Question: What would you say is the most important thing to avoid when writing a B2B case study? And any tips for writing an effective one (that isn't boring)?

I would say that the most important things for a B2B case study are 1. Identify people by name and position as much as possible. You sometimes can't get away from anonymous case studies, but they're not as believable 2. Numbers, numbers, numbers. That's what gets people's attention the most 3. Before and after. Knowing the challenges the customer faced and the results makes the story more compelling 4. Direct quotes sell better than any flowery prose you write

I suggest reading from Foundation inc (https://foundationinc.co/). They have the best case studies I've ever read.

Spin the "problem" at the beginning. Case studies exist to explain the solution to a problem...a problem similar/identical to the one the reader has. So they already know the problem exists. Don't rehash it at the beginning. Instead, empathize with the reader's frustration. For example, one I wrote started off talking about Company X's CMO getting so angry about Problem Y that he tore his jacket sleeve right before a meeting. How he fixed that, and then the lingering problem, made the whole case study light-hearted and sympathy-invoking.

1- Not making the problem enough relatable 2- Not quantifying the results

Great responses here. If there are any issues with implementing your solution, mention it and be honest about how your company tackled that obstacle to provide a solution that led to the overall outcome for your customer.

These are all great answers - thanks everyone for your input I appreciate it! 😊

I've written a lot of case studies and customer success stories. In my experience, here are the most important things to focus on: • Tell a compelling story that makes your customer the hero. Most companies focus way too much on themselves. When in reality, it is better to put the spotlight on your customer and then mention how your product helped them. Subtle, but important distinction. • It is all about your story angle. Spend time upfront brainstorming this, ideally before you interview the customer. • Whenever possible, use the customer's direct quotes instead of paraphrasing. • To @gentle-dress-37057's point, share numbers and real results.

@stocky-receptionist-56866 Here’s the recipe for a compelling case study: 1. The headline should pack a punch. 2. Highlight the client, lay the context of the problem you’ve targeted to solve, share their mission. 3. After describe the problem, introduce the solution (focus more on why). Show them the process of getting out of the problem. 4. Be more transparent 5. Get down to benefits 6. Add client testimonials, add video testimonials (if possible) 7. If the client needed to do some DIY work, add the steps they’d needed to take. (It will also show how daunting the task was) 8. Add an appropriate CTA

Hi @stocky-receptionist-56866 The most important thing to avoid - Not highlighting what problems your customer was trying to fix and what was the cost of inaction. Tip to creating an engaging case study- Tell a story. Keep the focus on the customer and try to document their experience while keeping the emotions as raw and real as possible. I had recently written an exhaustive guide on how to create case studies and client testimonials that should really help you. It covers everything from different types of case studies and best practices, dos and don’t, to the psychology behind case studies and how testimonials help you rank higher in SERPs. I am linking it here. I hope it helps: https://www.contentbeta.com/client-testimonial-essentials-the-what-why-how-guide/

These are all great responses thank you! ☺️