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 ...
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How “Delayed Gratification” Improves White Paper ROI
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] ...
Over 70% of White Papers Lack This Essential Marketing Tool
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 ...
How to Write a Good White Paper Title
Your white paper’s title is probably the most important factor in your prospect’s download decision.
It’s the first thing prospects read when they encounter your white paper. It heads the description on your download page and any search results that turn it up. It figures prominently in any promotions you ...
Successful White Paper Planning: A Proven 7-Step Process
This is the third and final installment in our series on white paper planning. In our first post, we discussed why many white paper projects fail. In the second, we looked at the benefits of putting together and gaining agreement on a White Paper Plan (WPP) before beginning development of ...
13 ROI-Boosting Tips for Promoting Your Next White Paper – Part 3
In survey after survey, technology buyers have named white papers the form of marketing content that influences them the most when they’re making purchasing decisions.[i] So, it’s not surprising that technology companies produce thousands of white papers each year.
But that abundance creates a problem for technology marketers: How do ...
How to Hold Your Prospects’ Attention By Shrouding Your Message in Mystery
In my last essay, we saw how we can use surprise to focus our audience's attention on our message, and thus make our message "stickier," or more memorable.
A surprise lasts only a brief instant, however. What if our message is too complicated to be delivered in a just that ...
Abandon Common Sense
In B2B marketing, things are pretty straightforward. We don't have to coax or cajole or look cute and clever, like the folks over in B2C. We're selling to prospects who need and want to buy what we're offering. B2B buyers aren't really interested in cute and clever.
So B2B marketing can feel like it's ...
How to Optimize Email for Mobile – Part II: 8 More Best Practices
The rise of online mobile devices is changing the way people communicate and gather information. One big change is in the way we consume email.
As we saw in Part I of this series, nearly half of all commercial email is now opened for the first time on a mobile ...
3 Key Principles for Writing Helpful Web Pages
New clients have been asking me to write a lot of website content for them recently. So I thought I'd share a few thoughts on how to make your web pages more helpful.
Why did I use the word "helpful," rather than "effective?"
It has to do with how people ...
