White Papers
White Papers educate potential customers about a dilemma they face while doing a soft-sell for your products or services.
White Papers: A Little-Known Jewel in Information Marketing
White Papers are one of the most seldom used forms of information marketing. Often seen as a communication tool used by government departments and major corporations, White Papers are now being used for a variety of topics by savvy businesspeople. It is a great way to present your company as a solutions provider by analyzing and informing potential customers about a problem they are facing, as well as your solution to it.
A White Paper is simply a report that is compiled in a scientific manner and addresses a problem facing businesses. It must also offer a solution to that problem. White Papers need to be very informational as many of their readers are people who are in the information-gathering stage of purchasing. White Paper readers want to learn, so while it is a marketing tool, it must also be an educational document.
Distribution of White Papers has traditionally been in paper format. While certain types of White Papers still lend themselves to at least partial distribution in a printed format, most do better with online distribution. The ideal way to present an online White Paper is by using Adobe PDF file for maximum compatibility. Make sure you have your White Paper available on your website or blog, on other company’s blogs, on sites that feature information about your industry and also on sites specifically for White Papers.
The fact that a White Paper is not a hard sell and is more informational in nature makes it a much more accepted document for potential buyers to spend their time reading. Those who take the time to read such documents are likely in the market to buy the product or service you are selling. Therefore anticipated sales from White Paper subscribers is much higher than that of people exposed to many other types of marketing a company invests in.
Any small business looking to establish itself as an expert in its field will do well to use White Papers as a part of its information marketing plan. Create a White Paper that will adequately address a problem that your company can solve with its services or products. Then, distribute the White Paper in as many places as possible to get maximum exposure. This type of soft-sell will speak volumes to other companies who are looking to troubleshoot.
