A useful case study helps a prospective client understand what the work involved. It is not a trophy and it is not a promise that the same result will happen for everyone.
Build the story from verified details
Explain the client’s starting context, the decision or constraint, the work you did, the client’s own actions, and the observable change. Include timeframe and relevant conditions. A completed milestone or clearer process can be meaningful evidence; not every story needs a dramatic revenue number.
Get specific permission
Ask separately before using a name, quotation, image, company detail, or metric. Share the draft, intended channels, attribution, and any edits for approval. Keep a written record. Remove sensitive information and honour a later withdrawal where possible.
Represent limits honestly
State what the engagement did not cover and avoid language such as “typical result” unless you have robust evidence. A single client’s experience is an example, not a forecast.
If you do not yet have permissioned stories, use an explicitly labelled illustrative scenario or describe your method without implying a real client. Download the buyer-language interview prompts to begin carefully.