Writing White Papers
Once the registration details came in, the Sales Team took it from there and followed
up the leads as fast as possible.
Less than 3 weeks after publishing this white paper, the lead flow had increased
from 25 leads per month to 280. Very good returns in a down market!
White paper marketing creates opportunities very fast. If you know your product, and
your customers, then they will want to read your white paper, particularly when you write
about a niche industry or service.
To do this, a few points should be highlighted:
- White papers require an investment in research and writing time.
- White papers work well if you have a unique product with
information your clients don't have.
- Writing white papers is not for everyone.
Be careful about who you chose to write the paper. Ultimately, white papers are
strategic sales documents. Engineers
can't
write these. Don't ask them-it's not fair for you or them. They can
contribute to the technical details, but you need to have an experienced writer managing
the overall delivery and coordinating all resources involved. If, you do have experience
in writing, it shouldn't take a lot of your time.
Set Yourself Targets
Most relatively experienced writers could write at least five good articles, (for
example around 1000 words), with material that we have at hand. In other words, writing
papers about our CRM solution or the services we sell. Not much research is required.
Start with one article
Choose the subject matter that is the easiest to write about, and will generate the
most interest from your customer base.
When writing sales-orientated articles, use a light conversational style as if you
were talking to a friend
Though the article promotes your product or services, the sales angle is hidden in the
helpful, useful information that you are providing to your readers i.e. your prospective
client.
Useful white papers build credibility and have a long shelf life. Decision-makers store
them for as a reference. Always, include a section at the end about yourself with your
contact information, including 1800 telephone numbers and email address. Once you've
written the article, get a reliable person to check the grammar and spelling. Make sure
it's clear, concise, and to the point.
Then, leave it aside for a day or two. This is a very useful trick. When you return to
it later in the week, you'll have some distance and be able to see where it needs
adjusting.
Now, you're ready to use it for promotion - and that's what we'll talk about next
month.
Your Thoughts?
What are your thoughts on this? Drop me a line at ivan at klariti dot com |
