White Papers A white paper is an in-‐depth article that provides detailed, useful information about a specific industry problem, a “best practice”, a trend, a solution, etc. They’ve become very popular tools for email and internet marketing campaigns – you can offer a white paper to generate and qualify leads.
CONTENT DEVELOPMENT
Content is king in a white paper – it has to be interesting, relevant, and newsworthy. A white paper shouldn’t read like a sales brochure – instead, it’s an educational piece. To develop your content, think about what your audience needs at the appropriate stage of the sales process. Then list some potential topics that are highly relevant and compelling. Audience Stage in sales process Goal: what must you deliver to move them forward in the sales process: Potential white paper topics If you have trouble with ideas, research your competitors and other companies in your industry – they may offer white papers on their websites.
FORMAT
White papers are often delivered digitally, but you may also use printed versions for your literature package, handouts at trade shows, or other sales activities. Here are some options: FORMAT PDF
Hard copy
OPTIONS
Convert the document to a PDF that can be easily downloaded with graphics intact. There are free PDF conversion programs available online, or you can purchase software to do so. Professionally print in a format that’s appropriate for the document’s length. It could be a standard 4-‐page newsletter format made from an 11x17 sheet with a center fold, or you could print and spiral bind a longer version.
Sales Literature & Tools White Papers
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