Lesson's transcript
Today, we will discuss how to properly format case studies. It doesn't matter where you are presenting them—whether in an Instagram highlight, a post about your product, a post about yourself, or elsewhere—the approach to formatting case studies is generally the same.
I've often heard people say things like, "I don't have any case studies. I didn't take before-and-after photos. I didn't collect any of these stories. What should I do now? Where do I start? How can I create before-and-after photos?" To this, I want to say: those photos aren't as effective as they once were. Nowadays, it's far more important to tell stories—stories about how you've helped your clients, the state they were in when they came to you, and the state they were in when they left.
There are a few scenarios to consider here. The first is that you haven't collected any feedback from your clients for some reason. If that's the case, reach out to them now. Ask them about the state they were in when they first came to you, how they felt when they finished, what they liked, what they didn’t like, and what they found valuable in your work. Collect this feedback.
The second scenario is that you don't have any case studies at all. If that’s the case, then why? Is it because you've just started working, or perhaps the quality of your work wasn't very high? If you don't have strong case studies yet, hopefully, you have improved your skills, and moving forward, you'll be able to create compelling case studies.
Let's assume you do have case studies. The first thing you should do is, if you have before-and-after photos, that's great—they enhance the story. But if you don't, you can simply ask your clients for a photo they like of themselves, to show that you’ve worked with this person. It’s even better if you can tag their Instagram profile. This way, if any of your potential clients have doubts, they can check that this is a real person and perhaps even ask them about their experience. If you have nothing to hide—and I hope you don’t—this would be a great approach. However, if your client doesn't give permission to share their photos or tag their Instagram, then you'll need to focus on the story.
What’s important here is not just how much weight your client lost, how much muscle they gained, or how their body changed. As we've discussed, behind every goal of losing weight, gaining muscle, or changing appearance, there's always something deeper—a hidden motivation. It’s crucial to show the state the person was in when they came to you, their motivation, and whether they were able to achieve it.
For example, you might write, "A client, Maria, came to me in a depressed state. She was overweight and didn't like her body. She felt unattractive, constantly tired, and had no energy for her favorite activities. Her daily life consisted of waking up tired, going to work, drinking coffee to get through the day, and then going home where she barely had the energy to make dinner or occasionally meet friends on the weekends. Overall, her life lacked vibrancy. She also struggled with emotional eating and was in a state of constant apathy.
What did we do? We created a comfortable meal plan and gradually introduced exercise. I helped Maria manage her stress and made adjustments to her lifestyle and daily routine so that she could get enough sleep and feel good. Thanks to a balanced diet, she began to have more energy, which gave her the strength to engage in activities she enjoyed.
It's also important to note any challenges the client faced during the process. Potential clients fear encountering similar challenges, so when they see that others have faced and overcome them, it encourages them to take action. For example, Maria initially found it difficult to adjust to her new lifestyle. She continued to have slip-ups and was very worried that these setbacks wouldn’t stop and that her weight wouldn’t go down. We talked every week, gradually introducing new habits in a way that was comfortable for her.
And the result? After three months of working together, Maria lost 5–7 kilograms, felt completely comfortable thanks to the balanced diet and a healthy routine, and gained energy. She even developed new hobbies, started going on dates after work, met the love of her life, and moved to France. In other words, describe in detail what your client achieved. Many changes in our lives are closely tied to how we feel about ourselves and how satisfied we are with our bodies. These factors influence various aspects of our lives, and your work played a crucial role in that transformation.
When you share these stories, you're appealing to the emotions of potential clients. If you don't have real case studies, you can create a "case without a case." Instead of describing a real situation, you can explain what you would do if you had a client with a particular situation. You can learn this from designers or SMM specialists who often showcase projects by presenting what they would do if they were given a certain brief.
You can do the same thing—describe what result you would achieve for a woman who is in a particular situation. You can even base it on a consultation where the client didn't follow through, describing the situation as if it had been a full case. For example, "A woman came to me for a consultation with this and that issue. What would I do in that case? How would we work together? What result would we achieve?" Describe it just as you would with a real case, focusing on both physical results and the emotional and psychological transformation.
It's great if you can back this up with some social proof, like testimonials, screenshots of messages, tags, or video reviews from clients. Don't be shy—reach out to the clients you've worked with, especially those with whom you have a good relationship. Ask them to record a video testimonial. It’s not difficult for them to do, and you can offer them something in return, like a free guide or a free session, or extend your collaboration for another week. This way, you'll have a case study that can sell your services in the future.
When creating highlights or posts, it's also crucial to write a catchy headline. Don't just title it "Case Study." I've seen some people include case studies in their sales funnels with titles like "Case Study: Michael, 31 years old," followed by a dry description of his condition. This doesn’t work at all; it's not engaging. Instead, make the text lively, as I mentioned earlier, and use a headline like, "How to Lose 10 kg in a Month" or "From Apathy to a Vibrant Life."
I had a client who specializes in biomechanics, and she described a case study about a 65-year-old woman who started dancing and met the love of her life after working with her, despite initially struggling with pain and mobility issues.
There’s always a way to create a compelling story—highlight the client's pain points and the fantastic transformation they underwent, not just their medical condition. Always appeal to emotions, results, and transformations in your stories.
Your task now is to format several of your case studies and insert them into your sales funnel, Instagram highlights, pinned posts, and Telegram channel if you have one. Follow this format, and always include a call to action. Don’t just tell the story—encourage your audience to take the next step. Whether it’s scheduling a consultation, leaving a comment, or watching a free lesson, guide them towards further engagement with your services.