Client case studies are great marketing tools for freelancers. They help showcase your expertise, processes, and the positive results you have achieved for your clients. They tell the story of your approach and outcomes and build trust and credibility. Case studies can be used online (websites, social media, etc.) and offline (think handouts and mailshots) and as part of your portfolio.
Here are some tips to consider when putting together your client case study:
Create a compelling headline
With a case study, you are telling the story of your client’s transformation, so, just like a traditional story, it will have a beginning, a middle, and an end. But first, you have to get people invested in the case study; why should they read it? You can do this by using a compelling headline that answers the question, ‘What’s in it for them?’. In other words, your headline should make your reader want to read the rest.
For example, instead of heading the case study Case Study for Client X, you could use the result, How Client X Went From Zero Leads to Six Figures in X Months, so it is results-driven, or, if it’s a good one, you could even use a short quote from the client as the headline.
Following the headline, the case study can include the name of the client, any team members involved, and the goals of the project.
The case study is more of a collaboration between you and your client than a solo achievement, so the more you can get your client involved in the case study, the better.
Paint the picture
Your intro starts with what your client’s life was like before they hired you and what problem they were trying to solve. Here is where you really dig into their pain points. Include their own quotes if you have them. You can also include any relevant stats and figures here, too.
Paint the picture of the vision the client was after, why they came to you and how they found out about your services. What were they expecting to resolve as a result of hiring you?
Also, what had Client X tried before, and what was the outcome? By laying down the foundations of the client transformation story, you are also talking to the reader so they can envision themselves in the story.
Whatever their specific problem is, you want them to recognize themselves in the customer journey, so they are nodding their head and thinking, “Yup, that’s the exact same issue I’m dealing with” or something similar.
Highlight your processes and ways of working
The next part of the story is how you identified and solved your client’s problems; this is a great way to showcase what it’s like working with you, your unique approach and processes, and how you solved the issues better than anyone else.
Also, include if there was any deadline you needed to adhere to, how you dealt with any potential roadblocks, any eureka moments, how you communicated with your client, and how you ensured everything went smoothly.
In short, you are showing off your working methods, highlighting what a joy it is to work with you and how you are the safe pair of hands your next potential client is looking to hire.
Show results and client transformation
Part three of the story is where you relay the positive, quantitative results you achieved and the client transformation.
Again, it’s good to include any relevant stats and figures here, i.e., time and money saved or increased sales. You might also include a quote from the client.
It would be helpful to list the key takeaways here, too; this could be in the form of a bulleted list—an ‘at a glance’ that readers can easily skim over.
You can also have a Call To Action (CTA) here where you direct the reader to what they need to do next if they want to hire you/get a quote, etc.
Have a client-friendly format
To make the case study as reader-friendly as possible, break up the text with subheadings and images where applicable so it is easy to digest. You can also use sound bites from the text in the layout/design (which you can then use as memes/posts for social media).
If you are creative, this is an excellent time to show off your creative flair with an appealing template that includes your logo and brand colors. Even if you’re not a professional graphic designer, you can think of ways to deliver the message in a format that suits your ideal client.
The format doesn’t have to be written either; you could create a video case study. However, the video case study should still follow the story format, compelling headline, and transformation story.
You can also create case studies showing different aspects of your work. For example, one could highlight a specific product, and another could be an add-on service. Or highlight different elements, such as turnaround times or a particular methodology you applied.
Case studies show the value of your work to potential clients and can be included in your proposals or even when asked for a sample of your work. They can be made into blog posts or even used as lead magnets as part of your email marketing strategy.
The key is to make your case studies as compelling, relevant (cut out any fluff) and appealing as possible.
And, of course, once you’ve got yourself a great case study and are using it to win your ideal clients, you’ll want to have some equally good software to streamline your invoicing and make it easy for clients to pay you.
Invoice Ninja is a leading free invoicing software for small business invoices, fast online payments, expense tracking, and billable tasks. It also includes attractive, professional invoice template designs you can customize with your logo and brand colors.
It’s perfect for freelancers and small businesses.
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