Case studies - do they still “work” ? (Exit Five Newsletter)

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TOGETHER WITH QUALIFIED

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If you're looking for a new way to drive measurable pipeline (without adding more manual steps), this is your next move.

📑 Case Studies Are The Greatest Marketing Channel of All-Time: Here’s How To Get More Of Them

OK so maybe it’s hyperbole? But it’s my newsletter and I can write whatever I want about marketing so let’s say it this way: maybe this isn’t hype. Because social proof is the most timeless of timeless marketing tactics. Show me how other people like me are using your product and I’m more likely to use it. But here’s the challenge in most B2B orgs: creating case studies feels like pulling teeth.

Below we share a bunch of nuggets on how to get more stuff for case studies based on a discussion with a group of B2B marketers who've cracked the code on turning customer wins into marketing gold.

How To Get Sales To Start Helping You ASAP

This is probably something you’ve seen over and over again. Sales says they need more case studies. But when you ask to talk to their customers, there’s always a hesitancy. "They're not happy this week, or maybe next week, or they need to protect the relationship."

This isn't a sales problem. It's a systems problem. And you can fix it. Here’s how.

The Incentive System That Actually Works

You need to incentivize the behavior you want. Not the customers, but your internal teams.

The Two-Tier Approach:

• $100 when sales provides a qualified customer contact
• Another $100 when that contact actually results in a usable case study

Why does this work? Because it creates accountability. Sales can't just dump random names on you and walk away. They have skin in the game for quality, not just quantity.

One marketer takes this further with contests. The salesperson who generates the most assets (quotes, case studies, logos) wins an Apple Watch. A perfect way to get competitive salespeople to take action.

Make It An Easy Yes

When there’s a really great call with a customer, do the work for them. Create the case study first, then ask for approval.

Create the draft and say something like, 'Hey, that call was so great, I put together this case study based on everything you said. Are we ok to publish this?'"

The key? You’ve already done the heavy lifting. The customer just needs to review and approve, not create from scratch.

Where To Find Amazing Stories

1. Post-Event Customer events are goldmines. While they're already engaged and feeling positive about your relationship, hit them up for quotes or case studies.
2. The LinkedIn Litmus Test Before reaching out to any potential case study candidate, check their LinkedIn profile. Someone with 100 connections is less likely to want to participate (though this isn’t a hard and fast rule). Someone with 5,000 connections? They see the personal branding value and are much more likely to say yes.
3. Industry Crisis Moments Crisis moments create natural storytelling opportunities because customers are already thinking about solutions and outcomes. One marketer said, "Our industry is very heavily impacted by tariffs, so we've had tons of customer conversations this year that started with crowdsourcing - like, what are you doing?"
4. Call Recording Goldmines If your company uses Gong or similar tools, there are vendors that can comb through recordings to identify potential case study moments.

How To Switch Up Your Format To Get Attention

The Implementation Deep-Dive Instead of high-level outcomes, get into the weeds. Something like "How X company implemented X solution" resonates because it shows the actual steps.

The Feature Story Approach One marketer treats case studies like newspaper feature stories: "I really love making my customers feel like they're the hero in a big battle they had to fight." Your customer is the hero, you're just the guide.

The Wall of Love Don't overlook screenshots of positive messages, emails, or LinkedIn shouts. These authentic moments often carry more weight than polished case studies because they feel spontaneous.

The Repurposing System That’ll Give You Tons Of Content

Like any piece of content you put out, it’s so easy to call it a day once you press “Publish.” But there’s so much you can do to show value with the content you already have:

1. Pull video clips: Record a Zoom conversation, get the transcript, create a written case study, and use OpusClip to create video snippets
2. Lean on mini stories: Break larger stories into smaller, specific proof points. Need someone who improved paid search performance? Pull just that piece instead of the full story.
3. Put together sales slide: Distill everything into a single slide with the key metric and quote for sales teams who want quick ammo.

Make It Easy For Your Customers To Relate

Your customers want to be able to see themselves in the stories you share. They want to think “if they did it, I can too.”

And sometimes using big brand names can actually distract from that. Because rather than being inspirational, it feels out of reach. They’ll say, 'That's Google. Of course they have resources to do that."

The less sexy, appropriately-sized customer story often converts better than the marquee brand name.

The Advocacy Pyramid: Make The Easiest Ask First

Think of customer participation as a progression:

• Quote (easiest ask)
• Case study
• Webinar appearance
• Conference speaker
• Advisory board participation

Don't burn your best advocates on low-value activities. Plan strategically. If you've got a big event coming up, don't ask them for five different things leading up to it. Wait, and use them for the highest-impact opportunity.

What Not to Do With Your Next Case Study

• The Contract Clause Trap: Adding case study requirements to contracts sounds smart, but the person who signed it rarely knows it exists, and timing is everything
• The Big Name Obsession: Chasing logos over relevance
• The Monetary Incentive Mistake: Paying customers for case studies creates compliance issues and feels transactional
• The Permission Paralysis: Waiting for perfect conditions instead of creating opportunities

Your Action Plan

1. Set up the incentive system for your sales team this quarter
2. Check LinkedIn profiles before reaching out to potential case study candidates
3. Plan your editorial calendar 6 months out - what stories will you need when?
4. Create your mini case study library Smaller proof points that solve specific sales problems

The Bottom line? The companies winning with customer stories aren't doing anything revolutionary. They're just being systematic about it. They've stopped hoping customers will volunteer and started creating systems that make participation easy and valuable for everyone.

- Dave

PS. T-minus ONE WEEK until Drive, our big annual event at Exit Five. I can’t lie - I’m putting on a big face but I am nervous!!! But I heard Tiger Woods once say “if you’re nervous it means you care and that’s a good thing.” Heck yeah I care. And I can’t wait to see everyone who is coming up; drop me a reply either way. We read them all.

📺 UPCOMING EVENTS

[OCTOBER 16TH] Exit Five New York City Community Meetup

We’ve done Austin. We’ve done Boston. Both were packed with 100+ B2B marketers, speed networking, new “work friends,” and plenty of good conversation.

Now it’s New York City’s turn.

When: Thursday, October 16 from 6–9 PM
Where: Mr. Purple (180 Orchard Street, 15th Floor)

Here’s what you can expect:

• Speed networking to break the ice (10-minute convos, then switch)
• Open networking with food and drinks
• Hang out with the Exit Five team and connect with a room full of B2B marketers who get what you do every day
• Fun prizes for the most engaged participants (actually fun ones, not just B2B swag)

And the best part: tickets are free for Exit Five members.

In a world where AI and digital noise are everywhere, nothing replaces the value of showing up in person — swapping ideas, meeting peers, and maybe even finding your next mentor, business partner, or new job lead.

Save Your Spot

🏢 Open Roles

Who's hiring right now?

Dynamic Lifecycle Innovations is hiring a Director of Marketing to scale demand gen, align with sales, and position the company as the IT asset disposition leader. The ideal candidate is a proven B2B marketing leader who can turn strategy into measurable revenue.

Other open roles on the Exit Five job board this week:

• Tatari, Inc. is hiring a Digital Marketing Manager
• Enumerate is hiring a Senior Product Marketing Manager
• Red Stag Fulfillment is hiring a Director of Growth Operations
• Offsite is hiring a Field Marketing and Partnerships Lead
• BrightHire is hiring a Social and Community Marketing Manager
• Opus is hiring a Senior Manager, B2B Product Marketing

See all open roles

Have an open role and want to make sure the best B2B marketing talent sees it? Just reply to this email and we'll send over more info on how you can post it on our job board + get it in front of 42k+ marketers.

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