How to Write White Papers to Attract Highly Qualified Leads
By Keiko Takimoto-Makarczyk It doesn’t matter if you’re in the technology, healthcare, insurance, financial, real estate, or any other industry. If you don’t have a white paper generating new potential customers, you’re missing out on a profitable opportunity. In this white paper, you’ll learn why your business needs a white paper, how you can write one, and 2 powerful ways to promote your white paper.
What is a White Paper?
A white paper is an educational marketing document which is usually 5-12 pages long. It discusses how your products or services will solve your customers’ problems. They are also called reports, guides, or “How to” manuals depending on the industry they’re used in.
Why You Need a White Paper Today
Unlike a sales piece, a white paper has high perceived value. If you can give potential customers a valuable white paper, you will gain credibility and begin a positive relationship with them. If you don’t have a white paper, your potential customer will find a competitor who does. White papers save time and money by educating prospects, so your sales people can focus on the most qualified leads. It will help you achieve your marketing goals and increase your bottom line most efficiently.
Getting Started- the Basic White Paper Format
Most white papers have the following format: 1. Title 2. Author
3. Short introduction or summary- Why should your customers read your white paper?
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4. Customers’ Problems- What problems do you want to help your customers solve? 5. Standard Solution- What is the standard way their problems can be solved? 6. Your Solution- What is your specific approach to solving their problems? 7. Action Step- What do you want your reader to do next? Visit your website? Register for a newsletter? Schedule an appointment? Make sure you include the right contact information.
Gathering Information
Before you start writing, answer as many of the questions below as possible. 1. Your audience a. Who is your target customer?
b. What is valuable to them?
c. What is their demographic?
d. What are their problems, challenges, and concerns?
2. Your product or service a. What is your product or service? Describe.
b. What are the advantages of your product or service?
c. What is special or unique about your product or service?
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d. Why should a customer choose your product or service instead of your competitor’s?
3. White paper ideas a. Come up with 3 topics that would be most interesting and valuable to your potential clients. Then select the best one for your white paper.
b. What are the most urgent problems/challenges your clients face?
c. How can you solve these specific problems?
4. Title ideas a. What would capture your customer’s interest?
b. How to ______________ Ex: How to Diversify Your Portfolio c. __________ (pick a number) facts you should know about ____________________ (what you’ll be writing on) Ex: 10 Facts You Should Know About Coin Collecting
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Helpful Tips
Write in a friendly conversational tone. Write with a customer focus. Make sure you include details. If you have non-native English speakers in your target audience, choose the most common words. Avoid long wordy sentences. Don’t try to sell your product or service directly. Use the grammar and spelling checker tool on your computer. Ask someone to check for errors.
Write Your Draft
Review your answers and organize the information in the basic white paper format. Most importantly, create a valuable and informative white paper your clients will appreciate.
Basic Graphic Design for White Papers
White papers should look nice, but they don’t need to be flashy. A clean simple layout with plenty of white space will give a professional look. Quick tips for non-designers: 1. 2. 3. 4. Make sure the words are easy to read. Only add necessary graphics. Use single or double columns. Keep everything consistent- (Use flush left/ragged right, subheads flush left, with paragraph spacing.) 5. Use serif type faces for extended reading- (Times New Roman) 6. Font size for your reference: a. Body copy: 11-12 points b. Subheads: 12-14 points c. Headlines: 18, 24, 36 points d. Captions: 10 points e. Headers/footers: 8-10 points 7. Use color carefully to enhance, not clutter or distract from your text.
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Putting it All Together
You can write everything in Microsoft Word. Once you polish your draft, triple check for errors, and apply the basic design, you’re ready for distribution.
Before You Advertise
Write an announcement which tells your customers about the helpful information contained in your white paper. Post it on your main website or create a landing page for it. Consider an opt-in form so you can get your customer’s email in exchange for your white paper. Opt-in forms are simple and straightforward- with many benefits. You can hire a programmer to create the code and set it up for a one time charge.
Getting the Word Out
Here are two of the most powerful and inexpensive ways to let all of your potential customers know about your white paper. 1. Use Google Adwords- One of the fastest and easiest ways to advertise. Write a powerful ad, buy clicks, and drive traffic instantly. a. Set up an account at https://adwords.google.com/select/Login. b. Go through their tutorial. c. Write an ad within their character restrictions-25 characters for headline, 2 lines containing a maximum of 35 characters each, and a website link. d. Make sure the headline attracts attention e. For the 2 lines following the headline-state a benefit or problem and solution. It needs to answer, “What will this white paper do for me?” f. Write several versions and test them. g. Tweak some more, and try until you are satisfied with the results. 2. Leverage online news releases –You can reach your customers directly through online news release distribution services such as PRWeb at www.prweb.com and Business Wire at www.businesswire.com. a. Answer- who, what, where, when, why, and how. b. Make sure your news release includes many keywords so it will show up when searched. c. Include offers or links so your customers can take action
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d. e. f. g.
Write with your target audience in mind. Use concise and clear language. Try to write 1 page or less. Use an online template for basic formatting of your news release. http://www.prweb.com/pressreleasetips.php#template.
Is Your White Paper Ready for Distribution?
Is it ready for distribution? How will you distribute it? Will you write a Google Ad or a direct-to-consumer news release? Do you need help with the entire white paper or just the final edit? If you need to hire a copywriter, make sure they understand how each piece fits together to give you the best return on your investment. You can have the best written white paper, but if you can’t promote it well, you’re wasting your time and money.
What to do Next
If you need a professionally written white paper, contact Keiko TakimotoMakarczyk, at keitaki@gmail.com. You can also call Keiko at (512) 992-0030.
About the Author
Keiko has a Masters degree in Applied Linguistics and taught English to nonnative speakers for 5 years at the community college level. She has taken additional graduate level courses in Educational Technology. She began studying copywriting, writing for the Internet, and business-to-business writing in April 2006. She currently works as a freelance copywriter in Round Rock, TX.
Keiko Takimoto-Makarczyk Round Rock, TX (512) 992-0030 Email: keitaki@gmail.com
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