’ve been writing white papers for B2B technology marketers for many years. It’s a variegated format, one that serves different purposes in the marketing process. That variety is both a strength and a weakness for marketers, however. It’s versatile, which is great. At the same time, the size of the blank canvas can be intimidating. Without good planning and direction, the white paper can become a costly document that does not achieve its desired marketing objectives. To help my clients avoid this trap, I’ve developed a white paper discovery process that consists of five questions. It pays to go through this discovery process before commencing the work itself. It’s not overly elaborate. Rather, these five questions comprise a simple concept and positioning exercise that sets the project on course for best results with the paper’s intended audience.

1. Five questions to ask

2.  I’ve been writing white papers for B2B technology
marketers for many years. It’s a variegated format, one
that serves different purposes in the marketing process.
That variety is both a strength and a weakness for
marketers, however. It’s versatile, which is great. At the
same time, the size of the blank canvas can be
intimidating. Without good planning and direction, the
white paper can become a costly document that does not
achieve its desired marketing objectives. To help my
clients avoid this trap, I’ve developed a white paper
discovery process that consists of five questions. It pays to
go through this discovery process before commencing the
work itself. It’s not overly elaborate. Rather, these five
questions comprise a simple concept and positioning
exercise that sets the project on course for best results
with the paper’s intended audience.

3.  I like to ask this question first, but I know
that the answer will change as we discuss the
next four questions on the list. A white
paper’s subject is determined in an iterative
process. The topic evolves through the
discovery process as you refine the purpose
of the paper.

4.  What are you trying to accomplish with this paper? A white
paper needs a reason to exist. Is it for lead generation? Will it be
a paper that is placed behind a “Registration Wall” to induce
potential readers to part with their contact info for a chance to
see it? Is it intended to be a piece of sales support “air cover”
that helps bolster a pending deal? Are you trying to assert
thought leadership or showcase expertise in a particular subject
area? Are you trying to offer in-depth technical education on a
specific topic of interest to your clients? Each purpose requires
a somewhat different approach and execution. Your answer can
of course be “All of the Above.” It is possible to combine these
goals, but the best papers are written for a specific primary
purpose, with secondary agendas taken into consideration but
not emphasized about all else. A related question is, “How will
you promote this paper?” A paper intended for lead generation
needs to be sexier than a paper designed to show off technical
expertise. A lead generation paper should engender some
intrigue and mystery.

5.  This is simple question that requires a simple answer.
Beneath the surface, though, length is a proxy for
many different issues that need to be thought
through for a winning white paper. How deeply do
you want to delve into your topic? The answer
should also relate to the previous question. What are
you trying to accomplish? If you want to show off in-
depth technical expertise, you won’t do very well with
a three page paper. Conversely, a 32 page doorstop
won’t do your sales team much good unless they are
in a highly technical sales discussion with engineers.
Then, there’s budget. Length and budget go
together. What level of investment do you want to
make in the paper?

6.  An effective white paper should be understandable to
a range of different readers. You won’t manage to
get every single reader to comprehend every nuance
of the paper, but the paper should still be created for
a specific customer persona. I have found the
following buckets to be useful in thinking through
intended audience types: Technical Decision Maker
(TDM), Business Decision Maker (BDM), Senior
Business Manager (C-Level), or specialized reader,
such as developer, architect, network operations
person, information security manager, and so forth.
Some marketers like to use a common hundred-level
shorthand to communicate the intended reader. A
200-level paper is relatively non-technical while a
400-level is for engineers.

7.  Do you want a business-oriented paper on a
technological subject? For example, do you
want to show the return on investment (ROI)
for a particular product? Do you want to share
best practices? How about a deep dive on an
esoteric branch of technology that concerns
your clients and prospects?

8.  These five white paper discovery questions
run together. If you do the process right,
you’ll answer each one more than once,
learning and reshaping your answers as you
hone in on the mix of topic, depth, audience
and theme that will give your paper the most
impact. Ultimately, the process is designed
to give you the best results for your
investment in a paper, landing your most
important messages with the right people.

9.  Hugh Taylor is President of Taylor
Communications. A twenty-year veteran of
marketing communications, Taylor writes
marketing copy for technology companies.
Check out Hugh’s new white paper, Getting
To Yes with Business Decision Makers.
 hugh@hughtaylor.com
 www.hughtaylor.com
 (310) 383-7041