By Nicholas Yong
Let’s face it. White papers are the industry standard for getting your message across. White papers provide decision-makers with the information to make a decision or a series of decisions that will impact their business. So why are companies making such glaring mistakes in writing white papers?
Let me explain.
When you perform a Google search for the term “white papers” (exactly stated with quotes), you receive 34,700,000 hits (as of March 14, 2008). This number does not include private ‘members only’ white papers available on companies’ intranets or classified government white papers.
What does this mean?
This means that white papers have a voice. They are being used to market products and services. With the face of technology changing daily, in order to captivate an already stressed decision-making audience, you have to rise above the crowd.
However, when you read 90% of the white papers available, they don’t follow simple guidelines that make them the super-powered marketing tools that translate into sales for your company.
Guideline #1: Format
This relates to what is included in the white paper and where. For example, many white papers begin by telling the reader about the company. While this may seem productive, it really isn’t. Here’s why: Your readers’ wants and needs aren’t being addressed first.
What to Do
When you include your company name first, without addressing your audience and their wants and needs, you are killing the effectiveness of what your white paper proposes. Your white paper won’t generate leads or interest because it simply will not be read. To achieve white paper effectiveness, have a paragraph at the end of the document, or preferably direct the prospect to your choice of action.
Guideline #2: Graphics
A picture is worth a thousand words. Or so we are told. The wrong pictures or graphics can send the prospect the wrong message, or even worse, deflect from the original intent of the white paper.
What to Do
Choose your graphics with care and with the right target audience in mind.
Guideline #3: Target
Your white paper should have a target. That means who do you want to consume your white paper? Is it solely a decision-maker? Is it a combination of the decision-maker plus a technical representative?
What to Do
Knowing who you wish to address through your white paper will allow you to create a concise and compact white paper that gets read.
Guideline #4: Language
Writing a white paper can be as technical as you require. If you are targeting a specific audience, such as consulting electrical engineers, then you know that your white paper on your brand-new time management software can be both technical and business-oriented in its language.
What to Do
Consulting electrical engineers want to know why this software will help them achieve their goals (business orientation) and how this software will integrate with their existing IT infrastructure (technical specification). The language that you use sets precedent by being inclusive and involved.
Guideline #5: Selling
Your white paper can be used for selling your products or services; however, it is more effective as a device for lead generation and educating your target buying audience. For example, you can have a white paper that explains to businesses why they should have antivirus software.
What to Do
You can also explain how viruses have evolved and can rewrite the existing antivirus ’signatures’ that are used to scan, clean and protect users’ critical systems. You can further explain how your antivirus software doesn’t rely on this technology, and (so far) is immune to such rewriting attacks.
Your buyer is educated on the types of viruses, the viruses that are capable of rewriting traditional ’signature’-based virus scanners, and how your antivirus product or service can protect them from the next generation of viruses. Not only have educated your potential buyer, you have also informed them that there is a solution (you).
White papers serve as an effective super-marketing tool, only if you are aware of the proper format, types of graphics used, your target audience, the language they require, and how you decide to sell to your prospects based upon the information they receive.
Neglecting any of these five guidelines will reduce your white paper’s effectiveness and your bottom line.
About the Author: Nicholas G. Yong is a white paper writer. Contact him at nicholas@nicholasyong.com.
