Demystifying White Papers

Chapter I

White papers are in vogue and why not? Recent Marketing Prof’s convention announced that White papers are among the top 4 lead generators in B2B space. According to some analysts, corporate decision makers rely on white papers more than almost any other source of information available to them.

So what are white papers?

A white paper offers a stimulating level of education, explanation, and discussion on a topic which is not present in abbreviated forms of collateral.

Put simply, business white papers are documents that provide useful information to the reader and lend validity to product claims–thus vitalizing their further interest in the offering. They also complement other pieces of marketing collateral, providing useful information on a particular business problem to a defined audience.

Common business marketing white paper types include

• Business implication discussions
• Strategy discussions
• Industry trend overviews
• Issues’ analysis

Combining white paper types into a single document for desired results is a common practice these days. In some cases, however, selecting a single white paper style can be more effective.

Goal of a white paper

The reasons a company elects to develop a particular white paper are varied, and may include the following

• Demonstrate thought leadership for a particular issue
• Thoroughly understand a given business issue or challenge
• Analyze a marketplace
• Describe best practices to meet challenges
• Address the audience’s perspective, not merely the author’s perspective
• Explain a product’s (or service’s) ability to solve a business or consumer challenge
• Promote a new technology

White papers explain innovative technologies in a compelling way that helps potential customers understand both how and why the offering will benefit them. Therefore it won’t be wrong to say that White Papers shoulder a lot of responsibility; probably the reasons why most white papers are ineffective.

In the next chapter we will talk about this performance pressure that every white paper faces and the reasons why most white papers fail.