Pack More Power Into Your Company's Message
"When you're a business decision maker about to make a multi-million dollar decision on a software or corporate solution, you want to obtain as much information as you can to compare one vendor's solution to another. White papers are a key part of the decision-making process when there's a lot at stake," says white paper guru Jonathan Kantor.
For companies that want to be the chosen solution provider, offering a well-written, engaging white paper to C-level executives can be critical to capturing their attention — and ultimately their business.
The white paper process
Kantor is the principal and founder of The Appum Group, aka "The White Paper Company," which specializes in creating professional business and technical white papers for a range of industries including technology, construction, pharmaceutical, finance, retail and consumer products.
Kantor explains that today, white papers offer education-based solutions for C-level decision makers who seek information that is:
- fact-based and educational
- in-depth but not overly technical
- solution-oriented without being promotional
Since its start in 2000, The Appum Group has dramatically streamlined white-paper development. The Appum Group's FastDraft™ system creates a typical 10-page white paper in just two to three weeks. The approach gives companies a speedy alternative to producing their own white papers, a process that is often hindered internally by a lack of:
- company time
- company resources
- knowledge of what constitutes a legitimate white paper
- objectivity or ability to write to an audience of "outsiders"
The Appum Group's expert researchers, writers and editors not only solve the time, resource and white-paper knowledge deficit, but also add a layer of impartiality that is critical to a well-received white paper.
"We bring a fresh perspective to the white paper process," says Kantor. "I always try to write white papers from the standpoint of, 'If I can write it so that I understand it, then it will also work for somebody else who may not be familiar with that content.'"
Synergy with eNewsletters
In the B2B communication universe, white papers and eNewsletters are two perfectly aligned planets. Both serve as powerful tools for:
- educating prospects and customers
- establishing company credibility
- establishing a company as an industry thought leader
- generating leads
- creating a customer's connection to a company or brand
Plus, white papers and eNewsletters have unique attributes that make each a great partner for the other. For example, says Kantor, "because a white paper usually is six to 12 pages long, there's a lot of information that goes into it that can then be repurposed into valuable collateral."
A company might repurpose white paper content into short, engaging eNewsletter articles to help reinforce a company's educational message. Providing repurposed content to the same targeted audience will, over time, establish the continuity necessary for a message to subconsciously resonate with that audience.
Successful eNewsletters give readers tangible value. Giving eNewsletter subscribers access to your company's latest white paper is one way to offer that value. In this case, the white paper adds worth to the eNewsletter, and the eNewsletter provides a proactive distribution channel for the white paper.
Implementing a white paper-eNewsletter combination strengthens the company's message while allowing both platforms to share resources. This efficient approach means greater ROI for the company at a time when "more bang for your buck" never sounded so good.
Discover how you can integrate a white paper with a strategic eNewsletter campaign by contacting the professionals at Proven Systems at (800) 720-5398 or info@provensystems.com.
To read sample white papers from The Appum Group, visit the company's Web site at http://www.whitepapercompany.com/docs/casestudies.php.
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