Years ago, I taught a conference workshop on using storytelling in business writing. I shared about how consumers relate to stories because they can often see themselves in the story.
That same storytelling idea applies when a pet business writes a case study. It’s not just about what happened. It’s about why it mattered: the story behind the story.
Case Studies Sometimes Miss the Deeper Story
Many case studies focus on the service provided:
- A trainer taught a dog a new behavior.
- A groomer improved a pet’s experience with grooming.
- A pet sitter helped a dog settle down while the family was away.
These services are important to a case study. They highlight the before and after. But often, they are not the whole story.
The real story often begins with a question: What was the pet parent actually hoping for? And how did that affect the pet professional’s approach?
The Goal behind the Goal
Pet parents may ask for a particular service. But they may have a deeper goal or need behind their inquiry.
For example, a pet parent with a puppy whose hair mats easily may want to do some home grooming in between groomer visits. When they ask the groomer to help the puppy get comfortable with grooming, what they’re really asking for is helping the puppy be comfortable with frequent handling and the use of home grooming tools.
When a pet parent asks a sitter to help keep their pet calm while they are away, it might be because they know the pet is often anxious. They worry about anxiety getting worse in their absence.
Pet parents don’t always voice their deepest concerns. But when they do, you as a pet professional become a trusted listener. You hear what they’re really asking; most likely, you also hear what they’re not asking out loud. You tailor your solutions to their deeper request or concern.
When you write a client case study, that deeper goal needs to be reflected. It’s often the heart of the story. And it’s incredibly relatable to future clients who will read it.
When a case study includes the goal behind the goal, it doesn’t just highlight a service success. It also builds trust. Pet parents will see themselves in the story, and they’ll see how your solutions meet their deeper, sometimes unvoiced needs.
Sample Case Study
In my portfolio, I’ve written a sample case study based on a true experience. One of my pet-sitting pup-clients achieved success with his dog trainer, and I wanted to document the story.
The main goal was teaching the dog to heel. But there was a goal behind the goal, the heart of the story. I wanted the case study to capture the whole story.
The dog’s owner needed a way to recall him safely, but she didn’t want to restrict his free roaming on the farm or dampen his personality. So, the deeper need was: I need to recall my dog when there’s danger, but I want him to continue enjoying his free roaming lifestyle and personality.
Their trainer listened carefully to the deeper goals. She decided teaching the heel command was the best way to accomplish all the goals.
That sample case study captures the full story, showing how the heel command was effective in resolving the safety and recall concerns, but also did not interfere with the dog’s free roaming and personality.
A dog parent reading that story will likely see themselves in the midst of the dilemma: needing help to curb one behavior without taking away the dog’s lifestyle. When they see that type of full-story case study on your website, they’ll know you understand them and that you will really hear them. That builds trust.
Find Your Stories
When you’re writing a case study for your pet business, ask yourself first: What did my client really want?
Look at the immediate problem that brought the client to you. Think about why that issue was so important to them.
Then go deeper:
- What were their biggest wants and needs in that situation?
- What was really going on?
- What mattered most?
- What did they want to preserve as well as what did they want to change?
- How did your service help to meet the immediate and deeper goals?
That’s the heart of your case study story.
An engaging case study does more than highlight a client’s success. It also helps potential clients see themselves in that story.
When a pet parent reads that case study, they will realize that you, as the pet professional, really understand them. They will recognize how your business has the answers they’ve been looking for. Why? Because you really see their underlying concerns and needs. That builds trust. And trust leads to new clients.
Janet Eriksson 