A good white paper is a paper that makes you look good.
You look good when your white paper makes sense, when it's readable, when it concentrates on benefits and examples, and when it's easy to get. Here's why:
Reason #1. Many people would rather die than talk to a sales representative right off the bat, but they will read a white paper. When people start researching a product, they are not prepared to talk to a salesperson. They have no idea if the product is for them, or if they even need the technology at all. They'll also be resistant to new and innovative technologies. Well-written, benefit-laden white papers will qualify your product to the reader, and qualify the reader to you at the next stage in the sales cycle.
Reason #2. White papers build a bridge between the prospect and your organization's salespeople. When the salesperson does call, it's not out of the blue. If a user has downloaded a white paper, there is an established connection between user interest and your company. The call can even be welcome if the customer has more questions and is interested in moving forward.
Reason #3. White papers are simple to host on the Web, where people can easily download and read them. In addition to your own company Website, there are numerous sites that host white papers and make it easy for prospects to download the paper. Many companies take this opportunity to capture reader information, including if the reader wants to be contacted. If they do request contact, for heaven's sake contact them! They are coming highly qualified.
Reason #4. You're not just reaching prospective customers with white papers, you're also reaching journalists. Or you should be. This is why you should always include a solid technical section in a white paper: journalists doesn't want to download a white paper and find a brochure, it makes them cranky. But if you deliver a valuable white paper, the journalist is far more likely to speak well of you and your product. (This, of course, is the essence of media relations.)
Reason #5. And speaking of journalists, what do they do when they pick up or receive expensive press kits? They throw them away, but they do keep valuable information like booklets and white papers. As a senior editor and editor-in-chief for data storage magazines, I can't tell you how many beautiful and pricey press kits I picked up, then threw away. What did I keep? White papers. Who did I think of when I was writing a story on that technology? The company that wrote the white paper.
The CLEAR Process
All white papers need to combine good writing, good structure, and clear technical explanations -- high level or not, depending on purpose and audience -- and case studies. The process is CLEAR:
People like technology white papers if the paper is clear, useful, readable and available. Make sure your white papers fit the bill with the CLEAR process, or call a professional white paper writer for your next project.
About The Author
Christine Taylor is president of Keyword Writing, which helps marketing and PR pros leverage their relationships with technology clients. E-mail her at chris@keywordwriting.com, call her at 760-249-6071, or check out Keyword's Website at chris@keywordwriting.com.
tidy up service Glenview ..The self-indulgent writer listens only to the mumblings of sycophants,... Read More
This article is to help identify which style, technique or... Read More
Here's everything I know about improving your writing, publishing it... Read More
No one is born a novel writer. But do you... Read More
ESSAY 3Writing an autobiography involves a matching up of a... Read More
1. Become an EavesdropperListen carefully to the way people REALLY... Read More
During the years that I've been teaching writing and participating... Read More
You wrote a tips booklet. Maybe more than one. Oh... Read More
If you want happy customers to use your service or... Read More
1. SECRETS TO SUCCESS2. MAKING A POWERFUL FIRST IMPRESSION3. AVOID... Read More
IntroductionSince our early days of elementary education we have been... Read More
Every hero has a seminal insight - the apotheosis. Once... Read More
As a freelance writer, it is important to present yourself... Read More
Beginner's Blues: How to Collect Samples, Testimonials, and References as... Read More
So, the decision is final. I am a writer.Actually, I... Read More
In a crowded market, clients will be seeking personality as... Read More
Creative Writing Tips ?Writing is a creative process and how... Read More
Whether you are writing a magazine article, composing a press... Read More
Based on the feedback that I have been getting from... Read More
The only way to become a writer is to write.... Read More
We've all been told that we need to use all... Read More
ESSAY 2Andre Malraux once said that what interested him in... Read More
You might not need any memoir writing help, per se,... Read More
How long should your chapters be?I can't resist... I have... Read More
Have you given up on getting your book out of... Read More
full-service cleaning Mundelein ..I love writing. I love the swirl and swing of... Read More
Joyce Carol Oates. Langston Hughes. Anne Sexton. F. Scott Fitzgerald.... Read More
1 - Join a reading or writing group. Ask members... Read More
This is a tough question for every freelance writer. For... Read More
Don't they drive you nuts?You can visit all the rules... Read More
Have you ever wondered how you can adapt your screenplay... Read More
He ran up the steps and knocked on the door.... Read More
Welcome to the zany ideas of a productive writer. My... Read More
I've seen it time and again. One of the most... Read More
Creative Writing Tips ?How we usually begin the preparation stage... Read More
Joanne Kathleen Rowling was born in Chipping Sodbury,England in 1965.... Read More
Great writing transports one vicariously to realms that the reader... Read More
You have just completed a draft of an article. It... Read More
If you want happy customers to use your service or... Read More
Ah, writing. For those of us who love to play... Read More
As a student of Spanish, my goal was to think... Read More
When I asked new ezine subscribers, "What is your Number... Read More
First impressions count in writing too! So it is always... Read More
Creative Writing Tips ?When an idea comes to us for... Read More
Creative Writing Tips ?For a theme to work and the... Read More
I owe the completion and success of my book to... Read More
Productivity begins by recognizing and valuing your brilliance, time, and... Read More
What is this annoying, insidious angst that permeates my psyche?... Read More
In the business of freelance writing, it's not enough to... Read More
How long should your chapters be?I can't resist... I have... Read More
Writing |