Case study: a step-by-step method and prompt

A case study is a true story of how one customer solved a problem with your product, told in their words with verifiable results. Write it as before, change and after: what was broken, what they did, and what is different now. Interview the customer, quote them exactly, and get approval before anything goes live.

What it is

A case study is proof in story form. A buyer who reads one should think, "That company is like us, and it worked for them." That only happens when the customer is real, the details are specific, and the results are stated honestly.

Case studies serve sales calls, landing pages, ads and outbound emails. A good one gets reused for months.

The structure that works:

When to use it

• A customer mentions a clear result in a call or review
• Sales hears the same objection repeatedly and needs proof
• You are entering a new segment and need a relevant example
• A landing page lacks credible proof
• You want content for an industry-specific use case page

Step-by-step method

1. Pick the right customer. Choose someone who matches your target buyer, got a clear result, and is happy to talk. A recognizable segment matters more than a famous logo.
2. Ask and set terms. Explain the time needed (30 minutes plus one review), what you will publish, and that they approve the final draft.
3. Prepare questions. Cover the before state, alternatives considered, the decision, setup, daily use, results and advice to peers. Ask for numbers they track.
4. Interview and record. With permission, record the call. Ask follow-ups like "What did that cost you?" and "How did you notice the change?" Let silences run.
5. Find the story. Read the transcript and mark the turning point, the best quotes, and every concrete number. Choose one main result as the headline.
6. Draft in before, change, after order. Write the summary box first. Use their words. Keep your product in a supporting role: the customer is the hero.
7. Verify and approve. Send the draft with every quote and figure highlighted. Correct anything they flag. Get written approval.
8. Publish and reuse. Publish with a descriptive title, then cut quotes for sales decks, ads, social posts and the relevant landing page.

Ready-to-use prompt

You are a B2B writer drafting a customer case study for [PRODUCT_NAME].

Customer: [COMPANY_NAME], [INDUSTRY], [SIZE]
Interviewee: [ROLE] (name only if approved: [NAME_OR_ANON])
Interview transcript:
[PASTE_TRANSCRIPT]

Instructions:
1. Extract: the before state, the cost of the problem, alternatives considered, why they chose us, how they use it, and every result mentioned with its exact wording.
2. List the 5 strongest verbatim quotes. Do not edit quotes beyond removing filler words.
3. Propose 3 titles that state the customer and the result.
4. Write a summary box: customer, problem, solution, result (one line each).
5. Write the case study (700 to 1,000 words) in before, decision, change, after sections.
6. Mark every number and quote with [VERIFY] so the customer can approve it.

Rules: use only facts from the transcript, no invented numbers, no hype, sentences under 20 words, no em dashes.

Checklist

• Customer matches your target buyer
• Terms and approval process agreed up front
• Interview recorded with permission
• Before state and its cost are concrete
• Alternatives considered are mentioned
• Results use the customer's numbers or words only
• Quotes are verbatim
• Summary box at the top
• Written approval received before publishing
• Quotes reused in sales and marketing assets

How Thig automates it

Paste an interview transcript into Thig chat and the Writer agent drafts the case study in your brand voice, flagging every quote and number for verification. The draft stays in your feed until you approve it. Then turn it into posts with the repurposing skill.