Why good quality customer case studies build trust and boost sales.
- Marie Fryer
- Aug 15
- 4 min read
Updated: Aug 20
Key takeouts
We're increasingly relying on recommendations and referrals to guide our decision making, especially for more complex, higher risk purchases.
The stats show case studies create trust, generate more leads, and significantly influence B2B buyers' decisions.
Case studies also help uncover new customer insights, and bring the customer to life for internal teams.
Ready to get started? Contact FryerHQ today.
Charlie, FryerHQ's Chief Happiness Officer, is turning seven soon. That’s pushing 50 in human years. He’s slowing down and his joints are starting to ache, so I started to look for some joint pills to help.
But here’s the thing. Even though it was only a $50 bottle of joint pills, I didn’t just hit “buy now” on the first brand I saw. I scoured reviews, compared brands and hunted for proof from real users before buying. Because it wasn’t just a purchase; it was something that really mattered.
And the more a decision matters, the more we look for proof and reassurance before we buy.
That’s why well-crafted case studies are such powerful sales tools. They help build trust faster than any brochure or ad can.
And in B2B, where purchases generally involve multiple stakeholders, more complex products, and bigger risks, well written case studies can be the difference between being shortlisted or being overlooked entirely.
The proof is in the numbers
83% of businesses trust peer reviews more than they trust brand advertising.
73% of decision makers said case studies significantly influence the purchasing decision.
Companies who regularly publish high quality case studies receive 45% more qualified leads.
84% of B2B buyers begin their buying journey with a referral, and peer recommendations influence over 90% of B2B decisions.
Sources: Trust Radius, 2025; Content Marketing Institute, 2025; Tech for thought, Isoline, 2024; Harvard Business Review, Hubspot State of Marketing report, 2025.
Why case studies work
1. The source (or customer) is highly credible
A good case study features a real, named, business with no reason to exaggerate, and nothing to gain from promoting the service or product. Their story is instantly more believable. And if the customer is someone you can relate to, with a similar problem you also have, the credibility is even higher.
2. They Prove It, Not Promise It
Most marketing is a promise: “If you use our product, you’ll get X”, and there’s generally a list of terms and conditions, exclusions and criteria that go along with those claims, making them even less believable. A case study is proof after the fact. It’s a customer saying, “We used it, here’s what happened.” That’s far more persuasive.
3. They Speak Your Customer’s Language
Marketers can try, but they’ll never sound as much like the customer as an actual customer does. Direct quotes in a case study bring the problem, the impact, and the emotion to life in ways that resonate.
4. They Make Complex Offerings understandable
Instead of dry product specs or diagrams, a good case study puts your solution into a real-world context, making it easier to understand and remember, without getting bogged down in the technical specs and product features.
5. They Keep Attention
A story about a real challenge and outcome is simply more engaging than a feature list. People stick with these stories longer, learn more, and remember them better.
The hidden wins
Uncovering Gold for Sales Conversations
I once did a case study and the interviewee mention their partner wouldn’t let them inside after using a competitor’s product, it smelled that bad. Having that story to tell vs a more generic ‘our product smells less’ message is gold for a salesperson.
Bringing the customer into the business
In most organisations only a few roles actually get to spend time out with customers. Yet everyone is responsible to delivering to them. Case studies not only help inform your customers, they can help bring your customers to life for your team, putting names, faces and situations to what can otherwise feel like abstract target markets, or numbers. And keeping real customers at the heart of the business means you’re building solutions that work, and getting better results. See my blog Customer Strategy for more.
Strengthening Customer Relationships
Some businesses I work with initially fear creating case studies as they identify their customers and could make it easier for a competitor to get in and poach them. Sure, that can happen, but in my experience its very rare, and the benefits far out way that risk. And featuring a client in a case study can often make them feel more valued by your business, and create a stronger relationship too, meaning they are less likely to leave. Often, it’s good publicity for both businesses too, and I even had a customer I interview use the case study themselves in their own marketing – a double win for everyone.
Are case studies right for you?
Case studies are worthwhile for almost every type of business, but they're most effective if:
✅Your product/service is high-cost, high-risk, complex, or critical to your customer.
✅You’re in the B2B sector.
✅You've got examples of customers who are happy to vouch for the benefits of your services
✅Your competitors are doing it (given the stats above, they’ve already got the edge on you).
✅You’re launching something new and need credibility.
✅You’re looking to grow.
How to get started
If you’ve got the capability in-house, and the time to do it, you can create your own case studies.
Or you can work with a professional business case study writer like FryerHQ, and I’ll take care of everything. Drawing on my 20 years in B2B sales and marketing, I uncover the stories that matter most to your customers and tell them in a way that helps you win more work. Find out more about our case study packages here.
If you’re ready to turn your happy customers into your best salespeople, let’s talk.
And if you're looking for dog joint pills, Charlie recommends Flexipaw.
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A FryerHQ case study - What customers really value, isn't always what you think.
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