Case Studies: Your Secret Weapon For Winning Over Potential Students
“The ultimate marketing engine is a successful customer.”
But only if you share their success story publicly. That's exactly what case studies are for.
Wait! Aren’t you talking about testimonials? Well, there’s a difference.
Let’s clear that up first before diving into case study formats and how to create them (including my 3-part case study structure).
Case studies vs. testimonials
Testimonials are typically short(ish), unstructured endorsements for your course.
In contrast, case studies are longer and provide more depth and insights into how one particular customer overcame a challenge and reached their goals with the help of your course.
Through case studies, potential students can see how someone like them succeeded. They see what’s possible! And in turn, they can gain the confidence that they can achieve similar results and are more likely to give your course a shot.
Two popular case study formats
You have the choice between creating written or video case studies.
Here’s an example of a written case study from Ali Abdaal’s Part-Time YouTuber Academy: From Building Multi-Million Dollar Companies to 250k+ YouTube Subscribers. Notice the compelling headline and simple Q&A structure of the case study.
Here’s an example of a video case study for Tiago Forte’s Building a Second Brain: Bronson Chang on Building a Second Brain. Notice how fast-paced and concise the video is.
Both formats work well! Which one you choose entirely depends on your and your audience’s preferences.
How to create a winning case study
Once you’ve decided on a format, you have another decision to make. Will you do it yourself or opt for a done-for-you service?
Do-it-yourself
It all starts with reaching out to your most successful students. I find that most are more than happy to share their experience.
If you’re creating a written case study, you could simply send them your questions via email, and they return the answers. However, keep in mind that it becomes cumbersome to follow up and ask clarifying questions if their answers end up being too short or vague.
The other option is to interview them on Zoom. You could transcribe the call with a tool like Otter to create your written case study. Or edit the recording into a video case study (make sure to cut out filler words to keep it concise).
In either case, feel free to steal my 3-part case study structure to guide the interview and create a compelling story:
⚡️ The Challenge
What was happening in their life before they joined your course?
What were they struggling with?
What did they want to achieve?
⤴️ The Turning Point
How did they find out about your course?
Why did they choose your course?
How did it help them solve their problem and bring them closer to their goal?
What part of your course was most impactful?
🏆 The Victory
What were the results? (as concrete as possible)
What's a concrete situation where the success was visible?
Done-for-you
If DIY is not an option and you’ve got some money to spent, there are companies out there who will happily create case studies for you.
They’ll take the entire process off your hands, from reaching out to your students and interviewing them to creating the finished case study.
Check out Case Study Buddy for written case studies and ResultStory for video case studies.
Where to use case studies
Add them to your website, for example, to your wall of love or your blog. You can also include them in emails, of course.
But before you hit “publish,” make sure to send the case study to your student for final approval.
