How to Write a SaaS Case Study

Writing case studies can be a great way to showcase your clients’ successes with your SaaS and help potential customers get an understanding of what they will gain from using your software.

When done well, a case study demonstrates how engaged customers have experienced positive outcomes by using your software as part of their workflow or business process. 

In fact, case studies are ranked as the number one most effective marketing tactic for SaaS marketers, ranking higher than general website content, SEO, blog posts, and social media. Nearly 50% of SaaS companies report that case studies have been very successful in increasing sales.

In this post, we’ll explore how to create a compelling SaaS case study that engages readers and compels them to take action.

What Is A SaaS Case Study?

A SaaS case study is an account of how a SaaS tool has helped a customer or user to achieve specific goals. It details the challenges faced by the individual or company, how they were solved with the help of your software, and what results were achieved.

Case studies are typically written in the form of a story and can provide readers with a unique, real-world experience of using your SaaS product.

Case studies allow customers to learn how your software can help them solve their own challenges, and give potential customers assurance that they will get the same value out of using your product.

Ultimately, the goal of a SaaS case study  is to provide prospective customers with an understanding of how your product solves their particular problem and why they should choose your SaaS over other solutions.

Steps on Writing a SaaS Case Study

Below are some of the steps to follow when writing a SaaS case study:

1. Identify the problem of the customer

Properly identifying your customer’s problem helps to ensure the story accurately reflects what product or service the customer used and how it solved the issue, making it more relatable for potential customers.

When crafting a successful SaaS case study, it is important to identify the right questions to ask and ask the customer how they were using their current system, if any, how long they have been using it, and what challenges they faced with it. Additionally, ask about the problem your customer was trying to solve as well as any goals or objectives that were in place.

Finally, ask how your solution helped them improve their processes and met those goals. This information can be used to create an engaging case study that captures a customer’s success story through your product or service.

2. Explain how they used your SaaS to solve it

When writing a SaaS case study, it is important to explain the solution in a clear and concise way. Data such as user experience metrics or customer stories should be used to demonstrate the impact of your SaaS product on real customers. Visual elements such as charts or diagrams should also be used to provide an effective summary.

This part of your case study should cover the details of how your SaaS product solved the customer’s problem. Focus on the features and functions that were most impactful, such as improved cost savings, increased productivity, or better customer satisfaction. Working hard to collect accurate details about how your product solved customer issues should be a priority.

This data should be presented thoroughly enough to demonstrate your software’s value while keeping it succinct enough not to get bogged down by unnecessary details. It’s also important to consider who your target audience is and what they’re looking for in the product, and to clearly explain the benefits each feature will provide and how those benefits meet customer needs.

3. Provide results

Nothing motivates customers to make a purchase quite like results. Showing the measurable impact your SaaS product had on customer success is key in convincing potential buyers.

Highlight the KPIs that are most relevant to show how your SaaS solution was able to positively impact specific areas, such as increased lead conversion rates, improved customer satisfaction levels, and cost savings.

Providing clear evidence of tangible outcomes will help demonstrate the value of your product and instill confidence in potential buyers. They also give credibility and reliability to your case study – thus making these stories even more powerful tools in marketing your SaaS product.

When it comes to writing a successful SaaS case study, it is essential to accurately measure and report the results achieved.

• To begin, look at the project objectives that your customer had before enlisting your services.
• Then consider the key performance indicators that were set in order to meet those objectives.
• From there, collect data. This will likely come from customer feedback surveys or customer success interviews.
• Once you have compiled all of the relevant information, analyze it to identify the successes and improvements made along with any areas of improvement.
• Finally, you should write up a summary of your findings with clear and concise language so that readers walk away with actionable insights into how your customer benefited from working with you.

4. Add quotes and testimonials

Writing about the success of your SaaS product from the perspective of an unbiased third party can help validate the effectiveness of your software among prospects. It’s also recommended to use a variety of customers in your case study to display the breadth and depth of value your SaaS product offers.

Customer stories should be authentic so it’s important to take the time to get to know each of your customers before you write about them. Include customer demographic information, challenges, motives, and thoughts on working with you – all these details play a part in building up your story which will make it come alive for readers. This will help them see themselves using your product as well as understand how they too can benefit from it.

Additionally, incorporating quotes into a SaaS case study can be an effective way to engage with readers. Quotes from customers, employees, or other stakeholders can help illustrate how the software solution has positively impacted them and their company.

Quotes can also demonstrate why customers need the product or service, as well as how it changed their success for the better. Consider using quotes that express gratitude for the software’s performance, such as “We were impressed by [company]’s ability to come in and provide us with this great product and make our processes much smoother.”

Additionally, use quotes to explain insider tips about how various methods can best be leveraged by users of the software to maximize their output of benefit to their organization.

5. Format the case study

Once you have the main body of your case study completed, it is important to make sure that the design and formatting are cohesive with your SaaS’s brand. This should include elements such as color scheme and logo incorporation.

You also need to consider how the content will be displayed. If there are photos or videos included in the case study, ensure that they are high-quality and relevant to the story. Also, think about creative ways of displaying the content – could you include an infographic or flowchart that illustrates the customer’s journey with your SaaS product?

When presenting numerical data, it is best practice to use visuals such as graphs and charts so that readers can easily understand the information and how it relates to the customer’s success.

To make sure your case study is easily accessible, consider making a PDF version of it that readers can download. This will ensure that readers have the best experience no matter which device they are using.

6. Include a call to action (CTA)

A successful SaaS case study should include a CTA as it encourages readers to take action and engage with the provided services. Benefits of including an effective CTA include improved engagement, heightened interest in the product or service, greater customer acquisition, and revenue increases. Clear and concise CTAs create a memorable impression on customers due to their accessibility, relevancy, and user-friendliness.

Examples of an effective call to action include:

• “Start your free trial today”
• “Sign up for our newsletter for updates about our product”
• “Schedule a demo to find out more about our services”
• “Contact us if you are interested in learning more”
• “Learn how you can benefit from our product today”

Final Thoughts

Every successful SaaS business needs to create an effective case study that meets customer needs. Key elements include introducing a pain point and the solution to it, establishing credibility with customer data and stories, unveiling results and successes, communicating how the software solves problems, demonstrating ROI metrics, and closing with a strong call to action. 

Additionally, support your case study strategy by leveraging other resources like webinars and whitepapers. This combination of activities will ultimately communicate how your SaaS offering can help customers conquer their biggest challenges.

To learn more, visit our blog for additional tips and best practices.