White Gold: How to Use White Papers to Build Your List and Explode Your Profits
The first time I heard the term white paper, I have to admit I wasn’t thinking it was a powerful marketing tool. Instead I was thinking of the boring, snooze-worthy reports I had to read in my college Geology course. Only after I had heard the term a few more times with increasing frequency did I finally bother finding out what the buzz was all about. Turns out, white papers aren’t just bare bones, boring, and scientific any more. On the contrary, they can be extremely powerful marketing tools, ones that you should be aware of and keep handy in your marketing tool arsenal.
You may find yourself wondering, what exactly is a white paper? A white paper is a document that is intended to inform readers on a particular topic or issue. White papers originated in the government and technical worlds, largely to report findings or data from studies or experiments. These days, the white paper format of information sharing has been embraced by the Web 2.0 crowd and can cover any realm of topics, scientific or not. White papers differ from ebooks in that the purpose of a white paper is generally not a salable item. Generally white papers are available for download in PDF format from a company’s or individual’s site or a white paper catalogue site. The only “payment” for a white paper is through squeezing the reader for their name, email, and additional lead/list-building information.
Just because white papers won’t be a per-download cash cow for your business is no reason to ignore this powerful marketing tool. White papers can be an invaluable device in your online business, particularly if you are an info-marketer. When properly utilized, white papers can help your business create valuable leads, build a mailing list, establish credibility in a market or niche, gain valuable brand recognition, and create backlinks and traffic to your site. Selecting which of these goals you want to pursue can aid in determining the topic and focus of your first white paper.
To most effectively use white papers, you want to inform or educate the public on a topic, which will help to further your reputation as a knowledgeable expert in a specific field or on a specialized topic. The most successful topics for white papers are purely informational (hold the sales copy until a final supporting paragraph, or place it in a follow-up communiqué), present research including statistics and hard evidence, are case studies of a specific topic or solution to a problem, or explain or demonstrate a new technology. The simplest question you can ask yourself to determine if you have a successful topic in mind is: Does this topic provide a solution to a specific problem? If the answer is yes, you are on the right track.
To get the most from utilizing white papers, there are a few simple rules to follow.
Brand Yourself
First, be sure to brand yourself on every page. You don’t need to place a giant logo or link on each page, but be certain to identify yourself as the source of the knowledge in some way, whether it is a link at the top of page or next to the page number.
Use Backlinks
Create backlinks in the report. Be sure to point out and direct traffic to additional resources on your site. You are the expert! Gently remind readers of this subtly on each page.
Squeeze Readers
Don’t give the download without squeezing readers for at least a name and an email address. With an appropriate topic, you are going to have an extremely targeted list of leads. The people who are downloading this information are interested in what you know, and will now recognize you as an expert. Be certain to do a follow-up email or even phone call after readers have downloaded your white paper. It’s the perfect time to inform them of how your info product could be just what they’re looking for.
Whether you are highly familiar with white papers or this is your first introduction, I urge you to see how implementing them into your marketing strategy can work for you. Start by checking out some white papers in your niche, or visiting the recommended sites to get a good understanding of how some organizations are using this tool effectively.
Action Steps
– Identify a problem to which your white paper can provide the solution.
– Squeeze prospects for name, email, and possibly phone number.
– Put backlinks to your site in the report.
– Brand yourself on each page.
– Follow up with an email or phone call.
