How White Papers Generate B2B Leads

For B2B companies seeking ways to create new business opportunities, the legitimacy of white papers makes them an effective way to generate high-quality leads. By offering content aimed at educating first and selling second, companies can ease prospects down the sales funnel without coming across as too “sales-y.”

With so much information available online, today's prospective customers are spending more time researching and planning before reaching out to a sales rep. Because the point of contact comes later, companies must present their value story to potential customers much earlier and articulate it in a straightforward manner.

Well-written and visually engaging white papers are proven prospect magnets, as they can travel across the desks of dozens of people and multiple departments in a single company, educating and persuading along the way.

Market Trends

According to the Chief Marketer 2018 B2B Lead Gen Outlook survey, respondents cited engaging targeted prospects (59%), finding leads that convert (51%), finding qualified names (33%), and the cost of new leads (25%) as the biggest challenges in generating new leads.

With every business having its own website, seeking out leads is easier than in the past. However, finding leads who are likely to convert and effectively engaging them remains a challenged even for veteran marketers.

Fortunately, today's decision makers are willing to exchange information such as their name, their job title, and their company in exchange for educational and relevant content found in white papers. According to the DemandGen Report 2018 Content Preferences Survey, 75% of buyers would share more information to receive white paper content.

More than ever, people turn to white papers when researching a problem, especially when deciding if they should purchase a technology offering to fix it. The Eccolo Media 2015 B2B Technology Content Survey Report (Vol. 2) found that 52% of buyers read a white paper to evaluate technology purchases.

How White Papers Generate B2B Leads

Educating Prospects: Prospects sometimes struggle to grasp the core function of your product or service—especially complex ones—until they do detailed research. When prospects are in research mode during the early stages of their buying journey, white papers are the ideal tool for educating them.

Building Credibility: Due to their informative nature, white papers are sought after by prospects early on. By guiding prospects with a well-crafted white paper, you can gain the respect, trust, and attention of key readers. When readers trust you, they are more willing to give up information like their email address or what company they work for.

Elevating Brand Awareness: If your company wants to be seen as a thought leader or an expert in an industry, a white paper is a cost-effective way to raise awareness about your brand. A well-researched, well-written, and visually engaging white paper will elevate your brand’s authority in the eyes of prospective customers.White papers are used by B2B organizations to accomplish a variety of different objectives, such as generate leads, attracting attention, nurturing prospects through a complex sale, casting FUD on competitors, and Influencing a purchasing committee.

White papers are used by B2B organizations to accomplish a variety of different objectives, such as generate leads, attracting attention, nurturing prospects through a complex sale, casting FUD on competitors, and influencing a purchasing committee.

Summary

For companies that market a B2B product or service, white papers have become an invaluable awareness-building and lead-generating tool. Just like a website, if a business doesn’t have a white paper, it is considered a significant shortcoming in the eyes of a prospective business customer.

Business decision makers appreciate white papers due to its perception as an influential, fact-driven medium. For prospects early in the buyer journey, white papers offer a logical and educational approach to information delivery.

This post is an excerpt from a longer white paper. To download the whole paper and learn more, click here.