Introduction
Technology companies around the globe use white papers to educate buyers on solving business problems. But too much of a good thing creates a backlash: prospects complain about being inundated with mediocre messages that hype rather than solve problems. How is a company to stand out from its competitors?
Decision makers don't want sales pitches, they want expert advice about the products they buy, and that's what a well-crafted white paper should provide. Companies that make exceptional use of storytelling in white papers will succeed. Companies that under-deliver by focusing on product details instead of customer needs will not.
Part 1: Benefits of a white paper program
A white paper program is a curriculum of organizational elements and best practices that support companies in delivering a schedule of targeted, well-written white papers over a period of time.
A well-executed program provides several clear benefits to technology companies. Through a series of planned papers, a program helps differentiate a company's approach to technology, positions the company as a thought leader, clearly defines the benefits of proprietary solutions to prospects and investors, and enhances credibility among business leaders and decision makers.
A successful white paper program equips authors with the tools they need to craft stories that garner top line attention and support marketing departments with the creative messaging that attracts prospects and keeps them engaged. Here are the benefits of a well-executed white paper program:
o Reduce time commitment of authors and content providers
o Increase storytelling capabilities and educational value of the papers
o Provide best practices that ensure successful papers
o Deliver more effective calls-to-action
o Improve marketing capabilities of the papers
o Increase readership with well-designed documents
o Highlight the collective intelligence of an organization
Part 2: White Paper Program Best Practices
White papers are ideal sales tools for communicating the advantages of complex, technology products and services. A robust white paper program can be used to serialize papers for technical and business decision making audiences, as well as users. Careful planning of a white paper program generates more fulfilling documents for both authors and readers. Here are some best practices to guide the development of a successful white paper program:
Simplify the research process - researching a topic can be one of the most time-consuming and
cumbersome procedures in the white paper writing process. Laser-focus the research practice and shorten the timeline.
Create persuasive storylines - one of the biggest challenges for an author is creating a solid, persuasive thread that keeps the reader interested and anxious to turn the next page. Engage readers by showing them that you feel their pain. Look for fresh perspectives and communicate them with persuasive and compelling content.
Compose a compelling title - a strong title attracts more readers than a basic description. For example, "Five things computer hackers don't want you to know" is far more intriguing than "PC Security Measures."
Build credibility with case studies - many business executives are skeptical of the average white paper. However, including case studies in a white paper can add incredible value if they are powerfully and succinctly written.
Deliver what your reader really wants - day after day your prospects are bombarded with so many
marketing messages that they simply stop listening. Readers want different things: some want to be educated about new technologies or platforms, others may want to know if you can solve their problem. A well-written white paper accomplishes both by delivering a clear message in the language of the readers.
Manage your time - any successful person has a million things to do and only a few hours in which to do them. But there are time-proven ways that authors can manage their time so that the important things always get done-and done well.
Capture skim readers - most readers skim your paper before making the commitment to read it. There are tips that make a paper more enticing to skim and therefore more readable. Strong headlines, subheads, bullets and captions are a few ways to provide readers with valuable information at a glance.
Exercise restraint - prospects today look to white papers for insights and education, not sales pitches. When companies ignore these expectations, they lose credibility and valuable sales opportunities.
3-30-3 rule - grab your reader's interest in the first three seconds; that's how long you have to show them that you have something meaningful to say. If they stay for the initial glance, you may have another 30 seconds to make your point. If they're still with you, the final three minutes are to convince the reader that you have the right solution.
Create irresistible calls to action - when it comes to a great white paper, the last thing you write is just as important as the first thing. Learn how to write a powerful call to action that gets prospects to pick up the phone and call.
Avoid deadly design mistakes - design plays an essential role in the success of any white paper. Before a prospect begins reading your paper, they judge its value by its appearance and attention to detail. Graphics, tables and charts can make your papers more accessible and more interesting.
Part 3: Collaborative Process
The collaborative process is key to a positive outcome in any working relationship. When developing a white paper program it is essential that all parties - content specialists and writers - understand and support this process. Professional technology marketing writers can either assist an organization's in-house authors in writing more compelling papers, or they can develop the papers for you. Either way, here are the steps in the collaborative process:
o Outline Process: Writers work with content specialists/key internal stakeholders to create a clear, concise white paper outline.
o Content and Research Process: Writers work with an organization's internal experts to collect the content necessary to fulfill the underlying theme of the paper.
o Writing Process: Writers work with an organization's experts to streamline the writing process and create the first draft for review.
o Revision Process: Writers work with an organization's internal experts to speed the revision time and get papers completed sooner.
o Promotion Process: Writers work with your marketing team to develop promotional copy and deliver creative ideas to help increase the readership and improve response rates.
Creative Team
Many professional technology marketing firms take a team approach to white paper development. Rather than depend upon a single writer, they support an organization's authors with a team of writers and creative experts who provide every aspect of successful white paper production.
o Creative Director: Manages the entire program, including assignment of resources, development of schedule, and adherence to best practices.
o Project Manager: Dedicated point-of-contact for authors, content specialists and marketing staff.
Responsibilities include maintaining the schedule and work flow; supporting the writing team; managing the research and writing process; coordinating document review; and more.
o Writing Team: A team of writers and editors who work to ensure technical accuracy, storytelling strength and continuity within the document.
o Design Team: Add value to white paper design and readership.
Program Summary
A final and important element of a White Paper Program is manageability. The first step in assuring
manageability is selecting an experienced team of technology writers who bring added value to the project and can manage the creative process for you. For example, experienced writers understand the technology sales cycle and can offer suggestions that an organization's content specialists may overlook. A team of writers offers far greater breadth and depth than a single writer. If that team includes a project manager, it will not only bring added value to the White Paper Program, but they will also relieve your marketing staff of the burden of managing and executing the program so you can devote more energy to planning, enhancing brand identity,
preparing for new product launches, and driving prospects through the sales funnel.
The creation of a robust white paper program adds immense value to an organization's white paper
development and distribution efforts. Creating a roadmap for a 6-month or year-long program provides content specialists, authors and marketing managers with a unified approach that enhances the collective intelligence of an organization's authors and experts, increases executives' position as a global thought leaders, and offers promotional capabilities that will increase readership and response from prospects and clients. The ultimate success of a White Paper Program depends on selecting the right team of writers that complements your internal team, supports your marketing efforts and helps to manage the process from beginning to end.
John Gillett
http://www.mclellancreative.com
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