How to Craft an Effective Corporate White Paper Strategy
Two frequently asked questions that many businesses ask when integrating white papers into their marketing plans are, “Where do I start?“, and “What do I write about first?“
Businesses that have previously used white papers have an advantage over competitors that have by starting with a clean slate and implementing a well-constructed, multi-faceted plan. It’s similar to the concept of building a house using a blueprint as opposed to going with your gut feeling about what looks good. By approaching the use of white papers as a formal marketing strategy, businesses can provide a much richer and powerful solution story to their customers that yields longer lasting returns.
To better understand this strategy, I’ve included this overview graphic as a guide:
There are three types of white papers that when taken together, form a highly effective corporate white paper strategy:
Phase 1 – High-Level, Strategic Vision White Papers – High-level, strategic vision white papers are typically the first ones out the door as part of a corporate white paper strategy. These white papers help readers understand the corporate sponsor, their unique differentiation, and whether it makes sense to include the solution provider as part of current/future decision making. Only one or two strategic vision white papers are produced during the course of a strategic planning term (usually a year), since there can only be one vision message for the entire enterprise. I’ve used the example of Microsoft’s new Search Engine strategy, Bing. The strategic vision paper would introduce Bing, and educate readers to what it is, and what makes it unique in the search marketplace.
Phase 2 – Mid-Level, Solution-Oriented White Papers – Mid-level, solution-oriented white papers reinforce the high-level strategic vision by providing examples of how that vision can be implemented within the context of a specific solution category. Such white papers can be released on a quarterly basis after the initial strategic papers, and can address key solution markets targeted by the solution provider. In our example, a solution-oriented white paper would present how Bing could be used within the Healthcare or other vertical industries. Typically, mid-level white papers are distributed on a quarterly basis, depending on the vertical markets targeted as part of the sales/marketing strategy.
Phase 3 – Base-Level, Tactical White Papers – Tactical white papers address specific topics that arise from the field. These can include customer requests (where does the corporate stand on a specific issue), a competitive position, or a solution comparison. In keeping with our Bing example, a tactical white paper would provide a comparison between Bing and Google on the issue of customized, user-specified searches. Tactical white papers are produced on a ‘as-needed’ basis, when tactical issues arise within the customer base, social media topics, or industry-specific news media.
A formal white paper strategy provides a road map that prospective customers can follow over time. It ensures the timely delivery of consistent solution messages at different levels, that reinforce corporate thought leadership within the marketplace.
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October 21st, 2009 at 6:59 am
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Jonathan Kantor and mdlorey, eMagine. eMagine said: How to Craft an Effective Corporate White Paper Strategy http://bit.ly/1tC39N [#b2b] [...]
October 27th, 2009 at 5:46 am
This is a useful distinction, Jonathon, thanks! I believe that white paper writers should be aware of these tiers of white papers, and help guide their clients to select the appropriate tier for the content they want to publish. Once again, we see that one size of white paper does not fit all.
October 27th, 2009 at 8:03 am
Hi Gordon,
Hopefully this recommendation will cause more companies to rethink their existing white paper strategies that may be focused on the “one size fits all” marketing concept.
As always, I appreciate your input and comments.
All the best,
Jonathan
November 6th, 2009 at 6:10 pm
RT @cloudmarketing How to write a successful whitepaper for your business http://ow.ly/zJsf
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
November 30th, 2009 at 12:16 pm
[...] we were glad to see a post by Jonathan Kantor that kicks this up a notch by recommending a formal white-paper architecture. It’s worth the [...]
December 6th, 2009 at 11:48 pm
[...] a solution advantage message. Depending on the type of white paper you are creating as part of your corporate white paper marketing strategy, there should be one particular portion of that paper that describes these bottom-line advantage [...]
December 7th, 2009 at 8:00 am
What’s the difference between a “White Paper” and a “Vision Paper”?
December 7th, 2009 at 9:09 am
Hi Elliot,
A “vision paper” is one type of white paper. The traditional white paper addresses a specific business problem and how that problem is resolved via the application of a specific solution. A vision paper, on the other hand, casts a high level view of a specific topic in a much broader fashion. Its purpose is to generate thought and market leadership.
For example, a traditional white paper on the Adobe Flash programming language might address how Flash can be applied to solutions for a specific vertical market niche. Adobe might craft a “vision paper” on their long-term corporate strategy for Flash, and how they see it evolving well into the future. In this case, the Adobe vision paper would provide software developers with a direction so they can better plan their support for the technology.
I hope this helps you better understand the “vision” white paper.
Jonathan
December 7th, 2009 at 6:59 pm
#WhitePaper: How to Craft an Effective Corporate White Paper Strategy http://bit.ly/4GFzQe @Jonathan_Kantor
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
December 7th, 2009 at 8:05 pm
RT @mariaspinola: #WhitePaper: How to Craft an Effective Corporate White Paper Strategy http://bit.ly/4GFzQe @Jonathan_Kantor
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May 31st, 2010 at 6:46 pm
search engine optimization seo…
I think you should put all this information in a PDF and sell it. Thanks…