What sinks a white paper? Lack of depth. Self-promotion. Poor planning.
- Dive deeper. In-house expertise often drives the white paper -- and it should. Who knows your space better than your people? But a white paper needs depth. Back up the in-house voices with solid research, stats, details. Data = credibility in a white paper. Show you know your stuff by leveraging expert input in support of your theme.
- Speak softly. Yes, your white paper is meant to generate leads, but consider the Scottish proverb: “Gently, genttly, catchee monkey.” It’s already got your name at the top and your authoritative, expert voice, so there’s no need to oversell it. Self-promotion makes for dull reading and provokes instant skepticism in B2B readers. Resist the temptation. Leverage your white paper to demonstrate your thought leadership. The rest will happen naturally.
- Bring a map. Poor planning is a white paper killer. Know your subject and your sources before setting foot on the road. Develop a realistic timeline and a streamlined process for review and edits. Strategize distribution and plan for any follow-up communications. Without these pieces in place, white papers founder. A clear step-by-step plan, shared among key participants, will help drive successful outcomes.
