5 Writing Mistakes to Avoid on White Papers
Previously, I discussed some mistakes to avoid when planning your white paper. However, even with a good plan in place, it won’t do you much good if you make these common writing mistakes.
If your white paper misses the mark, you'll fail to engage prospects and leave them uninspired about your problem-solving ability. And because a white paper is often a prospect's first contact with your company, your white paper needs to meet high standards for both quality and usefulness. To make your white paper as compelling as possible, avoid these writing mistakes:
WRITING MISTAKE 1: Not Hiring a Good Writer
Another big mistake you can make is not hiring a good writer. You may want to ask someone in-house because you feel your employees know your products and services better than an outside writer. However, can your team members translate the features of your offering into benefits that customers will understand? A white paper reflects on your organization, so think carefully about who should write it.
Writing a white paper can be a headache-inducing experience for someone inside your organization, especially if it’s their first time. The last thing you want is a frustrating writing process with many rewrites. If your writer doesn't have any previous experience writing a white paper, their writing process will be slow and their copy will be filled with mistakes.
On the other hand, a seasoned white paper writer will be familiar with their craft and be able to produce drafts more quickly. Not only that, they'll be able to produce professional copy without much supervision, saving you headaches and helping you meet deadlines.
Even if your company doesn't hire a professional writer, your competitors probably are. They're hiring writers to craft a white paper that will be widely read in your industry, helping them land a customer you're after. Would you rather have people calling and emailing their company, or yours?
It may be tempting to just ask someone in-house to crank something out. However, the result is often mediocre content that nobody reads. And when your content reflects badly on your company, people will wonder if mediocrity is the norm for your products or services.
On the other hand, a skilled white paper writer will be able to deliver crisp and clean copy for your white paper, no matter what the industry or the topic. While someone in-house can learn the ins and outs of effective copywriting, these skills take years to develop, and their time is better spent elsewhere, like on their regular job responsibilities.
WRITING MISTAKE 2: Not Doing Enough Research
When it comes to influencing potential buyers, white papers are one of the most effective forms of content. However, that's only true if your paper is backed up with well-researched information and expert opinions. That's why most white papers include statistics and information that are backed up by legitimate sources. If your claims aren't backed up by high-quality sources like industry associations, government reports, and academic studies, how can the reader know you're trustworthy?
When possible, your paper should cite stats from third-party research and quotes from subject matter experts. This information adds to your white paper's credibility and makes your content (and your brand) more authoritative as well. If your target audience is analytical, like IT people, then stats and data are especially important. If you can use numbers to back up your claims, you'll have an easier time convincing them to buy from you.
Before you begin the writing process, you should spend some time gathering research sources and finding information that support your arguments. A good place to start is to look through industry publications, as these reports contain well-researched information. Professional organizations such as Hubspot and Forrester are good sources to start with, as these research groups produce original research that are relevant and trustworthy.
Another good approach is to check out other related white papers from your industry for reference. See if your competitors have written anything on the topic, and take note of what reports and studies they are citing from.
If you want your white paper to generate more leads and achieve your intended business and marketing goals, you must show that your content is a legitimate source of valuable insights that readers can benefit from. A poorly researched white paper will be of no use to readers, as it will leave them frustrated. And if your content offers no value to readers, they won't think twice about moving on to a competitors' content.
WRITING MISTAKE 3: Making the Paper Too Salesy
Your white paper should aim to educate readers first and foremost. While a white paper can be a powerful marketing tool, it functions as a soft sell that persuades perspective buyers by educating them about your product, service, technology, or methodology. People are already bombarded by hundreds of advertisement a day, so if your white paper launches into a sales pitch, the reader will shut down and tune out what you have to say.
A white paper is most effective when it explains a trend or methodology, solve a new problem, or present a new way of solving an existing problem. When readers decide to download your white paper, they are investing their time in your content. Don't betray their trust by immediately trying to sell them your product or service. You'll have an opportunity to hard sell them later, once you've gained their trust by helping them overcome a problem or challenge they are currently facing.
Many companies treat the white paper like a sales pitch or a brochure, which is a huge mistake. While a white paper can contain some of those elements, that information should come at the very end, if at all. If you make your white paper too promotional and self-serving, you'll lose credibility in the eyes of your readers. A good rule of thumb is to make sure your white paper contains 80% educational content, and has no more than 20% direct sales messaging.
When writing your white paper, it's key to avoid an overtly salesy tone. Look to adopt an objective tone in discussing your solutions to a problem, much like how a factual essay would. Look to help the reader first by offering an insight into an issue, solving a problem, or making a decision.
The white paper can be an effective tool in nurturing a lead, as there is little pressure on the reader to commit to buying anything. When you can offer readers educational and informative content, you can position your company as a trusted advisor on a topic.
WRITING MISTAKE 4: Having a Boring Design
While good writing is key to an effective white paper, just as important is having a good design. If the pages of your white paper are simply walls of grey, few readers will make it all the way through, no matter how useful and informative your content might be.
To avoid your white paper being a snooze-fest, incorporate some interesting imagery and professional-looking graphics and typography. Not only do these elements communicate your professionalism, but they also keep readers engaged. When it comes to typography, look to keep your lines under 60 characters or less. If your lines are too long, your readers will be hard pressed to read all the way through.
While the aim of your white paper should be to educate readers, the content shouldn't be so dry that it reads like a legal briefing. Having some images and graphics to break up long stretches of text will make it easier for readers to consume your content. And when readers enjoy reading your content, they're more likely to make it all the through without falling asleep.
Although having graphics and imagery is a good way to complement your content, don't go overboard on it. You want a white paper design that is crisp and clean, but not so flashy that it might be mistaken for an advertisement.
If your writer isn't comfortable with designing, look to hire a skilled designer who can create a professional-looking document. If you're on a tight budget, you can use templates in Microsoft Word to showcase your work. A poor design can destroy the readability of your white paper, so keep that in mind when thinking about the layout and design elements.
Your Title Also Matters
Along with a crisp design, you need a strong title to attract readers. Make sure your title is short, punchy, and jargon-free. However, your title shouldn't be misleading, and it should make clear what benefits your reader will gain from reading your paper. When designing an effective title, consider your target reader's job role or niche, as well as what keywords you want search engines to pick up.
WRITING MISTAKE 5: Making 11th Hour Changes
Once you have a clear plan on how to approach the paper and have signed off on an outline, it's important to stick to it. What commonly happens, though, is that managers and other involved parties sign off on the outline with the assumption that they can easily change it later. This is a huge mistake.
No matter how much time has been set aside for the project, changing the outline (and the direction of the paper) is an easy way to make it fail. Changing the outline or the direction of the paper can result in massive rewrites, as you may need to rework the paper for an entirely different audience and find new experts to interview. If you can't articulate exactly why something needs to change, then it's best to stick with the original plan.
Changing courses drastically in the middle of the project makes life more difficult for your writer, as they will have to work extra hard to incorporate your changes. Not only does this result in rushed rewrites, but your paper can end up disjointed and muddled.
Good planning is paramount to a successful project, especially if you're on a tight deadline. However, no matter what your timeline is for your white paper, you should try to plan it out as much as possible before the project begins.
To avoid having to make dramatic changes to your white paper once the writing process has started, spend extra time during the planning phase. If you make sure that everyone involved in the project agrees on the outline and what elements will be included in the paper, there's less chance of someone wanting a surprise change halfway through the writing process.
Once the outline has been written and approved, changing it too much can result in a disjointed paper with a weak flow of ideas that fail to build credibility with readers. Worse, your white paper will feel like several different documents stitched together, and these Frankenstein-esque documents won't be very effective in helping your company achieve any singular business or marketing objective.
This post is an excerpt from a longer white paper. To download the whole paper and learn more, click here.
