White Paper Pundit

Since April 2009, the Friday FREE White Paper List has been a weekly addition to this blog, cataloging the free white papers that have been tweeted via Twitter users. Since that month, this list has featured over 800 completely FREE white papers without requiring a single email address or piece of personal information in order to download and review them.

As a result, this weekly list has afforded white paper marketers with the opportunity to view actual samples and learn new techniques with the goal of improving the overall quality of today’s commercial white papers.

As part of this weekly list, I have highlighted one white paper that best exemplifies the principles of Short Attention Marketing (S.A.M.), as outlined in my new book: “Crafting White Paper 2.0″. The strategy behind S.A.M. is the addition of a series of visual text and graphic enhancements that grab reader attention to facilitate the delivery of key bottom-line solution advantage messages. By incorporating S.A.M. techniques, business marketers can transform text-heavy white papers into ones that appeal to the growing number of time and attention challenged business readers that have grown accustomed to the short, quick, message methodologies employed by online Social Media sites.

The criteria used to select the best FREE White Papers of 2009 were based on the following factors:

• Arrangement: The white papers had to employ several S.A.M. techniques such as graphics, text elements, design, and formatting that grabbed reader attention.
• Innovation: The selected white papers had to demonstrate unique formatting and design techniques that allowed them to stand out from an otherwise crowded field of plain, text white papers.
• Pithiness: The white papers had to deliver key solution messages within 12 pages to address today’s increasing short attention reading spans.

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1. Title: Transforming Sampling into Shopper Marketing: Walmart’s “Bright Ideas” Event Program

Publication Date: October 2009

Sponsor: In-Store Marketing Institute/Shopper Marketing Magazine

White Paper Pundit Review: This white paper employs several unique S.A.M. elements such as a succinct executive summary on the cover, photos used as business graphics, large and colorful callouts and shaded text boxes. The combination of these elements ensures that readers will grasp key solution messages very quickly and easily.

Download Link: http://tinyurl.com/y9bfksc

Website URL: http://www.shoppermarketingmag.com/

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2. Title: Smart Construction: Economical Building Solutions to Save Time and Money

Publication Date: July 2009

Sponsor: Leopardo Companies, Inc.

White Paper Pundit Review: This white paper adds several interesting design elements that include page-centered photography, a cover summary, graphs and charts, large page headers, and large color coordinated sidebar callouts. Such white papers designs are uncommon in the construction industry and demonstrate a unique approach designed to grab reader attention and reinforce critical solution messaging.

Download Link: http://tinyurl.com/ktqqgw

Website URL: www.leopardo.com

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3. Title: Alpha from Sustainability

Publication Date: December 2009

Sponsor: Sustainable Asset Management

White Paper Pundit Review: This white paper is a good example of the use of consistent colorization that draws attention to key business elements. The paper uses two primary colors (beige and blue) to draw reader attention throughout the document. This technique starts with the cover, proceeds to the callouts, then to the shaded text boxes, and finally to the business graphics. This unique design maintains reader attention throughout the entire white paper.

Download Link URL: http://ow.ly/OWro

Website URL: http://www.sam-group.com/

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4. Title: Multi-channel Service: Enhancing the Customer Experience

Publication Date: December 2009

Sponsor: Parature, Inc.

White Paper Pundit Review: This white paper provides a good example of using primary colors throughout a white paper to showcase key bottom line solution messages. The use of red, orange and yellow is used consistently throughout the various pie charts, callouts, sidebar notes, and page headers that ties the content together. This white paper proves that your design doesn’t have to be complicated to effectively engage your target reader.

Download Link URL: http://bit.ly/6Hnofu

Website URL: http://www.parature.com/

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5. Title: Creating Value: Public Relations and the New Brand Strategy

Publication Date: May 2009

Sponsor: The Council of Public Relations Firms

White Paper Pundit Review: This white paper employs a unique and highly effective integration of photography along with the sidebar callout that draws your attention to key business messages on the same page. Each callout is the first thing noticed on the page, creating interest in the subject matter providing an excellent example of S.A.M. techniques in action.

Download Link URL: http://tinyurl.com/ckpuw8

Website URL: www.prfirms.org

I hope you will continue to follow the Friday FREE White Paper List during 2010 where unique white paper examples will help you learn new techniques that sharpen your white paper marketing skills.

This entry was posted on Sunday, January 3rd, 2010 at 1:04 am and is filed under Design & Format, Social Media, The Free White Paper List, Twitter, WP Examples, WP Opinions, WP Resources, short attention marketing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.