A White Paper FAQ © 2005 by Gordon Graham A White Paper FAQ How to Write White Papers that Get...

A White Paper FAQ © 2005 by Gordon Graham

A White Paper FAQ

How to Write White Papers that Get Results


What this lecture covers

What exactly is a white paper? What is our working definition of a white paper? Are there any industry standards for white papers? What about using color? What about graphics? Who reads white papers? Why do they read them? When do they read them? What are the hottest topics for white papers today? What types of vendors publish white papers?

Why do vendors publish them? How do white papers fit into a sales cycle? What different flavors of white papers exist? When is each flavor most useful? How can I tell which flavor is best for me? When is a white paper not a white paper? Where did white papers originally come from? Where are they going in the future?


What exactly is a white paper?

Everyone has their own definition.

Some examples A company’s manifesto on how to solve a problem A way to freeze-dry your ideas An information widget used to promote a company The primers used by a whole generation of technologists Technology backgrounders That rare tool that can serve many purposes All things to all people


What is our working definition of a white paper?

A white paper is a document that provides useful information

for potential buyers seeking to understand a certain technology.

A white paper is a piece of marketing collateral whose format lies

somewhere between a technical manual and a glossy brochure…

and whose content lies somewhere between an academic paper

and a popular magazine article.


Are there any industry standards for white papers?

No. Anyone can call anything a white paper. And they do.

But we can make some generalizations about the form of

most white papers today Length: 8 to 10 pages (or less) Illustrations: better than manuals, not as glossy as ads Production: letter-sized, 1 or 2 columns, black & white Distribution: on the Web, on sales calls, at trade shows File format: PDF

Remember these are only conventions. And they are slowly evolving.

For example, more white papers are using color.


What about using color in white papers?

“No one ever criticized my white papers for being too white!”

Good information designers use any element that helps get the

message across more effectively. So, use color when it helps you

communicate. Do not use color just to attract attention.

If you make your white paper too colorful and glossy, many

people will treat it as advertising and view it with suspicion.

Especially IT people, who may be your prime audience.

Some journalists routinely discard any colorful materials in press kits.

But they keep plain-looking white papers.


What about graphics in white papers?

Every white paper needs at least one illustration.

You may have existing graphics in technical manuals suitable for

recycling. Graphics from ads or brochures are less likely suitable.

All graphics should be clear and straightforward. The writer should

sketch out or edit graphics to make them clear. Do not surrender

control of the information content of the graphics to the designer.

More agencies are involved in producing white papers. They tend to

subcontract the writing and “pretty up” the look.


Who reads white papers?

Almost anyone contemplating the purchase of a complex,

high-priced product or service.

This can include people in a variety of roles: IT people (technical recommenders) Executives (decision-makers) Business managers Users representatives One or more “champions”


Why do people read white papers?

People don’t read white papers for fun. They read for them for work.

According to a survey by Bitpipe, IT managers read white papers: To stay on top of new and emerging markets or trends To get information about products and vendors To compare products To help justify potential buying decisions To develop a short list of qualified vendors


When do people read white papers?

People tend to read white papers when they are: Dreaming of a way around a pressing problem Wondering whether anything exists that could solve their problem Looking for something that will satisfy their wish-list Researching a possible purchase Making a short list of possible vendors.

Two-thirds of people surveyed by Marketingsherpa.com said

they will pass on a high-quality white paper to a colleague.

One-third will pass it on to their manager.


What are the hottest topics for white papers today?

The hot topics for white papers tend to reflect industry trends.

The quick way to get a snapshot of the hottest topics and the hottest

white papers being downloaded is to check white paper syndication

services… because they want you to know what’s hot.

Visit www.bitpipe.com and click on Most Popular Reports or

Most Popular Topics.

Visit www.knowledgestorm.com and see their list of Top Requested

Categories.

Or visit www.itpapers.com and click Top 50 Search Terms.


What types of vendors publish white papers?

Almost any vendor that sells a complex, high-priced product

or service. Vendors of familiar, simple and inexpensive technology

don’t bother to publish white papers. Vendors of new, complex and

expensive technology often publish white papers.

This includes vendors in a number of sectors: Software Computer hardware, systems and peripherals Medical, test or communication equipment Technical or scientific services Consulting Can you think of other sectors?


Why do vendors publish white papers?

According to a recent survey by Bitpipe, vendors publish white

papers for these reasons: To gather leads for the sales force To educate potential customers To serve as a selling tool passed around a selection committee To educate the sales force or channel partners To educate the media To offer as content to a trade publication or Web site To redefine a market space To give the vendor more credibility or mind share To keep up with competitors who all have white papers


How do white papers fit into a sales cycle?

The longer the sales cycle, the more likely white papers are part

of the marketing mix.

White papers are used early in the sales cycle, before the customer

makes a purchase. These are sometimes called the Research or

Selection tasks, and sometimes the Vision and Planning stages.

After the purchase, the customer needs documentation, training

and technical support, not white papers.


What different flavors of white papers exist?

Here are the most common flavors of white papers Technology Backgrounder Position Paper Thought Leader Business Benefits Competitive Review Evaluator’s Guide

Another type of document, the Product Brief, is often called a

white paper. This can be considered another form of Evaluator’s

Guide. A purist would not consider this a white paper.


When is each flavor of white paper most useful?

Technology Backgrounder To explain a unique, unfamiliar or misunderstood technology

Position Paper To explain an emerging trend or standard

Thought Leader To define a market space or set out an agenda

Business Benefits To show how buyers will benefit from a certain technology

Competitive Review To show the strengths and weaknesses of competing technologies

Evaluator’s Guide To thoroughly explain a product’s features, functions and benefits


How can I tell which flavor is best for me?

Look at your audience. What are they expecting to see? IT people want to see technical details Executives want to see bottom-line business benefits Managers want to hear about streamlined workflow and labor saving

When in the sales cycle will this document be used? Early on, it can be more high-level and general Later on, it should be more detailed and specific

What is the purpose of the white paper? To gather leads for the sales force To build mindshare for the company’s technology


When is a white paper not a white paper?

Perry Marshall names 40+ different documents as possible flavors

of white papers. But I can’t go along with this wide-open definition.

Much of his list is really documentation used after the purchase

and during the installation, training, learning or troubleshooting

of a system. They may be useful, but they’re not white papers.

Or I may be wrong and he may be right?!

This proves how there are no industry standards for white papers.


Types of white papers listed by Perry Marshall

Advance Sheet Advisory Application Guide Article Best Practices Book Brief Bulletin Buyer’s Kit Buzzword Guide Calculator Cheat Sheet Comparison Chart Cost Reduction Guide

Dispatch Examination Financial Analysis Findings Flow Chart Industry Survey Installation Guide Manual Minimizer Optimizer Pocket Reference Pocket Guide Primer Quick Guide

Reference Reference Chart Reprint Research Report ROI Calculator Slide Chart Study Summary Table Toolbox Toolkit Trouble Shooting Guide Tutorial


Types of documents I don’t consider white papers

Advance Sheet Advisory Application Guide Article Best Practices Book Brief Bulletin Buyer’s Kit Buzzword Guide Calculator Cheat Sheet Comparison Chart Cost Reduction Guide

Dispatch Examination Financial Analysis Findings Flow Chart Industry Survey Installation Guide Manual Minimizer Optimizer Pocket Reference Pocket Guide Primer Quick Guide

Reference Reference Chart Reprint Research Report ROI Calculator Slide Chart Study Summary Table Toolbox Toolkit Trouble Shooting Guide Tutorial


Where did white papers originally come from?

The term arose early in the 20th century in Great Britain. It was used

to distinguish shorter government position papers with white covers

from longer reports with blue covers.

One of the earliest white papers on records is the so-called

Churchill White Paper from 1922.

During WWII, white papers were used to record scientific and military

secrets such as the plans for the Manhattan Project. By the 1960s

white papers were routinely used by governments.

In the 1990s white papers were appropriated by technology vendors.


Where are white papers going in the future?

The number of white papers is growing rapidly.

This label is being applied in an undisciplined way to all types of

documents. Too many of these are thinly-veiled sales pitches.

Readers dislike this intensely. Don’t do it!

The term “white paper” is becoming devalued. It is better to find a

different, more specific name for your document: Technology Backgrounder ROI Calculator Competitive Guide Product Brief

A White Paper FAQ © 2005 by Gordon Graham A White Paper FAQ How to Write White Papers that Get...

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