How to Write Case Studies That Actually Win You New Clients

Look, most professional service businesses in Brisbane are doing case studies completely wrong.

I’ve looked at hundreds of websites for accountants, lawyers, engineers, and consultants. Most of them have a 'Projects' or 'Our Work' page that is basically a digital graveyard. It’s a list of logos, some dry technical jargon, and maybe a photo of a building or a boardroom.

If that’s what your website looks like, you’re flushing money down the toilet.

Your potential clients don’t care about your technical process. They don’t care about the 'synergy' you created. They care about one thing: Can you solve their specific, painful problem?

A good case study isn't a resume. It’s a sales tool. It’s the difference between you chasing leads and getting better clients to call you first because they already trust you can do the job.

Let’s sit down and pull apart why your current approach isn't working and how to fix it so you actually make more money.

The Big Lie: "People Want to See Your Portfolio"

Here’s my honest take: Nobody wants to see your portfolio.

When a business owner is looking for a professional service provider—let’s say an engineer or a specialist HR consultant—they aren't looking for a gallery of pretty pictures. They are looking for evidence that you won't mess up their project. They are looking for a way to reduce their risk.

Most agencies will tell you to 'showcase your range.' That’s rubbish.

If I’m a developer looking to build a multi-story apartment block in Milton, I don't care that you also designed a backyard deck for a mate in Ipswich. In fact, seeing the deck makes me think you’re too small for my project.

The Myth: More is better. The Reality: Specificity wins.

You don’t need fifty mediocre project descriptions. You need three or four 'power' case studies that speak directly to the high-value clients you actually want to work with. This is how you win better engineering projects or high-tier consulting gigs without spending all day writing quotes that go nowhere.

Why Your Current Case Studies Are Boring (And How to Fix It)

Most business owners write case studies like they’re filling out a police report.

Client Name: ABC Corp Date: June 2023 Service Provided: Tax Audit Result: Audit completed on time.

Who cares? Honestly, if I’m reading that, I’m already clicking away.

You need to stop being a reporter and start being a storyteller. But not the 'once upon a time' kind. The 'here is how much money we saved this person' kind.

1. The Hero is the Client, Not You

Talk about the client’s struggle. Were they losing $20k a month in wasted materials? Were they facing a massive lawsuit? Were they unable to hire staff because their reputation was in the gutter?

When you focus on the pain they felt before they met you, the reader (who is feeling that same pain right now) starts to pay attention.

2. Kill the Jargon

Imagine you’re at the pub in Paddington. If a mate asked, "How’d that job go for the law firm?", you wouldn't say, "We implemented a multi-faceted digital transformation strategy."

You’d say, "Their old system was a mess and they were losing files every week. We moved them to the cloud, and now they save five hours of admin every single day."

Write like that.

3. Focus on the 'So What?'

"We installed a new server." (So what?) "So the office internet stopped dropping out." (So what?) "So the staff stopped complaining and actually got their work done on time, which meant the owner didn't have to pay overtime for the first time in a year."

"Enquiries went from 2 a month to 22 a month." "They stopped discounting their prices because they had a waiting list of three months." "The owner now takes Fridays off to play golf."

That last one is often more powerful than the money. Business owners want their lives back.

How to Get the Information Without Being Annoying

I know what you’re thinking. "I’m too busy to interview my clients."

Look, I get it. You’re running a business. But if one good case study brings in three more clients worth $10k each, isn't that worth an hour of your time?

Here’s my shortcut: Next time you finish a job and the client says, "Thanks mate, you’ve really helped us out," don't just say "No worries."

Say: "Glad to hear it. Honestly, it’d help me out a lot if you could tell me—what was the biggest headache you had before we started? And what’s the biggest change you’ve noticed now?"

Record their answer on your phone. That’s 90% of your case study done right there.

Where Most People Waste Their Money

Don't spend thousands on fancy video production for case studies if your written ones are rubbish. A simple, well-written page with a couple of real photos (not stock photos of people in suits shaking hands) will outperform a flashy video every day of the week.

People want authenticity. They want to see that you’ve done this for people just like them, in Brisbane, facing the same local challenges.

What Should You Do First?

Don't try to fix your whole website today. You won't do it.

Pick your best client from the last year. The one who spent the most or was the easiest to work with. Write down their story using the formula above.

Put it on your site. Send it to your email list. Share it on LinkedIn.

If you’re struggling to find the time or you’re not sure how to make your work sound impressive without bragging, give us a shout. At Local Marketing Group, we help professional service firms stop sounding like everyone else so they can actually grow.

Check out our contact page and let’s have a chat. No jargon, just a plan to get your phone ringing.