How to Use Case Studies to Win New Agency Clients

By Jason Swenk on July 8, 2020

Are you looking for a way to connect with potential new agency clients? Do you want to quit selling and have clients come to you? Case studies are a great way to demonstrate value and put the client first.

In today’s episode, we’ll cover:

  • 3 elements of a perfect case study.
  • How to use case studies like a launch.
  • #1 benefit of detailed case studies.

Today I had a chat with David Schloss, founder of Convert ROI, a digital marketing agency. About seven years into running his agency, David discovered the value of case studies and gave his agency new life. He’s here to discuss what a great case study looks like and how one simple change will have clients reaching out to you.

3 Elements of a Perfect Case Study

When was the last time a case study stopped you in your tracks and made you think, “Wow, I need to work with that person”? The sad truth is, a good share of case studies we see on a regular basis are throwaways. They’re no more than 300 words and are more of a brag, rather than educational information.

David’s been doing case studies for over five years and getting major results (like 7 new leads in just one week). So what does he do differently?

  1. Go into detail. You can’t really talk about what worked and what didn’t in 300 words. If you want your case study to provide value, it needs to be more like 3,000 – 4,000 words. Don’t be afraid to really dive into what you did to find success.
  2. Provide examples. What type of ads did you use? What did the tough conversations include? Potential clients want to hear what actually worked and how it applies to them.
  3. Make it client-focused. Do you want to know why the shorter case studies aren’t successful? Because they have a tendency to read like an ad. Clients don’t want to hear about you and your agency, they want to know what you can do for them.

How to Use Case Studies Like a Launch

David says he doesn’t put out case studies regularly, it’s more like once a year. But when he does release his past results, he puts out a lot at a time (like 10). In this way, he treats his client’s case studies more like a launch. He says, if you release case studies too often, prospects will become blind to it.

If you’ve tried case studies in the past, try scaling back. Instead of providing one 300-word snippet once a week, try a larger project every six months. This way, your prospects will see your case studies as an educational opportunity rather than another sales gimmick.

Why Do Case Studies Matter?

The more detail you can add to a case study the better. David says he begins with where the client started and what they did to see results. This includes their target audience, what type of ads they used, and even offers and price points.

“But wait, if I give out all this information, what incentive does the prospect have to come to me?” This is a question I get all the time, but it really has no solid basis. Over the years, I’ve produced hundreds of videos and hundreds of podcasts and I have no problem finding clients.

When you put the information out there, you’re providing tangible evidence of the value you provide. Sure someone can go and do the same thing themselves, but in most cases, they’re going to come to you to have you replicate the results rather than figuring it out for themselves. The number one benefit of putting it all out there is when a lead comes to you, there’s very little selling left to do.

Case studies are a great way to provide value and attract new clients. But you’ve got to put in the work. When you focus on the client instead of trying to sell your agency, you’ll have an easier time seeing results.

Ready to Outsource Your Content Creation?

Do you want to try out Verblio’s services and learn how you can simplify your agency’s content creation? Verblio has a team of over 3,000 writers plus an amazing staff that helps manage your writing projects and make it even easier to provide quality content for you and your clients.

Right now, Verblio is offering two free months of account management services to Smart Agency Masterclass listeners. This offer includes content creation, SEO optimization, and your own personal account manager. For more information, head over to Verblio.com/Easy to learn how your agency’s content creation can be easier than ever.

Growing Your Own Digital Agency

During the lifetime of your agency, in order to grown successfully, you will without a doubt come across other challenges you need to overcome — this is where I can step in.

I have advice for agency obstacles such as recognising common agency mistakes, how to keep great agency employees in your team as well as fostering the connections made with clients. If it’s challenging growing your business, I have agency growth hacks, the best ways to improve management of your business as well as why building a remote team can be beneficial in the long run.

Learn more about my career as well as tips, tricks, and insights by checking out my blogs that cover a wide variety of topics.

You can learn more from my experience from my Ask Swenk series and my videos on my Youtube channel. Check out advice and learn even more from other successful agency experts featured on Smart Agency podcast twice every week.

Would You Like To Get Access To A Proven Agency Framework For Growing Your Agency?