Substance and Style

With one of the highest conversion rates of any type of content, Case Studies are the gold standard of content marketing. Because they provide social proof from the peers of potential customers, they are seen as inherently more trustworthy than other marketing endeavors. They’re almost always a good idea in business, especially in the B2B sector. They can be powerful marketing tools for nonprofits as well. However, there are some additional considerations. Here are some tips to make sure you’re doing it right:

1. Choose the case carefully. In the business world, all publicity is good publicity. It’s not hard to convince a satisfied customer to be part of a Case Study because they are gaining additional publicity for their business as well. In the nonprofit world, there are fewer immediate benefits for the subject. Some clients will want to spread the word for the good of the cause or to help their communities. Others will feel you’re exploiting their tragedy, illness, poverty, or other circumstances for your own gain. You need to make sure you aren’t doing that. With profit as a motive, businesses have much more leeway here. Your motivation needs to be your organization’s mission. As always, steer clear of anything that endangers your clients (revealing the location of victims of crime, etc.) or turns into “Inspiration Porn.”
   
2. Interview the subject. You will likely need to be more sensitive interviewing the subject than you would need to be if interviewing a fellow business owner. Ask open ended questions about their background, the problems or challenges they face, the journey to solving the problem, where they are now, why they chose your organization, and how they feel about the results. Write down or record everything they say, and then figure out your angle and what parts you want to use later. Have them approve their direct quotes and anything you’ve paraphrased. Give them the opportunity to clarify any points.
   
3. Adapt the usual elements of the Case Study to suit nonprofit work. Usually Case Studies follow a predictable pattern: Headline, Executive Summary, Challenge, Solution, Progress/Results, Call to Action. Some of these will need to be reworked for a nonprofit Case Study.
   
   A. Headline. Typical Case Study headlines are newsy, snappy, and specific. People love to include compelling metrics (“Local Business Increases Sales By 182% With New Marketing Software,” etc.). The idea is to convey value immediately to other businesses looking to achieve the same results. With a nonprofit, the headline should be clear, compelling, and as specific as possible. That said, humans are not the same as organizations, and you will not always be able to slap a number on the results. Aim for something that communicates what you can achieve while keeping the human element front and center. For example, “Local Man Gets Coveted Job After Wrongful Conviction Expunged from Record.”
   
   B. Executive Summary. An Executive Summary is usually fewer than 100 words about the business that has been helped by your product or service. For nonprofits, you will instead summarize a person’s relevant background and experiences. Again, stick to details that inform your main narrative and make sure to be sensitive with people’s lives.
   
   C. Challenge. This is where you will talk about the situation that led the person to your organization.
   
   D. Solution. For businesses, this section is where you pitch the products and services that solved the problem (your amazing printer or software, etc.). For a nonprofit, summarize the services you provide that are specific to this case. Don’t go into every single thing you do unless the person used all of those services.
   
   E. Progress/Results. While we can hope, it’s doubtful that you have actually solved the problem your organization tries to solve. You don’t want to exaggerate about solving world hunger or curing cancer. Focus instead on what you actually did without exaggerating results. If you fed this family or helped the mom re-enter the workforce or paid for childcare during chemo or flew in a long distance relative for support, that is the story you want to tell, complete with the challenges faced and how you helped overcome them. This is the section to tout the tangible and emotional benefits of your services to individuals.
   
   F. Call to Action. Tell people what you want them to do. Keep it short and sweet. For example, “visit www.thisparticlularnonprofit.org to donate, volunteer, or learn more.”