Whitepapers - What They Are and Why you Want one.

By: Chris Bachman | May 18, 2017

A white paper is an informational document issued by a company to promote or highlight the features of a solution, product or service. White papers are sales and marketing documents used to entice or persuade potential customers to learn more about or purchase a particular product, service, technology or methodology. White papers are designed to be used as a marketing tool before a sale, and not as a user manual or other technical document developed to provide support to the user after making a purchase.

When used for business the White Paper can be an information piece, perhaps a Top 10 list of tips or points, or perhaps a writing offering helpful solutions to a problem. While it is perfectly acceptable to brand it with your company name and contact information it is not a brochure. And, it should not be a blatant sales piece. It should be useful, helpful and entice the viewer to want to download it.

The benefits to creating a proper White Paper are six fold.

1. You build your email list by having the person register with their email in order to download the paper. This is totally acceptable practice and chances are you have down this yourself as a consumer.


2. You now have created an opportunity to pursue a conversation with this person via email, a newsletter, a special promotion, etc. Creating a conversation is a great way to turn a looker into a buyer.


3. By sharing useful, valuable information you have helped establish yourself in the eyes of the visitor as someone who is knowledgeable on the topic and who is also helpful and a resource they can rely on.


4. The White Paper they download has your business name and contact information on it so as it is reviewed and possibly shared in the days to come your business gets a lot of repeat exposure.


5. As useful information it is likely that the link to get the White Paper will be shared thereby creating an inbound link to your website, which we know is a great way to help boost rankings.

Now that you have this great piece of information to share promote it. Instead of creating another boring ad featuring $25 Off your first service…how about “Free Guide to Everything You Must Know Before ……! AND receive $25 off your first service!” Direct them to your website to get it and now you have a lead you can follow up and nurture far into the future. That is a LOT more people than just those ready to buy right now who want $25 Off…

Every visitor to your site cost you money to get them there, in one way or another, and when they leave…chances are they won’t be back. Using a White Paper is a no brainer way to engage a potential client and, used properly, will increase leads and sales over time.

Chris Bachman is a business consultant and Project Director at ProClassWebDesign.com as well as a self confessed serial entrepreneur. He is a regular writer on topics pertaining to marketing, SEO, and business websites as well as an instructor and independent consultant. Learn more about Chris Bachman on Google+ or LinkedIn.