The Value of White Papers (What's a White Paper?)
White papers are an effective way for B2B companies to ease prospects down the sales funnel without coming across as too “sales-y,” by educating first and selling second. Because of their perception as an influential, fact-driven medium, business decision makers appreciate white papers when researching a problem they are trying to solve.
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.
That’s where white papers come in. A 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.
White Papers Defined:
White papers are long-form documents that reveal product or service features and translate them into business advantages. These documents are fact-driven and contain useful information based on expert opinions and ironclad logic.
Also known as consumer reports, industry reports, or special reports, white papers take on the objective and educational approach of an article while incorporating persuasive corporate messages typically found in brochures.
As defined by white paper guru Jonathan Kantor, a white paper is “a document between six and twelve pages whose purpose is to educate, inform, and convince a reader through the accurate identification of existing problems and the presentation of beneficial solutions that solve those challenges.”
When a company is ready to announce a new product campaign, solution strategy, competitive analysis, brand repositioning, or market perspective, the white paper is frequently relied on to convey that information to a target audience.
The Benefits of White Papers
As I explained in my previous post, white papers are an invaluable awareness-building and lead-generating tool for companies offering a B2B product or service.
When a company is ready to announce a new product campaign, solution strategy, competitive analysis, brand repositioning, or market perspective, the white paper is frequently relied on to convey that information to a target audience.
These powerful documents 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.
In particular, 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.
How White Papers Help Your B2B Marketing:
Educate 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.
Build 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.
Elevate 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.
Other Uses for White Papers:
In addition to educating prospects, building credibility, and elevating your brand's awareness, white papers can serve as the content foundation for other marketing purposes that include:
Offering collateral material that can be shared at conventions, trade shows, sales meetings, speaking events, etc.
Building a mailing list by sharing your white paper with people who offer their name and company info or with people sign up for your newsletter.
Increasing social media engagement by linking your white paper to a specific landing page on your website.
Providing content that can be repurposed into multiple formats, including blog posts, infographics, slide decks, press releases, etc.
Showcasing your company’s original thought on an industry problem or trend.
Conclusion
Hopefully this post has shown you the versatile nature of white papers and the many benefits they bring to your B2B marketing efforts. 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.
However, it goes without saying that in order to reap the marketing benefits that a white paper can bring to your organization, you first need a well-written white paper and a clearly defined promotion strategy. So get to planning—or better yet, hire someone who knows white papers inside and out to write one for you.
This post is an excerpt from a longer white paper. To download the whole paper and learn more, click here.
