Case studies are a great way to demonstrate how you solve your customers’ challenges successfully. They need to tell your story, be relevant to the bid you are responding to and evidence how your customer benefited from buying similar services to those included in your bid where possible.
In the past five years, our managing director David Gray has written or reviewed over 600 case studies in bids, proposals and tenders. Take a look at his ten key things to include in case studies to prove your company’s value and help you win more tendered work:
- Client details – The client’s name (of course!) and contact details of your key client contact – you should have a good relationship with this person, as they may be asked to endorse your work as part of the process.
- Project summary – Including contract start and end dates, total value and the scope of the work you delivered.
- Challenges – Brief details of any key challenges you faced during the delivery.
- Solution – The solutions you developed to successfully overcome these challenges.
- Delivery – Confirmation that you delivered within (or ahead of) the agreed timescale and within (or under) budget.
- Return on Investment (ROI) – Anything that you helped the client achieve with any facts or stats to back up the results.
- Added value – Details of additional value you delivered (e.g. saving the client money, delivering complementary services).
- Social value / Community benefits – Examples of what you delivered during the project (e.g. apprenticeships, training).
- Photographs (if relevant) – Before and after images can be very compelling and bring the project to life.
- Testimonial – A glowing client testimonial saying how delighted they were with your work!
BONUS TIP: Gather all this information during or IMMEDIATELY after the project or contract completion, so the information is fresh in your mind and easy to collate – and while the client delight you have achieved is still fresh in their mind!