ClickInsights: What is the biggest mistake to avoid when writing a white paper?

Posted by Ambal Balakrishnan September 3rd 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.

White papers can be really valuable tools to educate your prospects. So you invest time and money in creating and marketing white papers. Before embarking on this journey, stop and learn what not to do in awhite paper. We have invited White Paper Experts to shed light on the following question: "What is the biggest mistake to avoid when writing a white paper?". Read on to get their insights.  

Stephanie Tilton

Blog Savvy B2B Marketing Twitter StephanieTilton

 “Losing Sight of the Audience”

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

If you're producing white papers, you're likely offering a fairly complex or expensive product or service. And that means you need to engage a variety of constituents within a prospect’s company. As Enquiro said in its "Mapping the BuyerSphere" report , "You find that there are more people involved in high-risk decisions…This leads to a greater need for information, with different information required for different people."

Yet many white papers are all-purpose pieces intended for a broad audience. As a result, they fail to connect with readers.

To forge that connection, you need to tailor the paper for your key prospects and their distinct pain points. That means going back to the basics and developing buyer personas. You need to get inside the mindset of every stakeholder in the buying process, including users, technical buyers, economic buyers, and champions. Understand their most pressing issues, their preferences when it comes to content consumption, where they turn for information, how they make decisions, and what motivates them to take action. Then deliver white papers that speak to each of these individuals.

Marketers sometimes say it's too expensive or time-consuming to produce multiple white papers. But how much money is wasted – and how many revenue opportunities are missed – because a one-size-fits-all white paper gets tossed aside?

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

“Biggest overlooked issue is not connecting with readers at a emotional level”

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

When crafting a white paper, perhaps the biggest overlooked issue is not connecting with readers at a emotional level.  Emotions you ask?  Well, yes.  Every reader has problems they want solved.  By discussing those issues in a "problem section" of your white paper--a section that must be at the beginning--you can build affinity with readers and connect with them at an emotional level.  "Yes, I can relate to that," might be the response in the mind of readers.  You want that.  It keeps people engaged and willing to carry on through the paper to discover the solution.

Michael Stelzner Recommends

• WritingWhitePapers Blog
• WhitePaperSource Newsletter
• WhitePaperSource Forum

Sarah Mitchell

Blog Global Gopywriting Twitter globalcopywrite

"Biggest mistake is not having a tightly defined topic"

Sarah Mitchell's Bio

Sarah Mitchell is a freelance copywriter with a focus on B2B content, specifically case studies and white papers. Combining successful technical, sales and writing careers, Sarah provides a rare perspective to every project. She’s especially interested in working with small and medium-sized businesses. Sarah has lived and worked on five continents. Find her  website at Global Copywriting.

Sarah Mitchell's Tip

The biggest mistake to avoid when writing a white paper is not having a tightly defined topic. I have often seen white papers run 10-15 pages, which is too long for the average reader’s attention span. In nearly every case, there was at least one other title trying to get out.

I recently wrote a white paper designed to encourage small business owners to start incorporating social media in their companies. I wanted it full of practical advice so the reader could confidently begin using the tools after they read my paper. My primary audience was people with little or no social media experience. I went to work describing market conditions, listing benefits, introducing appropriate tools and giving hints and tips on how to start.

When my paper hit the 13-page mark, I knew my topic was too broad. I was trying to do the job of three white papers under the guise of one. The good news about making this mistake is that you can usually convert the extra work into another paper.

My expert tip is to keep a close eye on the total number of pages in your white paper. When your draft surpasses six pages, take a close look at the subject matter and see if you can narrow the scope.

Sarah Mitchell Recommends

• Michael Stelzner's Book Writing White Papers: How to Capture Readers and Keep Them Engaged
• WhitePaperSource Online Forum
• White Papers
• ThatWhitePaperGuy - Gordon Graham’s website, especially the Articles section under Resources

Jonathan Kantor

Blog WhitePaperPundit Twitter Jonathan_Kantor

"Don't create a white paper without the client’s prior approval of a highly detailed outline”

Jonathan Kantor's Bio

Jonathan Kantor is the principal and founder of The Appum Group, "The White Paper Company", and has been producing commercial white papers for the past 11 years. He is also the author of the White Paper Pundit blog. Jonathan's experience with white papers is also coupled with over 25 years of enterprise business experience with leading industry innovators such as Apple Computer, Microsoft, Digital Equipment Corporation, and J.D. Edwards Enterprise Software (now a division of Oracle Corporation). This experience included a variety of sales, marketing, business development, and management positions.

Jonathan Kantor's Tip

Creating a first draft without the client’s prior approval of a highly detailed outline.

All too often, I see contract white paper writers develop a first draft immediately after a content interview. In other situations, writers produce a very basic, generic outline that does not provide a sufficient level of detail and fails to adequately organize verbal or unstructured Subject Matter Expert (SME) data. The failure to include this step is one the leading causes of client dissatisfaction with external white paper contractors.

White paper writers must treat the outline as a “content contract” in the same way that they would a working contract. Providing the client with a detailed outline that requires their subsequent review, edit, and approval helps the writer gain two important advantages in the white paper development process:

1.    Protection: The prior approval of a detailed outline avoids the problem of the client claiming that the writer “didn’t understand the topic”, a common assertion used when they are displeased with the initial white paper draft, and

2.    Faster Draft Development: The approval of a detailed outline saves a considerable amount of time used in the subsequent development of the white paper draft. Once approved, a writer can use the detailed outline as a template to produce the white paper draft that will ultimately satisfy the expectations of a highly demanding client.

If you want a happier and more engaged customer, integrate a detailed outline into your existing white paper workflow methodology.

Jonathan Kantor Recommends

• Free document distribution sites: Scribd.com, DocStoc.com, Slideshare.net, Gazhoo.com, Yudu.com, and WhitePapers.org. 
• Blog sharing sites such as BizSugar.com, Sphinn.com, and Reddit.com.
• WhitePaperPundit: The Friday FREE White Paper List, a listing of free white papers from weekly Twitter Tweets that don’t require registration, posted each Friday.
• Twitter search criteria set to keywords: “White Paper”, and “White Papers”.
• Google Alerts set to “White Paper”, and “White Papers”.

Jim Lodico

Blog WhitePaperSolution Twitter Jlcommunication

“Don't focus on the company and product features. Focus on the solution.”

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

The biggest and most common white paper mistake is focusing on the company and product features as opposed to the solution at hand. Focus on the process and persuade the reader that your given solution is the best solution. In doing so, you build trust with your reader and subtly lead them to your door.

However, if you talk about your company or the latest design features of your widget before you've built reader trust, the reader will go from learning mode to sales mode. Now, instead of researching with an open mind, he is reading with all the sales filters in place. Your white paper just became a glorified sales brochure.

Lead your reader down the path. Make connections with your readers early on and demonstrate that you're on their side. End with an effective call to action and you've got a powerful marketing tool. 

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

“Don't turn your white paper into a sales pitch”

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

The biggest single mistake companies make is to turn a white paper into a sales pitch. Busy people who download a white paper aren't looking for a brochure. They're looking for useful, educational material to help do their jobs, understand some concept, or deal with some nagging problem. Your goal with any white paper is to position your company as a trusted advisor who can understand things from your customer's point of view, and offer helpful advice. That attracts prospects and makes them think well of your firm. If you give them a sales pitch at the wrong time, that repels prospects and makes them think badly of your firm.
 
This relates to putting a product name in a white paper title. I have it on good authority from a top executive at Knowledge Storm that this cuts downloads by at least 50%. It's one thing to write about a ubiquitous product like Windows 7 which is practically part of the landscape. But naming any lesser-known product in the title makes people suspect that you are dishing out a sales pitch.
 
A white paper is an excellent opportunity to explain WHY a product was created in the first place, and what nagging problems it solves. So get back to basics, and focus on that. Make it a very soft-sell, not a hard-sell and you will see far better results. 

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

“Clearly understand the motivations, pains, fears, desires and dreams of your target audience ”

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

If you don't clearly understand the motivations, pains, fears, desires and dreams of the white paper's target audience, you'll have nothing but trouble as you plan, write, publish and distribute your white paper. The team producing the paper has to have experience in the market and be close to the particular topic, of course.

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 

Related Articles

• ClickInsights: Where to place white papers to reach prospects and customers
• ClickInsights: Tips on how to incorporate call to action in your white paper
• ClickInsights: Tips on how to use social media marketing for promoting white papers
• ClickInsights: Tips on how to write a better White Paper
• 2 Great Books for Whitepaper Writers and Marketers
  

posted in ClickInsights: Expert Interviews

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