AMiable Solution #54: Seeing White Papers in Black and White

Beefing up your content marketing?  Try adding white papers to your mix.

White papers are essentially reports that provide information about a product or service and explain how the product or service solves a problem.  Although they are marketing pieces and nudge readers toward a particular brand, they are not outright salesy and must provide real and practical information.

White papers are best written in an informal tone. The objective is to engage, educate, and convince, so you’ll want to keep your text accessible.  That means no—or limited—technical language or jargon.

Most white papers contain five elements: an abstract, or one-paragraph description of what the paper is about; a two or three paragraph description of the problem; a description of the product or service; a description of how the product or service solves the problem and why it’s the best solution; and a one-paragraph conclusion.

Writing a paper that offers real-world applications for a company-specific offer can be tricky.  The goal of any content marketing piece is first and foremost to provide useful information, but when you’re trying to make the sale, too, it can be tempting to make the piece all about your organization.  Don’t be tempted.

To help you maintain an educational focus with a marketing twist, keep the following tips in mind:

• Stick to the facts.  Use research and statistics to establish the problem and explain how your problem or service provides the solution.
• Think of your white paper as an extended brochure.  Take advantage of the extra length white papers provide to delve into the mechanics of what you’re selling and the benefits of using it.
• Educate first, pitch last.  When addressing the solution to the problem, start with the basics.  Talk about how the benefits that your type of product/service provides affect your target audience in general.  Once you’ve convinced your audience of the basic solution, then tell them why they should buy from you.  Highlight your product or service’s specific benefits and unique features.
• Include a call to action.  Although white papers aren’t typical marketing pieces, they are still marketing efforts.  Send readers to your website or to the phone to place an order or to speak to a customer service rep.

Not sure you have the time to generate original text for your white paper?  Take a look at your blogs.  You may be able to edit and repackage a series of blogs into a white paper.