Tips on creating and using any type of marketing or sales collateral (brochures, sell sheets, white papers, case studies, etc.)
White papers are among the most effective[i] and valuable[ii] forms of marketing content. Unfortunately, they’re also among the more expensive forms to create.
To squeeze more return from their white paper investment, successful marketers frequently repurpose a white paper’s content in other forms.
You can too.
When marketing with content, you need to keep readers engaged. Your content must hold your prospects' attention long enough for your message to sink in.
One good way to do that is with interactivity. In a recent B2B Technology Content Survey, Eccolo Media found that "Overall, content consumers appreciate interactivity. ...
A few years ago, when I posted a link to my article 8 Ways to Leverage Case Studies in Your Other Marketing Communications on LinkedIn, I received the following comment from a software marketing manager:
"One item I would add to your list: Industry-specific publications are always interested in customer stories."
I totally agree.
But because trade publications are not under the direct control of your marketing communications department, I wanted to talk about them separately. In fact, I admitted to that marketing manager, "I was saving that one for my next article!"
If you're marketing to engineers, you should already know this.
Engineers crave efficiency. They want things to work better. They want to work better themselves. And faster. That’s their mindset.
So naturally, engineers are tool users. They love good tools, and they’re always looking for better ones. If you offer ...
A few years ago, I conducted a survey of technology company websites to benchmark the frequency of the deadliest errors tech companies make in creating and promoting white papers. A mistake I encountered frequently is what I call “post and pray” syndrome: Merely posting white papers on the corporate website ...
In a recent survey, KnowledgeStorm and MarketingSherpa found a huge discrepancy between the amount of information technology buyers want to see before they register for a white paper, and the amount technology marketers think they need to provide.
When asked ...
In my previous article, I explained why unrestricted access to valuable white paper content is normally a huge mistake – a mistake that can cost you in terms of leads, brand recognition, relationship building, and sales opportunities.
If you want your white paper to generate leads, you must require ...
One of the most frequent mistakes I see marketers make with white papers is allowing visitors unrestricted (ungated) access to them.
In a survey I conducted of technology companies who offered white papers on their websites, 61% allowed visitors to download any of their white papers without registration. [i] ...
Let’s say you’re putting together a white paper to generate leads for your latest offering. You’ve laid out the nagging problem your target market. You’ve pointed out the drawbacks of the well-known solutions. You’ve introduced your new solution and shown how it overcomes those drawbacks and really solves your prospect’s ...
As white paper readership has shifted in the past 15 years or so – from almost exclusively engineers to primarily executives – white papers have shrunk to meet the needs of a more time-pressed audience. Gone are the days when white papers might run 30 to 50 pages or more.
...
10 Common Mistakes
That Kill
White Paper ROI
How to Avoid Them And
Generate More Leads
When you subscribe to my
FREE monthly e-zine,
Technical Response.
