Much of the best professional work is confidential. That leaves many consultants and agencies with little to show. An anonymised case study, written carefully, can still be one of the most persuasive pages on your site.
Get permission for the anonymised version too
Even without a name, a client may be recognisable from details. Agree with them what you may describe, how the organisation will be characterised (“a regional healthcare provider”), and which details stay private. Record the agreement.
A structure that stays specific
Use the same five headings every time so readers can compare:
- Context — the type of organisation, the situation and the constraint.
- Problem — what was not working, in the client's terms.
- Approach — what you actually did, step by step, including what you decided not to do.
- Output — the tangible deliverables: a messaging document, a page structure, a guideline.
- What changed — only what you can honestly describe, and what is still open.
Be careful with numbers
Only publish figures you can stand behind, attributable to your work and approved by the client. If you cannot, describe the change qualitatively (“the sales team now uses one shared introduction”) rather than inventing a percentage. Careful wording here protects both your reputation and the client relationship.
Label it clearly
Add a short note explaining that names and identifying details are withheld at the client's request. Readers understand confidentiality; what they distrust is evidence that looks too polished to be checked.
