follow-up when sending case study emails. But this step still gets skipped too often.

You might assume recipients not interested if they don’t open or respond to the first email. In reality, they probably just missed it in their crowded inbox.

Reasons for dropping the ball on follow-ups include:

• Lacking documented processes and workflows to manage follow-up
• Difficulty tracking where recipients are in sequences manually
• Allowing contacts to fall through the cracks when team members are out
• Not factoring in adequate workload capacity for systematic following up
• Assuming reaching out once or twice is sufficient

Don’t leave money on the table. Set reminders, document procedures, use automation, and keep following up.

Sloppy Metrics Tracking

How do you know what’s working if you aren’t tracking email performance data? Shockingly, many still don’t properly monitor metrics.

Common tracking mistakes:

• Not enabling tracking in email services to capture opens/clicks
• Failing to integrate analytics for attribution monitoring
• Tracking at aggregate rather than campaign-specific levels
• Lacking processes to regularly review and act on metrics
• Not optimizing emails based on response rate data

Blindly sending case study emails without optimization is wasted effort. Implement tracking early and use data to improve.

Irrelevant Case Studies

And finally, a mistake you want to avoid at all costs – featuring case studies with no relevance to the recipient.

For example, don’t send:

• Dissimilar industry examples. Real estate to auto manufacturer.
• Small business case studies to enterprise contacts.
• Stories about solutions they clearly don’t need. HR software to a bakery.
• Outdated stories from decades ago. Times change.

Mismatched or irrelevant case studies signal you don’t understand your prospect. They hurt rather than help your outreach efforts.

Do your homework to identify aligned stories and ask yourself “Does this resonate?” If not, find a better match or don’t send.

Steer clear of these common stumbling blocks and your case study emails will be primed for success.

Now let’s tackle some frequently asked questions.

FAQs about Case Study Emails

Let’s wrap up with answers to some frequently asked questions about creating and sending case study emails.

How long should a case study email be?

When it comes to email length, shorter is generally better in terms of driving engagement and conversions. But how short is too short?

Aim for 250 – 750 words.

Anything less than 150 words is usually too brief to establish context and make a persuasive case.

At the same time, ultra long-form case studies are best sent as collateral documents rather than in the body of emails.

250 – 750 words lets you cover crucial details without overwhelming readers. Use tools like WordCounter to perfect length.

And remember – well-designed emails with clear formatting and visuals aid scannability so more text feels less intimidating.

When should you send case study emails?

As discussed earlier, key times to deploy case study emails include:

• To prospects demonstrating initial research interest
• To leads reaching a decision stage
• To customers up for renewal
• For new product launches
• To inactive contacts to re-engage
• Alongside related nurture content
• After conferences/events on covered topics

Essentially, timed around moving recipients into and through your funnel.

Ongoing use of case studies builds familiarity and trust over the buyer’s journey rather than limiting to a one-off blast.

What makes a strong case study email subject line?

Strong case study email subject lines:

• Clearly indicate the email contains a case study
• Spotlight the main benefit achieved
• Are scannable (<50 characters ideally)
• Use power words like “success” “results” “case study”
• Incorporate specifics like company names or metrics
• Create intrigue and urgency

This compels the desired action – getting recipients to open and read the full story.

How many case study emails should you send?

Ideally, you won’t blanket blast case study emails. They require a personalized approach tailored to each recipient.

But in terms of frequency, aim to nurture leads with relevant case studies:

• Once early in the awareness stage
• 2-3x more through the consideration stage
• 1-2x near the decision stage

So roughly 4 – 6 case study emails spaced over several months works well for an average sales cycle .

And follow up persistently when you do send an individual email – at least 3+ times.

What CTAs work best for conversions?

The most effective case study email CTAs:

• Direct readers to book meetings/calls with sales
• Lead to demo requests or proposal forms
• Offer access to gated content like full PDF studies
• Promote related webinars and nurture content
• Allow recipients to browse additional social proof

Value-driven, conversion-focused CTAs – not generic “Contact us” or “Learn more” links.

Words like “talk”, “see”, “get”, and “attend” prompt action. And remember to A/B test options.

Other Relevant Questions

What is the best length for a case study email?

Aim for 250-750 words. Anything less than 150 words is usually too brief. But avoid extremely long emails over 1,000 words as well.

Strategic times include reaching out to new leads, customers up for renewal, re-engaging inactive contacts, promoting new products, and aligning with nurture content.

What makes a good case study email subject line?

Strong subject lines highlight the core benefit achieved, use power words like “results” and “success story”, and create intrigue. Keep them scannable at under 50 characters.

How many case study emails should you send to a prospect?

Ideally nurture prospects with 4-6 relevant case study emails spaced over the buyer’s journey, along with persistent follow-up on each message.

What’s a good metric benchmark for case study emails?

Aim for open rates of 20-50% and CTRs over 2% at a minimum. Conversion rate targets depend on list quality.

How do you get customers to agree to a case study?

Offer incentives like discounts, improved services, or publicity. Present it as an opportunity to showcase leadership. Start by featuring your best relationships first.

What makes a good case study CTA?

CTAs should match prospect needs and clearly direct them to convert – like scheduling sales calls, requesting demos, or downloading content.

How do you promote case studies across channels?

Share case studies on your website, blog, ads, email, social media, at events, through PR, etc. Repurpose them widely.

Now let’s discuss helpful software and tools.

Tools and Software for Case Study Emails

The right tools and software make creating, sending, and tracking case study emails much easier. Let’s explore solutions to support your efforts.

Email Service Providers

Email service providers (ESPs) like MailChimp, Constant Contact, and Campaign Monitor provide core email marketing capabilities for building and sending case study emails.

Key ESP features include:

Easy Email Creation

Drag-and-drop editors to create professional emails with custom templates and branding .

Contact Management

Collect recipient contact info and group into segments for targeted messaging.

Automated Campaigns

Set up triggers and sequences to send drip campaigns and follow-ups.

Delivery Optimization

Tools to manage subscriber lists, authentication, and deliverability.

Reports on opens, clicks, bounces, and unsubscribes for optimization.

Split test different email content and formats for improvement.

Leading ESPs like MailChimp offer free and paid plans to accommodate needs.

Marketing Automation Platforms

More advanced marketing automation platforms (MAP) like HubSpot and Marketo supercharge case study email capabilities.

MAP benefits include:

CRM Integration

Unified databases centralize prospect/customer data for targeted messaging.

Lead Scoring

Automatically track interest levels to send matching case studies.

List Segmentation

Divide contacts into highly-specific lists and groups.

Visually map nurture programs and complex campaigns.

Landing Pages

Capture leads from case study emails with custom landing pages.

In-depth analytics on multi-touch attribution, conversions, and ROI.

MAPs require considerable investment but maximize results at scale.

Analytics and Tracking

Dedicated analytics platforms provide robust tracking and attribution.

Google Analytics

The gold standard for free email and website analytics. Track opens, clicks, location, devices, and more. Integrate with your ESP.

Specializes in tracking anonymous website traffic to tie back to email and ad campaigns.

Advanced analytics capabilities for web and mobile apps beyond Google Analytics.

Focuses on multi-touch attribution modeling across channels like email, paid social, and search.

Choose stand-alone or plug-in analytics based on your use case.

Syncing your CRM and email marketing provides a complete view of prospect interactions.

Industry-leading CRM integrates with all major ESPs and MAPs like Pardot.

Combines CRM, email, landing pages, and analytics on one connected platform.

Affordable CRM with native email marketing capabilities or ESP integrations.

CRM focused on visual pipelines pulls in email engagement data.

Choose a CRM with bi-directional ESP/MAP syncing to centralize data.

With the right technology combination, your case study email process can scale while providing visibility into what’s working. The technology options are plentiful – pick solutions tailored to your needs and budget.

Let’s wrap things up with some final thoughts.

Key Takeaways

Case study emails are a powerful tool to engage prospects and tip them towards becoming customers.

Here are the key lessons to create emails that convert:

• Define the problem – Explore the customer’s situation and struggles before your product. Use specifics and storytelling to build empathy.
• Explain your solution – Connect how your offering specifically addressed root causes and solved issues.
• Dazzle with results – Quantify the exact ROI, metrics improvements, and benefits gained after using your product.
• Leverage social proof – Weave in testimonials, recognizable logos, awards, and reviews for third-party credibility.
• Drive action with CTAs – Guide recipients into converting through strategic calls-to-action personalized to their needs.
• Research and personalize – Tailor messaging with individual prospect research, targeted use cases, and dynamic content.
• Schedule follow-ups – Persistently follow up at least 5-12 times via workflows and automation to boost conversions.
• A/B test and optimize – Try different approaches for subject lines, content, offers, and more to improve performance.
• Integrate with your funnel – Sync case study emails into your lead nurturing journeys for maximum impact.
• Fix deliverability issues – Authenticate your domain, maintain sender reputation, and monitor blacklists to ensure inboxing.
• Leverage visuals – Infographics, charts, screenshots, logos, and other visuals can boost engagement up to 200-300%.
• Promote everywhere – Extend case studies across your website, ads, blog, social media, sales collateral and more.

With a strategic approach, compelling examples, and persistence, case study emails can become one of your most valuable lead generation assets. Use the templates, strategies and tools in this guide to start showcasing your customer success stories effectively.

Business growth

Marketing tips

16 case study examples (+ 3 templates to make your own)

I like to think of case studies as a business's version of a resume. It highlights what the business can do, lends credibility to its offer, and contains only the positive bullet points that paint it in the best light possible.

Imagine if the guy running your favorite taco truck followed you home so that he could "really dig into how that burrito changed your life." I see the value in the practice. People naturally prefer a tried-and-true burrito just as they prefer tried-and-true products or services.

To help you showcase your success and flesh out your burrito questionnaire, I've put together some case study examples and key takeaways.

What is a case study?

A case study is an in-depth analysis of how your business, product, or service has helped past clients. It can be a document, a webpage, or a slide deck that showcases measurable, real-life results.

For example, if you're a SaaS company, you can analyze your customers' results after a few months of using your product to measure its effectiveness. You can then turn this analysis into a case study that further proves to potential customers what your product can do and how it can help them overcome their challenges.

It changes the narrative from "I promise that we can do X and Y for you" to "Here's what we've done for businesses like yours, and we can do it for you, too."

16 case study examples 

While most case studies follow the same structure, quite a few try to break the mold and create something unique. Some businesses lean heavily on design and presentation, while others pursue a detailed, stat-oriented approach. Some businesses try to mix both.

There's no set formula to follow, but I've found that the best case studies utilize impactful design to engage readers and leverage statistics and case details to drive the point home. A case study typically highlights the companies, the challenges, the solution, and the results. The examples below will help inspire you to do it, too.

1. .css-1l9i3yq-Link[class][class][class][class][class]{all:unset;box-sizing:border-box;-webkit-text-fill-color:currentColor;cursor:pointer;}.css-1l9i3yq-Link[class][class][class][class][class]{all:unset;box-sizing:border-box;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;cursor:pointer;-webkit-transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;outline-offset:1px;-webkit-text-fill-color:currentColor;outline:1px solid transparent;}.css-1l9i3yq-Link[class][class][class][class][class][data-color='ocean']{color:#3d4592;}.css-1l9i3yq-Link[class][class][class][class][class][data-color='ocean']:hover{color:#2b2358;}.css-1l9i3yq-Link[class][class][class][class][class][data-color='ocean']:focus{color:#3d4592;outline-color:#3d4592;}.css-1l9i3yq-Link[class][class][class][class][class][data-color='white']{color:#fffdf9;}.css-1l9i3yq-Link[class][class][class][class][class][data-color='white']:hover{color:#a8a5a0;}.css-1l9i3yq-Link[class][class][class][class][class][data-color='white']:focus{color:#fffdf9;outline-color:#fffdf9;}.css-1l9i3yq-Link[class][class][class][class][class][data-color='primary']{color:#3d4592;}.css-1l9i3yq-Link[class][class][class][class][class][data-color='primary']:hover{color:#2b2358;}.css-1l9i3yq-Link[class][class][class][class][class][data-color='primary']:focus{color:#3d4592;outline-color:#3d4592;}.css-1l9i3yq-Link[class][class][class][class][class][data-color='secondary']{color:#fffdf9;}.css-1l9i3yq-Link[class][class][class][class][class][data-color='secondary']:hover{color:#a8a5a0;}.css-1l9i3yq-Link[class][class][class][class][class][data-color='secondary']:focus{color:#fffdf9;outline-color:#fffdf9;}.css-1l9i3yq-Link[class][class][class][class][class][data-weight='inherit']{font-weight:inherit;}.css-1l9i3yq-Link[class][class][class][class][class][data-weight='normal']{font-weight:400;}.css-1l9i3yq-Link[class][class][class][class][class][data-weight='bold']{font-weight:700;} Volcanica Coffee and AdRoll

People love a good farm-to-table coffee story, and boy am I one of them. But I've shared this case study with you for more reasons than my love of coffee. I enjoyed this study because it was written as though it was a letter.

In this case study, the founder of Volcanica Coffee talks about the journey from founding the company to personally struggling with learning and applying digital marketing to finding and enlisting AdRoll's services.

It felt more authentic, less about AdRoll showcasing their worth and more like a testimonial from a grateful and appreciative client. After the story, the case study wraps up with successes, milestones, and achievements. Note that quite a few percentages are prominently displayed at the top, providing supporting evidence that backs up an inspiring story.

Takeaway: Highlight your goals and measurable results to draw the reader in and provide concise, easily digestible information.

2. Taylor Guitars and Airtable

This Airtable case study on Taylor Guitars comes as close as one can to an optimal structure. It features a video that represents the artistic nature of the client, highlighting key achievements and dissecting each element of Airtable's influence.

It also supplements each section with a testimonial or quote from the client, using their insights as a catalyst for the case study's narrative. For example, the case study quotes the social media manager and project manager's insights regarding team-wide communication and access before explaining in greater detail.

Takeaway: Highlight pain points your business solves for its client, and explore that influence in greater detail.

3. EndeavourX and Figma

My favorite part of Figma's case study is highlighting why EndeavourX chose its solution. You'll notice an entire section on what Figma does for teams and then specifically for EndeavourX.

It also places a heavy emphasis on numbers and stats. The study, as brief as it is, still manages to pack in a lot of compelling statistics about what's possible with Figma.

Takeaway: Showcase the "how" and "why" of your product's differentiators and how they benefit your customers.

4. ActiveCampaign and Zapier

Zapier's case study leans heavily on design, using graphics to present statistics and goals in a manner that not only remains consistent with the branding but also actively pushes it forward, drawing users' eyes to the information most important to them. 

The graphics, emphasis on branding elements, and cause/effect style tell the story without requiring long, drawn-out copy that risks boring readers. Instead, the cause and effect are concisely portrayed alongside the client company's information for a brief and easily scannable case study.

Takeaway: Lean on design to call attention to the most important elements of your case study, and make sure it stays consistent with your branding.

5. Ironclad and OpenAI

In true OpenAI fashion, this case study is a block of text. There's a distinct lack of imagery, but the study features a narrated video walking readers through the product.

The lack of imagery and color may not be the most inviting, but utilizing video format is commendable. It helps thoroughly communicate how OpenAI supported Ironclad in a way that allows the user to sit back, relax, listen, and be impressed. 

Takeaway: Get creative with the media you implement in your case study. Videos can be a very powerful addition when a case study requires more detailed storytelling.

6. Shopify and GitHub

GitHub's case study on Shopify is a light read. It addresses client pain points and discusses the different aspects its product considers and improves for clients. It touches on workflow issues, internal systems, automation, and security. It does a great job of representing what one company can do with GitHub.

To drive the point home, the case study features colorful quote callouts from the Shopify team, sharing their insights and perspectives on the partnership, the key issues, and how they were addressed.

Takeaway: Leverage quotes to boost the authoritativeness and trustworthiness of your case study. 

7 . Audible and Contentful

Contentful's case study on Audible features almost every element a case study should. It includes not one but two videos and clearly outlines the challenge, solution, and outcome before diving deeper into what Contentful did for Audible. The language is simple, and the writing is heavy with quotes and personal insights.

This case study is a uniquely original experience. The fact that the companies in question are perhaps two of the most creative brands out there may be the reason. I expected nothing short of a detailed analysis, a compelling story, and video content. 

Takeaway: Inject some brand voice into the case study, and create assets that tell the story for you.

8 . Zoom and Asana

Asana's case study on Zoom is longer than the average piece and features detailed data on Zoom's growth since 2020. Instead of relying on imagery and graphics, it features several quotes and testimonials. 

It's designed to be direct, informative, and promotional. At some point, the case study reads more like a feature list. There were a few sections that felt a tad too promotional for my liking, but to each their own burrito.

Takeaway: Maintain a balance between promotional and informative. You want to showcase the high-level goals your product helped achieve without losing the reader.

9 . Hickies and Mailchimp

I've always been a fan of Mailchimp's comic-like branding, and this case study does an excellent job of sticking to their tradition of making information easy to understand, casual, and inviting.

It features a short video that briefly covers Hickies as a company and Mailchimp's efforts to serve its needs for customer relationships and education processes. Overall, this case study is a concise overview of the partnership that manages to convey success data and tell a story at the same time. What sets it apart is that it does so in a uniquely colorful and brand-consistent manner.

Takeaway: Be concise to provide as much value in as little text as possible.

10. NVIDIA and Workday

The gaming industry is notoriously difficult to recruit for, as it requires a very specific set of skills and experience. This case study focuses on how Workday was able to help fill that recruitment gap for NVIDIA, one of the biggest names in the gaming world.

Though it doesn't feature videos or graphics, this case study stood out to me in how it structures information like "key products used" to give readers insight into which tools helped achieve these results.

Takeaway: If your company offers multiple products or services, outline exactly which ones were involved in your case study, so readers can assess each tool.

11. KFC and Contentful

I'm personally not a big KFC fan, but that's only because I refuse to eat out of a bucket. My aversion to the bucket format aside, Contentful follows its consistent case study format in this one, outlining challenges, solutions, and outcomes before diving into the nitty-gritty details of the project.

Say what you will about KFC, but their primary product (chicken) does present a unique opportunity for wordplay like "Continuing to march to the beat of a digital-first drum(stick)" or "Delivering deep-fried goodness to every channel."

Takeaway: Inject humor into your case study if there's room for it and if it fits your brand. 

12. Intuit and Twilio

Twilio does an excellent job of delivering achievements at the very beginning of the case study and going into detail in this two-minute read. While there aren't many graphics, the way quotes from the Intuit team are implemented adds a certain flair to the study and breaks up the sections nicely.

It's simple, concise, and manages to fit a lot of information in easily digestible sections.

Takeaway: Make sure each section is long enough to inform but brief enough to avoid boring readers. Break down information for each section, and don't go into so much detail that you lose the reader halfway through.

13. Spotify and Salesforce

Salesforce created a video that accurately summarizes the key points of the case study. Beyond that, the page itself is very light on content, and sections are as short as one paragraph.

I especially like how information is broken down into "What you need to know," "Why it matters," and "What the difference looks like." I'm not ashamed of being spoon-fed information. When it's structured so well and so simply, it makes for an entertaining read.

Takeaway: Invest in videos that capture and promote your partnership with your case study subject. Video content plays a promotional role that extends beyond the case study in social media and marketing initiatives .

14. Benchling and Airtable

Benchling is an impressive entity in its own right. Biotech R&D and health care nuances go right over my head. But the research and digging I've been doing in the name of these burritos (case studies) revealed that these products are immensely complex. 

And that's precisely why this case study deserves a read—it succeeds at explaining a complex project that readers outside the industry wouldn't know much about.

Takeaway: Simplify complex information, and walk readers through the company's operations and how your business helped streamline them.

15. Chipotle and Hubble

The concision of this case study is refreshing. It features two sections—the challenge and the solution—all in 316 words. This goes to show that your case study doesn't necessarily need to be a four-figure investment with video shoots and studio time. 

Sometimes, the message is simple and short enough to convey in a handful of paragraphs.

Takeaway: Consider what you should include instead of what you can include. Assess the time, resources, and effort you're able and willing to invest in a case study, and choose which elements you want to include from there.

16. Hudl and Zapier

I may be biased, but I'm a big fan of seeing metrics and achievements represented in branded graphics. It can be a jarring experience to navigate a website, then visit a case study page and feel as though you've gone to a completely different website.

The Zapier format provides nuggets of high-level insights, milestones, and achievements, as well as the challenge, solution, and results. My favorite part of this case study is how it's supplemented with a blog post detailing how Hudl uses Zapier automation to build a seamless user experience.

The case study is essentially the summary, and the blog article is the detailed analysis that provides context beyond X achievement or Y goal.

Takeaway: Keep your case study concise and informative. Create other resources to provide context under your blog, media or press, and product pages.

3 case study templates

Now that you've had your fill of case studies (if that's possible), I've got just what you need: an infinite number of case studies, which you can create yourself with these case study templates.

Case study template 1

If you've got a quick hit of stats you want to show off, try this template. The opening section gives space for a short summary and three visually appealing stats you can highlight, followed by a headline and body where you can break the case study down more thoroughly. This one's pretty simple, with only sections for solutions and results, but you can easily continue the formatting to add more sections as needed.

Case study template 2

For a case study template with a little more detail, use this one. Opening with a striking cover page for a quick overview, this one goes on to include context, stakeholders, challenges, multiple quote callouts, and quick-hit stats. 

Case study template 3

Whether you want a little structural variation or just like a nice dark green, this template has similar components to the last template but is designed to help tell a story. Move from the client overview through a description of your company before getting to the details of how you fixed said company's problems.

Tips for writing a case study

Examples are all well and good, but you don't learn how to make a burrito just by watching tutorials on YouTube without knowing what any of the ingredients are. You could , but it probably wouldn't be all that good.

Writing a good case study comes down to a mix of creativity, branding, and the capacity to invest in the project. With those details in mind, here are some case study tips to follow:

Have an objective: Define your objective by identifying the challenge, solution, and results. Assess your work with the client and focus on the most prominent wins. You're speaking to multiple businesses and industries through the case study, so make sure you know what you want to say to them.

Focus on persuasive data: Growth percentages and measurable results are your best friends. Extract your most compelling data and highlight it in your case study.

Use eye-grabbing graphics: Branded design goes a long way in accurately representing your brand and retaining readers as they review the study. Leverage unique and eye-catching graphics to keep readers engaged. 

Simplify data presentation: Some industries are more complex than others, and sometimes, data can be difficult to understand at a glance. Make sure you present your data in the simplest way possible. Make it concise, informative, and easy to understand.

Use automation to drive results for your case study

A case study example is a source of inspiration you can leverage to determine how to best position your brand's work. Find your unique angle, and refine it over time to help your business stand out. Ask anyone: the best burrito in town doesn't just appear at the number one spot. They find their angle (usually the house sauce) and leverage it to stand out.

In fact, with the right technology, it can be refined to work better . Explore how Zapier's automation features can help drive results for your case study by making your case study a part of a developed workflow that creates a user journey through your website, your case studies, and into the pipeline.

Case study FAQ

Got your case study template? Great—it's time to gather the team for an awkward semi-vague data collection task. While you do that, here are some case study quick answers for you to skim through while you contemplate what to call your team meeting.

What is an example of a case study?

An example of a case study is when a software company analyzes its results from a client project and creates a webpage, presentation, or document that focuses on high-level results, challenges, and solutions in an attempt to showcase effectiveness and promote the software.

How do you write a case study?

To write a good case study, you should have an objective, identify persuasive and compelling data, leverage graphics, and simplify data. Case studies typically include an analysis of the challenge, solution, and results of the partnership.

What is the format of a case study?

While case studies don't have a set format, they're often portrayed as reports or essays that inform readers about the partnership and its results. 

Related reading:

How Hudl uses automation to create a seamless user experience

How to make your case studies high-stakes—and why it matters

How experts write case studies that convert, not bore

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Hachem Ramki

Hachem is a writer and digital marketer from Montreal. After graduating with a degree in English, Hachem spent seven years traveling around the world before moving to Canada. When he's not writing, he enjoys Basketball, Dungeons and Dragons, and playing music for friends and family.

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How To Write A Case Study [Template plus 20+ Examples]

In an era where every niche seems completely saturated, learning how to write a case study is one of the most important time investments you can make in your business.

That’s because case studies help you present a compelling story of success to bottom-of–funnel decision makers. Do it right, and a solid case study can greatly increase your chances of closing new deals.

A 2023 study from the Content Marketing Institute found that 36% of B2B marketers consider case studies to be effective tools for converting prospects into customers.

In this article, I’ll show you step-by-step exactly how to write a case study that makes an impact. Along the way, I’ll highlight several stellar case studies that illustrate how to do it right.

What you will learn

• What a case study is and what it's not.
• How an effective case study can help establish you as an expert and land more clients.
• How to choose the right topic for your case study, taking into account client successes and broad appeal in your customer's industry.
• The essential parts of a good case study and how to write each one.
• Style and formatting points that will make your case study stand out for readers to understand.
• 4 tips for conducting an effective client interview.
• 6 real-life case studies that you can use as examples for creating your own customer stories.

What is a case study?

A case study is a detailed story about how your products or services helped a client overcome a challenge or meet a goal. Its main purpose is to prove to potential customers that you understand their problems and have the experience and expertise to help solve them.

But, even though a case study can help you attract and win customers, it's not just an advertisement for your offerings.

In truth, your company shouldn’t even be the main focus of a good case study.

Instead, a winning case study follows a successful business transformation from beginning to end and shows how you made it all possible for your client.

An example of a case study that conveys a strong customer story is the deep dive we did into how ClickUp used SurferSEO to boost their blog traffic by 85% in a year.

Why you should write a case study

The most obvious reason why you should write a case study is that it's a great way to show potential customers how others in their position have benefited from your product or service.

Here are a few of the key benefits of writing a case study, all of which can help you turn readers into customers.

Demonstrates expertise 

A well-written case study shows clearly how your company solved a complex problem or helped a particular customer make improvements using your solution.

This is the sort of expertise other potential clients will look for when they run into the same sort of issues.

For instance, one of CrowdStrike's case studies shows how they helped Vijilan scale its logging capacity so they could stop turning away business.

This positions CrowdStrike as experts in helping deal with log management issues.

Other companies dealing with their own logging problems will definitely find this to be a compelling story. And you can bet CrowdStrike will be on their short list of potential solution providers after reading this case study.

Educates potential customers 

You might have the best product on the market, but it won't do you any good if potential clients don't understand how it might help them.

A case study breaks down those barriers by showing real-life examples of your product in action, helping other customers solve their problems.

A good example is the Trello case study library .

Each story gives detailed examples showing how the customer uses Trello and includes actual screenshots from their workflows.

Here is an interesting snapshot from the BurgerFi example.

Here, you get a glimpse of a live Trello board that BurgerFi uses to manage their marketing assets.

By showing how existing clients use your product, you make it a lot easier for future customers to imagine how it might work for their needs, too.

Generates leads 

A strong case study is a valuable piece of content that provides insights and can help companies make decisions.

Many of them would be happy to give you their contact information in exchange for the chance to read about potential solutions to their problems.

That combination of valuable content and a hungry market makes case studies great tools for lead generation.

You can either gate part of your case study and leave the rest of it public, or require an email address and other contact information in order to download the full study.

That's the approach Pulsara took in detailing how their telehealth communication platform helped EvergreenHealth improve efficiency:

The names and addresses you collect with this approach will be about as warm as you could ever hope for since they probably have the same sort of problems you solved in your case study.

Along the same lines, case studies can be extremely effective in upselling or cross-selling other products to the decision-makers who read them.

And they are great tools for persuading a client to make a purchase with you.

Indeed, a great case study can often be the "final straw" that lands you a client considering your services.

A 2023 survey by Uplift Content , for example, found that 39% of SaaS marketers ranked case studies as being very effective for increasing sales.

That made it their #1 tactic for the second year in a row.

Builds trust 

Potential clients want to know that they can trust you to handle their business with care and to deliver on your promises.

A case study is the perfect vehicle to show that you can do just that.

Take advantage of that opportunity to present statistics, client testimonials, graphics, and any other proof that you can get results.

For example, in their case study about helping a law firm uncover critical data for a tricky case, Kroll shows us just how much they were able to cut through the noise:

Any law firm staring at its own pile of documents to search through would love to have that haystack reduced by a factor of 32.5x, too.

And Sodexo makes good use of customer testimonials in their case studies, like this quote from the procurement lead for a Montana mining company.

Having existing customers tell the world that they count on you is powerful free advertising and builds trust with your readers. That can help transform them into customers down the road.

Provides social proof 

You can also use your case study to show that your product or service works in a specific industry.

Real-world examples of customer success stories position you as someone their peers and competitors can turn to, too.

For instance, Stericycle details how they helped seven children's hospitals get a handle on their "sharps" management:

They also include glowing quotes from hospital leaders in the same study.

Other hospitals looking for help in disposing of their hazardous waste will know right away after reading this study that Stericycle understands their needs.

This is the type of social proof that can really help establish you as a go-to solution for the industries you serve.

How to choose a subject for your case study

In order to get the most bang for your buck from your case study, you need to make sure you pick a topic that resonates with your target audience. And one that can make your solution look its best.

Below are 4 ways to select the best subject for your case study.

1. Choose a popular topic

Make sure the topic you tackle in your case study is one that most of your potential clients are searching for.

You may be tempted to highlight an unusual project that you find especially interesting. But that usually won't have the same sort of selling power as a topic with more broad appeal.

For instance, Aruba Networks has helped colleges and universities with all sorts of networking projects. Some of those involve really fascinating edge cases like research labs, esports arenas, and other innovative solutions.

But what most schools are looking for in a network upgrade is improving connectivity across campus while enhancing security and saving money.

Those are exactly the outcomes Aruba focuses on in its Doane University case study .

Remember that your case study is likely to be read by decision-makers at the bottom of the sales funnel who are ready to buy.

Your content needs to resonate with them and address the questions they want answered in order to make their decision.

Aruba tackles their customers' concerns head-on throughout the Doane study, as you can see from their section headings:

• "Realizing a hyper-connected vision"
• "10X throughput eliminates academic barriers"
• "More secure with less effort"
• "Greener and more resilient at better insurance rates"

College administrators can see at a glance that Aruba understands their needs and has helped other institutions with similar problems.

2. Consider relevance and attractiveness

Although you want to choose a popular subject for your case study (as discussed above), it's also important to make sure it's relevant to your target audience.

For instance, if you provide design services, a one-off project you did to help a local company set up its website might have taught you a lot. But most of your potential readers will be much more interested in reading about how your designs helped that client improve brand perception.

It’s also best to choose a situation where your product or service is used in a way that you expect most potential users to adopt. 

For example, Allegion's Mount Holyoke case study (PDF) details how one campus used their products to move to contactless and mobile entry systems.

Students today demand more control over their physical security than ever before. And the administrative overhead of managing thousands of doors and physical keys on a college campus is enormous.

As a result, most schools are interested in using technology to enable their students and reduce staffing costs.

Allegion hits those points dead-on with this case study.

An added benefit of choosing a topic with broad appeal among your target client base is that you can use the content in your normal distribution channels.

For example, you can publish all or part of it as a blog post, include it in your newsletter, or use it as the basis for a YouTube video. Wherever your audience is, that's probably a good place to promote your case study.

3. Identify a 5 star use case

A case study is like a sales executive for your company.

It needs to show your product or service in the best possible light and highlight its features and benefits while distinguishing it from other products.

Choose a client example that really makes your solution look like a superstar and showcases its most outstanding attributes.

You should also avoid showing your product or service being used in a novel or completely innovative way. While that can provide some solid insight, you risk alienating your typical client who needs to know that you can solve their specific problem.

Instead, your case study should demonstrate how your solution took on a common industry problem and delivered stellar results.

A great example is Beckman Coulter's case study that details their work with Alverno Labs.

The objective was to reduce the time it took Alverno to deliver lab test results while reducing operating costs, which are common goals for many testing labs.

The case study presents a detailed description of how Beckman Coulter implemented a continuous improvement process for Alverno. They enhance the discussion with several meaty visuals like this project roadmap:

They also include plenty of tangible data to prove their success.

And of course, include direct client testimonials:

From top to bottom, this case study proves that Beckman Coulter understands their customers business needs and can offer top-notch solutions.

4. Find a satisfied customer

You're going to need input from your client in order to build the most complete and accurate case study that you can.

So when you're trying to choose a customer story to use, look for a client who is happy to share their positive experience working with you.

Try to find one who seems genuinely eager to talk so that they will be timely with their responses to your questions.

If you have a customer who is willing to sit down for an actual interview with you, they're a great candidate. You'll get answers quickly, and the client is obviously comfortable enough with your relationship to talk with you directly.

A good example that focuses on a satisfied client comes from Aerofloat, an Australian wastewater treatment company.

In their Norco Food Case Study , Aerofloat reports that Norco hired them for additional projects as a result of their successful prior engagement:

It's always good to show prospective clients that your existing customers stick with you.

So try to pick a case study done in collaboration with a current client, not one from the past.

Aerofloat also highlights their ongoing relationship with Norco by also including them in the customer list on their About page:

How to write a case study

Now that we’ve covered the benefits of writing a case study and figured out how to pick the best topic for your situation, it’s time to get down to the business of writing.

Below is a rundown of the sections that make up the structure of a typical case study. For each piece, I’ll show you what types of content you should include and give you an example of a study that does it right.

Here are 8 tips to writing a case study.

1. Attention grabbing title

The title of your case study needs to grab potential readers attention and convince them that this is a valuable piece of content.

Make your title catchy, concise, and descriptive, just like you would for a good blog post. But you also need to make sure you give your readers a clear idea of what the case study is about.

Offer them at least a hint of the type of results you were able to deliver, too.

It’s a good idea to use numbers here – the higher, the better. It's especially effective if you can show how quickly you got results and how much money your client saved or made as a result of working with you.

Our ClickUp case study that I mentioned earlier is a good example. The full title is

SurferSEO Helps ClickUp Publish 150+ Articles And Achieve Blog Traffic Growth of 85% in 12 Months.

Here are some other case studies that make effective use of numbers in their titles:

• Healthcare Administrative Partners Increases Online Patient Payments by 20% in Two Months
• Case Study: Taylor Kotwa, Sprinter, Increases FTP 7% in 4 months
• Case Study: Lakeview Farms Reduced Downtime by 36% in 6 Months
• CASELY case study: Improved first response time by 10x while experiencing 16,954% growth

This type of headline gives potential clients a sense that you will work with urgency to improve their bottom-line results.

2. Hook readers in your introduction

The introduction of your case study should set the stage for the comprehensive narrative that follows.

Give a brief description of the problem for context and quickly introduce the customer's story. Touch on the results you helped them achieve, but don't go overboard on details.

Overall, the introduction should give your reader just enough information to keep them engaged and ready to move into the heart of the case study.

It should also establish that they're in the right place and that you are the right person to be telling this story.

This case study about the cybersecurity program at Investors Bank includes a solid example of an effective introduction:

3. Highlight the challenge

This section should clearly outline the problem or challenge that your customer is facing.

Help your readers understand why a solution was necessary, and why that specific pain point was bothering the client. 

And, since this is the entire motivation for the project in the first place, don't skimp on details.

For instance, one of Verkada's case studies explains why maintaining security cameras is a huge challenge for Crystal Mountain Resort in Washington state. They start off with a direct quote from the resort's IT director:

The elevation tops out at a little over 7,000 feet, so the weather conditions can get extreme. We needed durable cameras capable of handling everything from snowstorms to 100 MPH winds.

That makes it crystal clear what sort of problem Crystal Mountain was facing.

The case study then adds more detail with separate subsections about hardware durability, image quality, and cumbersome footage retrieval.

By the time they finish reading this section, your readers should have no doubt about what the problem is and why a solution is needed.

4. Solve their problem

The solution section is one of the most important parts of a case study.

This is your chance to describe how your product or service provided a solution to the problem or challenge your client was having.

It's where you can really start to make a connection with potential new clients by showing them that you understand the issue at hand.

First, provide some details about how you analyzed the situation. The Kroll case study on handling critical legal data mentioned earlier does a great job of this with bullet points describing their research process.

This type of analysis helps build confidence that you take a thorough approach to your engagements and are looking out for your clients best interests.

Now you can move on to describe the solution you and your client chose based on your investigation.

In their legal case study, Kroll determined that the best solution involved digitizing thousands of paper documents and using AI to analyze more than a million documents.

Kroll describes in detail how they used their RelativityOne system to achieve those goals:

This level of detail helps prospective customers better understand the root cause of their problems and positions you as the right company to solve them.

5. Showcase your results

The results section is all about proving that you can actually deliver on the promise of your proposed solution. Go heavy on the details here, too, and make sure your readers understand the results you achieved.

Wherever possible, use specific numbers and data points to show exactly how effective your solution was for your client.

A good example is this BetterBricks case study showing how they helped an aerospace company slash energy costs.

They distilled their bottom line results into a simple table:

The text of the study then goes into more detail about what these numbers mean, but this quick graphic lets readers know right away the scope of the results achieved.

Here is a sampling of BetterBrick’s more detailed explanation of their results in this case:

This is your place to really crow about the success you achieved with your client, so make it as obvious as possible just how impactful you were.

6. Use multimedia well

One way to make a lasting impression on potential clients is to include relevant visuals throughout your case study.

Graphs, screenshots, and product photos help break up the text and make your study more engaging overall.

But they can also add details to your story and make a memorable visual impact beyond what mere words can accomplish.

We got a taste of that with the table of results in the BetterBricks example above, but that's just the start.

Inrix is a good example of a company that loads up its case studies with insightful and engaging media to tell a better story.

For instance, in their breakdown of a collaboration with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (DOT), Inrix uses charts, tables, and graphs throughout.

One innovative example is this diagram about crash distances:

This really brings the idea to life in a way that words alone can't, and it's likely to stick with readers long after they've clicked off the case study.

Other types of media that companies use to good effect in their case studies include pictures of key client stakeholders, interactive charts, tables, and simple graphs.

You can see in this high-level overview that Inrix includes most of these in their Pennsylvania DOT case study:

You can even use video to demonstrate your solution or to share a client testimonial.

If possible, include direct quotes from your client to add authenticity to the case study.

This will show potential customers that you and your existing client have a good relationship and that they value your work.

It’s pretty compelling stuff to have a ringing endorsement like this one from an EnergyCAP case study , to show your readers:

You can place customer quotes throughout the case study to highlight important points, and you should definitely try to include at least one that shows overall customer satisfaction.

Chances are you have some of these quotes already in the form of testimonials or as part of the customer interview you conducted in preparing for your case study (more on that later).

You can use those quotes here if they fit the context of your case study.

That will save time and red tape for both you and your client since they'll be reviewing your final case study before it goes live anyway.

8. Conclusion

The conclusion should summarize the key points of the case study and reinforce the success of the solution. It could also include a call to action, encouraging readers to try your product or service or to get in touch for more information.

You might also include information about future plans with the client to reinforce the idea that your relationship is strong and ongoing.

That's the approach that Gravitate Design used in their case study about helping GoBeyond with their bounce rates and time on page:

Like the introduction, the conclusion section of a case study should be short and sweet, giving just enough detail to make the reader want to hear more from you.

Checklist for case studies

Beyond the story that you want to tell in your case study, you also need to pay attention to several other factors. Indeed, the layout and format of your study can have a big impact on how effective it is at keeping your readers engaged and delivering your message.

Here is a quick checklist for creating case studies.

Break up the text with headings and subheadings

Big blocks of text can be intimidating and make it tough for your audience to stay on track.

In contrast, a case study with clear headings and subheadings throughout breaks up the story and gives readers visual clues about what's coming.

This also makes the case study easier for readers to scan and helps you keep each section focused on a single idea.

Use bullet points for lists or key points

Along the same lines, bullet points let you present important information in small bits that are easy for readers to digest.

Some of the best uses of bullet points include:

• A series of facts or tips
• A list of product features or benefits
• A quick summary of results
• Steps in a how-to procedure
• A rundown of multiple statistics

For these bite-sized hunks of detail, bullets often make for a much cleaner and readable list than jamming all the information into a single paragraph. 

Bullet point lists also make great quick references for readers to come back to later.

Highlight key points with bold or italic text

Bold and italic text draws the reader’s eyes to the words you highlight, which lets you really drive home key ideas in your case study.

You can use this technique to introduce new terms, place emphasis on a sentence, and showcase important parts of your approach or results.

Like bullet points, bold and italic text also give readers a visual anchor for reference as they’re working through your document.

Make paragraphs short and to-the-point

Aim for 3-4 sentences per paragraph to keep the text readable and engaging. Each paragraph should focus on one main idea to support the subject of the section it’s in.

Using short paragraphs tells readers at a glance that there are break points throughout your case study and helps keep them engaged.

Keep consistent length across the case study 

Throughout all parts of your case study, try to cover your main points in detail without overwhelming the reader.

Your potential clients are there to find a possible solution to their problems, not to read a novel.

Give them an inviting document structure and then lead them through each section with clear explanations and no fluff.

Adjust the length based on the complexity of the subject 

The flip side of the tip above about keeping your case study tight and focused is that you need to make sure you cover your topic in detail.

Very complex topics will require more explanation and longer overall case studies than simpler subjects.

For example, a case study about paving a church parking lot might be pretty short.

But a story about implementing a comprehensive information security program for a state government will likely be much longer and more detailed.

Include a summary with some takeaways 

At the end of your case study, summarize the key takeaways and results to reinforce the message you’re trying to get across.

Briefly recap the problem your client was facing, the solution you came up with, and the results you achieved. Think of this as an executive summary that gives business leaders the TL;DR version of your customer’s success story.

Content Snare includes an eye-catching summary in the case study detailing their efforts to grow their email list:

The overall goal is to leave potential clients with a good last impression and invite them to contact you with questions.

Use visuals to break up text and illustrate points

As we saw in the "How to write a case study" section above, graphs, charts, or images can make your case study more engaging and help illustrate key ideas or results. They also add visual variety and help break up the monotony of text-heavy studies.

Use these types of visuals to help keep your readers interested and make your story more complete.

Below is a high-level view of a portion of Advanced HPC’s Philips case study , which does a great job of incorporating the points in this section. It pulls together all the visual elements to create a very appealing reader experience.

4 tips to create an effective case study

You’re going to need your customer’s input in order to craft the most effective case study possible. It’s their story, after all, and they’re the ones who know what it was like to work with you throughout the process.

They also hold key details that you probably don’t know.

So, once you have their permission to write about the project, you’ll need to talk to them about the specifics. But you also want to respect their time.

Here are 4 tips on how to conduct an interview for your case study.

Prepare questions in advance

Know what information you need and prepare questions to pull that information from your client.

Doing this in advance will help you formulate the questions and sequence them properly to avoid bias and wasting time.

Have a few follow-up or emergency questions ready, too, in case you run into a dead end. 

Record the interview

With your client’s permission, record the interview to ensure accuracy and so you can come back to listen to important points again.

This helps you avoid bothering your clients with follow-up questions and also gives you more freedom to let the interview evolve in a natural conversational manner. 

Make the interviewee comfortable

Explain the interview process to your client, why you're asking them to talk, and how the information will be used. Remember that you are the one who “needs” the case study, not them. 

So you go the extra mile to ensure that your guest is as comfortable as possible.

That also means being flexible with the format of your interview.

If your client doesn’t have time for calls, offer to trade voice notes. Or give them a shared Google document for trading questions and answers.

And if you do end up conducting a live interview, agree to meet at a time that’s best for them.

No matter how you end up conducting your interview, make it clear that your client will be able to review the final version before you make it live.

Give them veto power over any of the information you put together.

Ask open-ended questions

Even though you’ll start out with a series of questions you need answered, don’t limit yourself to those. Instead, encourage your interviewee to share their story in their own words. 

Leave some room to ask open-ended questions and let the conversation evolve naturally.

Here are a few examples of the types of questions for discussion:

• What would you do differently if you were starting this project again?
• What do you think about XYZ emerging technology in relation to your industry's challenges?
• What sorts of other projects do you think Acme's solution might help with?
• How do your company's day-to-day operations and needs from how the relevant theories describe the industry?

Especially if you’re recording the interview, as suggested above, you can go back later and put things in a logical order.

Once you have all of the raw material, then you can curate the information and edit it to come up with your final product.

6 case study examples to follow

Now that you know what makes a great case study and how to write one, let's finish up with a few more top-notch business case study examples.

Each of the case studies below hits many of the points in this article, but they all take a different approach. Use them for inspiration or when you need a little refresher on how to write a case study.

This case study provides a detailed account of how Monograph, a B2B SaaS company, improved its marketing projects and reporting using Databox.

It's a pretty straightforward example of the best practices we've discussed in this article, with an introduction followed by background information on the company (Monograph) and the challenges they faced with manual tracking of each data point.

It describes the solution that Databox helped put in place and then shows clear evidence of the results their customer achieved:

Case studies don't come much more textbook than this one, which makes it a great example to follow.

Growth Design on Airbnb

Growth Design takes a totally unique approach to case studies, each one is an online comic book!

Read through their case study about Airbnb , though, and you'll see that it meets all the criteria for a complete case study even if the setup is a little different than most.

Here is a look at the landing page for this beauty of a study.

The author starts out with a problem: the need to book a place to stay in a foreign country in a hurry. So he heads to Airbnb but ends up overwhelmed by choices and bounces to Google Maps to make his reservation.

He concludes that Airbnb was not the full solution for him in this case and suggests several places they could make improvements.

It's a pretty neat dive into a well-known user experience, and it's also a great lesson in how to use visuals to keep your readers engaged in your case study.

This case study about how Grubhub used Webflow to build a viral marketing campaign hits you with stunning results right off the bat.

From there, the study tells the full story of how they achieved these results. Even though the author doesn't explicitly break out the problem, solution, and results sections, she still takes the reader through that journey.

It's a concise but complete story broken up by a few choice graphics.

This case study dives into how Employment Hero uses Slack to keep their remote employees engaged and productive as the company grows.

It details how Employee Hero continuously reevaluates its app usage to identify possible solutions to issues that arise and how Slack consistently helps meet the challenges.

This case study is a great example of picking a use case that is relevant to most of Slack's user base -- improving communication and productivity among remote employees.

Slack also makes effective use of quotes from the decision makers at Employment Hero.

We already talked about our ClickUp case study a little earlier in this article, but it's worth a deeper look as an example to help guide your writing.

As you would expect, this case study hits main points we've covered here: problem statement, solution, and results.

But there are a couple of "extras" that make this one stand out.

For starters, it doesn't just present a single solution. It presents three , each one addressing a different aspect of ClickUp's objectives and each one showcasing a different Surfer feature set. 

For example, solution #1 describes how ClickUp improved their on-page SEO with the help of Surfer’s Content Editor . 

This case study also provides a high-level view of ClickUp’s project management processes and describes how they incorporated Surfer into their content workflows.

It’s a really instructive example of how you can use a case study to help prospective clients envision how your product might fit their situation.

Zoom’s library

This one isn't a single case study at all but a library full of case studies designed to help potential clients understand how Zoom can benefit them.

Here you'll find stories about how very recognizable organizations like Capital One, Vox Media, and the University of Miami are using Zoom to boost connectivity and productivity among remote workers.

There are plenty of good examples here that you can consult when you get stuck writing your own case study.

And the entire library is a great example of using case studies to demonstrate expertise with the help of social proof:

The Zoom case study library also makes liberal use of video, which might give you some good ideas about how you can, too.

Key takeaways

• Case studies are one of the best ways to generate leads and convert readers into customers.
• By showcasing the success you've had helping previous customers, case studies position you as an expert in your field.
• Good case studies can be the final push businesses need in their decision making process to buy your products or services.
• Pick a use case for your study that has broad appeal in your industry and that showcases your products and services in the best light possible.
• Effective case studies follow a predictable format: introduction, problem statement, solution, results, and conclusion.
• Make your case studies as readable as possible by including visual elements like graphs and images, and by breaking up the text into smaller sections, subsections, and concise paragraphs.
• Be as thorough and accurate as possible by conducting client interviews to gather background information for your case studies.
• Follow top-notch case studies for inspiration and ideas about how to make your own case studies as good as possible.

A well-written case study shines a light on your products and services like nothing else and helps position you as an expert in your field.

By showing that you understand their problems and have helped others overcome similar issues, you can prove to prospective clients that you are well-suited to help them, too.

Use the step-by-step instructions in this article to craft a case study that helps you and your company stand out from the competition.

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All You Wanted to Know About How to Write a Case Study

What do you study in your college? If you are a psychology, sociology, or anthropology student, we bet you might be familiar with what a case study is. This research method is used to study a certain person, group, or situation. In this guide from our dissertation writing service , you will learn how to write a case study professionally, from researching to citing sources properly. Also, we will explore different types of case studies and show you examples — so that you won’t have any other questions left.

What Is a Case Study?

A case study is a subcategory of research design which investigates problems and offers solutions. Case studies can range from academic research studies to corporate promotional tools trying to sell an idea—their scope is quite vast.

What Is the Difference Between a Research Paper and a Case Study?

While research papers turn the reader’s attention to a certain problem, case studies go even further. Case study guidelines require students to pay attention to details, examining issues closely and in-depth using different research methods. For example, case studies may be used to examine court cases if you study Law, or a patient's health history if you study Medicine. Case studies are also used in Marketing, which are thorough, empirically supported analysis of a good or service's performance. Well-designed case studies can be valuable for prospective customers as they can identify and solve the potential customers pain point.

Case studies involve a lot of storytelling – they usually examine particular cases for a person or a group of people. This method of research is very helpful, as it is very practical and can give a lot of hands-on information. Most commonly, the length of the case study is about 500-900 words, which is much less than the length of an average research paper.

The structure of a case study is very similar to storytelling. It has a protagonist or main character, which in your case is actually a problem you are trying to solve. You can use the system of 3 Acts to make it a compelling story. It should have an introduction, rising action, a climax where transformation occurs, falling action, and a solution.

Here is a rough formula for you to use in your case study:

Problem (Act I): > Solution (Act II) > Result (Act III) > Conclusion.

Types of Case Studies

The purpose of a case study is to provide detailed reports on an event, an institution, a place, future customers, or pretty much anything. There are a few common types of case study, but the type depends on the topic. The following are the most common domains where case studies are needed:

• Historical case studies are great to learn from. Historical events have a multitude of source info offering different perspectives. There are always modern parallels where these perspectives can be applied, compared, and thoroughly analyzed.
• Problem-oriented case studies are usually used for solving problems. These are often assigned as theoretical situations where you need to immerse yourself in the situation to examine it. Imagine you’re working for a startup and you’ve just noticed a significant flaw in your product’s design. Before taking it to the senior manager, you want to do a comprehensive study on the issue and provide solutions. On a greater scale, problem-oriented case studies are a vital part of relevant socio-economic discussions.
• Cumulative case studies collect information and offer comparisons. In business, case studies are often used to tell people about the value of a product.
• Critical case studies explore the causes and effects of a certain case.
• Illustrative case studies describe certain events, investigating outcomes and lessons learned.

Need a compelling case study? EssayPro has got you covered. Our experts are ready to provide you with detailed, insightful case studies that capture the essence of real-world scenarios. Elevate your academic work with our professional assistance.

Case Study Format

The case study format is typically made up of eight parts:

• Executive Summary. Explain what you will examine in the case study. Write an overview of the field you’re researching. Make a thesis statement and sum up the results of your observation in a maximum of 2 sentences.
• Background. Provide background information and the most relevant facts. Isolate the issues.
• Case Evaluation. Isolate the sections of the study you want to focus on. In it, explain why something is working or is not working.
• Proposed Solutions. Offer realistic ways to solve what isn’t working or how to improve its current condition. Explain why these solutions work by offering testable evidence.
• Conclusion. Summarize the main points from the case evaluations and proposed solutions. 6. Recommendations. Talk about the strategy that you should choose. Explain why this choice is the most appropriate.
• Implementation. Explain how to put the specific strategies into action.
• References. Provide all the citations.

How to Write a Case Study

Let's discover how to write a case study.

Setting Up the Research

When writing a case study, remember that research should always come first. Reading many different sources and analyzing other points of view will help you come up with more creative solutions. You can also conduct an actual interview to thoroughly investigate the customer story that you'll need for your case study. Including all of the necessary research, writing a case study may take some time. The research process involves doing the following:

• Define your objective. Explain the reason why you’re presenting your subject. Figure out where you will feature your case study; whether it is written, on video, shown as an infographic, streamed as a podcast, etc.
• Determine who will be the right candidate for your case study. Get permission, quotes, and other features that will make your case study effective. Get in touch with your candidate to see if they approve of being part of your work. Study that candidate’s situation and note down what caused it.
• Identify which various consequences could result from the situation. Follow these guidelines on how to start a case study: surf the net to find some general information you might find useful.
• Make a list of credible sources and examine them. Seek out important facts and highlight problems. Always write down your ideas and make sure to brainstorm.
• Focus on several key issues – why they exist, and how they impact your research subject. Think of several unique solutions. Draw from class discussions, readings, and personal experience. When writing a case study, focus on the best solution and explore it in depth. After having all your research in place, writing a case study will be easy. You may first want to check the rubric and criteria of your assignment for the correct case study structure.

Read Also: ' WHAT IS A CREDIBLE SOURCES ?'

Although your instructor might be looking at slightly different criteria, every case study rubric essentially has the same standards. Your professor will want you to exhibit 8 different outcomes:

• Correctly identify the concepts, theories, and practices in the discipline.
• Identify the relevant theories and principles associated with the particular study.
• Evaluate legal and ethical principles and apply them to your decision-making.
• Recognize the global importance and contribution of your case.
• Construct a coherent summary and explanation of the study.
• Demonstrate analytical and critical-thinking skills.
• Explain the interrelationships between the environment and nature.
• Integrate theory and practice of the discipline within the analysis.

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Case Study Outline

Let's look at the structure of an outline based on the issue of the alcoholic addiction of 30 people.

Introduction

• Statement of the issue: Alcoholism is a disease rather than a weakness of character.
• Presentation of the problem: Alcoholism is affecting more than 14 million people in the USA, which makes it the third most common mental illness there.
• Explanation of the terms: In the past, alcoholism was commonly referred to as alcohol dependence or alcohol addiction. Alcoholism is now the more severe stage of this addiction in the disorder spectrum.
• Hypotheses: Drinking in excess can lead to the use of other drugs.
• Importance of your story: How the information you present can help people with their addictions.
• Background of the story: Include an explanation of why you chose this topic.
• Presentation of analysis and data: Describe the criteria for choosing 30 candidates, the structure of the interview, and the outcomes.
• Strong argument 1: ex. X% of candidates dealing with anxiety and depression...
• Strong argument 2: ex. X amount of people started drinking by their mid-teens.
• Strong argument 3: ex. X% of respondents’ parents had issues with alcohol.
• Concluding statement: I have researched if alcoholism is a disease and found out that…
• Recommendations: Ways and actions for preventing alcohol use.

Writing a Case Study Draft

After you’ve done your case study research and written the outline, it’s time to focus on the draft. In a draft, you have to develop and write your case study by using: the data which you collected throughout the research, interviews, and the analysis processes that were undertaken. Follow these rules for the draft:

• Your draft should contain at least 4 sections: an introduction; a body where you should include background information, an explanation of why you decided to do this case study, and a presentation of your main findings; a conclusion where you present data; and references.
• In the introduction, you should set the pace very clearly. You can even raise a question or quote someone you interviewed in the research phase. It must provide adequate background information on the topic. The background may include analyses of previous studies on your topic. Include the aim of your case here as well. Think of it as a thesis statement. The aim must describe the purpose of your work—presenting the issues that you want to tackle. Include background information, such as photos or videos you used when doing the research.
• Describe your unique research process, whether it was through interviews, observations, academic journals, etc. The next point includes providing the results of your research. Tell the audience what you found out. Why is this important, and what could be learned from it? Discuss the real implications of the problem and its significance in the world.
• Include quotes and data (such as findings, percentages, and awards). This will add a personal touch and better credibility to the case you present. Explain what results you find during your interviews in regards to the problem and how it developed. Also, write about solutions which have already been proposed by other people who have already written about this case.
• At the end of your case study, you should offer possible solutions, but don’t worry about solving them yourself.

Use Data to Illustrate Key Points in Your Case Study

Even though your case study is a story, it should be based on evidence. Use as much data as possible to illustrate your point. Without the right data, your case study may appear weak and the readers may not be able to relate to your issue as much as they should. Let's see the examples from essay writing service :

‍ With data: Alcoholism is affecting more than 14 million people in the USA, which makes it the third most common mental illness there. Without data: A lot of people suffer from alcoholism in the United States.

Try to include as many credible sources as possible. You may have terms or sources that could be hard for other cultures to understand. If this is the case, you should include them in the appendix or Notes for the Instructor or Professor.

Finalizing the Draft: Checklist

After you finish drafting your case study, polish it up by answering these ‘ask yourself’ questions and think about how to end your case study:

• Check that you follow the correct case study format, also in regards to text formatting.
• Check that your work is consistent with its referencing and citation style.
• Micro-editing — check for grammar and spelling issues.
• Macro-editing — does ‘the big picture’ come across to the reader? Is there enough raw data, such as real-life examples or personal experiences? Have you made your data collection process completely transparent? Does your analysis provide a clear conclusion, allowing for further research and practice?

Problems to avoid:

• Overgeneralization – Do not go into further research that deviates from the main problem.
• Failure to Document Limitations – Just as you have to clearly state the limitations of a general research study, you must describe the specific limitations inherent in the subject of analysis.
• Failure to Extrapolate All Possible Implications – Just as you don't want to over-generalize from your case study findings, you also have to be thorough in the consideration of all possible outcomes or recommendations derived from your findings.

How to Create a Title Page and Cite a Case Study

Let's see how to create an awesome title page.

Your title page depends on the prescribed citation format. The title page should include:

• A title that attracts some attention and describes your study
• The title should have the words “case study” in it
• The title should range between 5-9 words in length
• Your name and contact information
• Your finished paper should be only 500 to 1,500 words in length.With this type of assignment, write effectively and avoid fluff

Here is a template for the APA and MLA format title page:

There are some cases when you need to cite someone else's study in your own one – therefore, you need to master how to cite a case study. A case study is like a research paper when it comes to citations. You can cite it like you cite a book, depending on what style you need.

Citation Example in MLA ‍ Hill, Linda, Tarun Khanna, and Emily A. Stecker. HCL Technologies. Boston: Harvard Business Publishing, 2008. Print.

Citation Example in APA ‍ Hill, L., Khanna, T., & Stecker, E. A. (2008). HCL Technologies. Boston: Harvard Business Publishing.

Citation Example in Chicago Hill, Linda, Tarun Khanna, and Emily A. Stecker. HCL Technologies.

Case Study Examples

To give you an idea of a professional case study example, we gathered and linked some below.

Eastman Kodak Case Study

Case Study Example: Audi Trains Mexican Autoworkers in Germany

To conclude, a case study is one of the best methods of getting an overview of what happened to a person, a group, or a situation in practice. It allows you to have an in-depth glance at the real-life problems that businesses, healthcare industry, criminal justice, etc. may face. This insight helps us look at such situations in a different light. This is because we see scenarios that we otherwise would not, without necessarily being there. If you need custom essays , try our research paper writing services .

Get Help Form Qualified Writers

Crafting a case study is not easy. You might want to write one of high quality, but you don’t have the time or expertise. If you’re having trouble with your case study, help with essay request - we'll help. EssayPro writers have read and written countless case studies and are experts in endless disciplines. Request essay writing, editing, or proofreading assistance from our custom case study writing service , and all of your worries will be gone.

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What Is A Case Study?

How to cite a case study in apa, how to write a case study, related articles.

28 Case Study Examples Every Marketer Should See

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Don't forget to share this post!

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

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Blog Graphic Design

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

By Alice Corner , Jan 12, 2023

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.

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:

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.

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. 

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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:

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:

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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:

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.

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.

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]

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17 Customer Success Email Templates for Every Use Case

Deliver Faster Support Right From Gmail

Table of contents.

While multi-channel support is a norm today, 77% of customer teams still use email to build and nurture customer relationships. Sending contextual and relevant emails at the right touchpoints in the customer’s journey improves customer retention.

But sending emails with the appropriate intent at the right time can be time-consuming. 

In such cases, it is quite helpful to have a few customer success email templates ready to be used.

We’ve listed 17 amazing customer success email templates to help you improve your customer experience. But, before we jump into it, let’s first understand the importance of customer success emails.

Table of Contents

Why are customer success emails important.

An important aspect of building lasting customer relationships is engaging your customers in meaningful conversations. And effective, well-timed customer success emails are an integral part of these conversations. Emails can be used to educate and update your customers, improve product adoption, upsell, and even prevent churn. All of which, ultimately impact the revenue.

Also Include a professional email signature template in your email to establish a positive association between yourself and the company you represent

9 Benefits of Customer Success Email Templates

Customer success email templates are a powerful tool that brings consistency, efficiency, and personalization to your customer communications while saving time and ensuring a seamless customer experience. Here’s what they can help you achieve:

17 Customer Success Email Templates + Examples to Engage with Customers

Now, let’s get down to business!

If you don’t have the professional to work on email designs , that’s absolutely fine. You can start with the simple, clear and concise customer success email templates shared below to drive meaningful conversations with your customers.

1. Onboarding email template

Successful onboarding is a crucial part of the customer experience. In fact, a well-planned customer onboarding strategy helps customers realize the value of your product, thereby improving customer retention.

Here’s a customer success onboarding email template you could use.

Subject: Welcome to [Company Name], [Customer Name], Let’s get started! Hi [Customer Name], Starting tomorrow, we’ll send you a daily tutorial for the next 4 days, focusing on different aspects of [Product Name]. These tutorials will help you gain confidence in using the features effectively. Here’s a sneak peek at what you can expect in the tutorial series: Day 1: [Tutorial Title 1] Learn the basics of [Important Feature] and how to get started. We’ll walk you through the essential steps to set up and navigate the feature smoothly. Day 2: [Tutorial Title 2] Discover advanced techniques and best practices for maximizing the benefits of [Important Feature]. We’ll cover key tips, strategies, and real-world examples to help you achieve remarkable results. Day 3: [Tutorial Title 3] Dive deeper into [Important Feature] with an exploration of its advanced functionalities. We’ll demonstrate how to leverage these advanced capabilities to take your experience to the next level. Day 4: [Tutorial Title 4] In our final tutorial, we’ll address frequently asked questions and provide expert insights to troubleshoot common challenges and optimize your use of [Important Feature]. Feel free to apply these concepts to your [mention customer’s use case] . If you have any questions or need further assistance, our dedicated support team is here to help you every step of the way. Best regards, [Your Name] [Your Title/Role] [Company Name] [Contact Information]

When drafting a customer onboarding email, you need to ensure that you are hitting three important components:

Gmail’s onboarding email does an excellent job at checking off the above pointers.

Here is why it works:

2. Welcome/Introduction email template

The welcome email is your first contact with customers after they sign up for your product. Naturally, you want to keep your email information light at this stage and use friendly language to establish quick rapport without distractions.

Highlight your product’s value proposition and keep things super simple and straightforward while guiding your user to their first Aha! moment. Use branded color schemes and include images and logo designs showing your product in action. 

You can use this welcome email template to initiate a successful customer journey.

Subject: Welcome to [Company Name]! Let’s get started. Dear [Customer’s Name], We’re thrilled to have you join us. We are fully committed to delivering an exceptional experience right from the beginning. In the next 24 hours, your dedicated customer success manager will reach out to you to help you set up your account seamlessly and integrate necessary systems, if any. Meanwhile you can access our comprehensive <hyperlink your knowledge base here> resources to learn how to make the most of our platform. Please be assured that our 24×7 support team is always on standby to assist you with any questions or challenges you may have. We’re glad to have you onboard and excited about what lies ahead! Best, [Your Name] [Your Title/Role] [Company Name] [Contact Information]

Take a few pointers from Playbuzz:

Here’s why it works:

Over 10,000+ teams use Hiver to build stronger customer relationships. See How Hiver Works.

3. Pro Tips/Best Practices email template

At this stage, the user has taken their first steps and used your product. But there may be times when they feel lost or overwhelmed with your product features, especially if you have a slightly more complicated product or service.

In such cases, it is a great idea to send users product setup emails to proactively help move them past friction points and provide them with relevant suggestions that help them get more value from your product, increase customer satisfaction, and prevent customer churn.

Here’s a template you could use when you want to offer pro tips on an important feature. It’s assumed here that the said feature will help you create filters, export data and automate tasks. Feel free to tweak it to suit your use-case.

Subject: Pro Tips: How to Get the Most Out of [Feature name] Hi [Customer Name], I know you’ve been using it for a while, but I think you might find these tips helpful. Tip 1: Use [feature name] to create custom filters. One of the best things about [feature name] is that you can use it to create custom filters. This means you can quickly and easily find the information you need. For example, you could create a filter to show all leads that have been generated in the past week. Tip 2: Use [feature name] to export data. [Feature name] also makes it easy to export data. This means you can share data with your team or with other applications. For example, you could export a list of leads to a spreadsheet or to a CRM system. Tip 3: Use [feature name] to automate tasks. [Feature name] can also be used to automate tasks. This means you can save time and effort by having the app do things for you. For example, you could automate the process of sending follow-up emails to leads. I hope these tips help you get the most out of [feature name]. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me. Thanks, [Your Name]

Slido’s product setup email does an excellent job encouraging users to take the next steps and provides subtle help and suggestions.

Here’s why it works:

4. Upgrade email template

Customer success teams use upgrade emails to drive free trial and premium models. When done right, these emails convince prospects to convert into paying customers—or upgrade from a free plan to a paid one.

To write an effective update email template, you need to:

You can also provide your customer support email address or link for the user in case they have any additional questions about upgrading.

Here’s an email template you can use to convince customers to upgrade to a paid plan.

Subject: Upgrade your [Product Name] account to continue accessing premium benefits Dear [Customer’s Name], Thank you for trying out [Product Name] during your free trial. With only [X] days left in your trial period, we encourage you to upgrade to a paid plan and elevate your experience. Here’s why it’s worth it: 1. Unlock Premium Features : Gain access to exclusive features that enhance productivity and streamline your workflow. 2. Enjoy Unlimited Usage : Say goodbye to usage limitations and enjoy the benefits of unrestricted access. 3. Priority Support : As a paid customer, you’ll receive priority assistance from our expert support team. 4. Future Enhancements : We’re continually improving our product, and as a paid customer, you’ll have early access to new updates and enhancements. Upgrade your account now by clicking [upgrade link] or reach out to our support team at [contact information] for assistance. Please note that your trial period ends in [X] days. Don’t miss out on the premium benefits that await you! Best regards, [Your Name] [Your Title/Role] [Company Name] [Contact Information]

Take this email from Zapier, for example.

5. Case study email template

93% of consumers say online reviews influenced their purchase decisions. 

You can leverage this behavior by using case studies to convince potential customers that your company can solve their problems. Think of it as a detailed social proof that showcases how your current customers use your products or services and the results they achieve through them.

How to write a case study email template?

To start, make the case study the entire focus of the email. Write a short copy highlighting the results of using the product or service and what insights the recipient can hope to get after reading it. 

Here’s an case study email you could use:

Subject: How [Existing User] Overcame [Painpoint] Hi [Lead Name], [Existing User] is a [industry] company that was struggling to [challenge]. They were using [previous product/primitive method], but they weren’t seeing the results they wanted. After switching to [Your Product], [Existing User] was able to see a [increase] in [metric]. They were able to do this because: [Your Product] is easy to use. [Your Product] is scalable. [Your Product] provides excellent customer support. To read the case study, simply click the link below: [Link] Best, [Your Name]

Niice is one of the few brands that do case study emails really well.

6. Customer feedback email template

Businesses constantly talk about offering personalized customer experiences. One of the facets of offering a personalized experience is to listen to your customers. Customer feedback allows you to capture the VoC (Voice of Customer) , identify your customer’s challenges, what they like about your product, what they’d like to improve, and more.

A great way to collect feedback is by sending out well-designed customer feedback emails from time to time.

While designing a customer feedback email, it is good to keep these pointers in mind.

Here’s a simple customer feedback template you could use.

Subject: What Can We Do Better? Hi [Customer Name], We’re always looking for ways to improve, and your feedback is essential to our success. Here are a few questions that I’d like to ask you: 1. What do you like about our product? 2. What could be improved? 3. What features would you like to see added in the future? Your feedback is confidential and will only be used to improve our product. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, [Your Name]

Take this example from Algolia.

Deliver Empathetic Service at Every Turn. Boost Customer Satisfaction with Hiver

7. Renewal Reminder Email Template

A renewal reminder email template is an email sent to customers to remind them that their subscription is about to expire. The goal of this email is to encourage customers to renew their subscription so that they can continue using your product or service.

Here’s a simple renewal reminder email template you could use.

Subject: Your subscription to [Product Name] is set to renew automatically Hi [Customer Name], We wanted to remind you that your subscription is up for renewal soon. Renewing your subscription ensures uninterrupted access to our platform, enabling you to maximize the value it brings to your business. Renewal Details: – Expiration Date: [Expiration Date] – Plan: [Plan Name] – Cost: [Renewal Cost] To renew your subscription, simply visit your Account Dashboard > Settings > Payment. If you have any questions or need assistance, reach out to our team at [contact information]. Thank you for choosing [Company Name]. We appreciate your continued support and look forward to serving you in the next subscription period. Best regards, [Your Name]

Fathom is an alternative to Google Analytics. Here’s the message they send when it’s time for your renewal.

8. Testimonial Request Email Template

Testimonial request email templates are a great way to gather positive feedback from your customers. These templates can be used to request testimonials from customers who have had a positive experience with your product or service.

When writing a testimonial request email template, it is important to be clear and concise. The email should include the following information:

The email should also be personalized to the customer. This means addressing the customer by name and mentioning something specific about their experience with your product or service.

Sure, here is a short testimonial request email template for a customer success team with an incentive:

Subject: Request for testimonial + 2 months of free Elite Plan Hi [Customer Name], I’ve been working with you for the past [X] months, and I’m so glad to see how much you’ve accomplished with [product name]. You’ve really taken to our product/service, and I’ve seen how it’s helped you overcome [mention customer’s pain point]. I would be honored to feature your testimonial on our website and in our marketing materials. Please let me know if you have any preferences regarding these. As a token of my appreciation, I’d like to offer you a 2-month free trial of our Elite Plan. This is our most premium plan, and it includes all of the features and benefits that we offer. I know that you’re already a satisfied customer, but I think you’ll really love the added benefits of the Elite Plan. Here are a few questions that would help me write your testimonial: 1. What were your goals before you started using our product/service? 2. How has our product/service helped you achieve your goals? 3. What are some specific examples of how our product/service has helped you? 4. What would you say to other potential customers who are considering using our product/service? I would also be happy to record a video testimonial with you if you prefer. Your testimonial would be greatly appreciated. Please let me know if you’re interested in providing one. Thank you for your time. Sincerely, [Your Name]

This email works because it is personalized, specific, and offers an incentive.

9. Customer Milestones Email Template

Customer milestones are an important opportunity for customer success teams to show their appreciation for customers and to celebrate their successes. By sending a personalized email to the customer, customer success teams can highlight the customer’s achievements and show how their product or service has helped them succeed.

Some examples of customer milestones that customer success can celebrate include:

Here’s a simple template you could use to congratulate your customer for their milestones.

Subject: Celebrating your 2023 Milestones with [Product Name] Hi [CustomerName] Congratulations on a remarkable milestone with [Product Name]! By leveraging our solutions, you saved [X] hours and increased efficiency by [X]% this year. Your achievements have inspired others in our community. As a token of our appreciation, we have upgraded your account to our premium package for [X] months free of charge. Enjoy the added features and resources to fuel your continued success. Thank you for trusting us on this journey. We look forward to celebrating future accomplishments together. Sincerely, [Your Name]

The Spotify Wrapped email campaign is a great example of how to celebrate customer milestones.

The campaign sends personalized emails to users highlighting their listening habits throughout the year. This is a great way to show appreciation for customers and celebrate their successes.

Here’s why this works

10. Subscription Cancellation Email Template

Subscription cancellation email templates are a great way for customer success teams to reach out to customers who have decided to cancel their subscription. These emails can be used to:

Here’s an email template you could use to let your customers know that their subscription has been canceled.

Subject: Confirmation: Your Subscription Has Been Cancelled Hi [Customer Name], I want to confirm that your subscription to [product or service] has been canceled. Your account will expire on [date]. I understand that you may have decided to cancel your subscription for a number of reasons. I would be grateful if you’d like to share your feedback with me. You can do so by replying to this email or by visiting our [feedback form]. In case you’ve changed your mind, you can always reactivate your subscription by visiting the “Payments” section of the “Accounts” tab in your profile or by contacting our customer support team at [mention support email]. I want to thank you for being a valued customer of [product or service]. We hope that you enjoyed using our product or service, and we wish you all the best in the future. Sincerely, [Your Name]

The Basecamp “Subscription Cancelled” email is an effective way to communicate with customers who have canceled their subscriptions.

11. Customer Referral Program email template

Customer referral programs or affiliate programs or can prove to be valuable to your customer success strategy.

Offering an affiliate program can incentivize your most loyal customers to continue spreading the word about your SaaS tool, and may even convince skeptical/non-buyers to continue exploring your tool. 

This win-win situation will also ensure that your customers have a longer lifetime value, as they explore different use cases of your tool. People in your affiliate program will also be actively involved in offering feedback and ways to improve your tool, creating a customer feedback cycle that allows you to align customer success with product development.  Here’s an example you can use to encourage your customers to refer your product to others.

Subject: Refer a friend and get a $50 voucher! Hi [Lead Name], We’re offering a $50 voucher for the first person who signs up for our product through your referral link, and a $100 voucher for each subsequent person who signs up. We know that word-of-mouth is one of the most powerful ways to grow our business, and we’re grateful for your help in spreading the word. If you know anyone who would benefit from using our product, please let them know about our referral program. They can simply click the link below to sign up: [Link] When they sign up, they’ll be able to enter your name as their referral source. We’ll then send you a $50 voucher for your next purchase. And if you continue to refer people, you’ll earn a $100 voucher for each subsequent person who signs up. If you have any questions or need further assistance, our dedicated customer support team is here to help. Feel free to reach out to us at [contact information]. Thank you for being a valued customer and for considering participating in our customer referral program. Best regards, [Your Name] [Your Title/Role] [Company Name] [Contact Information]

Ranktracker offers a very generous lifetime 20% affiliate commission and this is their email:

Additional resources you may like: 1. 10 Email Templates for your Customer Support team 2. Write Awesome Customer Service Emails: Best Practices + Templates 3. 7 Gmail Templates to Improve Customer Experience in 2023 4. 10 Live Chat templates for your Customer Support team

12. New feature email template

Users receive tons of emails every day. If you want to get customers excited about your latest feature, you need emails that successfully pique your customers’ interest and get them excited about what you’re offering.

While the general idea is to make the new feature email template a concise reflection of your brand and its offering, here are a few additional pointers to keep in mind:

Here’s a simple email template you could use to promote your new product/service.

Subject: Introducing [New Product/Feature] that solves [Painpoint] Dear [Recipient’s Name], I’m excited to announce the launch of our latest offering: [New Product/Feature] <add link to feature page/blog post>. Designed to [specific benefits], it is our answer to [customer pain points/challenges] and represents a significant milestone in our commitment to providing innovative solutions. Here’s how you’ll benefit with [New Product/Feature]: [Highlight Key Benefit 1] [Highlight Key Benefit 2] [Highlight Key Benefit 3] [New Product/Feature] is available on Pro and Elite plans. Click here <insert pricing page link> if you wish to upgrade and avail this feature. Feel free to reply to this email or reach out to support at <insert support team’s email> for any clarifications. I look forward to hearing from you soon! Thanks, [Your Name]

This email from Yoto is an excellent example of how to do a product feature launch right.

13. Win-back email template

Win-back emails let you re-engage with inactive contacts who have made purchases or signed up for your email list but have stopped opening your emails. They get people to interact with your emails and CTAs again, which, considering it’s five times more costly to get a new customer than to retain a loyal customer, is a significant advantage.

A great win-back email can work on its own, but we recommend building a strategically-timed sequence that includes targeted messages for best results.

Here’s a simple follow-up email template you could use.

Subject: [Your Product] is still here for you. Hi [Lead Name], I noticed that you stopped using [Your Product] after your free trial ended. Is there anything I could do to help you get back on track? Here’s a reminder of the great things [Your Product] can do for you: [Benefit 1] [Benefit 2] [Benefit 3] I’d be happy to set up a time to chat with you and answer any questions you have. Or, if you’d prefer, you can just reply to this email and let me know if I can help you sort out any challenges you may faced during the trial. Thanks, [Your Name]

Look at how Teespring absolutely nails win-back emails.

14. Webinar invite template

Sending out thoughtfully-crafted webinar invites will help you maximize attendees while simultaneously promoting your business and image authenticity. This strategy is both helpful for email marketing as well as customer success.

When drafting a webinar invite, ensure it answers the classic Ws and H (Who, What, When, Why, and How). This includes:

Here’s a simple template you could use to invite users and leads to your webinar.

Subject: Join Our Exclusive Webinar: [Webinar Title] Dear [Recipient’s Name], We are excited to invite you to an exclusive webinar hosted by [Company Name]. This is a valuable opportunity to gain insights and expand your knowledge on [topic of the webinar]. Title: [Webinar Title] Date: [Webinar Date] Time: [Webinar Time] Duration: [Webinar Duration] Registration Link: [Webinar Registration Link] Add to Your Calendar: Gmail | Outlook | iCal You will learn valuable strategies, best practices, and practical tips to achieve [desired outcomes or goals]. These include: [Key takeaway 1] [Key takeaway 2] [Key takeaway 3] This interactive session will also include a live Q&A segment where you can directly ask our experts any questions you may have. Should you have any questions or need further information, please feel free to reach out to us at [contact information]. See you at the webinar! Best regards, [Your Name] [Your Title/Role] [Company Name] [Contact Information]

Take some pointers from this webinar invite from Teachable.

15. Book a Call Email Template

SaaS businesses use these emails with the intention of converting non-paying customers to paying ones. Successful book-a-call templates usually play on high personalization and humanization of the brand. It’s important to have this email written on behalf of a direct representative, for example from your customer success managers or a subject matter expert. 

Of course, you need to also add a clear CTA that links directly to a booking page so that it’s easy for customers to get the support they need. Here’s a call-scheduling email template that you can use:

Subject: Let’s Set Up a Call to Discuss Your Needs Hi [Lead Name], My name is [Your Name] and I’m a [Your Title] at [Your Company]. I’m reaching out because I was interested in learning more about your business and how we can help you achieve your goals. I saw that you downloaded our [Product Name] ebook, and I wanted to see if you’d be interested in setting up a call to discuss your needs in more detail. During our call, we can talk about: 1. Your business goals 2. The challenges you’re facing 3. How our products and services can help you overcome those challenges I’m available to chat on [Date] at [Time] or [Date] at [Time]. Please let me know if either of those times work for you. If not, feel free to block my calendar on Calendly. I’m happy to work around your schedule. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Thanks, [Your Name]

Take this email from Shipyard.

16. Promotional email template

Brands have the superpower to create a sense of suspense and intrigue whenever a new product or service is just about to be launched.

You can always announce such launches, run a good advertising campaign for them, and finally, as soon as the intrigue reaches its peak, send out effective emails announcing the come out of the promised product or service.

Subject: Black Friday Sale: Save 50% on Your First Year with [Product Name]! Hi [Lead Name], Black Friday is just around the corner, and we’re excited to offer you a special deal on [Your Product]. For a limited time, you can save 50% on your first year of subscription. This is a great opportunity to try our product and get a practical experience of how it can help you optimize your [insert customer use-case]. Your Product] will help you: [Benefit 1] [Benefit 2] [Benefit 3] To learn more about our Black Friday sale, simply click the link below: [Link] You can avail this offer till [Insert Date and Time] Feel free to reply to this email or reach out to the 24×7 support team at [Insert Support Team email] for any queries. Thanks, [Your Name]

This strategy is also perfectly integrated into one of the most popular streaming services – Netflix’s email marketing. A seemingly casual, simple promotional email has an attachment of a poster of the TV series, the second season of which was eagerly awaited by thousands of people.

17. Follow-up email template

Did you know follow-up emails typically get a better response rate than the first email? But this only works when you have a good follow-up email template.

A good rule of thumb is to lead with value. Inform customers how your business can help them and improve their existing routine. Speeding things up, automating processes and tasks, and giving free limited-time access to your product are common value-driven benefits.

Here’s a simple Follow-up email template you could use.

Subject: Just checking in I’m writing to you today to follow up on our conversation from [date/day]. I wanted to see if you had any further questions about [product or service]. I’m also happy to answer any questions you may have about our pricing or how our product can help you achieve your goals. If you’re ready to get started, I’d be happy to set up a time to demo our product. Alternatively, if you’re not quite ready to move forward, that’s okay too. I’d just like to keep you updated on our product and see if there’s anything else I can do to help. Thanks, [Your Name]

Another approach to customer follow-up is giving users a gentle reminder about what they can do with your product à la Miro.

Level up your customer success emails with Hiver

Sending well-timed, thoughtful, and engaging customer success emails is a tried-and-tested way to make customers feel respected and cared for. Not only does it help you win their trust, but it also paves the way for building long-term relationships with your customers that will ultimately improve your business’s bottom line.

Hiver allows you to craft personalized emails and save them as templates with a single click. You can organize different email templates into folders and easily share them with your team. What’s more, you can make your emails visually appealing by embedding relevant images into your email templates. And without having to write a single line of code! Hiver’s email templates are a great way to save repetitive work, improve turnaround time, and elevate your customer success emails.

Deliver stellar customer support right from Gmail

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Hiver has come along as a trustworthy, discerning, and dependable sidekick that has helped us manage our emails better and faster.

Hiver is extremely easy to use. We were able to hit the ground running right from day one. Plus, their customer service is fantastic!

We're 100% Gmail. Working on customer queries from Gmail was exactly what we needed. Moreover, moving to Hiver was a painless affair.

20 Email Marketing Case Studies: Examples & Results to Learn From

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How would you like to read the best email marketing case studies ever published?

More importantly, how would you like to copy the best practices for email marketing campaigns that are based on real-world examples and not just theory?

Below, you’ll find a list of the top email marketing case studies along with the results and key findings from each example. By studying these email marketing case study examples and applying the lessons learned in your own email campaigns, you can hopefully achieve similar results as an email marketer.

Table of Contents

Top Email Marketing Case Studies

Getting 1,300 monthly donations – watsi email marketing case study.

In this case study, you’ll learn how Watsi crafted an email marketing campaign encouraging new and existing users to sign up for its Universal Fund. Using seven test-driven tools helped this organization knock huge campaigns out of the park. Learn how Watsi used email to make people feel more special, take customization to the next level, earn 1,300 monthly donations, and more.

Collecting 100,000 Emails In One Week – Tim Ferris Show Email Marketing Case Study

This email marketing case study has it all: tips, templates, and code to create a successful email campaign. Discover how Harry’s, a men’s grooming brand, launched its brand and how it collected nearly 100,000 email addresses in one week. You’ll learn everything they did so you can try to replicate the results.

The Science Behind Obama’s Campaign Emails – Bloomberg Email Marketing Case Study

Obama’s election success proved the true power of digital marketing, including powerful email campaigns. Most of the $690 million dollars Obama raised online came from fundraising emails. In this article, you’ll learn about the rigorous experimentation by a large team of analysts and the strategies that made the campaign so successful.

The Amazon Email Experience – Vero Email Marketing Case Study

In this case study on email marketing by Vero, you’ll get a complete analysis of Amazon’s email experience for the user. It takes you from the initial subscriber welcome message, to email receipts, shipping updates, thank you content, invites, Black Friday deals, the review email, and more. There are loads of data and useful tips you can gain and use for your own email campaigns in this post.

Boost Open Rates By 3X & CTR By 2X – Digital Marketer Email Marketing Case Study

How would you like to instantly boost your open rates by 3X and your click-through rates (CTR) by 2X with the next email you send to your list? Digital Marketer shows you 11 strategies you can use right now based on its own research and data to achieve similar results.

Increasing Reach, Impact & Subscriber Satisfaction – Content Marketing Institute Email Marketing Case Study

This article by Content Marketing Institute contains a breakdown of several case study examples for email marketing. Inside, you’ll learn about using list segmentation as well as advice on measuring and optimizing your email delivery performance. Popular brands discussed include SalesForce, Xerox, Noodles Company, and more.

Birchbox Boost Conversions By 25% – Braze Email Marketing Case Study

This is one of the top email marketing case studies that prove why you shouldn’t send out a one-size-fits-all message to your mailing list. It’s a short case study on email marketing, but you’ll learn quickly how Braze helped Birchbox use custom attributes culled from data gathered on customer behavior to switch from generic email content to a more personalized strategy that delivered better results: a 25% boost in conversion rates and 16% increase in open rates.

109% Revenue Lift for Dell with GIFs – MarketingSherpa Email Marketing Case Study

This is one of the best email marketing case studies available that shows the true power of using GIFs in your daily, weekly, or monthly newsletter campaigns. Discover how Dell lifted revenue by 109% with GIF-centered email effort.

$40,000 In Sales Without Annoying Subscribers – Yaro Starak Email Marketing Case Study

Here’s a complete breakdown of how Yaro Starak generated $40,00 in sales without annoying his subscribers during new product launches. It contains lots of tips, tricks, and expert advice on how (and when) to send consecutive emails, usiing videos in the campaign, creating a sense of urgency to buy now, and more.

$800,000 for Charity Water By Increasing Email Frequency – Money Journal Email Marketing Case Study

There are numerous email marketing strategies you can use to increase revenue for your business. However, not all email campaigns have to be heavily focused on giving customer discounts or free stuff to generate more money. This is especially true for non-profit organizations. Check out this case study to learn how Charity Water increased revenue by $800,000 by taking an unconventional approach to their follow-up emails that takes their audience on a journey.

Nanoleaf Recovers 30% of Abandonded Carts – Rejoiner Email Marketing Case Study

Are you an ecommerce brand, online retailer, course seller, or other type of website that uses a cart for the checkout process? If so, then this case study by Rejoiner will give you actionable tips to try based on data from Nanoleaf, which recovered 30% of sales with abandoned cart follow-up emails.

70+ Calls for a B2B Company with Cold Emailing – Growforce Email Marketing Case Study

Cold email marketing can be one of the best converting channels when done right. And this article will help you improve your cold emailing results. Read it to find out some of the top cold email best practices, get an example email sequence, and learn a powerful extra step you can use for marketing automation that works.

From Starting Blocks to Total Clarity – Email Marketing Heroes Case Study

Email Marketing Heroes is a podcast that offers free email marketing tips and a membership program to help business owners improve their email campaigns. In this blog post (and podcast), you’ll learn how one member got instant positive results by emailing her list more regularly, setting up automated email campaigns, and including links in a specific part of each message.

Hammock Increased Open Rate 48% with Shorter Emails – MarketingSherpa Email Marketing Case Study

Hammock is a B2B company that turned its traditional, content-heavy email newsletter into what they refer to as an “un-newsletter.” Discover how “The Idea Email” increased email open rates by 48% by focusing on one central topic and containing 350 words or less.

A/B Testing for Success – VWO Email Marketing Case Study

Most digital marketers don’t think about A/B testing their email marketing campaigns. However, year after year, email marketing delivers the highest return on investment (ROI) across all acquisition channels. In this article, you’ll learn how to incorporate A/B testing best practices, methodologies, and mental models to increase open rates, click-through rates (CTR), conversions, and more.

Building a Welcome Series from Scratch – HelpScout Email Marketing Case Study

This is not your typical case study on email marketing; however, it’s an important article to read if you need help setting up a good welcome series for your business. HelpScout takes you from the first email to the last you send to new subscribers while also describing the goal of each email message in the campaign.

600 Email Subscribers With 2 Blog Posts – Jacob McMillen Email Marketing Case Study

Want to know how to combine the power of SEO, blogging, and email marketing to get new subscribers on your list? Jacob McMillen teaches you all that and more in this case study. Learn how he used ConvertKit on a new blog along with SumoMe Pro popups, and a special SEO content writing technique to get 600 email subscribers from just two blog posts. Includes step-by-step instructions for you to copy this exact strategy for your website and email campaigns.

8 Steps to Building a Tripwire Email Funnel – Data Driven Marketing Email Case Study

If you’re serious about email marketing, then you need to have a good tripwire in place to make more sales from your new subscribers. Inside this guide, you’ll find a complete strategy for building an effective tripwire funnel that converts more subscribers into customers as well as using a follow up email sequence to capture the non-buyers.

10 Tripwire Examples – Autogrow Email Marketing Case Study

After reading the last previous guide on setting up an email tripwire funnel, you may want to look at this page to get proven examples of case studies that worked for this type of email marketing.

56% Rise In Open Rates with Emojis In Subject Lines – Campaign Monitor Email Marketing Case Study

A famous email campaign case study released by Experian revealed that 56% of unique open rates increased for brands that used emojis in their subject lines. In this article, Campaign Monitor offers valuable tips for using emojis like a pro email marketer.

What Is an Email Marketing Case Study?

An email marketing case study explains the process a business went through with a client to help them achieve specific results with an email campaign. Email marketing case studies provide a detailed examination of particular strategies within a real-world context to prove how effective it was for the client.

Are Case Studies Good for Email Marketing?

Case studies are good for email marketing because you can learn how to create email campaigns more effectively. Instead of just studying the theory of email marketing, you can learn from real email strategy campaigns to find out what methods deliver a higher return on investment.

Read More Marketing Case Studies

Here’s a list of more case studies you can use to improve your marketing campaigns:

• SEO case studies
• PPC case studies
• Content marketing case studies
• Digital marketing case studies
• Social media marketing case studies
• Affiliate marketing case studies

Email Marketing Case Study Examples Summary

I hope you enjoyed this list of the best email marketing case studies that are based on real-world results and not just theory.

As you discovered, the email marketing case study examples above demonstrated many different ways to implement an effective email campaign. By studying the key findings from these examples, and applying the methods learned to your own business and email newsletters, you can hopefully achieve the same positive outcome with your email marketing efforts.

New email success case studies are being published every month and I’ll continue to update this list as they become available. So keep checking back to read the current sources of information on email marketing.

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9 Great Email Marketing Case Studies (and Counting)

• News and Updates Updated August 2020 Posted: August 2015

On this page

Transparency is hot right now, but not in email marketing.

You can see how many Twitter followers a brand has. Lots of businesses blog about their audience growth. And some newsletters share their subscriber count as social proof .

But no one talks about open and click rates, ROI or impact on the bottom line. It’s taboo in the email world.

That makes it really hard to find email marketing case studies. If you want inspiration for your own campaigns, there aren’t many options. You can:

• Read blogs like this one 🙂
• Dive into ReallyGoodEmails.com
• Sign up for newsletters and products to receive their emails

Other than that, all you can do is test your assumptions relentlessly.

We’d like to make it a little easier to read stories about great email campaigns so we collected some of our favorites. Here is the criteria for the case studies we included:

• They are real case studies, not a best practices pieces.
• They include quotes or data from the campaign creators.

That sounds simple until you start exploring the web for stories that meet those two rules. We’d like to add to this list so if you know of a great email story, let us know in the comments.

Together, these posts are long enough to be a book. So we turned them into one.

Download an .epub file

What Startups Can Learn from Watsi’s Wildly Successful Email Campaign

Read it | Share it | Save it

This story is too nuanced to accurately summarize but here’s a primer.

Watsi is the first non-profit to be part of Y Combinator. They crowdsource healthcare funding for people all over the world. To drive recurring revenue, they broke out their monthly donation feature into its own product and launched it separately.

They used email to source early feedback, used social proof to create buzz and built a personalized newsletter to keep users informed about their donations.

Here’s a snippet from this post:

Part of showing people what they’re getting is investing in communications where you aren’t asking for anything. Instead, you’re thanking people for their business or their participation. You’re acknowledging your end of the deal where you’re committed to delighting and surprising them. This is something that for-profit startups tend to neglect – the importance of not just sending a receipt for a purchase, but honing that interaction to make customers feel something more.

Email marketing is isn’t a channel – it’s one layer of a customer-centric company. This case study reveals how complex (and truly valuable) it is to use email to grow a business.

Building a Newsletter Welcome Series from Scratch

Help Scout’s signature flair is purpose .

As they considered how to welcome to new subscribers – and there are more than 51,000 – they knew that aligning business goals with a great experience was key. They pulled it off by ensuring each email sought to achieve a single, measurable goal.

Each of the five emails in the sequence is explained in detail, including the intended purpose and suggestions based on their own learnings.

How The Skimm’s passionate readership helped its newsletter grow to 1.5 million subscribers

Building a profitable business with email is very different than using email to build a profitable business.

Watsi, for example, uses email to support their product. In The Skimm’s case, the email is the product. When newsletters become a business, it’s worth paying careful attention to their strategy. (We detailed an example of this in our Death to the Stock Photo case study .)

The Skimm’s email newsletter reaches 1.5 million daily. That growth has been fueled by an intense understanding of their target reader and an community that is eager to help. There are more than 6,000 “ Skimm’bassadors ” actively spreading the word about this business.

There’s a lot to learn here but if you take just one lesson, let it be this:

The Skimm focuses on women ages 22-34 in big cities throughout the country. They are busy, they’re on the go. It’s a professional audience. And we looked at what they do first thing in the morning. Your alarm goes off, you grab your phone, and you read emails from friends and family first. It really made sense to us to introduce a product that fit in with that routine. And email is very much in the routines of the demo that we’re going after.

There’s no need to reinvent the wheel. Meet your target audience where they’re already active.

How to Gather 100,000 Emails in One Week

I hope you’re noticing a trend in these case studies: Pulling off a wildly successful email campaign isn’t easy.

Even when the goals are simple, the logistics tend to get messy. The smartest companies dig in anyway.

In Harry’s case, they used a landing page to gather 100,000 emails in the week leading up their launch. As a shaving company, they are competing against institutions like Gillette. The only way to outsell them is to out-maneuver them.

Harry’s drove traffic to a landing page, asked for a signup, then used a referral mechanism to incentivize people to share the product. Those who referred friends earned free products. They gave away a ton of free razors that week but it cost way less than broadcasting the upcoming launch on traditional advertising channels.

This post gets into the nitty gritty of driving the traffic, managing the flood of interest and actually delivering the free products.

The Art and Science of Turning Free Trials Into Happy Customers

If you’re a small startup, you’ll be able to relate to this story.

Alex Smith runs marketing at ContactMonkey . As a growing company with a small team, it became too difficult to onboard new customers one at a time. So Alex created a series of events in the application that trigger emails or pause existing campaigns.

The result was not only happier customers, but faster growth. Once the triggers were in place, ContactMonkey was able to guarantee that each customer received the right messaging at the right time.

This post shares the exact emails and triggers ContactMonkey uses to onboarding their users, along with some ideas for blurring the lines between CRM and email marketing.

The Science Behind Those Obama Campaign E-Mails

I think this line will pique your interest about Obama’s last campaign: “Most of the $690 million Obama raised online came from fundraising e-mails.”

The Obama campaign famously used a casual, conversational in tone in the email subject lines. The most famous subject line was simply “Hey.” Another – “I will be outspent” – raised $2.6 million on its own.

Source: Slideshare

This didn’t happen by accident. The folks behind the campaigns tested incessantly, sometimes playing with a dozen or more variations on a single email. Here’s one of the most interesting findings revealed by digital analytics directo Amelia Showalter:

…these triumphs were fleeting. There was no such thing as the perfect e-mail; every breakthrough had a shelf life. “Eventually the novelty wore off, and we had to go back and retest,” says Showalter.

They bottled lightening over and over through rigorous testing and exceptional copywriting. The viral effect was manufactured, not serendipitous.

What We Learned From A Week Of Prototyping A Newsletter In Public

When Buzzfeed began developing a daily email newsletter, the editors turned to Facebook for feedback. They shared their prototypes ( here’s an example ) with their own friends. They made each iteration of the newsletter public to ensure they could patch any holes before launch.

Interestingly, editor Millie Tran said the most useful part of this exercise was the intense focus on the product/market fit:

The most valuable thing about this exercise was that it allowed us to avoid getting too emotionally attached to any one idea early on and to keep tweaking and adjusting the product to be better.

As we’ve written before, email is an extension of your product and should be treated with the appropriate care.

Buzzfeed also wrote a follow-up to this post about using email to test early versions of their mobile app.

Learning vs. Selling

This is a personal story based on my experience here at Vero. Last year, we created 14-step campaign to welcome new subscribers to the blog. The open rates were decent and we heard some positive feedback from customers about the campaign.

Then we nuked it.

Because it a) wasn’t helping us convert readers into customers and b) it wasn’t helping us learn about our readers. We replaced the entire campaign with a single email.

Tons of people replied and we’ve been able to shape our content and emails to match our readers’ challenges and needs. The lesson is here to create opportunities to learn before you try to sell your product.

The Most Successful E-mail I Ever Wrote

A single email can change a business.

Derek Sivers, founder of CD Baby, realized this after he created this masterpiece of a shipping confirmation email :

Source: Smashing Magazine

The email went viral. At the time, no one put any effort into their transactional emails . The personal touch resonated with a lot of people.

That one silly e-mail, sent out with every order, has been so loved that if you search Google for “private CD Baby jet” you’ll get over 20,000 results. Each one is somebody who got the e-mail and loved it enough to post on their website and tell all their friends. That one goofy e-mail created thousands of new customers.

Simon Schmid calls this finesse the “personality layer.” Here are a number of other examples.

A few more case studies from the Vero archives:

• TripAdvisor’s Unfair Email Marketing Advantage
• How Amazon Dominates E-Commerce with Email
• How Death to the Stock Photo Built a Profitable Business with Email
• Why Product Hunt’s Emails Are So Addictive
• Evernote’s Simple But Useful Onboarding Emails

And here’s a few suggestions from readers:

• How The New York Times gets a 70 percent open rate on its newsletters

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