Generate More Leads by Offering White Papers

As a business executive, it’s fairly safe to assume you’d appreciate a steadier stream of leads for your sales teams. And yet, it’s not exactly simple. Despite your efforts, it remains difficult to get contact information.

Enter, the white paper. Otherwise known as an “incentive.”

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What is a white paper?
Actually, white papers have been around a long time. Essentially, they are authoritative reports designed help readers better understand a complex issue, resolve a conundrum, or make a decision.

White papers often come in the form of a PDF or Word document and read about as long as a feature-length newspaper or magazine article. But there’s really no rule on length.

Unlike an article, charts and graphs are preferred over photos. No rule against images of course. But communicating complex ideas through words and information graphics seems to lend an air of seriousness to them. In fact, “white” seems to reinforce the idea these summaries feature plain old useful information based on interviews and research.

And yet, it’s useful to consider the white paper as part of a more broad category. As hinted above, they are used as an incentive.

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Why offer white papers?
Put simply, there’s demand for white papers because they work. Offering specialized information on targeted topics helps your business generate leads on prospects that might otherwise be hard to secure.

There are less tangible benefits as well. A well-researched white paper can help position your company as a thought leader in your industry and promote wider brand awareness among a coveted audience.

Don’t overlook how easy it will be to monitor how often it’s been downloaded if posted on your site. Analytics information will help you improve strategic decisions going forward.

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What companies benefit most from white papers?
Businesses marketing to other businesses (often referred to as B2B) get the most traction. White papers are popular in industries with complex issues like technology, government, manufacturing, finance, legal, education, healthcare, and pharmaceuticals.

Don’t just assume white papers won’t work for consumer products or services, though. In fact, there might be just the right angle if your team brainstorms over it. I’m confident there are strategic ways to leverage valuable information in return for leads in a consumer market.

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How do white papers work?
White papers are attractive because they offer readers something of value they want at that moment.

We’re all motivated to do better; At our jobs. In life. With our purchases, investments, and so on. Most of us tote around measurable anxiety at the thought of making a mistake.

So if your company can carefully research a topic and organize that knowledge into a logical, reasoned report that helps your target audience, people are bound to find value in that.

The most wonderful thing for your business? People willing to opt-in to your e-mail efforts in return for your white paper information are inherently more qualified prospects for your products or services. Not much wrong with that!

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Who are white papers for?
Ultimately, white papers are geared toward business folks with budget authority. They help business people save time and make more informed decisions. Still, a wide swath of business professionals at different levels are routinely exposed to white papers.

Consider a case like this: A manufacturing executive finds that resources are wasted due to unpredictable equipment breakdowns. She’d probably task her team to research and present various solutions to resolve it, right?

Likely her team members will shortly be scouring the internet for ideas to help the boss solve the problem. Consider how much better positioned you are to win over a new client when your white paper is already out there in cyberspace, waiting to help your prospects solve difficult problems — and smoothly promoting your company.

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How do you get a white paper written?
Funny you should ask! Though we’ve developed all kinds of business content for years, can’t help but notice a recent surge in requests for white papers.

In fact, this post had been sidelined a number of times because we’ve been researching and writing many.

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Your white paper is written. How do you promote it?
Online, white papers are commonly leveraged as a reward for a prospect registering their e-mail address with you. Though most folks are typically reluctant to give out e-mail addresses, transactions like these are rationalized pretty quickly by professionals in need of the particular intelligence you’re offering. Then, the barrier is fairly low.

Just make clear you can be trusted with their information — and that if ever requested, you’ll remove their name from the list.

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How else can you share it?
Another tactic is to ask prospects to share links to your white papers via their social networks.

Here you may need to rely more on the honor system, but the potential for distribution is intriguing. Not only might you have people tacitly endorsing your reputation. You may also acquire more new leads based on that act of sharing.

Don’t forget to send an e-mail to your existing audience about your white papers. You can ask them to share to their colleagues.

By the way — I happen to have an “incentive” we just recently created on how to conquer your next business writing project. Got some great feedback on this so far. So please download and enjoy!