102 | Are screenshots of client results manipulative? With Jocelyn Montemarano
How To Collect Great Case Studies (& Skip the Screenshots)
WITH JOCELYN MONTEMARANO
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In this conversation, we'll discuss why screenshots of client results may be manipulative (even though they're not intended to be manipulative) AND why screenshots aren't going to convert to the level you think they would. Then, Jocelyn shares what an effective client case study needs to include to convert right-fit clients.
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Episode Transcript
This transcript is AI generated. Please bare in mind that it may not be 100% accurate.
Tish:
Welcome to the podcast, Jocelyn. I am so excited to chat with you today because you have quite the hot take to share. But before we get into the details, why don't you introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about your business.
Jocelyn:
Yeah, thank you so much for having me here. I am super excited to talk with you. I am Jocelyn Montemarano, the founder of Scale Your Resonance, and I am a content and case study coach. And I kind of call it like coach-sulting because I do support my clients with done-for-you work in addition to the coaching support as well. So a little bit of coach-sulting going on, but yeah, I've been in business for about three years now. And prior to that, I was working as a director of content for other coaches and for other coaching-type businesses. So yeah, really excited to share all my knowledge about this space with the listeners here today.
Tish:
Thank you for sharing that. And I love that you focus on case studies. It's such a niche topic, but it's something a lot of business owners need help with. So I love that. And we are here today because you have an opinion that might go against the grain of what we've been taught about marketing. And you teach that we actually shouldn't be sharing screenshots of client results. So let's talk about why you found this to be the case.
Jocelyn:
Yeah. So I know like most of us, I mean myself included, because I used to share these types of things, but most of us come into sharing screenshots from a really good perspective, from the perspective of this is the most transparent way I could possibly share it. I'm literally taking their word word by word, you know, I'm not altering anything. Like, so we come at it from a very great perspective of trying to do what is as transparent as possible. But my background is in journalism. And we are trained not to just take quotes word for word all the time, because they might not provide the right context. If we just take a quote and they're not really the expert, like your client or your customer might not frame things up in the exact way that provides the most context that really tells the full story there. And that's our job, to make sure that we're providing that. So the issue with screenshots is, especially of client results, not just screenshots that are like, "Oh my God, this was so great," or "This was so fun." Like that's just nice feedback. But when you're sharing something like, "Oh my gosh, I just made 100k in 30 days," or something along those lines, it's missing all of the context around it. Well, how long have they been in this program? How long did it take them to actually get that result? What was like, you know, in that example, what was the audience size they had? What was the offer price point they had? Like all of those contextual details around that result so that it's really clear, transparent, and fully contextualized around the type of person that was able to achieve that result and what they had in place either prior to joining your offer or that they were able to build through the time in your offer that made that result possible for them.
And so very rarely do our clients share like, "When I joined, I had X, Y, and Z, and now I've been able to make 100K in 30 days," or whatever it might have been. And so we're missing all of that context. And that's where screenshots can get a little bit manipulative, even if completely unintentional because you aren't providing that context. And so when we're reading those things on your Instagram stories or on your sales page, and that context isn't provided, it makes it seem like every person in your program can achieve this result. And that might be possible to an extent, but most of the time it's like they were able to achieve this result because they had an offer or because they had an email list or, you know, because of other factors as well. And without that context, we miss that. And it kind of misleads us to believe like who in the program is having results. And we might think we're able to succeed even though we don't have the same things that those people did.
Tish:
Yeah, I completely agree that there needs to be more context behind these results, especially when it comes to income claims. I get so frustrated with income claim marketing, especially when it's coming from a client result, because it's like, where was that person before? And a lot of the time, you don't have that context, and you do need to have that in order to know how much of a percentage the coach or the service provider has helped them achieve that result and how much they would have got if they were doing it on their own. So I think that's very important, and I'm glad you mentioned that. And I'm curious, would you say that all client results screenshots are manipulative? Or is there a way that we can share screenshots that does tell your audience everything they need to know?
Jocelyn:
Yeah, so if it's like I mentioned a little bit before, if it's more of like a testimonial where results aren't included, but it's just saying like, "The coaching I got on today's call was incredible. I'm having so many lightbulb moments," like that's totally fine. It's more when things are like very specific, tangible results, whether that's financial or whether that's something even not financial but is tangible. Like, "I met the love of my life, you know, in one day," you know, where did all of that, you know, come from? So when I don't mind you using screenshots, if you provide the context around it. So for example, if you're gonna share a screenshot to Instagram stories or on your sales page or in an email, just provide the rest of that case study around that screenshot and let that screenshot serve as more of like a layer of validation that this is a real result. Like, look, it came in, here's the client's name and image and what they said exactly. And here's the context around that. So you're filling in the gaps. And that's exactly literally what I would do as a journalist. It would be like, I would provide all the context, then I would insert that quote there that now is much more contextualized and makes sense because I framed that conversation or that context before the quote got there. So that's essentially how you can still use screenshots but make it a lot more transparent, by just providing that case study context and then having that screenshot at the bottom of the story or the bottom of the email or something like that, not letting that screenshot just stand on its own without that additional context.
Tish:
Yeah, that's a great point. And you mentioned earlier that you focus on case studies as a way to share client results and client testimonials. So could you share more about how we can collect that data to get that case study content and kind of what goes into that process?
Jocelyn:
Yeah, so when it comes to collecting case studies, I think a lot of us start out really focused on the result. That's what we think converts. That's ultimately why people are sharing screenshots. They're encouraging their clients to share screenshots because ultimately people want to see that, you know, okay, these are the types of results that I can expect to experience when I invest in this course or coaching program or service or whatever it might be. But when it comes to case studies, what's really, really important is everything that happens before the result. The result is actually like almost the smallest part of the case study. So when you want to put together like a really high-converting case study strategy, it starts with your collection system. And that collection system includes a couple of components. But the three most important things are an onboarding form, a progress or milestone form, and the case study form. And what that does is it gets data from your client at different points throughout their journey from the moment they join, through them making progress for a couple of weeks or a couple of months, all the way through the moment that they achieve your offer goal. And what's really important about that, especially that onboarding form, is that the onboarding form, the progress form, and the case study form all need to be reversed engineered to provide this context.
So you really need to be thinking about just using that obvious example of making a hundred K in 30 days, right? Like, we would want to know, like, okay, how big is your audience or how big is your email list, depending on, you know, what channel those business owners would be using. We would want to know what is the price of your offer? What is your business model? What is the highest 30 days amount you had prior to joining, right? Like, it's going to be a lot different if somebody was like, "Yeah, I went from literally zero prior to joining to 100K in 30 days," versus like, "Oh yeah, I joined when I was averaging a 75K month," right? That's going to be a lot different context. So that onboarding form really collects that starting point data to show this is where people were before they joined and some of the things that they might have had in place that helped them succeed in this offer and make this offer a right time for them to invest in it and be in the best position to succeed.
And then same thing with that progress and case study form, you're kind of getting a gauge for their progress throughout their journey in your offer, specifically asking what results they're experiencing along the way so you can see, okay, it takes them on average X amount of time to achieve this and they do this. And this is the thing that's most transformational. This is the thing that they're working on. And then that case study form just provides like the final results. And that way you have all the information you need when you're putting that case study together. You have all of those key pieces of context that really tell the full picture. So like I said, you're not just reverse engineering the results you're sharing, you're reverse engineering the whole case study to make sure you're sharing everything that happened before that as well.
Tish:
I love that. So I like how you have an onboarding form and offboarding form, but also like this in-between form, because I think we all probably have onboarding and offboarding forms, but like are we asking the right questions? Probably not. And then that in-between form too, it's like keeping you top of mind as the provider, so they're always thinking about their progress, and you can track their wins as they go instead of waiting till the end and hoping they remember what the entire process looked like.
And I’m curious, when you're creating case studies, how do you handle consent?
Jocelyn:
Yes, so I actually have like three different layers of consent that I like to use. And I think the most important thing to know here is that like, for example, what you experienced is not uncommon where like your results have been shared without your consent. And the person sharing it might have had no idea that you would feel like that was private because maybe somebody else didn't, right? And so it's really important to know that like consent isn't something that happens accidentally. Like I want to be like really clear about that. We can't assume that like somebody's okay with it just because they got the result. So yeah, I have three layers of consent in my process.
The first layer is likeness consent. So this is where we’re really asking, are they okay with using their name? Are they okay with using their image? Are they okay with using their business name or their business likeness, right? So that is layer one, and that is the one that we probably think of most often when we think of consent.
The second layer is attribution consent. So attribution consent is saying how much of this result do you attribute to your own efforts? And how much do you attribute to this offer or to this coaching, right? And this is a great opportunity for you to ask a client like, "Okay, you got this result, like you got 100K in 30 days. How much of that would you attribute to me?" And what you're doing there is not only kind of just being sure that you're asking permission, but you're also kind of seeing how your clients view the role that you play in their journey and really making sure that you're sharing results that the client attributes to your offer, as opposed to just assuming like, "Oh, well they were in my offer so this was the result they got, and this is what happened."
And then the third layer is participation consent. So I always like to make sure that when I'm doing my case study interviews, whether it's on Zoom or whether it's on camera or whatever it might be, that they're comfortable participating in that and that they are aware that we're going to be using this content. And this is where you can get that explicit consent like, "Yes, I'm okay with being on camera," or "No, I’m not okay with being on camera but I’m okay with you writing down what I said in my case study form and using that as a written case study." So participation consent is more about like how they want to show up in the case study, if that makes sense.
Tish:
Yeah, I love that. I am so glad you focus so much on consent because it’s not enforced enough online. I've personally had instances where my personal wins were shared by somebody else, and it wasn’t actually a true reflection of what I was doing. So thank you for setting those boundaries, not just for your business but for your clients too. That process sounds incredible, and it’s definitely something I think we should all start doing if we aren’t already.
Jocelyn:
Yeah, I'm sorry you experienced that, and that's exactly why I do what I do because it can get, even with good intentions, it can get really manipulative if you’re not asking for consent. It’s really about setting clear boundaries and clear systems in place. And honestly, once you start sharing the full story instead of just a screenshot, it really does help to weed out those clients that aren’t ready for your offer or aren’t in the right place for your offer. When you’re sharing case studies that are really clear and honest, you're attracting better clients because you’re being more transparent, and people are able to self-select and say, "Hey, I'm actually not ready for this right now," or "Oh my gosh, this is perfect. I’m going to be able to achieve the same thing because I am in the same position this client was in." So it makes a huge difference.
Tish:
Yeah, absolutely. And like you said, it's usually not intentional, but it's just about education. And that is why we are having this conversation today.
So, once you have that case study, how do you share it? I feel like most people find screenshots easy and quick to consume. That's why we see them on sales pages and in Instagram stories. And people usually go to sales pages when they're looking for client feedback and results when they're considering investing in something.
How can we present client case studies on our sales pages in a way that the person visiting is going to consume and get value from that?
Jocelyn:
Yeah, I hear what you're saying in terms of not wanting it to be a 10-page essay with unnecessary details. We still want to see those results and be able to identify with them. So when it comes to the sales page, what I coach my clients on is to have a really bold headline for each client that includes the results and ideally the problem they were experiencing when they joined, as well as one key objection detail.
For example, people may think, “I can’t make 100K in 30 days because I have a small audience.” If I had a case study of a client who made 100K with a small audience, I’d want to spotlight that. You want your headline to do the work that a screenshot would do. Then, you can have a couple of paragraphs where you share the starting point details. For business owners, that’s their business model, offer price, email list size, audience, etc. For other niches, like relationship coaching, it could be a couple married for 5 years, having weekly fights with screaming matches for over 8 months. Those are the starting point details.
Once you've set that context, you can include a few sentences about what changed and what they focused on, followed by the end result. This way, visitors get the context but are also drawn in by the headline. If someone only wants to read the headlines for validation, great. But if they see a headline like “Couple went from weekly screaming matches to resolving conflicts without anyone feeling hurt,” someone experiencing the same thing will be pulled in.
They can then read more details and feel a deeper connection, thinking, “That couple is just like us! If they could achieve that, so can we.” That’s what we want.
I also advise my clients to have the full case study on their blog, even if they don’t have an active blog. This creates a bank of case studies you can link to when needed, especially for one-on-one conversations, sales calls, or DMs. You might have a case study that’s perfect for a potential client, and you can link them directly to it. On the sales page, include a link to the full story so if someone wants to dive deeper, they can.
But the sales page version should be snappy: a bold headline with results and an objection detail, followed by 1-3 short paragraphs summarizing the starting point, what changed, and the end result. For those wanting the full story, they can go to the link for all the details.
Tish:
These are such great tips! I’ve done this on some of my sales pages—having a snippet and then linking to the full case study—and it’s worked so well. You don’t take up the entire page but still share all the info. Great tip!
I’d love to know what results you’ve seen since shifting from sharing screenshots to being more intentional with case studies like this.
Jocelyn:
I love this question! I’ve seen it both for myself and my clients. One of the biggest changes I’ve noticed is my clients getting what one of them called “perfect-fit dream clients.” People come in with a full understanding of what it takes to succeed. So they aren’t attracting the wrong fits—they’re getting people who are a little before or after the “right fit” but are so excited because they know they can help them.
Those clients are excited to dive in and actually do the work. They’re not just buying the program or course and then not showing up. They’re fully bought in because they’ve seen people like them get results, and they know they have the qualities to make it happen. They’re not joining with their fingers crossed hoping it works—they’re confident they can achieve the same result.
These clients are more engaged with the curriculum, show up to coaching calls, ask questions when they’re stuck, and trust me to guide them to the result. Even when they’re not seeing immediate progress, they trust that I’m there to support them. That’s been a big shift.
A lot of people worry, “What if my clients aren’t getting results, and I’m tracking it, and no one’s progressing?” But you can’t hide if results aren’t happening. Your clients want to know you’re there to support them through it, even when things aren’t going smoothly. That’s been a big mindset change for my clients—knowing that even when progress is slow, they have my support, and we’ll get to the other side.
Tish:
So, if someone listening has only been collecting client result screenshots and using that in their marketing, what advice would you give them? Can they go back and collect case studies from past clients or update their content?
Jocelyn:
Yes, great question! When I work with my clients in the Case Study Sprint, I create an onboarding form, a progress form, and a case study form for their new clients to move through that process. But of course, we all have past clients, and we still want to collect case study data for them.
I create an existing client case study form that pulls the most important pieces from those other forms so we can collect data from clients who are further along or have completed the program. Obviously, we don’t ask them to go back and fill out a progress form for every milestone or month, as they won’t remember all that.
Instead, we hit the most important details. We ask for key starting point data, like the size of their email list (which they can often look up). We also ask about progress in a reflective way, like “What was the biggest turning point in the program for you?” or “When did you realize you were going to achieve the goal?” That way, you can collect data retroactively and have a system in place for future clients.
Tish:
You’ve thought of everything! I love it. I need to take some notes and update my process. Thank you for not holding back and sharing so much value.
Before we end, I always ask my guests this: we’re all about simplicity in business, marketing, and everything here. So, what are you doing to keep things simple in your business?
Jocelyn:
I love this question! This has been my year of ease and simplifying. One thing I’m focused on is repeatability. I’m investing time, effort, and sometimes money into things I can use in multiple ways to generate results.
For example, I’m updating my evergreen webinar that drives organic leads to my email list and introduces people to my approach. Creating an evergreen webinar takes time—there are slides, case studies, emails, automation, etc. But I’m not just using it for organic traffic. I’m building ads for it and planning to run partner webinars. I’ll take the same webinar, run it live for a partner’s audience, and give the partner commission for any conversions.
So this one asset, which took time to create, isn’t just sitting there. It’s working organically, through ads, and with partners. That’s been exciting—thinking about how to maximize everything I do. Even when I’m knee-deep in the work, I remind myself it will bring a high ROI.
Tish:
Repeatability is a great one! There’s nothing better than creating something that can be reused. It might take time to create, but it saves so much time later when you can use it over and over. Thank you for sharing that and for the example.
Before we wrap up, where can everyone go to connect with you and learn more?
Jocelyn:
You can sign up for my free webinar that covers my process in more detail and explains how to work with me inside the Case Study Sprint at scaleyourresonance.com/css-webinar. You can also connect with me on Instagram or Threads @scaleyourresonance. Send me a DM—I love connecting with real people, especially if you found me through this podcast. It makes my day!
Tish:
Amazing! Everything will be linked in the show notes. Thank you so much for chatting with us today, Jocelyn, and for sharing your take on this topic. You’ve shared so much value!
Jocelyn:
Thank you for having me! It was such a great conversation. You asked awesome questions!
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hey, I'm Tish!
I'm a multi-passionate business owner, digital marketing strategist, business mentor & part-time digital nomad ✈️
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