Technology companies for years have utilized the “white paper” to deliver valuable content to the buyer.
I am a big fan of white papers because I believe they are an effective tool to drive qualified leads by communicating the technology companies expertise against a particular business issue. They remain a great incentive to capture data within a lead generation campaign as well as act as an effective nurturing tool to move the tech buyers down the sales process path.
For years the content of these white papers was driven by the technical side of the business and presented in a very traditional format outlining the thesis, summarizing the technical aspects and supporting all that text with loads of research and data. Big copy blocks, spec charts, and flowcharts complimented the technical text to deliver the value of the technology. If you were an engineer or a tech buyer the information is critical right. But lets be honest here, engineers and tech buyers are people too. They are busy, have short attention span, and are pressed to address various issues specific to their needs.
A key role of a “white paper” is to attract, hold interest and build credibility. As with most marketing vehicles, they can be designed to allow the information to be read and scanned without giving up the value of the content.
Learning from newspapers and magazines, your design strategy for white papers could include easier to read (and scan) content. Here are a few thoughts to consider when designing your white papers for today’s busy tech buyers:
Design Elements
- Headlines and sub headlines can deliver they key message
- Side bars containing stats, quotes or even a quick client testimonial
- Quick visuals like photos, charts, or graphic boxes to highlight key points
- Don’t be afraid to use color
Tonality
- Write the information in a conversational manner
- Use words that are relevant to business jargon to soften the technical terms
Talk about the benefits
A white paper should drive a next step. Beyond the always used “for more information,” try to summarize the document with benefit driven statements in a quick bullet point fashion. Or ask an open ended question to generate further thought or interest in finding out more.
