You’ve got the perfect client for a case study. Then you ask, and there’s a pause. “Let me check with my manager.” “We’re pretty busy this quarter.” This is one of the most common roadblocks in marketing, and it usually has nothing to do with how good your product is. It’s about how the ask is made.
Understand why they’re hesitating
Most of the time it comes down to one of these:
- Time. A video shoot sounds like a bigger commitment than a written testimonial.
- Camera nerves.
- Needing internal approval from marketing, legal, or a manager.
- Worry about being quoted saying something that ages badly.
None of this is about you. It’s about their effort and risk. That’s what your pitch needs to address.
Frame it as a benefit to them
Stop asking for their time and start offering them something. A case study video is content they can use too. They get professional footage for their own website and LinkedIn, a public endorsement of their good decision making, and exposure through your channels.
Time it around a win
Ask right after a project wraps successfully, around a contract renewal, or right after they’ve said something glowing in an email. Asking mid project, while results are uncertain, is a much harder sell.
Make the process sound easy
Be specific up front. Most interviews only need around 30minutes. There’s no script, just simple questions. Offer them the chance to review and approve the final cut. Offer to shoot on site, around their schedule.
Help with internal approval
If they need sign off from someone else, offer a one page summary they can forward, a short call with their manager if needed, and a couple of past examples so they know what the end result looks like.
If they still say no
Keep it light. “No worries, happy to revisit down the track” keeps the door open. A lower commitment option, like a written quote, sometimes turns into a full video later.
The bottom line
It’s not about persuasion. It’s about removing friction and making the value obvious. Ask at the right moment, make it easy, and frame it as something you’re doing for them.