Their Words

How to get any customer to say yes to a case study

If asking for a case study feels awkward, you’re not alone. Most people overthink it. They assume they need to offer money. Or wait for some crazy success story. Or just keep pushing until someone says yes.

The truth is, you don’t need a perfect customer. You just need a happy one. And you don’t need to push—you just need to ask the right way.

This guide will show you how to get almost any customer to agree to a case study. No gimmicks. No guilt trips. Just a few simple strategies that work and some plug-and-play templates for you to steal at the very end.

1. Make the ask come from someone senior

This one’s easy to overlook, but it works like magic.

When a request comes from someone with authority, a founder, a VP, or a senior leader, it lands differently. It says, “This is important.” It says, “We value your story.” It says, “You matter to us.”

I once worked with a company where case study requests were going out from junior CSMs. The response rate? Crickets. Then the CEO sent a personal note to a few customers. Same message. Just a different name at the bottom.

Within a week, three said yes. You don’t need to send a long, formal email. Just a short, warm note from someone high up in your company. It adds weight and makes it harder to ignore.

2. Choose the right customer

You don’t need a “massive success story.” You need a happy customer. Someone who’s seen value. Who likes working with you. Who’d be a little bummed if your product disappeared tomorrow.

It could be:

One customer I interviewed had only been live for two months. But they were super happy. “It’s the first tool we’ve used that actually feels like it was built for us,” they said.

That story became a case study. It helped the sales team close two more deals in the same industry—just because it was relatable. Don’t wait for fireworks. Look for warmth.

3. Make it low effort

People are busy. They don’t want another task. So take the work off their plate. Here’s the magic line: “All we’d need is 30 minutes of your time. We’ll take care of the rest.”

That’s it. That’s the promise. Let them know:

No writing. No heavy lifting. Just a chat. One customer I spoke to said yes because I added, “You can literally just show up and talk. We’ll make you sound great.”

They laughed and scheduled the interview.

4. Share the benefits

Sometimes customers hesitate because they’re thinking, What’s in this for me? Good question. And you should answer it for them.

Here’s what they get:

You can say something like: “We’d love to highlight what your team accomplished. It could be a nice way to show the impact internally—and help others trying to solve similar problems.”

People like to be seen. Give them a reason to feel proud of what they’ve done.

5. Reduce the risk

The biggest fear? That you’ll publish something before they’ve had a chance to review it. So put their mind at ease.

Tell them: “You’ll get to review and edit anything before it’s shared.”

“Nothing gets published without your thumbs-up.” Most customers aren’t scared of the story. They’re scared of surprises. I once had a customer who kept stalling. Then I said, “You’ll have full control over what goes live. If anything feels off, we’ll change it.” She booked time for the interview shortly after.

6. Ask for support, genuinely

Here’s something people don’t talk about enough: Sometimes the best way to get a “yes” is just to ask for help. No fluff. No tricks. Just, “We’d really appreciate your support.”

If you’re a small or bootstrapped company, say that. Let them know: “We’re a small team trying to get the word out. Your story could help us reach others like you who are struggling with the same thing.”

You’d be surprised how often people say yes when you’re honest like that. One founder I know always told his early customers, “We’re still getting off the ground, and your story could really help us grow.”

Almost everyone said yes. Not because they owed him anything. But because people want to help when they feel like it matters.

Even if you work at a bigger company, the same idea applies. You can say something like: “We’re really passionate about this product, and stories like yours are what help us grow. We’d be so grateful if we could share it.”

When your ask feels real, not like a pitch or a quota, people lean in. Because at the end of the day, most customers aren’t just buying software. They’re investing in the people behind it. And when those people ask for support? Most folks are happy to give it.

Let’s bust a few myths

Now that we’ve talked about what works, let’s clear up some common misconceptions:

You don’t need an epic result
Most case studies aren’t about 500% ROI. They’re about someone solving a real problem. A story that sounds like the buyer who’s still on the fence. Those are the stories that convert.

You don’t need to offer money
Offering cash or gift cards can actually make things feel transactional—and weird. What works better? Recognition, a polished piece they can be proud of, and a smooth process. If they ask for something, you can talk about it. But don’t lead with a bribe.

You don’t need to wait
Don’t wait until you’ve got hundreds of customers. Start with your early adopters. These are the people who took a chance on you. Who believed in your product when it was still rough around the edges. Their stories are gold, because they’ll attract others just like them.

⚡ Plug and play templates

So how do you get a “yes”? You: 1) Ask from the top; 2) Choose a happy customer; 3) Make it easy; 4) Show what’s in it for them; 5) Remove the risk; 6) Be genuine.

Here are 5 copy-and-paste case study request templates based on the tone and approach we've discussed so far. Each one uses a slightly different angle, so you can choose the one that fits your situation best. Feel free to mix and match as you create your own message.

1. The “We’d Love to Highlight Your Work” template

Hi [Name],

Your team has done such a great job using [Product Name], and we’d love to feature your success.

Would you be open to a short 30-minute chat so we can learn more about what’s worked well for you? We’ll handle the write-up and make sure you get full review and approval before anything goes live.

Totally understand if the timing isn’t right—just let me know!

Thanks so much,
[Your Name]

2. The “Genuine Ask for Support” template

Hi [Name],

We’re a small team working hard to grow [Company Name], and your story really stood out to us.

Would you be open to a quick conversation so we can share what your team has accomplished with [Product Name]? It would be a big help as we get the word out to others like you.

We’ll make it super easy: just a short call, and we’ll take care of everything else. You’ll have final approval before anything is published.

Appreciate your consideration!
[Your Name]

3. The “Recognize and Reward” template

Hi [Name],

We’ve been so impressed by how your team is using [Product Name], and we’d love to highlight your success as one of our standout customers.

Would you be up for a quick interview? It’s a simple, low-lift way to spotlight the great work you’ve done, and we’ll share a polished story you can use internally or even on LinkedIn.

Happy to share more details if you're interested!
[Your Name]

4. The “Low-Effort Reassurance” template

Hi [Name],

I wanted to see if you’d be open to participating in a customer story. We’d love to share how [Your Company Name] is using [Product Name] to [achieve result].

It’s super low-effort. We’ll just need 30 minutes for a short interview, and we’ll handle the writing from there. You’ll get full review and approval before anything is shared.

Let me know what you think!
[Your Name]

5. The “Early Adopter Recognition” template

Hi [Name],

You’ve been one of our early supporters, and we’re incredibly grateful. We’d love to tell your story and show others how [Product Name] is making an impact.

If you’re open to it, we’ll keep it simple, just a short call, and we’ll write everything for you. You’ll get to review and approve the final version before it goes anywhere.

Let me know if that sounds good!
[Your Name]

#b2b case study tips #b2b case study writing services