Notes from 54th International STC Conference
Minneapolis, Minnesota, May 13-16, 2007
How to Write an Effective White Paper
Manuel Gordon
The presenter is partners with Gordon Graham, who has a web site dedicated to white papers (http://www.thatwhitepaperguy.com).
Session Description: Because of their familiarity with the technology, technical communicators are frequently asked to write the persuasive white papers that are intended to help generate billions of dollars worth of technology sales each year. This session presented over 20 practical tips on how to plan, write, and publish truly effective white papers.
- A white paper is a cross between technical writing and marketing: not a manual, not a brochure. Its tone is like high-quality "meaty" Popular Science writing. A white paper is like a research paper with SME authority and just the first seeds of subsequent salesmanship.
- Definition: a pre-sales document designed to educate and inform potential customers who have not yet
made up their minds.
- Useful information for decision-makers and technical recommenders.
- Intended to generate leads by gaining trust and creating relationships.
- Form and content is not quite a technical manual, a research paper, an article by a science of technology journalist, or a glossy brochure.
- Definitely not marketing "fluff"
- White papers fall early in the product development cycle; trying to spark interest by providing useful information for free. It is best not to follow immediately with aggressive sales marketing.
- Any firm selling new, complex, or costly B2B software needs white papers. New material is not easy to research; complex material is not easy to understand, and costly acquisitions require group decisions, guided by facts.
- Why write a white paper?
- To educate potential customers
- To educate the sales force
- To educate the media (choose the right media for your marketing niche; may be narrow or broad depending upon your line of business)
- To be offered as free content to trade magazines or business publications (usually signed by a senior executive)
- To be offered as a fulfillment piece in ads, direct mailings, the web
- To redefine the market
- To give the company an aura of credibility and authority in its market (branding)
- Common types of white papers
- For buyer's research stage
- Technology guide
- Position paper
- Business benefits analysis
- For buyer's selection stage
- Competitive review
- Evaluator's guide
- White papers are for people who know they have a problem but haven't really started to pursue a solution yet – to pique interest that leads to a potential sale.
- Technology guide
- Explains a business/technical problem and explains how a product's underlying technology helps solve the problem (and better than the competition's technology)
- Does not typically mention product names (at most, only marginally)... and never in the title.
- Position paper
- Explains and advocates a standard, trend, or technology
- Explains why this standard is important to the potential customer, including business/technical benefits
- Does not mention the product by name
- Business benefits analysis
- Has more of a business than a technical focus
- May not mention the product by name
- Must use "ROI" on every page
- On the surface, may be aimed at the technical recommender but is "wired" to make a business case with the bean-counters
- Short: 5 pages maximum (business executives have less tolerance for technical details than do technical types)
- Competitive review
- Positions the product and differentiates it from competitors
- Tries to create a checklist which favors the product
- Usually describes the product
- May mention competing products by name (but that's risky)
- Evaluator's guide
- Provides a thorough explanation of the product's features and functionality
- Guides a potential buyer through installation/deployment and "getting started" tasks
- Focus is on the product
- This is much closer to the manual, but with a focus on product benefits
- It's better not to try to reach multiple audiences with in-depth white papers; it's better to generate a number of short white papers of different types targeting specific audiences<.br> Deadly pitfall: don't try to do one big white paper for everyone.
- Who reads the white papers?
- Decision-makers: non-IT* managers who manage (e.g., warehouse, accounting, sales force)
- More often, senior IT managers
- Sometimes IT managers will make the decision to buy or not to buy
- Sometimes IT managers are technical recommenders who advise the decision-makers
* Presenter's context was documentation. - 2,500 IT managers surveyed
- 85% say they use vendor white papers and case studies
- 75% say they use white papers to get preliminary information about products and vendors
- 60% say they look at 1 white paper a month, and also pass it along.
- In writing a white paper, target a specific title, size, sector, or technology (e.g., CFOs of oil and gas companies)
- White papers are generally part of a larger sales plan.
- Rules of thumb
- Length: 4 to 24 pages. Ten pages is typical.
- Tone: Neutral, authoritative (no hype)
- Illustrations: quality better than a manual, not as glitzy as an ad
- Production: monochrome for printers, often color for screen. Use colors that print well in black and white.
- Distribution: downloadable as .pdf, not HTML. Can be printed in color on quality stock for trade shows, etc.
- Time to prepare: 4 to 10 weeks, or until the trade show deadline. It takes a long time due to the need to involve top-level people, force strategy decisions, get all the requisite reviews/approvals, etc.
- The title is extremely important, to get attention (e.g., "Why Spammers Spam"). Deadly pitfall: never put a product name in a white paper title.
- Teach, don't preach (explain, inform, provide research as evidence, cite published research by independent third-party experts, point to recognized authorities... don't sell!)
- Build a convincing case with real evidence. Use supporting detail (you can discuss "what goes on underneath the hood," within the limits of proprietary information, etc.)
- Deadly pitfall: do not use empty hype!
- Who writes white papers?
- Marketing department may request white papers, but often they don't have the technical knowledge to write them.
- Marketing writers and advertising copywriters can create sizzle. But they can rarely deliver steak (useful information).
- R&D may understand the product but usually lacks writing and marketing skills.
- The heart of good white paper writing is journalism skills: objective approach, economy with words, reportorial tone, yet with eye for reader interest
- Deadly pitfall: Don't forget about illustrations!
- Tech writers often write white papers. Companies often turn to a technical writer.
- A white paper demands technical understanding and clear expression.
- In-house writer may be very knowledgeable about the product.
- Consultant may be more expert in white papers of the industry, and brings a fresh view.
- High risk, high reward
- White papers often fail horribly, but they are very satisfying when they work.
- They provide a welcome break from typical work, a chance to think visually, a chance for your knowledge to shine, a chance to justify your raise, or raise your rates.
- Success factors
- Strong, in-house sponsor
- Time-boxed, desperately short deadline
- Company has something to say
- Writer has good understanding
- Ready access to SMEs
- Everyone shares ownership and a sense of urgency
- Where to find examples of white papers
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2007 Orlando Chapter STC