A fast and easy way to write winning white papers!
Whether you’re a marketing manager seeking to use white papers to promote your business, or a copywriter keen to break into this well-paying field, White Papers For Dummies gives you a wealth of practical, hands-on advice from one of the world’s leading experts in the field.
The fact-based documents known as white papers have been called the “king of content.” No other B2B marketing piece can do more to generate leads, nurture prospects, and build mindshare.
Where white papers were once used only by technology firms, they are becoming “must-have” items in the marketing toolkit for almost any B2B firm. Practically every startup must produce a white paper as part of its business planning.
But writing effective white papers is a big challenge. Now you can benefit from the experience of a white paper specialist who’s done more than 200 projects for clients from Silicon Valley to Finland, from mighty Google to tiny startups. Author Gordon Graham—also known as That White Paper Guy—provides dozens of tips and tricks to help your project come together faster and easier.
White Papers For Dummies will help you to:
- Quickly determine if your B2B firm could benefit from a white paper
- Master the three phases of every white paper project:
planning, production, and promotion - Understand when and how to use the three main types of white paper
- Decide which elements to include and which to leave out
- Learn the best practices of seasoned white paper researchers and writers
- Choose from 40 different promotional tactics to get the word out
- Avoid common mistakes that many beginners make
Spis treści
Introduction 1
About This Book 2
Conventions Used in This Book 2
What You’re Not to Read 3
Foolish Assumptions 3
How This Book is Organized 4
Part I: Getting Started with White Papers 4
Part II: The Three Flavors of White Papers 5
Part III: From Foggy Idea to Finished Document 5
Part IV: Succeeding with White Papers 5
Part V: The Part of Tens 6
Icons Used in This Book 6
Where to Go from Here 6
Part I: Getting Started with White Papers 9
Chapter 1: Unleashing the Power of White Papers 11
Seeing a White Paper for What It is 12
Getting the scoop on the three flavors of white papers 12
Following a proven system for creating white papers 13
Declaring White Papers the “King of Content” 14
Seeing the growing trend to white papers 15
Spotting three flaws in many white papers 16
Using a mantra to avoid problems 17
Understanding Today’s Complex Sale 18
B2B marketing has evolved quickly 18
Today’s B2B buyers do their own research 20
Profiting from White Papers 22
At the top of the funnel 24
Throughout the funnel 25
At the bottom of the funnel 26
Discovering Who Uses White Papers and Who Should 27
Chapter 2: An Exciting Opportunity for Writers 29
Sizing Up the Possibilities 30
Looking at three trends pushing white papers to the top 30
Understanding why marketers can’t find qualified writers 31
Calculating the earning potential for a white paper writer 32
Discovering who uses white papers 34
Wondering whether the white paper opportunity will last 35
Coming into White Papers from Three Common Paths 36
Copywriters and white papers 37
Journalists and white papers 40
Technical writers and white papers 42
Finding White Paper Clients 44
Avoid most of what you hear 44
Getting started with the basics 45
The secret of freelance success 46
Chapter 3: The Past, Present, and Future of White Papers 47
Where It All Began: Generation 1.0 (1910s to 1990s) 48
Characteristics of Gen 1.0 white papers 48
The closest model: Business reports 49
Forcing White Papers to Evolve 50
Where White Papers Are Now: Generation 2.0 (1990s to Today) 51
Characteristics of Gen 2.0 white papers 51
Two close models: Annual reports and science magazines 51
But aren’t white papers old-fashioned? 52
Still evolving, not dying 53
Where White Papers Are Going: Generation 3.0 (Coming Soon) 53
Some trends to watch54
Four possible paths to the future 54
Chapter 4: Just the FAQs on White Papers 57
Working Out the Whats of White Papers 57
What is a white paper anyway? 58
What are the industry standards for white papers? 58
What else do people call white papers? 59
What’s the difference between white papers
and other marketing materials? 60
Figuring Out Who Writes and Reads White Papers 64
Who publishes white papers? 65
Who reads white papers? 66
Who hires people to write white papers? 66
Who writes white papers? 67
Understanding Why White Papers Are So Useful 67
Why do companies publish white papers? 67
Why do prospects read white papers? 68
Why do writers write white papers? 69
Pinpointing the Wheres of White Papers 69
Where do B2B prospects find white papers? 69
Where do people read white papers? 70
Where did white papers first come from? 71
Where are white papers going in the future? 71
Tracking the Whens of White Papers 72
When do companies publish white papers? 72
When do B2B prospects read white papers? 72
When should a company use each type of white paper? 73
Figuring Out the Hows of White Papers 74
How do people read white papers? 74
How long does a white paper take to create? 74
How much does a white paper cost?.75
How much can a writer earn doing white papers? 79
How can you tell whether a company needs a white paper? 81
How many white papers are “enough” for a company? 82
Part II: The Three Flavors of White Papers 85
Chapter 5: Picking the Perfect Flavor for Your Next White Paper 87
Recognizing the Three Purposes of White Papers 88
Defining the Three Flavors: Vanilla, Strawberry, and Chocolate 89
Zooming in on the product: Plain vanilla 91
Making points quickly: Scrumptious strawberry 92
Finding a solution: Rich chocolate 93
Making two tasty mash-ups 94
Getting messy with other flavor combinations 94
Choosing the Right Flavor 95
Reflecting on your purpose 95
Considering your target audience 97
Thinking about your target sector.98
Choosing between a pure flavor and a mash-up 99
Figuring out what to do if your idea doesn’t fit any flavor 100
Developing Your Topic 100
Sizing up your ideas.100
Giving readers something new 101
Getting ideas from prospects and clients 102
Chapter 6: The Backgrounder: As Basic As Vanilla 103
Introducing the Granddaddy of All White Papers 103
Defining a backgrounder 104
Spotting a backgrounder.105
Understanding this flavor’s appeal to sales
and marketing types 105
Deciding When to Use a Backgrounder 105
Promoting an undisputed leader 106
Supporting a technical evaluation 106
Supplementing a product launch 107
Looking at the Pros and Cons of Backgrounders 107
Pro: Easy to research 107
Pro: Easy to write 108
Con: Short-lived 109
Con: Not good for generating leads 109
Planning a Backgrounder 110
Gathering essential information 110
Allocating pages 112
Choosing an effective title 116
Setting a factual tone 116
Going Beyond Text in a Backgrounder 117
Adding graphics 117
Using rich media 118
Repurposing a Backgrounder 119
Press release.119
Slide deck 119
Demo120
Webinar 120
Chapter 7: The Numbered List: As Fresh As Strawberry 121
Introducing the Lightest and Liveliest of All White Papers 122
Defining a numbered list 122
Spotting a numbered list 123
Five reasons numbered lists are popular 123
Deciding When to Use a Numbered List 124
Getting attention with provocative views 124
Nurturing prospects already in the funnel 125
Casting FUD on competitors 125
Looking at the Pros and Cons of Numbered Lists 126
Pro: Easiest to write.127
Pro: Fastest to read127
Pro: Easiest to repurpose 127
Con: Most superficial 128
Con: Easiest to dismiss 128
Con: Can be overused 128
Planning a Numbered List 129
Gathering essential information 129
Allocating pages 132
Choosing an effective title 136
Setting a provocative tone 137
Going Beyond Text in a Numbered List 138
Adding graphics 138
Using rich media 138
Repurposing a Numbered List 139
Blog post 139
Guest blog 140
E-newsletter article 140
Placed article 141
Chapter 8: The Problem/Solution: As Complex As Chocolate 143
Introducing the King of Content 143
Defining a problem/solution 144
Spotting a problem/solution.145
Understanding why this flavor appeals to executives 145
Deciding When to Use a Problem/Solution 146
Generating leads at the top of the funnel 146
Educating salespeople and channel partners 147
Educating analysts, bloggers, and journalists148
Redefining a market space 148
Building mindshare149
Looking at Pros and Cons of Problem/Solutions 149
Pro: Generates the most leads 149
Pro: Lasts the longest 150
Pro: Makes the best investment 150
Con: Hardest to create 151
Con: Slowest to create 151
Con: May heighten internal conflicts.152
Planning a Problem/Solution 152
Gathering essential information 153
Allocating pages 157
Choosing an effective title 163
Setting a dignified tone 164
Going Beyond Text in a Problem/Solution 165
Using graphics in a problem/solution 165
Using rich media 167
Repurposing a Problem/Solution 168
Blog post 168
Placed article 168
Slide deck 169
Webinar 170
Conference presentation 170
Chapter 9: Mashing Up Different Flavors 171
Understanding Why You Need Mash-Ups 172
Supporting a product launch, plus attracting attention 172
Generating leads, plus raising your company’s profile 173
Creating Tasty Mash-Up #1: Backgrounder + Numbered List 174
When to use this mash-up 174
What to include and what to leave out 174
Creating Tasty Mash-Up #2: Problem/Solution + Numbered List 175
When to use this mash-up 175
What to include and what to leave out 176
Avoiding Two Messy Combinations 176
Messy mash-up #1: Backgrounder + problem/solution 176
Messy mash-up #2: All three flavors in one 177
Fixing a Mash-Up That Doesn’t Taste Right 178
How to tell when you’ve made a mess 179
Separating the flavors 179
Reconfirming your purpose 180
Using the ingredients that belong180
Chapter 10: Special Ingredients for a White Paper 181
Sprinkling on the Special Ingredients 181
Positioning blurb 182
Synopsis-style executive summary183
Numbered lists 184
Buyer’s guide 185
Case studies 186
Conclusions 186
Call to action.187
Leaving Out the Bitter Ingredients 187
Hype 188
Marketing speak 189
Groupthink 191
Vagueness 191
Product mentions 192
Direct attacks on competitors192
Part III: From Foggy Idea to Finished Document 195
Chapter 11: A Proven Process to Complete Your White Paper 197
Benefitting from a White Paper Process 197
Not all white paper projects go smoothly 198
Many companies lack a publishing process 198
A process you can use for your own 199
Getting an Overview of the Process 200
Stage 1: Planning a white paper 200
Stage 2: Producing a white paper 201
Stage 3: Promoting a white paper 201
Getting an Edge with Six Success Factors 202
Success factor #1: In-house sponsor 202
Success factor #2: Firm deadline 202
Success factor #3: Deep understanding of the topic 203
Success factor #4: Cooperative SMEs and reviewers 203
Success factor #5: Joint ownership 204
Success factor #6: Sense of urgency 204
Taming Four Maddening Pests 204
The scope-creep 205
The tug-o-warrior 205
The no-see-em reviewer 206
The dyslexic designer 206
Chapter 12: Planning an Effective White Paper 207
Step 1: Assembling the Team 208
What the client does in this step 209
What the writer does in this step 210
How to hire a white paper writer 211
Step 2: Holding a Kickoff Conference Call 213
What the client does in this step 214
What the writer does in this step 215
Resolving differences during the conference call215
Step 3: Preparing a Plan 216
What the writer does in this step 217
What the client does in this step 217
Putting together a white paper plan 217
Step 4: Gathering Research 218
What the client does in this step 219
What the writer does in this step 219
Step 5: Preparing an Executive Summary 219
What the writer does in this step 220
What the client does in this step 221
Crafting the executive summary 221
Dealing with comments on the executive summary 222
Chapter 13: Producing a Powerful White Paper 225
Let the Writer Write! 225
Step 6: Creating First-Draft Text and Graphics 226
What the writer does in this step 227
What the illustrator does in this step 228
Expanding the executive summary 228
Creating graphics without an illustrator 229
Reviewing graphics 230
Step 7: Gathering Initial Comments 231
What the client does in this step 231
Dealing with comments on the first draft 232
Step 8: Creating the Second-Draft White Paper 233
What the writer does in this step 233
What the illustrator does in this step 234
Step 9: Gathering Final Comments 234
What the client does in this step 235
Dealing with comments on the second draft 235
Step 10: Collecting and Checking Sources 236
What the writer does in this step 237
What the client does in this step 238
Saving source material as PDFs 238
Keying sources to footnotes 240
Spot-checking sources 241
Handling unused sources 242
Step 11: Preparing the Final Document 242
What the illustrator does in this step 243
What the writer does in this step 244
What the designer does in this step 244
What the client does in this step 244
Proofing final pages 244
Putting keywords in the PDF 246
Step 12: Wrapping Up the Project 248
What the client does in this step 248
What the creatives do in this step 249
Making payments — the faster, the better 249
Getting permissions 249
Transferring copyrights 250
Doing a postmortem 250
Part IV: Succeeding with White Papers 251
Chapter 14: Doing Research: Think Like a Lawyer 253
Your Goal: Building an Open-and-Shut Case 254
Digging Up Solid Sources and Extracting Relevant Points 255
Evaluating sources 255
Finding sources for a white paper 257
Understanding what makes good evidence 263
Keeping Track of a Mountain of Research 267
Writing out index cards.267
Typing and printing out a Word fi le 268
Putting them together: Word plus index cards 268
Managing content with Evernote 269
Choosing Footnotes or Endnotes 269
The immediacy of footnotes 270
The finality of endnotes 270
The tidiness of in-text citations 271
Formatting citations 271
Chapter 15: Write Like a Journalist 273
Reading for Fun and Profit 274
Reading white papers 274
Reading related research 275
Reading for inspiration276
Keeping a “swipe fi le” 276
Writing Winning White Papers 278
Getting to the point 278
Handling dialogue and sources 279
Creating text enhancements 280
Writing for translation 284
Choosing one metaphor and sticking with it 285
Controlling your material 287
Rewriting Before You Submit 288
Avoiding throat-clearing 288
Having your computer read your draft 289
Getting readability statistics on your text 289
Changing passive voice to active voice 291
Writing with Style 293
Learning from style guides 293
Following house style 296
Refining Your Writing Process 298
Figuring out your best time to write299
Wearing the right hat at the right time 299
Allowing ideas to ferment 300
Tricking yourself to get started 300
Using a mind map 301
Writing in short bursts 301
Using positive affirmations 302
Challenging the myth of writer’s block 302
Chapter 16: Promote Like a Madman 305
Recognizing the Need for Promotion 305
Promoting a white paper like a product launch 306
Measuring your results 307
Digging up sales and revenue numbers 309
Repeating the most effective promotions 310
Continuing your promotions 312
Choosing the Right Promotional Tactics for Your White Paper 312
Beginning your promotion at home 314
Using cost-effective e-mail 315
Talking it up through social media 316
Getting it to the influencers 318
Promoting it through third parties 320
Using a slide deck 321
Talking about it face to face 323
Advertising, online and offline 324
Part V: The Part of Tens 327
Chapter 17: Ten White Paper Problems and How to Solve Them 329
Boring, Nondescript Title 329
No Summary at the Start 330
No Conclusions at the End 330
No Call to Action 331
Not the Right Length 331
Sales Pitch in Disguise 332
Not Enough Proof to Back Up Claims 332
Not Enough, or Not Good Enough, Graphics 333
No Logical Flow of Ideas 333
Not Written by the Right Person 334
Chapter 18: Ten Tips on Designing a White Paper 335
Design to Enhance the Content 335
Consider Your Readers’ Eyesight 336
Realize That Text Isn’t a Graphic 336
Make Every Page Count 337
Control Page Breaks 337
Avoid a Wall of Gray 338
Leave Lots of White Space 339
Avoid Smug Shots 339
Control Hyphenation 340
Refi ne a Corporate Template 340
Chapter 19: More Than Ten Ways to Spice Up a White Paper Title 341
Stressing the Benefits to Readers 342
Using Active Verbs, Not Passive Labels 343
Identifying Your Target Reader 343
Converting a Weak Title to a Subtitle 344
Why Not Try a Question? 344
Recasting Your Paper As a Numbered Lists 344
Using “How to” Phrasing 345
Leaving Out Product Names 345
Cutting Out Jargon and Buzzwords 346
Using Selected Keywords 346
Testing Titles in Advance 347
Index 349
O autorze
Gordon Graham — also known as That White Paper Guy — is an award-winning writer who has created more than 200 B2B white papers for clients from New York to Australia. Gordon has written white papers on everything from choosing enterprise software to designing virtual worlds for kids, and for everyone from tiny start-ups to Google.
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