Organizations make many mistakes in marketing communications, but the biggest, most consistent one I’ve seen is the flawed belief the best way to motivate people is to make them think. Successful marketers and salespeople know better. They’ve learned a far more effective way to encourage people to buy your product, use your service, support your … Read more
White paper SMEs (subject matter experts) play an important role in developing white papers for marketing or educational purposes. That’s because white paper SMEs are the people who have the knowledge needed to develop the white paper. Rarely do white paper writers already have all the information they need on their own (and generally, that’s … Read more
Once upon a time, mentioning United Airlines conjured the company’s enduring slogan, “Fly the friendly skies.” A few years ago, a PR gaffe on the company’s part earned it an entirely different image. A 69-year-old passenger who didn’t agree with a gate agent’s decision to “bump” him from the flight was dragged down the aisle, … Read more
A white paper table of contents is a common technique, but it’s often handled incorrectly. Because white papers tend to be substantially longer than blog posts, brochures, and other marketing communications channels — they can reach between 1500 and 5000 words in length, which is generally 6 to 20 printed pages — some organizations see … Read more
Using sources in white papers is a way to add depth and credibility to the messages you wish to share. Sources can contribute to white papers in any number of ways, whether that involves paraphrasing something they’ve written or said, sharing data they’ve published, or including an excerpt of something they’ve written. Sources in white … Read more
This week’s mail brought a pastel greeting-card envelope with no return address or stamp. Was it a surprise confession from a secret admirer? A warm thought from a dear friend? I rushed to slit it open. And there I found an internet provider’s latest pitch, ingeniously disguised as a greeting card. Was I amused? Touched? … Read more
White paper mistakes are the things some organizations do that hurt the effectiveness and credibility of the white papers they produce. It’s true that nobody is perfect, but the fewer white paper mistakes you make when developing your white paper, the more compelling and credible it will be. White paper mistakes include typos When your … Read more
Plagiarism in white papers is a topic that raises questions now and again. When people are developing white papers for their companies, they often find great source material in white papers from other companies, from competitors’ blog posts, and a quick Google search. What plagiarism in white papers involves It’s okay to use the materials … Read more
There are many reasons organizations and individuals use white papers, but the most common is that white papers are one of the most effective ways to convince people that your solution or position is the best one. That’s especially true if your product or service is complicated, innovative, or significantly different from the competition, or … Read more
“How do you write a white paper?” is one of the most common questions the White Paper Pro hears from companies and other organizations interested in the strategy. White papers are detailed documents exploring complex issues to educate audiences. Most often, the goal of white papers is to offer facts and arguments to convince people … Read more