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Joseph Flesh

Reference customers: going-to-market in enterprise startups

When your startup goes to market, you’re in search of the largest market segment you can sell to easily. Maybe you have uniquely good product-market fit for a particular kind of customer. Perhaps a particular segment has a strong, time-sensitive reason to buy.

For enterprise buyers, product-market fit and time-sensitive reasons to buy are a good start, but they may not be enough. The vast majority of enterprise buyers need references in order to de-risk purchasing from your startup.

Exactly how you find and sell to your first reference customers varies widely from startup to startup. That’s the “zero to one” problem that every founding team must solve. In this post, I’ll discuss why reference customers are important, how they open up specific markets, and how to lay the groundwork to tell their stories.

Reference Customers

A good reference customer lets you demonstrate to a buyer that someone just like them has purchased your startup’s product, implemented it, and achieved real results in solving a problem for their enterprise.

A reference customer:

Implements and uses a startup’s product successfully.
Commits with the startup to a shared and measurable definition of success.
Empowers the startup to tell their story to prospects through mediums such as case studies, panel discussions, and sales conversations.

As valuable as reference customers are to both a startup and the potential buyer, most of your time in sales conversations should focus on the person and organization in front of you. You need to understand the aspirations, obstacles, and passions of the person, the department, and the enterprise to whom you’re selling.

At the same time, a reference demonstrates that a buyer is not alone in taking a leap of faith on your startup. No enterprise buyer wants to be the first to buy a product.

Enterprise buyers are risking their jobs when they buy from a startup. An old aphorism in IT says that “no one ever got fired for buying IBM.” Conversely, if your startup’s product doesn’t work, the buyer just might get fired.

Because no enterprise customer wants to be the first to buy a product, reference customers are the central go-to-market strategy for enterprise software. A startup’s initial reference customers de-risk the startup’s product, and help determine which market segments the startup can enter easily.

Before a startup has nurtured solid reference customers, every sale will depend on the founders’ personal relationships. Reference customers are how an enterprise-focused startup moves beyond a foothold in the market to capturing a market segment.

Nurturing the right reference customers from a startup’s early days has an outsize impact on which market segments the startup can easily enter in its early years.

References are powerful because they mimic word-of-mouth

Reference customers mimic the way that most people prefer to buy: based on the recommendations of their peers. That’s why they’re such a powerful driver of sales.

If you’re looking for a good pre-school, you’ll ask other parents with kids your age who live in your area.

If you need to find a good plumber, you’ll ask your friends and your neighbors.

If you need to buy an enterprise software product, you’ll ask your peers at similar institutions.

When you present prospects with reference customers, you’re doing the legwork for them . You’re saving them from asking all their peers which vendors they’re working with.

How do prospects de-risk purchasing decisions?

Imagine that you’re the CTO at SaaSCo. Your technical team has somewhere between 50 and 500 people.

You’re approached by a startup pitching a new security product. It may be a good product, but in fact they’re asking you to take on significant risks and costs. As the CTO, the startup is asking you to invest:

Time to understand and implement their product. Change is never free.
Money to pay them.
Reputation , because you will take the blame within your organization if anything goes wrong.

As CTO, you’re only going to buy once you believe that the product will work for your company. Knowing that another company, similar to yours, has bought and used this product successfully can substantially de-risk the purchase and help you to justify the purchase to colleagues.

If the startup doesn’t offer references upfront, then as CTO it’s your responsibility to find out quickly if the startup has worked successfully with enterprises like yours. If they haven’t, the conversation probably isn’t worth your time. You’re busy. You like the startup guys, but you don’t have time to teach them how to work with you.

4 ways that references can work

Reference customers are the best way for your startup to demonstrate to the CTO above that you can work successfully with their company.

A reference customer might exist as a logo on your website, a slide in your deck, or a multi-page case study. However you present the reference, it’s a customer you’ve worked with successfully who is ok with you talking about them in public.

References work in four main ways:

1. Geographical

The reference customer is located close to the prospect. For example, if you’re selling to the City of Los Angeles, the City of Pasadena would be a decent reference customer despite the fact that it’s much smaller. However, a city of Pasadena’s size in Pennsylvania would not be a good reference.

2. Customer size and type

Chicago, Houston, or Atlanta would also be good reference customers for the City of Los Angeles, because they are top-tier, diverse cities.

3. Problem-based

More sophisticated prospects will accept references based on the similarity of the problem you solved, even if the reference customer is otherwise very different from them.For example, a savvy CTO of a large hospital will probably accept a major city government or Fortune 500 corporation as a reference, if you solved the same problem for them.

4. Charismatic

A rarer type of reference which can be especially valuable for early startups. The charismatic reference is a cheerleader for your startup who wants to see you succeed. They will get on the phone with just about anybody and help sell your product.

Almost any reference customer can be referenced via more than one of the above categories.

Example #1: A standalone hospital in a mid-sized city…

…can be a reference customer for:

Hospitals in other mid-sized cities (customer type reference)
A multisite health system in the same city (geographical reference)
Medical equipment company (problem-based reference).

Example #2. A Fortune 500 energy company based in Houston…

Fortune 500 corporations (customer size reference)
Energy companies (customer type reference)
Houston-based companies (geographical reference).

Reference customers shape early sales strategy

Once you understand how reference customers work, you can predict which segments and markets your initial customers can open up for your startup. Potential customers gain value based not only on how much money they are willing to pay, but on how useful they are as a reference.

Example #1: High willingness to buy, but wrong segment

Prospect A is ready to buy and pay full price. However, they’re not in the market segment where you think your startup’s success lies.

If your product is a perfect fit for them, you should sign them anyway. (Though at this early stage of the startup, you’ll probably need to build or modify some part of your product to support Prospect A.)

But even if Prospect A is successful and co-authors a case study with you, they won’t be “referenceable” by buyers in the market that you want to tackle. Their long-term value to your business could be low, zero, or negative.

Example #2: “Difficult” customer in great segment

Prospect B, on the other hand, needs a 60% or 70% discount off of what you believe is full price. However, they’re in what you believe is your core market. Though you’ll need to build some product to support their use case, they are ready to agree on concrete definitions of success and on writing a case study/white paper if successful.

Prospect B is the more valuable customer–even if they aren’t paying full price, and even if they aren’t a major player in their segment.

“Pivot customers” open up new market segments

Reference customers can pave the way for a startup to enter a new market segment. A pivot customer is a customer that accepts a reference from a segment that you were already in, who can serve as a reference in a segment you want to enter.

Example #1: A cybersecurity startup protects critical infrastructure for cities and hospitals.

Now they want to start selling to factories. A solid pivot reference would be a medical equipment manufacturer .

The medical equipment manufacturer would accept a hospital as a reference customer.
The medical equipment manufacturer would then become an effective reference to sell to other factories.

Example #2: A healthcare startup summarizes patient records from EHRs.

They’ve sold successfully to primary care clinics associated with hospitals. They want to start selling to large, multi-site health systems. In the US market, the pivot customer could be a hospital associated with one of the primary care clinics.

The managers of the primary care clinic can make an introduction to their associated hospital.
If it’s a large and well-known hospital, a multi-site health system will feel that the hospital is a good reference for them.

Weaving existing references into the sales cycle

Reference customers are like a handshake. They show potential buyers that you’re the kind of vendor who understands their business.

In conversations with potential buyers, you should mention relevant reference customers near the beginning of the discussion. In a deck, this would be within the first 5 slides. Show prospects a slide with logos of your reference customers and say a sentence or two about any that are especially relevant.

You can discuss how a particular aspect of your product was implemented elsewhere, and how it’s similar or different to what the buyer wants to do.

Prospects might request a reference to contact via phone or email. Reference customers who are willing to do these kinds of phone calls are extremely valuable.

Case studies about reference customers make great content. They help with SEO and can reduce the need for reference phone calls.

Ways of talking about reference customers:

Existence. You mention that they’re a customer, but don’t get into details.
Use case and story about the customer, implying success.
Success as measured through a mutually-agreed metric.
Quote from a key champion at the reference customer with metrics of success.

Laying the groundwork for future references

During sales conversations, you can start laying the path to tell the story of your reference customer’s success. Once you’ve developed enough trust with a potential buyer to start envisioning specific solutions together, you can start discussing how you’ll share their success story.

Float the question during sales talks.

If a conversation about potential solutions with a buyer is going well, you can say, “It sounds like we can work together to achieve a 30% cost savings for your factory IT. Assuming that happens, our team would want to write a case study about our joint success. Is that something you’d be open to?” If they say yes, you can consider putting language about the case study in the contract.

Ask for explicit permission in exchange for concession on contract terms.

When a buyer requests significant concessions on pricing or other terms, that’s an excellent opportunity for the seller to request explicit permission to work with the buyer and their staff to write a case study.

Use a brief blog post as a trial balloon for a case study.

Pre- or post-implementation, you can ask your main customer contact if your team can put up a short blog post announcing your partnership. “Our team is very excited about our work together. Would it be ok if they put up a brief blog post mentioning our partnership? We like to do this for all of our partners.” If they consent, they are giving you implicit permission to talk about them in public and use their logo on your website.

The above tactics only result in a case study once you’ve agreed with the buyer on a shared definition of success. Measuring success often depends on data that only the customer can access, so you also need to agree on responsibilities for who will gather the necessary data and how.

Reference customers smooth the path for early-stage startups to enter difficult markets. It’s worth the effort to cultivate them from day zero, and this effort can shape where a startup places its resources in early sales.

By mimicking the process of word of mouth, references de-risk purchases for otherwise reluctant buyers. The right reference customers open the door to new segments of the market.

If you’re currently working through the process of acquiring your first customers, feel free to reach out.

Customer Reference Stories

Case studies, or customer success stories, have become an integral part of many companies’ marketing and sales toolkits. They can be used to leverage customer experiences and help you gain new customers. They can also help you capture how customers have used your products and how that use enhanced or positively impacted their business.

However, most companies only use case studies in a couple of ways. Beyond printing case studies for sales reps or publishing them on a website, there are a number of additional ways to extend the value of your case studies.

Below are a few examples of ways you could use a case study to benefit your marketing and sales strategies.

Use as a Powerful PR Tool – A number of companies use case studies first and foremost as a public relations tool. Before case studies are published on the Web site or distributed to sales reps, actively pitch them to the trade press as fresh stories. If it’s an engaging, informative story, it might be picked up by several niche publications. In fact, many publications now have sections called “Case Studies” or “Technology in Action” specifically for this purpose—and they’re looking for great stories. Likewise, companies out there are trolling these publications for real-world solutions to their business and technology problems.
Use Wisely on Your Web Site – Sure, your Web site is the most obvious place for publishing your case studies, but it pays to put some thought into where and how you present them. Many companies feature case studies in a section by themselves, which separates them from the rest of product materials and forces prospects to hunt for them. Instead of separating these stories, feature product-specific cases among other product information on your site. When a prospect visits the page for one of your products, they should be able to choose from a range of materials to review, such as brochures, white papers and case studies that highlight that product specifically. You can even go a step further in catering to prospects’ need for information by allowing them to search by industry to find ones that best match their situation.
Use As Brief Anecdotes in Your Customer Newsletter – Many companies regularly distribute e-mail newsletters to alert their clients and prospects about new offerings, events and more. Show your solutions in action: reprint abbreviated versions of your case studies in your newsletters and link back to the full story online. This educates customers and prospects about ways that others are using the software, perhaps introducing features, capabilities or add-ons they aren’t yet aware of.
Use To Punch Up PowerPoints – Instead of using case studies as leave-behind materials in the sales process, integrate them into your sales presentations. Create several PowerPoint slides with highlights from successful client implementations and e-mail them to your sales team. In the process of preparing presentations, they can simply insert these brief customer anecdotes to back up their product information.
Use As Ammo for Implementation Awards – Winning implementation awards can generate an enormous amount of exposure for a company. Customer success stories, whether in the form of case studies or retold to fit award criteria, are frequently used to land these awards. One CRM software vendor submitted a particularly compelling case study for Aberdeen Group’s annual “Top Ten CRM Implementations” list. The company was honored as one of the top ten and then mentioned in at least a dozen follow-up stories in the media. That was priceless exposure for the company.
Use To Give Your Reference Customers a Break – Chances are, you rely on a handful of your best customers as references for prospective customers. But if called enough by inquisitive prospects, even the most satisfied customers can sour on your company. While person-to-person product discussions are always valuable, you can give your reference customers a break with case studies. Instead of contacting a customer directly, prospects can learn the specifics of an implementation, preferably in a similar industry, through a detailed success story. If you plan to use case studies this way, it’s important to make sure that your case studies offer the right amount of detail and cover the questions that prospects typically ask your reference customers.
Use Feature Quotes and Content in Sales Materials – As you write case studies, make sure that quotes within the case study could stand-alone if you chose to pull them as testimonials for other areas of your website or for use in collateral materials. Make use of the powerful testimonials that come out in developing case studies. Or feature shortened versions of your case study stories in brochures and other sales collateral.
Use as a USB drive Leave-Behind for Prospects – Put your case studies on USB drive with the ability to search them by product or industry. In face-to-face sales meetings and presentations, or in response to inquiries, provide prospects with the easily searchable USB drive.

Now as you think through the information you just read, walk through the attached example and create your own case study or customer reference story.

Customer Reference Story: Example

Situation: Director of Sales and Marketing, Wingtip Toys. Describe your customer and their business.

Critical Issue: Lost revenue due to reordering delays on hot seasonal products. Describe the problems or concerns that the customer was hoping to solve or alleviate with your product.

Reason : Her channel partners were required to place all reorders via their salesperson rather than their inventory system automatically reordering when stock got low. Explain some background on the problem and why it occurred.

Capability (when, who, what) : She said she needed a way for the inventory management systems of her partners to talk with Wingtip’s ordering system over the Internet and automatically update account and manufacturing systems in real time. Explain the capabilities that your customer needed – especially to highlight the functions and capabilities of your product.

We Provided : This capability. Describe the specifics of your product and how it was used.

Result : Over the last six months, reorders using our Internet-based solution have jumped 64 percent compared to reorders during the same period a year ago, before our solution was implemented. Show the impact of your product in terms of savings, cost reductions, increased revenue, etc.

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How to Turn a Case Study into a Customer Success Story [+ Tips from HubSpot Marketers]

Published: April 19, 2022

Expression, passion, style, persuasion, authenticity.

marketer turns case studies into customer success stories

These five elements encompass a customer success story — a transformation from a regular case study to an enticing piece of content that encourages a reader to explore what your company has to offer.

When people think about writing a case study, they might feel a daunting rise of tediousness, or perhaps writer's block. In this article, we’ll dive into each step you need to take to create an engaging customer success story and convert leads.

Why should you tell a customer success story?

Case studies are more than proving your company's achievements. Through eloquence and thoughtfulness, you can demonstrate your product or service's power by telling a real story.

Think about it: Real customers use your product. Real employees deliver successful projects. Real customers, real professionals, real people.

What does that look like? Well, it's educating a prospect through a thoughtful perspective, and answering the following questions:

How did the client feel at the beginning versus the end?
What struggles did the project manager face?
How did they feel when they overcame them?

These questions will help you pull the key sections of your story and craft together a compelling piece of content.

Turning a Case Study into a Customer Story

1. find the right client..

To get started, ask your project management or sales team about their latest projects and which one stood out.

You're looking for a client with a uniquely knotty problem, one that your company was able to solve. The more complex the project, the more you can show off your company's skills.

If most of the projects seem standard, pick the client that was the most hands-on and the most responsive. The more involved the client, the more likely they are to give you more information in their interview.

Send an Enticing Email

Before you begin, get permission from the client and inquire about their interest in participating in a case study . You can incentivize them through social media publication, tagging their company on all social platforms, and including a link to their website at the end of the case study.

Here's an example from Trujay that you can use to write an enticing email to your client:

My name is [Your Name], I'm a [Job Title/Position] here at [Company Name]. I'm so pleased to hear your experience with us was worth it! We're glad we could make all the needs of your project happen and hope you continue to enjoy the results.

Since your project was such a success, I wondered if you would be interested in participating in a case study. We like to inquire about this opportunity to only a few select customers because we find some projects have a compelling story. Yours happens to be a particularly special project, and we'd love to promote your brand by showcasing the results.

All you would have to do is answer six questions about your experience of working with us. You may answer them directly in response to this email, or we can have a phone or video call. Whatever way you'd prefer! Most of our clients like to copy and paste the questions in response and simply fill in the answers.

If you would like to interview over [Zoom, Google Meet, Skype, Other], let me know a good time and date that works for you. The call shouldn't take more than 30 minutes.

I've attached a few examples of previous success stories to get a feel for the final product. We also conduct a social media campaign so you and your company can get as much exposure as possible.

We thank you for using our services and wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors! Should you ever need our services again, know that [Company Name's] got your back. We hope you find interest in participating and look forward to hearing from you.

[ Email Signature ]

Once you have permission, let your project management or services team know that a case study is underway.

2. Create interview questions for both project manager and client.

You'll want to create two sets of questions — one for the project manager, and one for the client. These questions will give way to both sides of the story, enlightening you on the experience from both ends.

Client Questions: The Background

The formatting of the client interview questions is essential. You want to get as much detail as you can without overwhelming the client with loaded questions.

Client interview questions are straightforward and relate to a customer's company, goals, passions, and plans. You want to find out how your company solved a significant problem through the clients' perspective. What did the project management team accomplish, in their eyes?

First, get four pieces of standard information:

case study client background information: full name, position/title, company name, company background/function

3. Tell the story using a standard outline.

The responses to your interview questions don't necessarily need to be in a particular order. You can either start with the project manager or client questions.

Let's say you get the client's responses first. What are you looking for, exactly?

You're looking for the message behind their words. Some call it reading between the lines. I call it the sweet spot of authenticity. What about their responses jumps out at you? Here is an excellent place to know your buyer personas and identify what kind of client they are.

After reviewing both sets of interview responses, try telling the story to yourself from beginning to end using the questions below. In your own words, speak the story out loud. Doing so will turn fact into fiction and organize your written outline.

We recommend using case study templates to help turn your customer story into a coherent, well-organized publication.

2. Lightico: A1 Comms

3. Hourly.io: Izzy's Brooklyn Bagels

What do they all have in common? When you get to these landing pages, key details are immediately prominent: The issue the company was facing and/or the results they generated.

This is a great way to hook in the reader and get them interested to read on.

By showing the results, you highlight the benefits of using your brand. By emphasizing the problems, you can help prospects identify issues and understand why you’re the solution.

Both strategies can generate positive results, it’s just a matter of figuring out which method converts best with your audience.

How to Leverage Customer Success Story on Social Media

1. figure out which case studies will translate well..

The "right client" will vary from brand to brand.

Samuel Mironko , associate marketing manager on the HubSpot brand marketing team, says that this is what they look for: brand recognition, buzziness, and relationship.

The bigger the brand, the more buzz it can create to share its story. This doesn’t mean that you should only highlight stories from recognizable brands. However, it could be a way to prioritize them.

The second is buzziness – how much interest will this story generate? Is the brand in a booming industry? This is another plus for you.

Lastly, and perhaps the most important according to Mironko, is your relationship with the customer. Building a customer story requires a lot of collaboration between the two companies. If your relationship with the client isn’t solid, you may face several obstacles as you attempt to deliver the product.

"You get a better story knowing more about the customer. You know what questions to ask, how to guide the story, and more details," said Natalie Gullatt , marketing manager on the HubSpot customer marketing team. "The customer tends to trust you more if you have a relationship with them so it makes the process better for both parties."

To narrow down a list of options, you will likely need to work with customer advocacy and/or customer success teams at your company to connect you with the clients.

They can also offer some insight into the problems that the company faces and the issues they were able to solve with your product/service.

2. Write a script.

Once you narrow down your list, it’s time to write the script for your social media campaigns.

While you follow the same format as the case study, you have to adjust it for social media – taking only the key details that will help you tell a story in an engaging but concise way.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Hellopeter.com (@hellopeter_za)

Mironko says that this format works well for customer success stories because it tells a story. You leave knowing the problems the company faced before, how they attempted to solve the issue, their new experience, and how that has addressed their main pain points.

3. Get feedback from the client.

Once you have a draft, you’ll need to send it to the client for approval.

They may provide feedback on anything from the visual design to the way they’re portrayed.

We are delighted to launch our customer success story series with @GaryWidger , Head of Change at @mercuryeng - about how Mercury leveraged #nocode / #lowcode technology to connect their people through shared knowledge. Read more here: https://t.co/BDvRjRxVgd #innovation #tech pic.twitter.com/9qe7dmEART — Kianda (@KiandaBPM) March 30, 2021

Because this is a collaborative process, it’s essential that both parties are satisfied with the end result.

"Make sure to have the customers approve the drafts before publishing - that's so important," says Gullatt. "Customers may have to ask their marketing teams, legal teams before they say certain things publicly so you don't want to burn bridges."

This is why having a good relationship with the customer is key – this will make addressing issues with the content so much easier.

Gullatt adds that flexibility is key.

"Be flexible even when it's inconvenient because customers doing stories is a favor to you and your organization," she says. "Making it easy for them and being patient goes a long way."

4. Post and measure success.

Once the content is finally ready and published on social media, you’ll want to track its success.

How are people responding? Are they engaging with the content? Did it help you generate more leads?

Establishing KPIs before publishing on social media allows you to gauge your success accurately. From there, you can review the data to assess improvements for future success story campaigns.

Case studies work to showcase a company's function to the fullest degree. They represent the facts of what happened, who was involved, and what the outcome was.

The main goal of a case study is to earn prospective customers' trust and motivate them to choose you over your competitors.

Turning a case study into a customer success story is done through a meticulous and investigative process.

Now that you have everything you need to get started, design a visually appealing piece of content that gives the reader more than just words, but sparks their imagination of what it would be like to work with your company. They'll want to reap the benefits of your services — and may even become the star of your next customer success story.

Editor's Note: This post was originally published in Oct. 2020 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

Don't forget to share this post!

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

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Crusoe Energy's co-founder and CEO Chase Lochmiller joins Neil MacDonald and other experts for a fireside chat on driving sustainable, responsible, and innovative AI to unlock transformative outcomes.

Discover Barcelona 2023: Keynote session

In his keynote session, Antonio Neri talks to Karl Havard, managing director at Taiga Cloud, a Northern Data company about the moment generative AI is having and how organizations around the world can use it to bring their best ideas to life, in a sustainable way.

A customer panel with Sensei’s Joana Rafel, SPAR ICS’ Andreas Kranabitl, and Red Sea Global’s Dr. Ahmed Ali Alsohaily discusses the journeys of digital transformation, hybrid cloud, and AI with Antonio Neri.

Valery Thomas, head of technology and digitalization at Bell Food Group AG joins Fidelma Russo to share how a hybrid cloud approach enables his company to run workloads at the edge and keep shelves stocked with fresh food.

Discover Barcelona 2023: Expert panel

Danfoss’ chief information officer Sune Baastrup joins Kay Firth-Butterfield and John Frey to discuss how Danfoss and HPE are partnering to make data centers more sustainable.

Discover Las Vegas 2023: theCUBE interview

Jonas Andrulis, founder & CEO of Aleph Alpha and Dr. Eng Lom Goh join the CUBE to discuss the differences between cloud-native and AI-native systems, energy efficiency, and AI Ethics Governance.

Are you a Digital Game Changer?

The answer is yes if you’re transforming business for bold outcomes or redefining success in your industry. Contact us to find out more.

10 B2B Case Study Examples to Inspire Your Next Customer Success Story

October 24, 2023

Case studies, also known as customer stories, are valuable content assets for attracting new customers and showing your expertise in a competitive market.

The more case studies you have, the simpler it gets for your customers to make decisions.

Case studies provide a firsthand experience of what it’s like to use your product or service, and it can give an “Aha!” moment to potential customers.

While product demos and white papers are great for generating leads, their use is limited to highlighting product features.

On the other hand, case studies showcase the transformation a business has undergone while using your product.

A case study offers potential customers a glimpse of the positive changes they can expect, which is more compelling than simply showcasing your product or service’s excellence.

Customer mission should be given at the beginning
Follow up about specifics and metrics
Use quotes from their side to highlight
Work out the biggest benefits of your offering and make reference to them
Make sure your success story follows a brief and logical story structure

In this article, we’ll review 10 examples of outstanding case studies that have collectively helped secure millions in new client business. Let’s get started.

What Is A Case Study?

In simple terms, a case study highlights how a product or service has helped a business solve a problem, achieve a goal, or make its operations easier.

In many ways, it’s a glorified and stretched-out client testimonial that introduces you to the problem that the customer is facing and the solution that the product has helped deliver.

Case studies are invaluable assets for B2B SaaS, where sales cycles tend to get lengthy and costly. They’re a one-time investment that showcases your product’s features and benefits in rooms your sales team can’t be in.

What Makes A Good Case Study?

There is no one-size-fits approach to a good case study.

Some case studies work better as long, prose-forward, and story-driven blog posts. Whereas some are better as quick and fast-fact content that doesn’t add to the chatter but gets straight to the point.

Here are some of the tenets of good case studies:

Product-Led : Focuses on showcasing the product as the solution to a specific problem or challenge.
Timely : Addresses the current issues or trends relevant to the business’s ideal customer profile (ICP) .
Well-structured: Follows a clear, organized format with easily digestible writing style and synthesis.
Story-driven: Tells a compelling and relatable story that puts the reader in the customer’s shoes.

Case studies must tell the customer’s story regardless of style or content density.

Other than that, visuals in case studies are powerful in increasing conversion rates, by providing real evidence and taking attention.

Companies can also use their website, social media, and newsletters to promote case studies and increase visibility.

Below, we have ten diverse case study examples that embody these principles.

B2B Case Study Template from Our Team

We will share great and proven B2B case study examples that you can get inspired by in the following section, but before that, let’s take a look at an easy and effective template from our team.

10 Best B2B Case Study Examples To Take Inspiration From

Plaid is a fintech company specializing in equipping users with a secure platform to connect their bank details to online applications. Addressing the pressing concern of financial security, Plaid leverages compelling case studies to showcase the remarkable transformations their clients experience.

Take Plaid’s case study of Betterment, for example.

The study begins by stating the goal that the customer is trying to achieve, which is to “onboard new users and drive engagement.” Right next to the goal is company details, and followed below is a singular problem and its solution.

The case study continues by keeping the business’ desired result front and center and offers a generous outlook on the SaaS business.

The core process of how Plaid helps Betterment is cleanly laid out, which is a brief version of a ten-page white paper.

What follows are several benefits that Plaid offered to Betterment.

Plaid’s subtle yet effective product integration and clear, well-organized process make it simple for customers facing similar challenges to envision the solution.

2. SalesHandy

SalesHandy is an email automation software that personalizes high-volume cold emails. The company heroes client success stories for its case studies and opens the heading with their wins.

Check out this B2B case study example from Sedin’s case study published by SalesHandy.

Readers need context, and case studies should always begin by outlining the exact problems their product or platform aims to solve.

Here, SalesHandy expertly introduces us to Sedin’s use case and the challenges that the business is facing.

After a lengthy context, the case study highlights Sedin’s core challenge in the words of its personnel.

This personable approach ropes readers in and lets them empathize with Sedin’s challenges.

With a single scroll in, SalesHandy lays out the solutions to Sedin’s core challenges and integrates its product.

This highly detailed case study covers all corners and includes the exceptional results achieved in record time. SalesHandy closes the study with a word from the character already introduced to the readers.

SalesHandy doesn’t shy away from giving a detailed account of its process, which is crucial for highly technical products and enterprise packages that involve multiple decision-makers.

B2B Case studies, first and foremost, should be written in a language that your ICP understands.

Playvox is a customer service platform that helps businesses streamline business operations.

This industry-specific case study of Sweaty Betty by Playvox addresses unique challenges within a niche industry, such as account assessment times for retail and online shops.

The case study starts with the results it achieved for Sweaty Betty.

The case study follows a straightforward, albeit impactful, challenges-solution-results format as we scroll down.

But instead of listing out solutions in bullet points, Playvox uses customer voice to present the transformation that Sweaty Betty went through.

With this formatting, Playvox doesn’t have to tout the platform’s usefulness. Sweaty Betty is doing it for them.

4. Base Search Marketing

We promised diverse case studies, and here is a stellar B2B case study example of a single deck case study of Shine Cosmetics by Base Search Marketing.

Base Search Marketing is a boutique link-building and SEO agency that works with startups and mid-level businesses.

This case study, which can be reviewed as a brochure, gives you an overview of the customer and lays out the challenges that the business is facing.

You’ll notice how the study uses the CEO’s quote to mention a pretty universal problem that most startups face: “limited resources.”

By highlighting the results in the left tab and laying out the process on the right side, this case study does a masterful job of covering all corners and telling a desirable customer success story.

Another approachable form of case study is slide decks, which you can present in boardrooms and meetings and act as a sales pitch.

Loganix nails it with its case study deck for rankings.io.

If you have a complicated product or service requiring an in-depth explanation, then using this format would be a great option.

The solution, stated in simple bullet points, drives the message home.

Fewer words. Cleaner decks.

Using this methodology lets the audience walk through the case study with visuals, bullet points, and concise text.

6. CoSchedule

CoSchedule is a SaaS leader in the social media space, and this Outcome-led Case Study proves just why it is so good at capturing the markets.

The study kicks off with a result-forward headline, piquing the interest of readers who are interested in getting similar outcomes.

coschedule outcome-led case study example

There’s much to appreciate in this succinctly written case study, but the headlines get our attention and hold it.

With every scroll, results are presented to you in the form of graphs, quotes, and visuals.

The study ends with a quote from the customer, which repeats the outcome stated in the headline.

Leading remote teams is a challenge that numerous teams will face moving forward. CoSchedule makes operations easy for these teams, and it doesn’t shy away from stating just how through its case study.

7. Wizehire

Case studies have evolved from lengthy blocks of text confined to PDFs to a new digital era emphasizing impact over verbosity.

Wizehire’s succinct case study is a prime example of this shift. It uses fewer words to create a powerful impression.

From the very first page, the case study introduces us to Kris, the customer and central figure of the story. Without the need for extensive scrolling, we quickly grasp vital details about Kris: his role, employee turnover, location, and industry.

In the second slide, we are immediately taken to the solution that Kris got by working with Wizehire.

The case study ends with a passionate testimonial from Kris, who deeply believes in Wizehire.

The case study has less than 300 words, enough for local entrepreneurs like Kris Morales, who want to hire talent but don’t have the resources for proper vetting and training. Until, of course, Wizehire comes along.

8. FreshBooks

When a reader can see themselves in a case study, it takes them one step closer to wanting to try the product.

This case study by Freshbooks uses a beautiful personal story of an emerging entrepreneur.

Using a deeply personal story, the study appeals to people who are just starting and aren’t accountants but suddenly have to deal with employee invoices and a dozen other bills.

The text progresses in an interview-style study, with the customer taking the mic and illustrating the challenges that startups and small businesses face.

freshbooks challenge statement in case study

This style works because readers crave insights directly from customers. Getting authentic testimonials is becoming increasingly challenging. Well-crafted case studies can be valuable substitutes, provided they seem realistic and from the heart.

Featuring quotes or testimonials from satisfied customers throughout the case study adds to its credibility and authenticity. Just like this testimonial Case Study by Slack .

Slack is a giant in the realm of digital communication, with more than 20 million active users worldwide. However, it is tough to break into the market of group communications. After all, Slack competes with both WhatsApp and Microsoft Team regarding market share.

To level the playing field, Slack features case studies from top entrepreneurs and market players who have been served well by it.

Its case studies are laden with personal stories about how the platform boosts productivity.

At the same time, the software also plugs in the “try for free” banner to make sure that customers are aware of the inexpensive nature of the software.

It’s not easy to get such detailed testimonies from the C-suite, but when you’re Slack, businesses tend to make an exception.

Some case studies are based on highly niche subjects, where nothing is at the top of the funnel. Kosli nails it with this highly technical case study of Firi.

Technical case studies are designed for niche audiences who are already aware of the problems that the software can solve. Case studies like these are clean and smart and come with solutions that have a counterpart solution.

There is absolutely no fluff and nothing that can be a reason for C-suite executives to bounce from.

It’s full of information-packed pages designed to hook the reader in and present the tool as a formidable solution to their problem.

You’ll notice how they weave Kosli through the entire case study, and the first-person report comes from the customer.

B2B Case Study Examples In Short

In the B2B SaaS industry, converting new leads and securing new business has become increasingly challenging. In this landscape, impactful content assets such as case studies and customer stories are sometimes the only things moving the needle.

Crafting a compelling customer story empowers brands to enable potential customers to engage directly .

🚀 Customer stories evoke empathy from buyers

🤝 Customer stories help build up your relationships with vocal brand advocates

⬇️ Customer stories lower your prospects’ information cost

Once you’ve determined the most effective way to convey information that resonates with your leads, you can collaborate with your content and design teams to create impactful case studies to generate new business and prove your expertise and experience in the market.

Zeynep Avan

Churn Analytics: 5 Tools for Churn Insights

Churn analytics is the process of collecting and analyzing data to understand why customers leave a service or stop buying products.

Churn Survey Templates (Churn Signals, Examples and Tips)

Churn survey is a series of questions sent to customers when cancelling or downgrading their subscription. Learn how to create one.

What is Good Churn Rate for SaaS: Formulas, Examples and Tips

A good churn rate for SaaS can vary a lot, but the average churn rate should be between 4% and 8% for SaaS companies aiming growth.

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Building Customer References: 5 Steps to Engage Customers

By BLASTmedia

November 8, 2023

SaaS PR Media Relations

When making a purchase decision, B2B buyers want to hear from current users of the platform. What are their likes and dislikes? What are the things they need to be aware of before purchasing the software? Oftentimes, buyers do this through customer case studies and references. According to the Content Marketing Institute, 73% of B2B buyers say that case studies are a key factor in their purchasing decisions.

While things like customer case studies and references are valuable, they’re not always the easiest to secure. For some customers, the effort to participate seems like too much work for little gain. While others are open to sharing their experience, but they don’t want to be named publicly. It can also be difficult to get executive buy-in, especially those in highly regulated industries.

Building a successful customer reference program takes time. However, there are steps you can take to ease customers into becoming public references, helping build your credibility and creating a positive experience for your users. Below are five ways to encourage participation in a customer reference program.

Build customer references into the contract.

Adding low-commitment or medium-commitment activities into the contract is a good way to gauge a customer’s level of comfortability in participating as a reference. Some may remove the item from the agreement, but others will keep it in. When taking this approach, we recommend starting customers with low-commitment activities and working your way up to higher-commitment activities.

Low-commitment activities:

Sales reference calls
Analyst reference calls
Customer logo on website

Medium-commitment activities:

Press release announcing the customer
Written customer case study
Customer blog post
Contributed content for media
Customer video

High-commitment activities:

Customer presentation at events
Media interview

Reach out to the customer .

It’s likely you know who your power users are, but if you don’t, work with your customer success team to identify impactful customer user cases. Once you find out who those customers are, have your customer success manager reach out to them, asking for a call to discuss outcomes from using the platform. You can’t have a customer reference, well, without a customer, so connect with them directly or with your CS team to stay up to date on potential opportunities.

Include customer’s marketing team .

While your customer is the one using the product, they’re likely not the ones setting the marketing strategy or making the final decision on all things marketing. Rather than involve your customer’s executive team, loop in their marketing or PR team to present the opportunity. Be sure to have a plan in place on how you intend to use the customer reference, what the next steps look like and how the relationship/experience will work.

By working together with your customer’s marketing team, you have a higher chance of getting buy-in from the executive team and ultimately being able to leverage them as a public reference.

Prepare the customer spokesperson

Whether your customer spokesperson is media-trained or not, it’s important to touch base with them to discuss the outreach plan and key messaging to be used in interviews. Your SaaS PR team should connect with the customer to inform them what to expect during the process. If a customer needs additional support, consider scheduling a separate media training session that helps them practice potential questions and work through their messaging.

Secure media opportunities

While hearing from company thought leaders is valuable, reporters want to hear from a vendor’s users . With your customer spokesperson ready to go and the outreach plan approved, your SaaS PR team has what they need to get the ball rolling and secure media opportunities.

During this process, when sharing media requests with your customer, be sure to showcase the potential value the interview can add for them and their company. Yes, they’re talking about their experience with your platform, but it’s also a way to boost their thought leadership and brand.

Remember, building customer references takes time. You don’t want to rush this process. Instead, approach these conversations with customers patiently and strategically. Use low-level commitment activities to show its value early on while building up to higher-commitment activities like media interviews. In doing so, you can further build your relationship with your customers and continue building a strong brand with their references.

For more ideas on how to build customer references, check out our Building Customer References ebook .

About The Author

Established in 2005, BLASTmedia is the only PR agency in the US dedicated to B2B SaaS, representing companies from growth-stage to publicly traded. BLASTmedia understands the unique challenges associated with scaling a SaaS business and uses media coverage and thought leadership campaigns to impact four primary pillars: investors, employees, partners, and customers.

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What is a Customer Reference?

Customer reference encompasses all positive feedback, stories, or reviews recounted by a customer about a business, its products, services, or the customer experience as a whole.

There was a time when businesses depended entirely on salespeople and their ability to turn a potential customer ‘no’ into a ‘yes’. Modern businesses can no longer rely solely on a good salesperson, as potential customers have access to candid reviews and references. Consumers research the product before buying it, and the research is not just limited to looking up features of the products, but also reviews from other users.

This can result in two outcomes. If prospective customers see proof that other customers who used the product or service of the business have been delighted, they are more likely to believe in the business and buy its products. If the feedback is filled with frustration and negativity, it’s likely that the potential customer will simply walk away.

Organizations need to manage this by using happy customers to their advantage. Utilizing customer references in a positive way is when existing satisfied customers of the company share stories and feedback highlighting the good things about the business or the products. Customer references can apply to the whole business, a particular product or service, or the overall customer experience. The customers giving references are also more likely to spread positive verbal feedback about the business or the brand among their family, friends, and peers.

Does Your Organization Require a Telecom Expense Management Solution?

Large organizations with multiple telecommunications services and cloud solutions usually use a telecom expense management system. However, to determine if you need a proper telecom expense management solution, it is important to first understand your organizational challenges. It depends on the organization’s size, complexity, and telecom usage patterns. Some of the indicators that suggest an organization might benefit from implementing a telecom expense management solution:

Complex Telecom Infrastructure

If the organization has a complex telecom infrastructure with multiple service providers, various types of services, voice, data, and mobile plans, and a large number of users and devices, it may be more prone to inefficiencies and higher costs.

High Telecom Expenses

An organization experiencing high and unpredictable telecom expenses might benefit from a telecom expense management system. If telecom costs are a significant portion of the budget, it’s a sign that closer control is needed.

Lack of Cost Visibility

If the organization struggles to gain clear visibility into its telecom expenses and usage patterns, this could indicate a need for a telecom expense management solution. A lack of transparency can lead to overspending and inefficiencies.

Difficulty in Managing Contracts

If managing telecom contracts is challenging due to a lack of centralized contract tracking, frequent renewals, or difficulty understanding contract terms, a telecom expense management solution can help streamline this process.

Manual Processes and Errors

If the organization relies on manual processes for managing invoices, data entry, and cost allocation, there’s a higher likelihood of human errors and discrepancies in billing. A telecom expense management solution can automate and reduce these errors.

Regular Processing of Bulk Invoices

Organizations that manually process bulk invoices frequently, and whose labor costs and other overhead expenses to process telecom bills are more than the actual bill amount, need a good telecom expense management solution.

Inefficient Usage

If there’s evidence of underutilized services, excessive overages, or lack of optimization in data and voice plans, a telecom expense management solution can identify areas for cost savings.

Scalability Challenges

Growing organizations with expanding telecom needs may need help keeping track of asset inventory, managing expenses, and contracts. A telecom expense management solution can scale with the organization’s growth.

Securing Sensitive Data

Organizations that need to safeguard sensitive telecom data, such as call records, may require telecom expense management solutions to enhance security and compliance.

Does Social Proof Work for B2B?

In this context it’s important to remember that a person is making the decision, even within a business. While organizations market to a business, a business is made up of people. So social proof is just as effective in a corporate setting, it just has to be performed differently.

Customer reference plays a big role when it comes to B2B companies, the buyer will often spend much more money on one purchase compared to a B2C spend. In the consumer market, a customer may be willing to pay $50 for a product, even if they are not 100% confident that the product will be of use. They may not require the need to conduct more research or go through multiple customer reviews before buying the product.

However, this does not apply to the B2B market, largely because the products in the B2B market are much more expensive or larger volumes are purchased. As a result, the buyer wants to be completely confident that the product or service is high quality, effective, and offers great value for its cost. Moreover, in a B2B purchase, the employees buying the product will be held accountable if the product is not a perfect fit as per the requirement, so the buyer will be extra cautious.

Comprehensive customer feedback on products and services is crucial for the success of any business. It is important to note that persuasion or pressure on customers to submit positive reviews will not work in their favor. These reviews are often bland, formulaic, and seemed forced. Customers who provide reviews and references willingly are the ones that love the products and services of the business and want the business to prosper, and that message will be conveyed.

If businesses play their cards right when it comes to collecting customer references, they will be able to not just strengthen the relationship with the existing customers but will also be able to grow a new customer base.

Why Do Customers Provide References?

Why would a customer agree to spend their time providing a reference or review for a business or a product?

Good Relationship with their Point of Contact

If a customer has a good relationship with their point of contact at the business, regardless of who it is, they are more likely to become a reference. The strong bond with the point of contact will motivate the customer to strengthen the relationship further.

Liking for the Product

Many customers are willing to become a reference because they really love the product. It simplifies their life in some manner, prompting them to speak positively about it. These genuinely satisfied customers aren’t inclined to seek out other products because they’re thoroughly content with the one they currently use. They actively root for the success of the business because they rely on this product and believe it could be beneficial for others as well.

Seeking Association with the Brand

Certain customers aspire to link their name or brand with the business because they believe that such an association will enhance their standing or prestige. Providing references and case studies gives these customers the opportunity to promote themselves and their stories along with the brand.

How to Get Quality Customer References?

How can organizations obtain quality customer references without suffering from bland and half-hearted reviews? There are a few things businesses can do to get the feedback they want and maintain happy relationships.

Select Genuinely Happy Customers

The first thing that needs to be done is to select a customer who is genuinely happy with the products or services of the business. This can be done by simply by asking how the customer has benefited from the product. If the response is positive, then it is likely that the customer will go the extra mile for the business and be ready to provide a reference.

Incentivization

Although it’s wonderful when a customer provides a reference for the business out of their genuine affection for the product and trust, it’s always advisable to express gratitude or show appreciation in return. This can be done by arranging some kind of incentivization, like offering a free subscription for a month or two, a promo code for future transactions, or something similar that the customer will appreciate.

Maintain Transparency

When approaching a customer for reference, it should be clearly explained what is expected of them, and where and how their reference will be used. Whether it will be used on a website or collateral, whether they may have to directly speak to the future client, or just share their personal experience on Google My Business. This will aid the reviewer in making a decision aligned with their comfort level while simultaneously bolstering their trust in the business.

Avoid Reference Burnout

Although it’s excellent that the customer has agreed to serve as a reference, the organization should ensure that they are not excessively burdening the customer with requests. Periodically ask; is the reviewer happy to continue being a reference? An additional effective method to prevent burnout is to have supplementary references available. This not only alleviates pressure on individuals but also offers additional evidence of quality.

Timing Matters

Timing matters when inviting customers to become references. It is advisable that the request is made within two or three days of the completion of the transaction. By then, the customer would have a candid assessment of the product and the overall interaction with the business. Conversely, if the customer is approached too long after the purchase, it is likely that they would have forgotten how the brand has supported them and might not have anything specific to add in their testimonial. If the reference request is made before the transaction is complete or they’ve had time to use the product, it’s unlikely to garner any positive reviews.

Tips to Create a Good Customer Reference Program

Here are several tips that can assist any business in establishing a strong customer reference program and acquiring top-notch references.

Make Connections

The cornerstone of a successful customer reference program lies in fostering strong relationships with customers. It’s not always about a good product. Sometimes, if the product is good but the brand doesn’t maintain a good relationship with the customer, they may not be willing to become a reference for the brand.

The most important factor when building a relationship with a customer is to be genuine and authentic. After that, it is important to communicate on the platform or style the customer prefers. The third step is to be empathetic towards the customer by showing them that the business understands their frustrations and is ready to listen to them and provide solutions. Once a good connection is established, businesses can confidently request a customer’s reference, and in the majority of cases, customers will readily comply without hesitation.

Make the Process Simple

If the process of providing references is tedious, it is likely that the customers will not want to be part of it. Rather than requiring customers to complete lengthy forms or adhere to specific style guidelines, a more convenient approach would be to request brief references and reviews from customers, allowing them to express their thoughts in just a few words, taking up only a few minutes of their time. On the flip side, a phone call offers a swift means of gathering substantial information, allowing for the extraction of specific details and nuances.

Thank the Customers

Businesses should always remember that the customer is doing them a favor by providing a reference. Every time a customer gives a reference, businesses should thank them. This appreciation should not be an auto-generated email but a personalized one, stating how the customer has added value to the business.

Get Customers from Varied Segments

It is always good to have customer references from different types of customers. Different customers will like the brand or a product for different reasons and it is always advisable to have a variety of people providing references for different reasons.

Evaluate and Revise

Once the customer reference program is created, it is important to collect feedback about it internally and externally. The customers who have been onboarded as part of the program should be asked what they think of the process, if they are comfortable with the level of communication they have with the company, if they are facing any problems in the program or if they are happy

with it. Meanwhile, internal feedback on the customer reference program should be taken from different teams, especially the communications and the marketing team.

Aligning References with Business Goals

Businesses should maintain a clear understanding of their objectives concerning their customer reference strategy. It’s crucial not only to react to situations but also to proactively plan and strategize for optimal outcomes. In a reactive scenario, customer references assist when prospects request them. However, when targeting a new customer demographic, such as students, it’s beneficial to have a student advocate for the brand. Witnessing how the brand positively impacted one of their peers significantly enhances trust in the brand among other students.

Getting Things Wrong Isn’t Always Bad

Often, the loudest supporters are the customers where something went wrong. The speed and effectiveness in resolving the issue hold significant weight. Don’t be discouraged if the customer initially expressed dissatisfaction; a prompt and successful resolution leading to a positive outcome will leave the customer delighted. Ultimately, it’s the act of rectifying the situation that truly matters.

How to Provide the Right Customer Reference to the Right Prospect

Organizations can be directly approached by prospective customers and asked to share customer references. So, how should these requests be handled, and how can it be ensured that the right references are provided to a specific customer?

Ask What the Prospect Requires

Businesses should inquire with prospective customers who have requested a reference, seeking clarity on what specific information or details they are eager to learn about? What are their concerns? Once that is understood, it is far easier to match prospects to reviewers. If the prospect does not have their own questions, businesses can share a list of FAQs that may be suitable.

Case Studies and Research Reports

When businesses have already published substantiated proof such as case studies and research reports, the likelihood of prospects requesting additional references diminishes. Also, companies can ask their loyal customers to submit reviews on websites other than their own. This is extremely helpful for potential customers who will simply Google ‘company name reviews’ to see what others are saying.

Recorded Video Testimonials

Businesses can get their trusted customers on video call platforms like Google Meet or Zoom and record their testimonials. This way testimonials from multiple customers can be put on record and shared (or published) if needed.

Customer Advocate Community

In the event of numerous reference requests, businesses can assemble a community of customers who are enthusiastic about advocating for the brand, engaging with prospective customers to

discuss the products and services offered. . This will not just help the business provide a direct interaction channel between the present and prospective customers for better references, but it will also provide a platform for the customers to expand their social circle with others sharing similar interests.

Invite Prospects to Events with Customers

A prospective customer will gain more trust in the brand if they are able to directly meet and interact with existing customers of that brand. Businesses can host in-person or virtual events where they can invite their present customers to speak directly to prospects about how they have benefitted from the product. This will also provide an opportunity for prospects to ask any questions they might have directly to current users of the product.

Social Proof and Customer References are Important

If organizations want to grow their market, then social proof and customer references are a vital part of the strategy. Authentic reviews and recommendations carry tremendous weight for prospective customers. This approach is notably effective in converting customers at the bottom of the sales funnel while simultaneously generating interest and engagement at the top of the funnel.

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Customer Reference Program Management: Using a Case Study Matrix to Secure More Strategic Stories

When deciding which customer case studies to produce, our clients typically take one of two approaches:

Opportunistic: Ask salespeople to recommend customers who might like to do a story, OR
Strategic: Determine which products, industries, and other case study attributes might best attract the company’s target customers to the company’s “best” products and services. Then, ask the field to refer appropriate case study prospects who meet those characteristics.

Given the limited time and money you have to spend on your customer reference program , the strategic approach is, of course, the way to go. Whether you’re starting a new reference program for your company or division, or refreshing your site’s portfolio of customer stories, we recommend using a matrix to help ensure your site’s stories meet your company’s marketing objectives.

Here’s a sample case study matrix:

As you can see, we show target industries across the X axis, and target products along the Y axis, with existing stories included in some of the boxes. Highlighted boxes indicate gaps—where new stories are needed.

The matrix should reflect your strategic goals, so think carefully about which attributes to include on your axes. For larger reference programs, we recommend creating a spreadsheet with multiple tabs, color-coding your highlights, and using other visual cues to help you determine which stories you need to produce. Attributes we’ve seen our clients put on the tabs and axes include:

1. Products/Services. Which products/services does your company want to feature in your reference program: your cash cows, highest margin, most attractive to new customers, those that represent your best cross- or upsell opportunities?

2. Industries. Which customer industries should you feature: Those where you currently have the greatest number of existing customers? Fewest? New industries your company is targeting?

3. Geographies. Again, consider creating stories that feature the geographies your company currently serves, as well as those you’re targeting. Use this thinking to consider other attributes, such as:

Customer sizes (enterprise, SMB)
Types of customer (customer, partner)
Buyer roles (CEO, CMO, line of business lead)

4. Keyphrases. Which keywords and phrases will help boost your search engine optimization (SEO) ? This is just one more way to think about producing the ideal mix of stories.

A customer case study matrix helps you go after stories that meet your strategic objectives, rather than just produce the stories that come to you via sales. The matrix helps you remain intentional—rather than opportunistic—when you’re deciding how to spend the time and budget allocated to your customer reference program.

Call us if we can help you refine your matrix—or produce some great stories to fill the gaps.

Case study: Building a customer-centric B2B organization

Customer experience (CX) is an increasingly important strategic topic in the boardrooms of B2B companies in China and throughout the world. Despite the rapid development of the previous decades, the “growth first” principle of Chinese enterprises sometimes implies customer experience can be sacrificed. But CX leaders, globally and within China, drive higher growth, lower cost, and superior customer satisfaction. In times of crisis, they achieve three-times-higher shareholder returns 1 Total return to shareholders tracked for publicly traded companies in the top 10 or bottom 10 of Forrester’s Customer Experience Performance Index in 2007–09. than laggards.

Start with a vision

A successful transformation starts from the top. Cases within and outside China confirm that the CEO must be in charge to continuously push and unify the organization.

The Chinese steel industry has taken an upturn amid the country’s overcapacity-reduction program, and companies have been enjoying robust price and volume increases. In this article, we consider one Chinese steel manufacturer whose CEO set a clear vision to build a customer-centric organization in order to gain a competitive edge and to keep the organization healthy through future downturns. The company took a series of steps to systematically and holistically shift the entire organization toward customer-centricity.

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Identify the challenges.

Comprehensive diagnostics revealed that the company faced a series of challenges. In fact, interviews with some customers were alarming: the customer voice, though central to the CEO’s vision, had no conduit within the organization and was never heard by decision makers. One key account was lost well before corporate management heard its complaints. Analysis of the research revealed several serious shortfalls in customer-centricity:

Limited understanding of customers.

The company had not systemically mapped the diverse stakeholders behind each customer, relying instead in most cases on buy-side procurement managers and their associates as the only source of customer feedback. Company representatives rarely knew or approached other customer-decision influencers or the users behind procurement, thereby losing many potential customer insights. The company also lacked access to end customers further down the value chain.

Few channels for customer feedback.

As is true at many B2B organizations, sales was the major channel through which the company gathered customer feedback. But manual relays of messages could take a long time to reach managers, assuming they were not forgotten along the way. To make matters worse, sales representatives sometimes neglected to report feedback, fearing they would be punished if headquarters learned that their customers were unhappy.

Limited analysis of feedback for insights.

What customer feedback and CX data existed within the organization was not centrally managed and synthesized into easy-to-access reports to give top management the full picture. Other stakeholders also found it challenging to access the aggregated customer feedback related to their own roles.

Customer problems not addressed.

Many customers complained that issues they had reported many times had not been dealt with, and the same problems continued to persist.

Transform to a CX-centric organization through a holistic ‘diagnose, design, deliver’ process

A holistic transformation was crafted to move the company toward the CEO’s vision, knowing that no single silver bullet could address all challenges at the same time. The transformation plan consisted of multiple modules based on a “diagnose, design, deliver” process, which takes two to three years to implement fully (Exhibit 1).

The company proceeded through the process in three phases:

Phase 1: Diagnose

The first step was to map the customers and identify stakeholders beyond buy-side procurement. To achieve this, customers were divided into segments based on similar stakeholder dynamics and customer journeys. Then the segments were prioritized based on their value and strategic importance.

Phase 2: Design

After the journey diagnostics, the company built a structured “question library” based on the journey breakdown, with customized questionnaires and feedback forms for different stakeholders. This enabled the company to collect feedback and experience data, and perform a consistent longitudinal analysis across feedback channels. Using these designs, the company was able to systematically analyze experience data, dig into root causes, and identify improvement areas.

Phase 3: Deliver

An IT backbone had to be built to implement all the designs discussed in the previous paragraphs. To achieve this, the company broke down the system design into several modules and assessed how each one should be tackled. Among the three possible development options, “customized third-party solution, locally deployed” was chosen as the best option based on five evaluation criteria: feasibility, customization, data security, timeline, and price.

Survey: Chinese B2B decision maker response to COVID-19 crisis

Key learnings: prioritize segments, and collect feedback on multiple channels.

The company eventually prioritized three segments: (1) section-steel and steel-sheet-piling dealers, (2) section-steel manufacturers, and (3) steel-sheet-piling leasing companies, with the biggest customer in each category selected for deeper analysis. In analyzing the different customers, the company discovered a pattern: three journeys—scheduling inquiry, transport and delivery, and quality discrepancy—were deemed crucial by all customers.

A new, multichannel system was designed to address the company’s various challenges in collecting customer feedback. While customers can still share feedback directly with sales reps, the system incorporates new channels, including periodic on-site interviews and feedback sessions conducted by marketing personnel or the CX team, surveys on mobile devices, and a WeChat portal where customers can submit feedback whenever they want.

This system also allows the company to reach out to previously inaccessible or remote customers, who can simply scan product QR codes to submit feedback on features and quality, or even solicit technical support. A dashboard was designed to create CX transparency across the organization, allowing different stakeholders to analyze the data and generate insights. The multichannel-backed (PC and mobile) dashboard can make customer feedback and experience data visible for stakeholders from different divisions, so they can easily analyze data and generate insights.

Manage the change to maintain success

McKinsey research indicates that 70 percent of change programs fail, mostly because of human factors. Design-phase initiatives don’t stick without procedures for proper change management. McKinsey has a useful framework for change management (Exhibit 2), from which the steel manufacturer adopted key elements.

Real impact to the bottom line

To date, the company has already generated an estimated 4 percent increase in gross profit, or an 8 percent increase in pre-interest and pretax profit—a number matching the CEO’s initial expectations of the project. Moreover, the company believes that its transformation will have a lasting impact, producing better products, more satisfied and loyal customers, and a healthier, more efficient organization overall.

All in all, customer experience is an effective tool that Chinese B2B players can utilize to create long-term competitive advantages. A company should first define its priorities, lay out an implementation path based on its current reality, and use it to work toward a superior customer experience and, ultimately, excellence.

Hai Ye and Will Enger are partners in McKinsey’s Hong Kong office.

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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.

89% of consumers read reviews before buying, 79% view case studies, and 52% of B2B buyers prioritize case studies in the evaluation process.

Case studies are unique in that there’s a fairly standardized format for telling a customer’s story. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for creativity. It’s all about making sure that teams are clear on the goals for the case study — along with strategies for supporting content and channels — and understanding how the story fits within the framework of the company’s overall marketing goals.

Here are the basic steps to writing a good case study.

1. Identify your goal

Start by defining exactly who your case study will be designed to help. Case studies are about specific instances where a company works with a customer to achieve a goal. Identify which customers are likely to have these goals, as well as other needs the story should cover to appeal to them.

The answer is often found in one of the buyer personas that have been constructed as part of your larger marketing strategy. This can include anything from new leads generated by the marketing team to long-term customers that are being pressed for cross-sell opportunities. In all of these cases, demonstrating value through a relatable customer success story can be part of the solution to conversion.

2. Choose your client or subject

Who you highlight matters. Case studies tie brands together that might otherwise not cross paths. A writer will want to ensure that the highlighted customer aligns with their own company’s brand identity and offerings. Look for a customer with positive name recognition who has had great success with a product or service and is willing to be an advocate.

The client should also match up with the identified target audience. Whichever company or individual is selected should be a reflection of other potential customers who can see themselves in similar circumstances, having the same problems and possible solutions.

Some of the most compelling case studies feature customers who:

Switch from one product or service to another while naming competitors that missed the mark.
Experience measurable results that are relatable to others in a specific industry.
Represent well-known brands and recognizable names that are likely to compel action.
Advocate for a product or service as a champion and are well-versed in its advantages.

Whoever or whatever customer is selected, marketers must ensure they have the permission of the company involved before getting started. Some brands have strict review and approval procedures for any official marketing or promotional materials that include their name. Acquiring those approvals in advance will prevent any miscommunication or wasted effort if there is an issue with their legal or compliance teams.

3. Conduct research and compile data

Substantiating the claims made in a case study — either by the marketing team or customers themselves — adds validity to the story. To do this, include data and feedback from the client that defines what success looks like. This can be anything from demonstrating return on investment (ROI) to a specific metric the customer was striving to improve. Case studies should prove how an outcome was achieved and show tangible results that indicate to the customer that your solution is the right one.

This step could also include customer interviews. Make sure that the people being interviewed are key stakeholders in the purchase decision or deployment and use of the product or service that is being highlighted. Content writers should work off a set list of questions prepared in advance. It can be helpful to share these with the interviewees beforehand so they have time to consider and craft their responses. One of the best interview tactics to keep in mind is to ask questions where yes and no are not natural answers. This way, your subject will provide more open-ended responses that produce more meaningful content.

4. Choose the right format

There are a number of different ways to format a case study. Depending on what you hope to achieve, one style will be better than another. However, there are some common elements to include, such as:

An engaging headline
A subject and customer introduction
The unique challenge or challenges the customer faced
The solution the customer used to solve the problem
The results achieved
Data and statistics to back up claims of success
A strong call to action (CTA) to engage with the vendor

It’s also important to note that while case studies are traditionally written as stories, they don’t have to be in a written format. Some companies choose to get more creative with their case studies and produce multimedia content, depending on their audience and objectives. Case study formats can include traditional print stories, interactive web or social content, data-heavy infographics, professionally shot videos, podcasts, and more.

5. Write your case study

We’ll go into more detail later about how exactly to write a case study, including templates and examples. Generally speaking, though, there are a few things to keep in mind when writing your case study.

Be clear and concise. Readers want to get to the point of the story quickly and easily, and they’ll be looking to see themselves reflected in the story right from the start.
Provide a big picture. Always make sure to explain who the client is, their goals, and how they achieved success in a short introduction to engage the reader.
Construct a clear narrative. Stick to the story from the perspective of the customer and what they needed to solve instead of just listing product features or benefits.
Leverage graphics. Incorporating infographics, charts, and sidebars can be a more engaging and eye-catching way to share key statistics and data in readable ways.
Offer the right amount of detail. Most case studies are one or two pages with clear sections that a reader can skim to find the information most important to them.
Include data to support claims. Show real results — both facts and figures and customer quotes — to demonstrate credibility and prove the solution works.

6. Promote your story

Marketers have a number of options for distribution of a freshly minted case study. Many brands choose to publish case studies on their website and post them on social media. This can help support SEO and organic content strategies while also boosting company credibility and trust as visitors see that other businesses have used the product or service.

Marketers are always looking for quality content they can use for lead generation. Consider offering a case study as gated content behind a form on a landing page or as an offer in an email message. One great way to do this is to summarize the content and tease the full story available for download after the user takes an action.

Sales teams can also leverage case studies, so be sure they are aware that the assets exist once they’re published. Especially when it comes to larger B2B sales, companies often ask for examples of similar customer challenges that have been solved.

Now that you’ve learned a bit about case studies and what they should include, you may be wondering how to start creating great customer story content. Here are a couple of templates you can use to structure your case study.

Template 1 — Challenge-solution-result format

Start with an engaging title. This should be fewer than 70 characters long for SEO best practices. One of the best ways to approach the title is to include the customer’s name and a hint at the challenge they overcame in the end.
Create an introduction. Lead with an explanation as to who the customer is, the need they had, and the opportunity they found with a specific product or solution. Writers can also suggest the success the customer experienced with the solution they chose.
Present the challenge. This should be several paragraphs long and explain the problem the customer faced and the issues they were trying to solve. Details should tie into the company’s products and services naturally. This section needs to be the most relatable to the reader so they can picture themselves in a similar situation.
Share the solution. Explain which product or service offered was the ideal fit for the customer and why. Feel free to delve into their experience setting up, purchasing, and onboarding the solution.
Explain the results. Demonstrate the impact of the solution they chose by backing up their positive experience with data. Fill in with customer quotes and tangible, measurable results that show the effect of their choice.
Ask for action. Include a CTA at the end of the case study that invites readers to reach out for more information, try a demo, or learn more — to nurture them further in the marketing pipeline. What you ask of the reader should tie directly into the goals that were established for the case study in the first place.

Template 2 — Data-driven format

Start with an engaging title. Be sure to include a statistic or data point in the first 70 characters. Again, it’s best to include the customer’s name as part of the title.
Create an overview. Share the customer’s background and a short version of the challenge they faced. Present the reason a particular product or service was chosen, and feel free to include quotes from the customer about their selection process.
Present data point 1. Isolate the first metric that the customer used to define success and explain how the product or solution helped to achieve this goal. Provide data points and quotes to substantiate the claim that success was achieved.
Present data point 2. Isolate the second metric that the customer used to define success and explain what the product or solution did to achieve this goal. Provide data points and quotes to substantiate the claim that success was achieved.
Present data point 3. Isolate the final metric that the customer used to define success and explain what the product or solution did to achieve this goal. Provide data points and quotes to substantiate the claim that success was achieved.
Summarize the results. Reiterate the fact that the customer was able to achieve success thanks to a specific product or service. Include quotes and statements that reflect customer satisfaction and suggest they plan to continue using the solution.
Ask for action. Include a CTA at the end of the case study that asks readers to reach out for more information, try a demo, or learn more — to further nurture them in the marketing pipeline. Again, remember that this is where marketers can look to convert their content into action with the customer.

While templates are helpful, seeing a case study in action can also be a great way to learn. Here are some examples of how Adobe customers have experienced success.

Juniper Networks

One example is the Adobe and Juniper Networks case study , which puts the reader in the customer’s shoes. The beginning of the story quickly orients the reader so that they know exactly who the article is about and what they were trying to achieve. Solutions are outlined in a way that shows Adobe Experience Manager is the best choice and a natural fit for the customer. Along the way, quotes from the client are incorporated to help add validity to the statements. The results in the case study are conveyed with clear evidence of scale and volume using tangible data.

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

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The design of B2B customer references: A signaling theory perspective

Original Empirical Research
Published: 15 October 2022
Volume 51 , pages 658–674, ( 2023 )

Cite this article

D. Eric Boyd 1 , 2 ,
F. Javier Sese 3 &
Sebastian Tillmanns ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-5190-1309 4

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Customer references represent a popular marketing strategy, in which customers of a particular supplier share their prior experiences with other potential buyers. The number of customers featured in a customer reference (i.e., reference breadth) and the richness of information it provides (i.e., reference depth), as design decisions, in turn might influence the financial impact of customer references. Drawing from signaling theory, the authors develop a conceptual framework to understand the impact of customer reference design and the moderating role of trade receivables, which represents a finance-based signal of quality often used in business-to-business markets. Two studies test the model, one focused on investors’ reactions to the design of customer references and another that addresses buyers’ reactions. The results affirm the importance of reference design factors for both investors and buyers and reveal important insights at the marketing–finance interface.

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Research in marketing strategy

Customer experience: fundamental premises and implications for research

We consistently use the term “references,” though a variety of other terms, such as “customer stories,” “advocate marketing,” and “case studies,” appear in business practice. For a more extensive discussion of terminology, please refer to Godes ( 2012 , p. 258).

See https://www.microfocus.com/en-us/legal/customer-reference-agreement-terms as an example.

Another possible reason for the lack of significance of the nonlinear effect is the mean number of customers involved in a reference in our sample, 1.83 (standard deviation of 1.80). We considered, but did not find, that more reference customers might lead to an inverted U-shaped relationship. Additional studies might investigate the nature of this relationship in more depth, using a larger number of reference customers. We thank an anonymous reviewer for this suggestion.

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Boyd, D.E., Sese, F.J. & Tillmanns, S. The design of B2B customer references: A signaling theory perspective. J. of the Acad. Mark. Sci. 51 , 658–674 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-022-00902-6

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A reference customer: Implements and uses a startup's product successfully. Commits with the startup to a shared and measurable definition of success. Empowers the startup to tell their story to prospects through mediums such as case studies, panel discussions, and sales conversations. As valuable as reference customers are to both a startup ...
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Customer Reference Stories. Case studies, or customer success stories, have become an integral part of many companies' marketing and sales toolkits. They can be used to leverage customer experiences and help you gain new customers. They can also help you capture how customers have used your products and how that use enhanced or positively ...
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Step 5: Develop a Reference Management System. To keep your customer reference program organized and running smoothly, establish a reference management system. This may include: Step 6: Promote ...
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The study ends with a quote from the customer, which repeats the outcome stated in the headline. Leading remote teams is a challenge that numerous teams will face moving forward. CoSchedule makes operations easy for these teams, and it doesn't shy away from stating just how through its case study. 7. Wizehire.
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When taking this approach, we recommend starting customers with low-commitment activities and working your way up to higher-commitment activities. Low-commitment activities: Sales reference calls. Analyst reference calls. Customer logo on website. Medium-commitment activities: Press release announcing the customer. Written customer case study.
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Set up is easy and risk-free. Take a test drive. Browse the long list of customer success stories to discover how NetApp enables our customers to succeed in cloud and flash—from the hybrid and multi cloud to all flash and capacity flash, pick a NetApp customer brand to find out how we enabled their cloud success.
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7. Remember to use your customer reference content. It can take weeks or even months to create high-quality customer reference content. Once finalized, case studies, quotes, customer videos, and testimonials all have a shelf life. Make sure your company gets the most value from its reference content before it becomes outdated. Awareness is ...
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Customer Reference: A positive story your customer reference contact shares about your products or services. Customer Reference Activity: The way customer reference contacts share their customer references (e.g., by talking with a prospect on the phone, participating in a case study interview, sending a written quote via email, etc.).
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Case study examples. While templates are helpful, seeing a case study in action can also be a great way to learn. Here are some examples of how Adobe customers have experienced success. Juniper Networks. One example is the Adobe and Juniper Networks case study, which puts the reader in the customer's shoes.
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A customer reference is a call or email from an individual or business that is willing to share their positive experience with your product and endorse it to others. ... Testimonial Hero Expands Customer Story Service Offerings with Acquisition of Case Study Buddy. Read More. 40 testimonial questions to ask your customers. Read More. 7 Ways to ...
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This goal will be achieved by considering a single case study that provides evidence for the value of customer references to potential customers in business markets. ... Initial reference customer selection for high technology products. Management Decision, 45(6), 982-990. Crossref. Google Scholar. Gummesson E. (2007). Case study research and ...
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Customer reference depth refers to the richness of the information provided by a reference customer, as determined by reference format. Formats that are usually applied are written case studies, videos, or face-to-face (FTF), with the latter being at the high end of information richness.