White Paper - Hide the Sales Angle But Make the Sale

I know, the title seems contradictory, but that is exactly what you will have to do if you are dealing with the corporate world. So how does that work? Easy...you write a white paper.

Okay, I'm sensing the furrowed eyebrows and the question mark expressions.

According to Wikipedia, a white paper is "an authoritative report. The white paper is used to educate customers, collect leads for a company or help people make decisions". So, isn't that a sales paper, you may ask. No. It is not. A sale often tends to be hard, fast and to the point. A white paper, on the other hand is sophisticated, informative and artistically persuasive. If well written, it is used for reference and has a long life. It brings a solution to a problem. It is the ideal strategy to sales and marketing - an opportunity maker.

So, how do we sell without talking sales?...content - pure and simple content. What is required in white paper content? It has to be educational, relevant, and focused. You have to prioritize the readers needs, (a perfect attention getter). This way everyone understands that there is a challenging problem that needs to be solved, but you are not stating it in an accusatory manner or implying inadvertently that the client is incompetent. If the tone is friendly and the information is relevant, problems can be placed on the table with no consequence.

Once you have their attention give them an elegant, well-researched solution to their problem. It doesn't matter if you sell a technical product or a service, the approach is the same - (1) keep the tone friendly, conversational, (2) know your customer and your product; (3) and persuasively craft your paper. Also, publicize it well, and the readers will flock. In one fell swoop you have generated sales leads, educated customers and instituted thought leadership. That is a lot savvier than your typical sales pitch.

Be willing to commit to an investment in research and writing time. Make sure there is something unique about your product or service and give the client information that they do not have. It gives you necessary credibility. Additionally, it is mandatory that your writing be interesting enough to grab the reader's attention in the first paragraph. It doesn't matter if you've found the perfect solution to the most challenging of problems. If you don't hook them in the beginning, you don't hook them at all.

It would be good to do a search on Michael A. Stelzner, who I call the Guru of white papers. I find his information easy to read, professional and informative. Reading is vital to being a good writer. So take the time to read. There are many online newsletters that will keep you abreast of trends, changes, of white paper how-tos and how-not-tos that will be important to your career. Reading really is "fundamental".

Okay, so how do we format a white paper? Well, it follows this order.

1. Introduction

2. High Level Solution

3. Solution Details

4. Business Benefits

5. Summary

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