Format guide
The case study format buyers actually read
Six sections, in this order, under 600 words. Below is what belongs in each one, how long it should be, and the version that quietly kills the page.
Headline
One line, under 12 wordsName the outcome and the client type so the right buyer stops scrolling.
Works
How a 4-person agency cut reporting time from 9 hours to 40 minutes a week
Falls flat
A great partnership with an amazing client
Challenge
2 to 4 sentencesDescribe the starting situation in the client's words, with the cost of doing nothing.
Works
Their welcome flow had not been touched in two years and email was 9% of revenue.
Falls flat
The client wanted to improve their marketing.
Solution
3 to 5 sentences or a short listState what you actually delivered, concretely enough that a similar buyer recognises their own project.
Works
Rewrote 6 lifecycle emails, rebuilt the abandoned-cart sequence, added a win-back flow.
Falls flat
We implemented a holistic strategy tailored to their needs.
Results
2 to 4 numbers, before and afterShow movement. One real figure with a time frame beats five adjectives.
Works
Email revenue: 9% to 24% of monthly revenue in 3 weeks.
Falls flat
Results improved significantly across the board.
Why it matters
2 to 3 sentencesTranslate the numbers into the decision the reader is trying to make.
Works
They stopped discounting to hit monthly targets, which protected margin on every order.
Falls flat
This shows the power of good copywriting.
Customer quote
1 to 3 sentences, verbatimProve a human said this. Keep their phrasing, including the imperfect parts.
Works
I have launched four times before and always wrote the emails the week of. This one did $62k and I slept.
Falls flat
They were a pleasure to work with and I highly recommend them.
Six rules that keep the format honest
- Lead with the result, not the relationship. The headline is the whole pitch.
- Keep the total under 600 words. Buyers skim, then decide, then read.
- Use one number per results line so each can be scanned in isolation.
- Never round a client number up. If they said 34, write 34.
- Quote verbatim. Cleaned-up quotes read like marketing and stop being proof.
- Say who it is for at the top: role, company size, industry.
Copy-paste outline
HEADLINE How [client type] went from [before] to [after] in [time frame] CHALLENGE Where they started, in their words. What it was costing them. SOLUTION What you delivered. Name the deliverables. RESULTS - [Metric]: [before] to [after] ([time frame]) - [Metric]: [number] - [Metric]: [number] WHY IT MATTERS What the numbers changed about how they operate or decide. CUSTOMER QUOTE "[Verbatim, 1 to 3 sentences]" [Name], [Role], [Company]
Filling this in from a raw testimonial is what CasePruve does automatically, using only the facts your client gave you.
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