How to Tell Case Studies Without Breaking Client Confidentiality
Apr 29, 2025Permission to Share Powerful Client Stories?
Client case studies are gold for building authority—but many professionals hold back, fearing they’ll breach confidentiality.
The truth?
You don’t need to name names. You just need to focus on what you experienced as the coach, consultant, or expert.
You can tell stories like:
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"I worked with a client who was struggling with [X]..."
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"We discovered through our sessions that [Y]..."
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"What really moved the needle for him was [Z]..."
As long as you’re not revealing private information or making someone identifiable, you’re not breaking any rules.
Case Studies That Stay Safe: The Matt Example
In a recent coaching session, Matt—a divorce coach for men—asked how to use client success stories in his content.
The solution?
Use transcripts, call notes, or memory to tell the transformation from your perspective.
Matt will be sharing how he helped a client move from emotional chaos to clear, confident decisions. No names. No specifics that breach trust.
Just the core message: "Here’s what I saw, here’s what we did, and here’s what changed."
Position Yourself as the Guide
Your audience wants to know you can help them.
The best way to do that is to show how you’ve helped others— But the hero of your story is always the client. You’re the guide.
So tell the story, not to brag, but to serve.
When done well, case studies magnetise the right opportunities, say yes to growth, and build your authority—without breaking boundaries.
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Video Transcription:
People don't buy what you do. They buy the story of transformation, the before the turning point, the after. But most professionals don't know how to tell it, not because they don't have the results, but because they're scared to talk about the clients. They're worried about privacy, unsure about how to structure it, and in the end they end up saying nothing.
But what if you could tell a case study story without breaching anything and still make your word sound? Hi, I'm Chris Schwager, video coach and founder of the Complete Video Success System, and I've spent decades helping professionals create high impact videos that build trust, generate leads. And drive business success.
And if you've ever felt unsure or under-prepared, or just play an awkward with video, this is for you. I'll give you the mindset and strategies to take control, build video confidence so that you show up like a pro. It's time to make your videos work for you. Have you ever seen a powerful case study video and thought, damn, I wish I could do that, but I don't have permission from my clients?
Oh, you're not alone. A lot of coaches and consultants and professionals feel stuck right there. Here's the truth. You probably already have everything you need to create a powerful case study. You just need a different approach. And in a recent coaching session with Matt Harber, divorce Coach for men, we talked about this exact thing.
He's helping clients make incredible progress in their lives, but like many coaches. He's had the same fear. I cannot really talk about these wins without breaking trust. Yes, you can, because here's the key. You don't need permission to tell your story. You're not reading out a client testimonial or quoting them directly.
You're simply recounting your own experience in your own words of the transformation you witnessed. You are telling a story about what you did, how you helped, and what changed as a result, and that's what Matt's going to do. He's creating case studies based on interactions. He's had transcripts of sessions or questions.
He's asked all of it from his point of view. He's not using client names, he's not quoting them directly. He's simply narrating the transformation journey. He facilitated like a storyteller, and because it's a story, there's no. Breach of privacy. You can absolutely do this. You're telling a before and after through your lens.
Think of it like narrating your role in a movie where your client is the lead character. Here's what was going wrong, here's what we uncovered. Here's the mindset shift and here's how things turned around. This is a version of a case study to, to storytelling technique that anyone can do. It's clear, it's safe, it's powerful.
And look, simplicity wins. You don't need slides, complex visuals or editing tricks. Just speak clearly calmly like you would to a mate over coffee. Tell the story I. Reflect on what surprised you. Point out the lessons and move on. When you show up with that level of clarity and reflection, you magnetize your right opportunities, you build trust, and you make it easier for people to say yes to growth.
So next time you think, I can't share that. Pause. Pause and ask yourself. Can I tell that from a different perspective without naming names? The answer is yes. Then hit record, baby, because your next client might just be waiting to hear that very story just like this. Just quickly, if you are ready to take control over your video production, but feel stuck, check out the video Confidence Collective.
It's live coaching in a supportive community that's got your back. We cover four essentials tech messaging on camera presence and implementing what you learn so you can create consistent, confident content that truly connects links in the show notes. Now back to the episode. You're gonna take these secrets, you're gonna start to deploy them.
You're gonna start telling these stories. Use them to your advantage. Use them every single day. Just like many of you that we've helped before.
