White papers for multiple audiences can be inherently more challenging to write than those aimed at a specific audience, but that doesn’t make them impossible to create. Doing so successfully involves two things: thoughtful organization and building in what we call “navigation” tactics to guide readers to the most relevant information for their specific needs. … Read more
Remember when we started it? It was so exciting. The company was finally going to let customers know everything that was important. Each department had to contribute something. Management agonized for hours over the name. Sales came up with key customers to profile. The graphic designer presented a breathtaking layout. Finally, 20,000 emails arrived on … Read more
Marketing tools emanate from a variety of sources, but only white papers can trace their history back to one of history’s most consequential figures. During the 1920s, the United Kingdom faced some tricky political issues in the Middle East. Then a Member of Parliament, Winston Churchill asked his staffers to develop a paper exploring the … Read more
White paper readers rarely take the time to carefully read every word of a white paper, even though that’s what the authors of white papers wish they would do. It isn’t that white paper readers don’t care about the information that can be found in the papers. Instead, it’s about the reality that everyone is … Read more
Many people will tell you there’s no such thing as a stupid question. Yes, there are questions that trigger involuntary eye-rolling. Sometimes they’re questions we’ve heard ten times too often. Sometimes they’re just plain dumb. But when it comes to communicating with prospects and customers, stupid questions are often a remarkably deep source of wisdom. … Read more
Updating white papers can be a never-ending process, but that’s not a bad thing, because it ensures the messages you’re sharing with your audiences are up-to-date. When developing a brochure or a publication, most marketers start with some sort of objective and develop an outline covering the main points. They then create a series of … Read more
In the hundreds of hours I’ve devoted to waiting on hold for people, I’ve listened to many messages that are nothing short of torturous. I’m not talking about reminders that I’m being kept on hold because my business is incredibly important – the problem usually shows up in the sales messages that pop up every … Read more
Just as each generation believes it’s the first to discover the joy of sex, marketers and managers who stumble upon the power of storytelling often believe they’ve unearthed an extraordinary innovation. In reality, they’re simply learning what generations of their predecessors already knew and successfully employed. I chuckle every time I see a marketer promoting … Read more
White paper drafts should always be reviewed carefully before the finished white paper is produced and distributed. It’s normal for the writer of the white paper draft to review it to make sure it says what they want it to convey, but it’s a good idea to have several other sets of eyes review white … Read more
If you think sending a more powerful message is the best way to get a rise out of your audience, you’re probably wrong. Oh, it’s a popular request, and people tend to equate popularity with effectiveness – just look at most presidential elections. But following the herd is rarely the most intelligent approach, and that’s … Read more