ClickInsights: Tips on how to incorporate call to action in your white paper

Posted by Ambal Balakrishnan July 2nd 09

ClickInsights is an Expert Interview Series brought to you by Connect the Docs (ClickDocuments blog). In ClickInsights Expert Interview Series we feature top notch industry experts and thought leaders and get their insights, opinions and predicitions. We also ask for their suggestions on what reports, whitepapers etc to read to keep abreast with latest trends in their industry.

By creating and distributing a white paper you educate and inform your target audience. However, there is also a goal that you are trying to meet. What is that goal? Do you want you readers to buy your product? Do you want them to sign up for a seminar? How can you persuade your customers and prospects to take action? Do you call out a specific action that your prospect has to take after reading your white paper? Read Jim Lodico's blog post The Call to Action and Michele Linn's blog post Does Your White Paper Have a Call to Action? (My Guess: No).

We have invited White Paper Experts to shed light on the following question: What is the best way to incorporate call to action in a white paper? Read on to get their insights.

Stephanie Tilton

Blog Savvy B2B Marketing Twitter StephanieTilton

 “Lead Prospects Down the Path”

Stephanie Tilton's Bio

Stephanie Tilton is an expert case study and white paper writer who helps B2B companies advance the sales cycle by engaging prospects and customers. Harnessing her unique blend of technical knowledge, marketing savvy, and writing skills, Stephanie has crafted nearly 100 case studies and white papers for leading brands such as Akamai Technologies, EMC, Macromedia, Novell, SAP, and Symantec. Her website is Ten Ton Marketing.

Stephanie Tilton's Tip

Because prospects can access so much information via the Internet, they control when and how they gather information about your company and its offerings. In fact, prospects often won't interact directly with your sales reps until the consideration stage. So a call to action may be your only chance to keep them engaged with your company.

If prospects find value in your white paper, they will be hungry for more information. Don't overlook this golden opportunity to encourage them to move further along in the buying process. And don't leave it up to them to determine what they should do next.

At the end of your paper, include a call to action that guides the reader to the next logical step. The intended audience for the white paper – including where they are in the buying cycle – will determine your recommendations. For example, if the readers are business decision makers at the beginning of the buying cycle, you may want to encourage them to sign up for a webinar or to download a customer case study. If they are technical evaluators reviewing a paper that compares your software against competitive alternatives, you may want to point them to a demo or to an ROI calculator. Whatever you suggest, spell out how the prospect will benefit by responding to the call to action.

The call to action:

• Is your opportunity to continue the "conversation" with the prospect.
• Should align with the prospect's point in the buying process.
• Needs to convince the prospect of the value in taking the next step.  

Stephanie Tilton Recommends

• 5 Steps to a White Paper that Pulls in the Perfect Prospect
  
• Savvy B2B Marketing blog posts about white papers
  
• Gordon Graham's White Paper FAQs

Michael Stelzner

Blog WritingWhitePapers Twitter Mike_Stelzner

“The best call to action is compelling to the reader”

Michael Stelzner's Bio

Michael Stelzner is one of the leading authorities on the topic of writing and marketing white papers. Michael is also the author of the bestselling book, Writing White Papers: How to Capture Readers and Keep Them Engaged.

Michael Stelzner's Tip

The very last line of text in any white paper should be a call to action. The call to action is really a specific instruction to your reader. If you're conjuring up images of a video of grandpa leaving instructions on how to divvy up his estate, you've got the idea.

The core of your white paper should always be sandwiched between a compelling title and an actionable last request. The title encourages readers to stop what they are doing and read your masterpiece. Similarly, the call to action entices those same readers to take a very specific action.

When it comes to white papers, you can develop action requests around the following:

• Purchasing a product
• Registering for a newsletter
• Scheduling an appointment
• Visiting a website
• Calling a sales representative
• Offering access to special content
• Providing a coupon or discount

Take-home message: A clear call to action at the end of a white paper or any persuasive document WILL increase the likelihood readers will act.

The best call to action is (1) compelling to the reader and (2) easy for the reader.  Thus, go here for a free sample is much more compelling then go hear to learn more.  Remember, the call to action is the very last impression you leave with a reader, so make it great!

Michael Stelzner Recommends

• WritingWhitePapers Blog
• WhitePaperSource Newsletter
• WhitePaperSource Forum

Jonathan Kantor

Blog WhitePaperPundit Twitter Jonathan_Kantor

“Design a Multi-Faceted Concluding Summary”

Jonathan Kantor's Bio

Jonathan Kantor is the principal and founder of The Appum Group, "The White Paper Company", and has been producing enterprise white papers for the past 11 years. He is also the author of the “White Paper Pundit” blog.

Jonathan Kantor's Tip

Your concluding summary should be more than a simple ending to your white paper. It should incorporate several elements designed for the “skim reader”, someone that quickly flips through the pages of a white paper after the initial download, looking for key messages and stimulating visual elements.

Since the ‘skim reader’ often reads a Concluding Summary first and not last, it should include the following information:

• A two or three-paragraph synopsis of your white paper content.
• The three bottom-line business benefits associated with your solution (stated as a function of time, money, people, resources, etc.).
• A section entitled “About (Author/Provider Name)” that describes your organization’s philosophy, history, unique market advantage, etc.
• Once this information has been presented a subsequent call-to-action statement is a natural fit. This statement should include your website URL, toll-free phone number, and a unique email address that has been specifically established for white paper readers seeking additional information.

In this way, responses received using this unique email address can be effectively measured to validate the effectiveness of the white paper. Finally, make sure that the website landing page that is referenced in the white paper also acknowledges and welcomes that white paper reader.

Jonathan Kantor Recommends

• WritingWhitePapers Blog
• WhitePaperSource online forum
• Scribd for reference and distribution of white papers
• Google Alerts set to keywords such as "white paper" or "white papers" for news, articles, stories, or examples of white papers

Jim Lodico

Blog WhitePaperSolution Twitter Jlcommunication

“Without a strong call to action, the paper will fail to perform to its fullest potential”

Jim Lodico's Bio

Jim Lodico is a white paper specialist who combines more then 20 years experience in writing and editing with a background in journalism and education.

Jim Lodico's Tip

I'm amazed at how many white papers fail to include a strong call to action.  Without a good call to action, the reader finishes the paper, puts it down and that's that. No matter how powerful or compelling the information in your white paper, without a strong call to action, the paper will fail to perform to its fullest potential.
 
And although I see it over and over again, "About Our Company" is not a call to action.

If by the end of your paper you've shown the readers a viable solution, offer to help. Provide a free analysis. Let them test your services with a free trial. Give them something they can use yet guides them along the next step of the sales cycle. Don't leave the reader guessing at what to do next, tell them. Remember, a white paper should demonstrate a solution to the readers' problem. Guide them in the next step to solving their problem.

Jim Lodico Recommends

• Michael Stelzner's blog White Paper Source 
• Michael Stelzner's book Writing White Papers; How to Capture Readers and Keep Them Engaged
• Jonathon Kantor's blog The White Paper Pundit

Gordon Graham

Website ThatWhitePaperGuy

“Have your readers do something interactive”

Gordon Graham's Bio

"That white paper guy" is Gordon Graham, an award-winning writer with 30 years in technology. He's written hundreds of white papers and case studies for big-name clients like Autodesk, IBM, and Oracle... plus many smaller firms with big dreams. He's taught technical and marketing communication at two universities, and given countless workshops and webinars to professional audiences. And he's also editor of SoftwareCEO.com, the world's largest online community of software executives. 

Gordon Graham's Tip

A call to action is an essential part of any white paper. It must answer this simple question: What do you want your readers to do after they finish reading?

I always structure my action step as follows: To find out more about how to gain [key benefits] with [name of offering or vendor], [do something.]

The "do something" part should be as specific as possible. Don't just send people to your home page: "visit www.acme.com" This is sending them on a wild-goose change. Ideally, you set up a landing page specifically for readers of a white paper that thanks them for reading, and guides them to the next step you'd like them to take.

For instance, "To find out more about how to protect your firm's IP assets, visit www.acme.com/protectIP".

At that point, it's always great to have them do something more interactive. One possibility is an online calculator that shows them how much they can save, how their risk stacks up against industry norms, or any other numerical value you can think of. Another is to direct them to further white papers. Or you can invite them to a webinar, to view a recorded webinar, watch a short demo, or whatever. Your white paper should be built into your sales cycle, and help to advance a prospect one step along that path.

And don't ask for the sale after one white paper. White papers are intended to position your company as a trusted advisor, and usher prospects along the sales cycle. They are not intended to "close" sales for complex or expensive products.

Include your action step right at the end of the white paper, after "conclusions" but before "about the company." 

Gordon Graham Recommends 

• White Paper FAQ Brief answers to 20 fundamental questions on white papers
• Who needs white papers anyway? Three simple questions that determine whether any company needs white papers
• Tips on terrific titles for white papers The title is one of the most important parts of any white paper. How to give your white paper a more effective title
• Tips on writing white papers as tips Tips rule in magazines, books, and the Web. Here's how to harness this compelling format in your next white paper
• How to use white papers to grow a healthy crop of leads 20 tips from interviews with top executives of two white paper syndication services

Phil Dunn

Blog QualityWriter Twitter PhilDunn

“The paper itself should be one giant call to action”

Phil Dunn's Bio

Phil Dunn helps companies sell more and communicate more effectively with clear, compelling marketing and advertising writing. He's also co-author of The 7 Essential Steps to Successful eBay Marketing

Phil Dunn's Tip

In traditional marketing pieces like brochures and data sheets, the call-for-action or "call to action" (CTA) is the last line of the brochure. "Call us to learn more about..." is typical. You can use these in white papers. However, a good white paper should be working on an entirely different level. You can certainly tag on a creative CTA at the end of the paper, but the paper itself -- if written correctly -- should be one giant CTA or "itch" that the reader wants to scratch. Ideally, the reader should put down the paper and call or email the subject matter expert (SME) contact at some point while they're reading.

Their interest should be piqued, they should already be the optimal target, and the paper should get them thinking deeply about a number of issues relevant to their needs. That's the kind of result the writer should be shooting for. Whether or not there's a traditional CTA at the end of the paper should be somewhat irrelevant. Heck, most of us don't even reach the end of some of these papers.

There are other ways of doing this, of course. The paper may be a lead gen piece, in which case a sales person or SME can follow up with questions or CTAs once the reader has been given some time to digest the information. In this case, the CTA is separate from the white paper and is a more social interaction. The CTA may be an invitation to an event or Webinar, too. In that case, the sign-up links can be embedded into the document. You may want to direct the reader to a landing page with copy that's more "closing" oriented. The options are many. Lots of ways to skin a cat.  

Phil Dunn Recommends

• How to Write a White Paper – A White Paper on White Papers
• Writing White Papers: How to Capture Readers and Keep Them Engaged
• The White Paper Marketing Handbook  

 

White Paper Guru Michael Stelzner is holding an exclusive hands-on event designed to equip you with everything you need to know to create and market compelling white papers - White Paper Boot Camp in San Diego on Aug 7, 2009. Do not miss this great opportunity to learn how to create and market white papers from the Guru himself.

Register  today and reserve your seat.

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