White paper titles may well be the most important component of your white paper, because it determines whether the audience you wish to reach will actually read it. We’re all increasingly busy these days, and we have little patience for the items competing for our time. When we glance at a social media feed or … Read more
Proofreading white papers doesn’t sound like fun, but it is critically important for companies that use white papers to educate and inform their prospects, customers, or other stakeholders. When errors, typos, and similar problems appear in white papers, they undermine the image of authority and expertise the organization producing the white paper hopes to create. … Read more
Most people have an inherent distaste for conflict. So somewhere along the way, society concluded that disagreement is an inherently bad thing. Unfortunately, when it comes to business advice and decisions, that can be a deadly conclusion. Despite that aversion, conflict appears to have become the norm these days. I see two factors behind that … Read more
Features and benefits are the cause of some confusion when writing white papers. While many people believe the two words describe the same things, there’s actually a significant difference between the two. It’s important for marketers and salespeople to understand that difference, because one of the two is much more powerful than the other. Features … Read more
White papers and webinars are both powerful tools on their own. When you combine them in a joint effort, they become even more powerful. White papers and webinars are similar You might think white papers and webinars are very different communications channels … and you’d be right … but the two approaches serve essentially the … Read more
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