A white paper explains a concept, argues a position, or offers a potential solution. It isn't a brochure, or an opportunity for long-winded explanations of the benefits or uses of a product/service.
Instead, a white paper asserts the author’s authority on the subject and positions them as thought leaders - which can be a critically important tool in brand-building.
So a company which makes smoke alarms might publish a white paper about the correlation between smoke detectors and survival rates in house fires, but would stop short of promoting its own product. The link between the two remains unspoken.
White papers are commonly found in IT/technology. I spent 7 years as head of marketing for an international software company, so I specialise in technology white papers. However, white papers can be used in any market sector, and - done well - will always be an important part of your communications toolkit.
Business white papers can be an effective way of building relationships and developing thought leadership with audiences such as:
- journalists/editors
- industry analysts
- potential investors
- potential partners
- existing/prospective clients.
An internal writer may just be too close to the subject. Or they can't spare the time to submerge themselves in the research and the writing. Or they get stuck in sales-speak, and can't stop writing about the benefits of your product or service. Perhaps they know their stuff, but they're not the best at writing. Maybe they struggle to structure a logical journey through the content. If you recognise any of this, now’s the time to call in a professional white-paper writer.
“Our e-book is doing really well. It's been translated into numerous languages and is held in really high regard by our offices across the globe!” |
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A white paper shouldn't be |
White papers should be |
a thinly disguised sales pitch
product- or service-oriented
focused on the company
old news/an old idea
lightweight
laborious
difficult for a layperson to understand
full of unexplained jargon
over-designed. |
educational & factual
topical & interesting
in-depth
authoritative
editorial/independent in tone
backed up by research
referenced to third parties
issued infrequently (a rare gem, not costume jewellery)
simply presented on white paper
probably 5–20 pages long. |
- A white paper on charting & graphing controls in native mobile apps
- A white paper on improving retail sales conversion on mobiles
- A white paper on cashless-campus technology
- A white paper on innovation in contact lens retail
- A white paper on using technology to cut HR costs in policing services
- A white paper on using technology to handle customer complaints posted on social media
- A white paper on the Microsoft ODBC interface.
Copywriting white papers is a specialist skill, and not all copywriters can offer this service. If you need a white-paper writer to build your relationships and your brand, give me a call!
“Just wanted to let you know I've just read through the white paper - and I'm SO pleased with it! My initial reaction is that it's perfect... I've had lots of really good feedback - and so far, no amends!”
“It reads really well; this is exactly the sort of research and substantiation that we needed. I am really pleased with this, thank you.” |