Been running a software development agency for almost a year. Lead generation has always been the hardest part. Referrals carry us but they're unpredictable, and outbound has mixed results.
I recently started putting together proper case studies (the ones that go deep: problem, process, measurable outcome) but haven't deployed them yet. Before I do, I want to understand how people have actually used them. Not theory, real results.
A few specific things I'm curious about:
- Where do they work best? Cold outreach attachments? Website SEO? Sales call follow-ups? LinkedIn? I've heard conflicting things.
- What format converts? Long-form PDF, a dedicated web page, a short-form LinkedIn post version?
- What makes a case study actually move a prospect? I've seen ones with impressive numbers that felt hollow, and ones with modest results that felt compelling. What's the difference?
- Do they work for top-of-funnel, or only mid/bottom? I'm wondering if they're better as a trust closer once someone is already warm rather than a lead generator from scratch.
- Has anyone tested them and seen no ROI? I want the honest takes too. Maybe they're overrated for agencies vs. product companies.
For context: we're a decent size dev shop, average deal size $35k - $80K, mostly mid-market B2B clients in fintech and e-commerce. Not a SaaS product ourselves but this community tends to have the sharpest thinking on content-driven growth.
Would especially love to hear from:
- Agency owners who've built a case study library and can say what happened
- Anyone who's used them in cold outbound specifically
People who've A/B tested formats
Happy to share what I build once I've deployed it. If there's interest I can do a follow-up post with data.