How Clean (or Dirty) Are Your Whites?

No, I’m not talking about your undies or boxers. I’m talking about your white papers. For those who may be unfamiliar white papers, Michael A. Stelzner of Stelzner Consulting explains it best…

“A white paper typically argues a specific position or solution to a problem … White papers are powerful marketing tools used to help key decision-makers and influencers justify implementing solutions.”

In extremely basic terms, a white paper, then, is a kind of “book report,” if you will, that identifies a problem or an issue and then describes possible approaches or solutions for that given issue.

Neutral objectivity is key

Yes, I know it’s tempting for companies to want to smother their white papers with a bunch of sales language openly promoting their products and services. However, we are talking about white papers here and not sales brochures, right? If forcing sales-heavy language into the white paper is difficult to resist, then you may be better off developing content for a sales brochure or sales presentation.

An article is not a white paper

I was once contracted by a client who’s CEO wanted to have one of his writing pieces “turned into” a white paper. The CEO had written a five-page piece citing the major differences between his company and his competitors. He wanted to capitalize on his writings and create a marketing and sales lead opportunity by transforming his piece into a white paper. Not a bad idea. The approach, however, was less than acceptable: he wanted to strip his writing of all references to his company and, presto, there you have your white paper!

Uh…not quite!

While the CEO’s subject matter provided a great starting point for a white paper, merely deleting references to his company’s name is not the way to white paper excellence (we’ll get back to how the CEO could have approached the white paper for his company momentarily).

An authentic white paper attempts to address:

• a specific subject that resonates with target market
• a challenge or problem and defined, specific solution(s)
• different approaches to a specific task or function relevant to target market

Real world white paper title examples

Vocus, a public relations software management firm, offers various white papers on their web site, www.vocus.com.

Here are a few of Vocus’s white paper titles:

Specific subject resonating with target market

• Beyond Media Lists
• The Future of PR
• PR and the Net

A challenge or problem with defined, specific solution(s)

• Top Ten Mistakes PR Professionals Make – And How To Avoid Them
• Optimizing Your Public Relations With Social Media
• What Journalists Want To See On Your Web Site

Different approaches to a specific task or function relevant to target market

• Five Strategies for Media Relations Success
• PR Best Practices for Global Corporations

The popular email marketing service, Constant Contact, also provides white papers for download, including:

Specific subject resonating with target market

• Why Use an Email Marketing Service
• 25 Email Marketing Terms You Should Know

A challenge or problem with defined, specific solution(s)

• Keep Your Customers with Email
• Why You Need an Email Newsletter for Your Company
• 10 Tips on Getting and Keeping Permission

Different approaches to a specific task or function relevant to target market

• Building Relationships and Repeat Business with Email

In each of the white paper titles cited above, the topic itself is not openly self-serving. It’s never “here is what we can do for you” but rather “here is an issue of interest to you and oh by the way, since we are subject matter experts in the arena of XYZ, we can furnish you with the following information.”

The approach the CEO should have taken

What our beloved CEO referenced above should have done is drawn some inspiration from his article to create a new angle for his white paper. A white paper citing the differences between his company and his specific major competitors is, in essence, not a white paper. This is more of a differentiation piece belonging in his company’s marketing or sales tool kit.

The idea, however, of speaking to specific differentiating points or considerations in his industry would have been a fine topic for a white paper, perhaps with the following spin:

5 Key Differentiators amongst Widget Manufacturers and Why They Matter

This way, the CEO could have a white paper that speaks to key differentiators in a very broad, high-level informational sense. This approach would position him and/or his company as subject-matter experts in the “how to select the very best widget manufacturer.” Target market prospects would assume the CEO’s company must be one of the very best widget manufacturers, otherwise, how else would they know about what things one should look for when selecting the very best.

And that’s the whole point. You want a white paper to position you *indirectly* as a leader in your industry without you having to say in the white paper that you are a leader in your industry.

So how clean are YOUR whites?

There is a delicate balance between a white paper and a sales or marketing piece. The more objectivity you infuse without plugging your products or services too heavily, the “cleaner” the writing, resulting in more credibility and authenticity on your part.

On the other hand, if you start to grease up your white paper writing with too meaty of a sales pitch, you’ll strip the white paper of its purpose and value to the target market, leaving you with a dirty ring around your entire marketing efforts.

Soap, anyone?