Hi {{first_name}},
I was on a call where a client wanted to talk about "user journey mapping" and “navigation strategy" in their case study.
Smart stuff. Sophisticated process. Real expertise. But here’s why I told them no:
Your buyers are not buying your process. They're buying the outcome of that process.
Here's what it actually takes to write effective B2B case studies:
Understand what kept the client up at night (not what deliverables you provided).
Identify the cost of inaction (not the steps in your methodology).
Know what was at stake if nothing changed (not how many strategy sessions you held).
Show the urgency that drove the decision (not your impressive process phases).
Demonstrate that you understood their business risk (not your technical capabilities).
Why can't most founders do this? They're so deep in their expertise that they forget prospects aren't evaluating their process sophistication; they're trying to figure out how to solve a problem.
The stars have to align perfectly for process-heavy case studies to work. Your prospect needs to be technical enough to value methodology and compare approaches. They need to have a lot of experience with similar services or products. They need to have the bandwidth to evaluate your process details.
Most prospects aren't there yet.
Think about it this way—if you are looking for a doctor, are you reading the research they’ve published in medical journals? Or are you just looking for someone who has the obvious qualifications, personality, and does not make you feel dumb for asking questions?
No one cares how the sausage gets made. The right question isn't "how do we showcase our sophisticated process?" It's "do we understand why this mattered to the client's business?"
Before you write your next case study, ask yourself: Can you articulate what was at risk if nothing changed? Do you know what drove the urgency to fix this NOW? Can you explain the business stakes, not just the project scope?
And maybe most importantly, do you want to talk to your buyers or impress other experts?
Katie
P.S. If you're struggling to explain what you do in a way that actually lands with prospects, a quick call might help you get out of your own head and into your buyers' perspective. Grab 30 minutes here or just reply to this email.