White Papers
B2B marketing communications have made a marked shift in recent years. No longer will your prospects read a text-heavy brochure that is all about you. Decision-makers short on time want to read something that offers value. Shrewd marketers realize that the way to attract and engage prospects is to educate them. Taking the forefront of this marketing revolution is the white paper.
Here are some powerful statistics that demonstrate the rising power of the white paper (2009 B2B Technology Collateral Survey Report, Eccolo Media):
- A full 77% of business decision-makers read white papers in 2009, up from 68% in 2008.
- 84% of businesses find white papers either moderately or extremely influential in their purchasing decisions.
- White papers are the most viral form of collateral with 89% of readers passing them along to others.
A must-have marketing tool, the white paper demonstrates your thought leadership and positions you as a leader in your industry. The well-written white paper will:
- Target a clearly defined audience (business decision-maker, technical decision-maker, etc.)
- Focus on your readers’ unique business challenges
- Discuss the disadvantages of existing products designed to meet those challenges
- Offer better solutions to their challenges, positioning your products among others in the same space
- Substantiate your claims with key statistics and quotes from third-party analyst reports
- Conclude with a thought-provoking idea that leaves your readers wanting more
Add white papers to your arsenal of powerful marketing communications materials. Offer your white paper to prospects early in the sales cycle. Post it on your web site and spread it through social media channels. And gather leads by exchanging your white paper for your prospects’ contact information.
Contact me today to get started on your next white paper.