1. Customer Selection

1. Ask the user which customer success they want to document—who achieved great results, why they're a good example, and if they're willing to participate.
   • Example: "Which customer had exceptional results, represents your ideal customer profile, and would be willing to share their story?"
2. Ask the user what specific results or transformation this customer achieved—metrics, outcomes, or impact.
   • Example: "What did they accomplish—revenue growth, time saved, cost reduced, problem solved, or transformation achieved?"
3. Ask the user what their sales team needs most—which objections does a case study help overcome, or what proof points are missing?
   • Example: "What would make this case study most valuable for sales—proving ROI, addressing specific objections, or demonstrating use case?"
4. Ask the user about the customer's journey—what was their situation before, why did they choose you, and what was the implementation like?
   • Example: "What was their starting point, why did they select your solution over alternatives, and how was their experience?"

2. Interview Framework Design

Pre-Interview Preparation:

• Review customer data: Purchase history, support tickets, usage metrics, results achieved
• Identify compelling angles: What makes this story unique or powerful?
• Draft hypothesis: What narrative arc will resonate most?
• Coordinate logistics: Schedule, format (video call, phone, written), expected length (30-45 min)

Interview Structure:

Opening (5 min):

• Thank them for participation
• Explain how case study will be used
• Get permission for quotes, company name, metrics
• Set expectations on length and follow-up

Section 1: Situation Before (10 min)

• What challenges or problems were you facing?
• How were you handling it before our solution?
• What was the impact of not solving this problem?
• What triggered you to look for a solution now?

Section 2: Evaluation & Selection (5-8 min)

• How did you discover us?
• What alternatives did you consider?
• What made you choose us over other options?
• Were there any hesitations or concerns before buying?

Section 3: Implementation & Experience (5-8 min)

• What was the onboarding/setup process like?
• Any challenges during implementation?
• How did our team support you?
• How long until you saw initial results?

Section 4: Results & Impact (10-12 min)

• What specific results have you achieved? (Get numbers!)
• How has this impacted your business/team/workflow?
• What metrics improved? (revenue, efficiency, satisfaction, etc.)
• Any unexpected benefits?

Section 5: Advocacy & Recommendation (5 min)

• How would you describe your experience to a peer?
• What would you tell someone considering us?
• What types of companies/people would benefit most?
• Would you do it again knowing what you know now?

3. Question Bank by Objective

Questions for ROI Proof:

• "Can you quantify the financial impact—revenue increase, cost savings, or time saved?"
• "What was the investment vs. return? When did you break even?"
• "If you had to assign a dollar value to the results, what would it be?"
• "How does this compare to what you were spending on the old solution or doing it manually?"

Questions for Objection Handling:

• "What were your biggest concerns before buying, and how did those turn out?"
• "Did you worry about [common objection]? What changed your mind?"
• "If you could talk to someone with the same hesitation you had, what would you tell them?"

Questions for Emotional Resonance:

• "How did the old way of doing things make you feel? Frustrated, overwhelmed, anxious?"
• "What was the 'aha' moment when you realized this was working?"
• "How do you feel now compared to before?"

Questions for Specific Use Cases:

• "Walk me through a typical scenario where you use our solution."
• "Can you give me a specific example of a time it solved a problem for you?"
• "What's a recent win you had that you attribute to using our product/service?"

Questions for Differentiation:

• "What makes us different from alternatives you've tried or considered?"
• "What features or aspects do you value most?"
• "If we disappeared tomorrow, what would you miss most?"

4. Extraction & Storytelling

Narrative Arc Development:

• Hero's Journey Framework: Customer is hero, problem is villain, you're the guide
• Before State: Paint the pain, struggle, and status quo
• Turning Point: What made them take action?
• The Journey: Selection process, implementation, obstacles overcome
• After State: Success, transformation, new reality
• The Lesson: Key takeaway for prospects

Compelling Elements to Pull:

• Specific numbers and metrics (3x revenue, 10 hours saved/week)
• Emotional language (frustrated → relieved, overwhelmed → confident)
• Concrete examples and anecdotes (not general statements)
• Comparison language (used to vs. now we, before vs. after)
• Quotable sound bites (powerful one-liners)

Quote Selection Criteria:

• Is it specific? (Avoid vague "It's great!")
• Does it address objections or prove value?
• Is it in their authentic voice?
• Would prospects see themselves in it?
• Is it emotionally resonant or metric-rich?

5. Case Study Format Options

Long-Form Written Case Study (800-1,200 words):

• Overview box: Company, industry, results summary
• Challenge section: What they were facing
• Solution: Why they chose you, what they implemented
• Results: Specific metrics and outcomes
• Testimonial callout boxes throughout
• CTA: Similar situation? Contact us

Video Case Study (2-4 minutes):

• Customer speaks directly to camera
• B-roll of them using product or at work
• Text overlays with key metrics
• Authentic, not overly scripted
• Strong CTA at end

Social Proof Snippet (1-2 paragraphs):

• Condensed version for website, proposals, emails
• Leads with strongest metric
• One powerful quote
• Link to full case study

Sales One-Pager:

• Single page PDF, visually designed
• Quick-scan format for busy prospects
• Challenge → Solution → Results
• Metrics highlighted visually
• Best for: Leaving behind after sales call

Testimonial Extraction:

• Pull 5-10 quotable snippets
• Use across website, ads, social, proposals
• Attribute with name, title, company (if permitted)

6. Distribution & Usage

Sales Enablement:

• Add to CRM for reps to send during sales process
• Include in proposal appendix
• Use in objection handling ("Customer X had the same concern...")
• Leave-behind after demo or presentation

Marketing Assets:

• Dedicated case study page on website (SEO optimized)
• Gated PDF download (lead gen)
• Email nurture sequence featuring stories
• Social media content series
• Paid ad creative (testimonial ads)

Strategic Positioning:

• Organize by industry, use case, or company size
• Sales can quickly find relevant stories for prospects
• Feature on homepage or product pages
• Use in PR and media outreach

7. Deliverables

Interview Question Guide:

• Customized question set based on customer and objectives
• Probing follow-up questions
• Metrics to ask for specifically
• Permission and legal items to cover

Interview Recording & Transcript:

• Audio/video recording (with permission)
• Full transcript for reference
• Timestamped key moments

Extracted Assets:

• Full case study (written and/or video)
• Short-form versions for different channels
• Pull quotes and testimonials
• Key metrics for sales decks
• Social media snippets

Usage Guide:

• Where and how to use case study
• Sales talking points
• Marketing distribution plan
• Update schedule (refresh metrics annually)

Present complete case study interview framework with customized questions, storytelling guidance, format options, and distribution strategy to turn customer success into powerful sales asset.