Overview
What It Is
The Case Study Questionnaire Auto-Send identifies customers who've achieved meaningful results and automatically invites them to participate in case studies. It sends personalized questionnaires at the optimal moment—when satisfaction is high and success is fresh—and streamlines the path from response to published content.
Why It Matters
Case studies are the most requested content by buyers, yet most companies struggle to produce them. The bottleneck is usually getting customers to participate. Automated identification and timely outreach dramatically increases participation rates.
Who It's For
- Marketing teams needing customer stories
- CS teams identifying advocates
- Content teams managing case study production
- Sales teams requesting proof points
Preconditions
Required Tools
- Customer Success platform (ChurnZero, Gainsight)
- Survey tool (Typeform, Google Forms)
- CRM with customer data
- Scheduling tool (Calendly)
- Content management system
Required Fields/Properties
- Customer health score
- Success milestones achieved
- NPS/CSAT scores
- Account value and tenure
- Marketing permission status
Definitions Required
- Case study candidate criteria
- Optimal timing for outreach
- Questionnaire structure
- Interview vs. written process
- Incentive structure (if any)
Step-by-Step Workflow
1
Define Candidate Criteria
Goal: Identify what makes a great case study candidate.
Actions:
- List success indicators (metrics, milestones, testimonials)
- Define minimum tenure and engagement
- Consider brand/logo value
- Check contract for marketing rights
- Create scoring model for prioritization
Implementation Notes: Best candidates have: quantifiable results, recognizable brand, willing champion, and diverse use case. Prioritize customers who fill coverage gaps (industries, use cases you lack).
Automation Logic:
Case Study Candidate Scoring:
1. SUCCESS METRICS (40 points)
- Achieved target ROI/outcome: 20 pts
- Quantifiable results available: 10 pts
- Multi-department success: 10 pts
2. ENGAGEMENT (25 points)
- NPS 9-10: 10 pts
- High health score: 10 pts
- Active champion: 5 pts
3. BRAND VALUE (20 points)
- Recognizable company: 10 pts
- Target industry: 5 pts
- Target company size: 5 pts
4. COVERAGE GAP (15 points)
- Fills industry gap: 5 pts
- Fills use case gap: 5 pts
- Fills geo gap: 5 pts
Threshold: Score ≥ 60 → Auto-send questionnaire
Score ≥ 80 → Priority candidate, CSM warm intro
2
Build Trigger Automation
Goal: Automatically identify and engage candidates at the right moment.
Actions:
- Set up triggers (NPS score, milestone, health threshold)
- Check marketing permission before outreach
- Add delay for optimal timing post-milestone
- Route high-value candidates for CSM warm intro
- Track all outreach in CRM
Implementation Notes: Timing matters. Send questionnaire 1-2 weeks after a success milestone—when the win is fresh but the customer isn't still in implementation mode. Don't interrupt critical workflows.
Automation Logic:
// Example: Case study trigger logic
const evaluateCaseStudyCandidate = async (customer) => {
// Check marketing permission
if (!customer.marketing_permission) return null;
// Check if already in case study pipeline
if (await hasActiveCaseStudyRequest(customer.id)) return null;
// Calculate score
const score = calculateCandidateScore(customer);
if (score >= 80) {
// High-value: warm intro from CSM
await notifyCSM(customer.csm, {
type: 'priority_case_study_candidate',
customer,
score,
reason: getScoreBreakdown(customer)
});
} else if (score >= 60) {
// Standard: automated questionnaire
await scheduleQuestionnaire(customer, {
delay: '7 days', // Wait a week after trigger
template: 'standard_case_study'
});
}
return { customer: customer.id, score, action: score >= 60 ? 'queued' : 'below_threshold' };
};
3
Create Questionnaire
Goal: Build a survey that captures compelling story elements.
Actions:
- Design questions that elicit specific, quotable answers
- Include metric-gathering questions
- Ask for before/after comparison
- Capture approval for public use
- Make it easy to complete (< 10 minutes)
Implementation Notes: Good questions get good answers. Don't ask 'Do you like our product?' Ask 'What specific result surprised you most?' Lead witnesses toward quantifiable, story-worthy responses.
Automation Logic:
Case Study Questionnaire:
1. THE CHALLENGE
"Before {{product}}, what was your biggest challenge with [use case]?"
"How was this impacting your team/business?"
2. THE SOLUTION
"Why did you choose {{product}} over alternatives?"
"What stood out during the evaluation process?"
3. THE RESULTS
"What specific improvements have you seen since implementing?"
"Can you share any numbers? (time saved, revenue increased, etc.)"
"What's been the most surprising or unexpected benefit?"
4. THE DETAILS
"Which features do you use most? Why?"
"How has {{product}} changed how your team works day-to-day?"
5. THE RECOMMENDATION
"What would you tell someone considering {{product}}?"
"Who else would benefit from this solution?"
6. PERMISSIONS
[ ] I approve use of my responses on {{company}} website
[ ] I approve use of my name and title
[ ] I approve use of {{customer_company}} name
[ ] I'm open to a 20-minute follow-up interview
4
Streamline Follow-Up
Goal: Convert questionnaire responses into published case studies.
Actions:
- Auto-route responses for review
- Schedule follow-up interviews for willing participants
- Use GPT-4 to draft case study from questionnaire
- Build approval workflow with customer
- Track time from response to publish
Implementation Notes: The questionnaire should contain 80% of what you need. The interview fills gaps and gets quotable soundbites. Some customers prefer written-only—honor that preference.
5
Manage Case Study Pipeline
Goal: Track all candidates and content through production.
Actions:
- Build pipeline dashboard (candidates → responses → drafts → published)
- Set SLAs for each stage
- Alert on stalled case studies
- Track coverage by industry/use case
- Report on case study production rate
Implementation Notes: Treat case studies like a sales pipeline. Know how many you have at each stage, what's stuck, and where you need more coverage. Set quarterly production targets.
Templates
Case Study Request Email
Subject: Share your success story with {{product}}?
Hi {{first_name}},
Congratulations on {{achievement}}! We've loved seeing {{company_name}}'s success with {{product}}.
Would you be open to sharing your experience? We're looking to feature customers who've achieved results like yours, and your story could help others facing similar challenges.
Here's what's involved:
📝 **Short questionnaire** (5-10 minutes)
↳ Share your experience in your own words
📞 **Optional follow-up** (15-20 minutes)
↳ For those open to a brief interview
🎁 **What you get:**
↳ Exposure to our audience of {{audience_description}}
↳ A polished asset to share with your network
↳ {{incentive_if_any}}
[Start the Questionnaire →]({{questionnaire_link}})
No pressure either way—just let me know. And thanks for being such a great partner!
Best,
{{sender_name}}
GPT-4 Case Study Draft Prompt
Generate a case study draft from this questionnaire response.
Customer: {{company_name}}
Contact: {{contact_name}}, {{title}}
Industry: {{industry}}
Company Size: {{company_size}}
Questionnaire Responses:
{{responses}}
Generate a case study with:
1. HEADLINE
- Results-focused, specific numbers if available
- Format: "How [Company] achieved [Result] with [Product]"
2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY (50 words)
- Challenge, solution, results in brief
3. THE CHALLENGE
- 150-200 words on what they faced
- Include quotes from responses
4. THE SOLUTION
- 150-200 words on why they chose us
- Include specific features/capabilities
5. THE RESULTS
- 200-250 words on outcomes
- Highlight metrics and quotes
- Include unexpected benefits
6. PULL QUOTES
- 2-3 standout quotes formatted for callout boxes
7. KEY STATS
- 3-4 metrics in "XX% improvement" format
Tone: Professional, specific, avoid generic claims. Let customer voice shine through.
CSM Warm Intro Request
🌟 *Case Study Opportunity*
**Account:** {{company_name}}
**Champion:** {{contact_name}}, {{title}}
**CSM:** {{csm_name}}
**Why They're a Candidate:**
- Score: {{score}}/100
- {{scoring_reason_1}}
- {{scoring_reason_2}}
- {{scoring_reason_3}}
**Coverage Value:**
This would be our {{ordinal}} {{industry}} case study (target: {{target_count}})
**Request:**
{{csm_name}}, can you reach out to {{contact_first_name}} to gauge interest? A warm intro dramatically increases participation.
[Draft intro email]({{draft_email_link}})
[Mark as contacted]({{action_link}})
[Not a fit - explain]({{decline_link}})
Case Study Pipeline Dashboard
| Company | Industry | Score | Stage | Days in Stage | Owner | Notes | |---------|----------|-------|-------|---------------|-------|-------| | Acme Corp | SaaS | 85 | Published | - | Complete | Live on website | | TechStart | FinTech | 78 | Customer Review | 5 | Marketing | Waiting for approval | | MegaCo | Enterprise | 92 | Draft | 3 | Marketing | Interview scheduled | | DataFlow | Analytics | 72 | Questionnaire Sent | 7 | Automated | Follow-up due | | CloudFirst | Healthcare | 65 | Identified | 2 | CSM | Warm intro pending |
QA + Edge Cases
Test Cases Checklist
- Customer hits NPS 10 → questionnaire sent within 7 days
- High-score candidate → CSM notified for warm intro
- Questionnaire completed → routed to marketing within 1 hour
- Customer approves interview → calendar link sent automatically
- Draft created → customer approval requested within 5 business days
Common Failure Modes
- Wrong timing: Reaching out during implementation or crisis. Delay triggers and add health score checks.
- Generic outreach: Mass email feeling. Personalize with specific achievement that triggered the request.
- Questionnaire too long: Customers abandon halfway. Keep to 8-10 questions, estimate 10 min or less.
- Production bottleneck: Responses pile up without becoming case studies. Set SLAs and assign owners.
Troubleshooting Tips
- If response rate is low: Test different timing, simplify questionnaire, add incentive
- If interview conversion is low: Make it optional, offer written-only path
- If drafts stall: Set SLAs, assign dedicated resource
- If customer approval is slow: Shorten review cycle, simplify approval process
KPIs and Reporting
KPIs to Track
- Questionnaire Response Rate: >30% of requests result in completed questionnaires
- Interview Conversion: >50% of respondents agree to follow-up interview
- Time to Publish: <30 days from questionnaire to published case study
- Case Studies Published: X case studies per quarter
- Coverage Score: Case studies across all target industries/use cases
Suggested Dashboard Widgets
- Pipeline Funnel: Candidates → Requests → Responses → Published
- Coverage Map: Case studies by industry/use case
- Production Velocity: Time in each pipeline stage
- Pending Queue: Case studies in production with status