White papers differ from blog posts in two main ways. They go into greater detail about a topic, and they’re more persuasive. White papers are a great marketing tool to use to educate readers, earn their trust, and most importantly, convince them to buy your product or service.
Here are four steps to creating a white paper that will generate more leads.
1) Set Your Goal
What is your goal with this white paper?
Is it to educate potential customers on what questions to ask before purchasing a product like yours? Educate your customer on what makes your product best? Educate the reader on an industry trend or problem?
Establish a reason for creating the white paper.
2) Determine A Style
There are three different styles of white papers to choose from.
- News style – discusses news about the company in general
- Marketing Style – focuses on selling a product or service
- Case Study – outlines a customer problem and then discuses how you solved it
Select a style that will best help you reach your objective.
3) Target An Audience
You always have to write with your audience in mind. Your audience will determine which information you include and how much marketing or technical language you can use.
Targeting a highly involved audience with a list of specific features can be effective, but if your audience is less involved, a more general overview of the product capabilities may better reach them.
Understanding who you are writing for is arguably the most important part of creating a white paper. Without understanding what your audience is looking for, how can you provide value that entices them to seek more information about your products or services?
4) Create Actionable Content
Of course, even though white papers are longer than blog posts, you still have to pick and choose what information to include.
Ask yourself:
- What do customers want from my product in terms of features and benefits?
- What are the common pain points my customers are trying to overcome?
- What is the current marketing message/theme my company is trying to push?
Answers to questions like these will help you create valuable content that will drive customers to want to know more about your company and your offerings.
Consider adding white papers to your current marketing strategy to supplement your other content marketing efforts.
Does your company use white papers?