| White Papers are the Trojan Horses of marketing. | | | | paper's opening you even mention something like, |
| The stealth airplanes. You could also liken them to | | | | "this resource will help network managers to |
| white knights. | | | | identify and mitigate obstacles frequently |
| Let me explain. | | | | encountered in fiber-to-the-home planning and |
| On the one hand, they are performing the | | | | deployment projects." By singling out "network |
| chivalrous task of informing readers on a topic of | | | | managers," you elegantly excuse the marketers |
| high importance to them. On the other hand, | | | | and execs -- perhaps your product is too technical |
| these short- to medium-length reports also carry | | | | for them to understand. So you appeal to the |
| an unspoken directive. Their purpose is to help | | | | people in operations, with the popular strategy of |
| potential buyers further along in their decision | | | | making the folks in the field your evangelists in |
| cycle -- and hopefully deeper into your sales | | | | their organization. |
| funnel. | | | | - Quote reputable outside sources, but especially |
| Achieving both goals requires subtlety, thorough | | | | recruit your own, best, in-house experts. Every |
| subject matter knowledge, and a genuine desire | | | | time your subject matter experts open their |
| to provide valuable information. | | | | mouths and drop pearls of wisdom upon the |
| But first, a quick definition for those not familiar | | | | reader, they are selling without selling. |
| with the term "white papers": A white paper is | | | | - Close with a soft sell. These are sophisticated |
| simply an informational, usually brief, "special | | | | individuals, your readers, and a hard pitch at the |
| report"-style document that an organization can | | | | end of an otherwise good white paper will leave a |
| use to educate its customers or potential | | | | bad taste. They will ask themselves, "How reliable |
| customers on some otherwise esoteric topic. | | | | was any of this information if all they were trying |
| For the niche audience intended to read them, | | | | to do was sell me on their so-called 'solution?'" |
| white papers can be highly valued resources. For | | | | A good way to get in a plug for yourself, then, is |
| the organization that sponsors white papers, they | | | | to include a case study (or studies) of customers |
| can build tremendous goodwill and develop highly | | | | who benefited from your product or service. This |
| targeted leads for customer relationships. | | | | lets the reader know that yes, you do offer a fix |
| The scope of white paper topics is nearly limitless, | | | | to their problem; and a quick case study provides |
| but a few popular subjects include information | | | | third-party validation that your proposal works. |
| technology, communications technology, | | | | DO NOT... |
| engineering, workplace and organizational behavior, | | | | - Make your company, product, or service the |
| investing and finance and countless others. | | | | "star" of the white paper; in that case, it just |
| Ultimately, you want readers to find your white | | | | becomes a glorified brochure. |
| paper so compelling that they're forwarding it to | | | | - Hard sell. As noted above, strong-arm tactics |
| colleagues, supervisors and most importantly, | | | | won't work with this audience. For the most part, |
| whoever in their organization signs the checks. | | | | they're too sophisticated, and if you make them |
| You want it to become "sticky," as in, people | | | | feel uncomfortable while they're reading, they'll |
| refer to it and share it often. You want it to go | | | | abandon your document to their folder of |
| viral, so that your organization's name becomes | | | | forsaken and forgotten downloads. |
| associated with the expertise and thought | | | | - Speak in impenetrable prose. Academia is |
| leadership shown in the white paper. | | | | probably the only domain where pompous |
| Here then, are a few best practices for writing | | | | language is revered and rewarded. In business, |
| white papers that stick. | | | | keep it simple -- if you want to get the business. |
| DO... | | | | Final Thoughts |
| - Identify at the beginning of the paper a problem, | | | | The complete list, obviously, is much larger. The |
| crisis, or dilemma that the intended reader faces | | | | above rules are made to be broken -- under |
| - Provide a brief road map of how the paper will | | | | different contexts than a white paper. Unlike |
| proceed to define, quantify, and identify solutions | | | | other marketing pieces, the white paper's purpose |
| to said problem | | | | is to avoid the frontal assault of heavy |
| - Use language and jargon appropriate to your | | | | self-promotion. Instead, it is a strategic piece that |
| audience; i.e., using lots of techno-jargon with | | | | slips in beneath your buyer's radar, demonstrates |
| engineers will build credibility; using techno-jargon | | | | you to be a reliable and valuable source of |
| with a marketing or executive audience will | | | | information, and lays the all-important groundwork |
| generate blank stares and perhaps annoyance at | | | | of establishing a longer-term relationship with your |
| you for wasting their valuable time. | | | | customer. |
| - Know your audience. Perhaps somewhere in the | | | | |