When you work in a retainer-based business where you provide ongoing support (that is, you work with clients on an ongoing basis every month), one of the first things you should do with every new client is document (put in writing) where they are right now/before working with you. This is the start of your before & after case study.
Three to six months later, you should then solicit each client’s feedback and conducting an interview with them about that feedback. From this information, you will draw your “after” snapshot. (The Client Feedback Form offered in my Success Store is done in a way specifically to help you develop your before & after case studies.)
The idea is to paint a written picture of what life and business was like for the client before they began working with you (including all the problems and pain), and then how things were improved after working with you (this is your “after”).
Case studies are excellent credibility boosters to include on your website. The trick is to start doing this now with all new clients. It can be done, but it’s much more difficult to create the “before” shot with clients you’ve already been working with for awhile.
One way I’ve been able to capture a vivid snapshot of “before” scenarios is with the Activity & Time Analysis diagnostics I’ve done with clients. You get much more detail about the problems in the client’s business, often picking up on things they forget and leave out when they give you their feedback.
With my Activity & Time Analysis Tool, I’ve been able to pinpoint areas where clients were frittering away their time, what activities were bogging them down, money they were leaving on the table and work they weren’t getting paid for, as well as identifying areas and work they could turn into services and information products for increased/additional revenue.