Did you realize that medical students in New Orleans are drugging visitors and stealing their kidneys? Or that the toilets in a major U.S. airport are full of venomous spiders? Or that people don’t read anymore, so you need to keep copy as short as possible? Looking for a common thread? It’s simple — all … Read more
A recent visit to a healthcare provider provided an excellent example of how bad customer service — even before an employee opens their mouth — can undo the most carefully crafted business image. The facility for this healthcare provider is brilliantly designed. The interior décor is tasteful, with many deliberate touches and special finishes creating … Read more
Most people don’t agonize about how communication works. We simply do it. If we leave agonizing to the academics, we can break communication into three parts. There’s the composition of what’s going to be communicated, the delivery of that message, and its reception by another party. As a writer who helps companies and other organizations … Read more
Printing white papers may seem like an old-fashioned idea in our digital age, but there are still several reasons it makes sense to develop printed copies of your white paper. Printing white papers creates a higher perceived value At a time when we’re overwhelmed with gigabytes of digital content, printed materials have a different effect … Read more
Segmenting white papers for different audiences is a sensible strategy for companies that sell to multiple market segments of different types of businesses. For example, suppose your company offers a service to assess lubricant quality and performance that uses a device built around an innovative technology. You configure that device for companies that operate fleets … Read more
Mentioning competitors in your white paper Your white paper may serve any number of purposes, from explaining a new technology, to presenting the advantages of a particular strategy, to educating your stakeholders about an issue that should be important to them. Often, however, the purpose of the white paper is to contrast the products or … Read more
State the problem first in a problem-solution white paper Problem-solution white papers are one of the most effective ways to provide information that will be valuable and useful to your customers and prospects. Most companies create products or services that are designed to address specific problems or challenges their industries face. Using a problem-solution approach … Read more
How do you start a white paper? It’s one of the questions I hear most often from people who would like to tap into the many advantages white papers offer. The question doesn’t always mean the same thing, though. Some want to know the process for getting started on writing a white paper, while others … Read more
White paper subheads offer a powerful way to increase readership of your white papers and build understanding of the subject matter you wish to convey. White paper subheads support navigation One of the realities of today’s information overload is that people don’t want to spend extra time combing through information that isn’t important to them. … 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