How Do You Develop Partner Case Studies?
Partner case studies are one of the most powerful ways to prove ecosystem value. Done well, they highlight real customer outcomes, showcase your “better together” story, and give sellers and partners credible proof points they can use across the entire revenue journey.
Strong partner case studies don’t happen by accident. They come from a disciplined process that starts with the right customer and the right partner, focuses on measurable outcomes, and ends with assets that can be used in campaigns, co-selling, and executive conversations. The goal is to make it easy for both your teams and your partners to tell the same compelling story.
What Makes a Great Partner Case Study?
A Framework for Developing Partner Case Studies
Use this step-by-step approach to build partner case studies that support co-marketing, co-selling, and executive alignment.
Identify → Qualify → Plan → Interview → Draft → Activate
- Identify the right story: Work with partner managers and sales to target high-impact wins where the joint solution clearly drove business value and the customer is advocate-ready.
- Qualify customer and partner participation: Confirm customer willingness, partner alignment, legal/comms approvals, and which personas (executive, practitioner, ops) should be involved in interviews.
- Plan the narrative and outcomes: Align with the partner on key messages, metrics to highlight, and strategic themes (e.g., revenue growth, operational efficiency, customer experience).
- Conduct structured interviews: Use a consistent guide that covers context, challenges, decision process, implementation, and results. Capture quotes aligned to your ecosystem story.
- Draft and iterate collaboratively: Create a draft that balances both brands, then route for partner and customer review, handling legal/compliance edits without losing clarity.
- Activate across channels: Turn the core story into PDFs, web pages, sales one-pagers, webinar content, and social snippets for both your team and the partner to use.
Partner Case Study Maturity Matrix
| Dimension | Stage 1 — Opportunistic Stories | Stage 2 — Programmatic Library | Stage 3 — Ecosystem Narrative Engine |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sourcing | Reps suggest stories ad hoc. | Partners and sellers nominate wins via a defined process. | Case study opportunities are part of deal and QBR workflows. |
| Story Quality | Basic “happy customer” summaries. | Structured problem–solution–results format. | Strategic narratives that map to ICP, industries, and plays. |
| Measurement | No tracking of usage. | Downloads and basic engagement. | Impact on pipeline, win rate, and deal size when case studies are used. |
| Partner Involvement | Partner is mentioned but not engaged. | Partner reviews and co-promotes select stories. | Partners are co-owners of a portfolio of stories by segment and play. |
| Reuse & Activation | Static PDFs used occasionally. | Case studies used in campaigns and sales decks. | Case studies integrated into GTM plays, marketplaces, and enablement. |
Frequently Asked Questions
How do we choose which partner wins to turn into case studies?
Prioritize stories with measurable outcomes, strategic logos, repeatable use cases, and partner alignment to key GTM plays or industries.
What metrics should we highlight?
Focus on metrics your buyers care about: pipeline contribution, revenue growth, deal velocity, conversion rates, retention, and customer satisfaction.
How do we handle legal and approvals?
Use a standard approval workflow, including pre-approved templates, review cycles, and clear usage rights that both customer and partner agree to.
How can sales and partners easily find the right case study?
Tag case studies by industry, segment, use case, and partner, and surface them in CRM, sales enablement tools, and partner portals.
Turn Partner Wins into a Repeatable Proof Engine
When partner case studies are built on measurable outcomes and shared narratives, they become fuel for co-marketing, co-selling, and executive buy-in.