Case studies are an excellent way to use brand storytelling to promote your services with real-life successes. This is especially true for professional service industries, like consulting firms or health offices, who don’t have the benefit of showing off a tangible product. Content marketing for professional services requires a unique strategy, but once you’ve established yourself as an industry leader, you can let your case studies and client successes speak for themselves.

Part two of this three-part series will explore why case studies should become part of your content marketing strategy and how to incorporate them into your current online presence. If you missed it, we recommend first reading part one of this series, which focuses on how to become a trusted resource for your target audience through informative blogging. Part three explores how to transform all of these resources into easily shareable content. 

What are case studies in content marketing for professional services?

Think of content marketing case studies as enhanced reviews and testimonials. They should go in depth describing the problem or challenge your client was facing, the perfectly curated solution you provided, and the positive results it achieved. 

The key is to focus on the element of brand storytelling by keeping the client at the center of the piece while allowing readers to emotionally connect with your brand. Provide tangible evidence that proves how effective your services are, and lean into any instance where you went above and beyond – any time a project threw you for a loop and you brainstormed the perfect solution, or an example of outside-the-box thinking that sets you apart.

In general, great case studies should:

• Show your method and process for your services
• Provide evidence showing that your service works and is worth the cost
• Include quantitative and qualitative data
• Be compelling and relatable to your target audience
• Include attention-grabbing titles and visuals, such as graphs, charts, or quotes
• End with a strong CTA that encourages readers to work with you to achieve similar results

Why are content marketing case studies important?

Case studies should play a key role in your content marketing for professional services. By highlighting a challenge that is common with your target audience, and breaking down exactly how your business would address and solve that problem, you are not only demonstrating the value of your service, but boosting your overall brand credibility. What’s more, your target audience is already searching for case studies to base their decisions off of:

• 92% of consumers read online reviews and testimonials before considering a purchase
• 88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations
• 72% say positive reviews and testimonials make them trust a business more.

Social proof, such as referrals or online reviews, has a huge influence on purchasing decisions. Content marketing case studies act as long-form social proof. When this is paired with effective brand storytelling, it can not only minimize doubts about your services but can build that ideal emotional connection with prospects.

If your target audience finds your case study relatable, and they connect with the “protagonist” client you helped, the story of the case study will stick in their minds. They may click on your CTA to set up an initial consultation with you. And in the future, they will be more likely to think of your brand first when looking for solutions to their problems.

Beyond the benefits to your content marketing strategy, case studies can also be an incredible tool for improving your business model. In order to build out effective case studies, you will need to collect preliminary data from your clients, and then compare those data points once your service is complete. By making this a standard process, you will gain insights into how successful your services are and areas where you can improve.

If organized and used well, effective case studies will:

• Generate quality leads
• Help position your business as an industry leader
• Empower your sales team to foster emotional connections with prospects
• Guide prospects in making informed purchasing decisions
• Share your brand’s values and purpose with your target audience
• Boost brand credibility

How to incorporate content marketing case studies

Case studies are flexible enough to be repurposed across different channels and platforms. Include them on your website by creating a dedicated “case studies” page, publishing customer testimonials that link to more extensive case studies, or adding a pop-up CTA that leads visitors to a popular study.

Reformat successful case studies and repurpose them as blogs to keep your blog posting current, improve your SEO, and create easily-shareable blog links. This makes it easy to guide readers directly to a contact form or a related service page.

Content marketing case studies can also be easily incorporated into your email marketing strategy. Create a lead-nurturing email campaign based on a relevant case study, add case studies to your newsletter, or even include a link to your case studies page in your sales team’s email signatures. Once you’ve done the work of developing these studies, it’s essential that they are easily accessible and available in multiple formats across various platforms.

Get help using case studies as content marketing for professional services

Content marketing case studies should be a key tool in your marketing toolkit, especially for those in the professional services industry. Some services are complicated to explain, and oftentimes it’s easier for potential clients to see the effectiveness of your services if they know how it has helped others. Leaning on tangible evidence and concrete data allows you to prove that your services have value, making it easier for consumers to take the leap.

This blog is part two of a three-part series focused on improving content marketing for professional services. Look out for part three when we discuss developing content designed for sharing across social media. Or jump back to part one and review how to establish your professional service brand as a trusted resource in your industry. 

If you’re ready to boost your brand credibility and overall content marketing strategy, we’re here to help. Reach out today for a no-cost, no-obligation consultation to discuss your business growth goals.