C-level decision makers in today's hyper-competitive, lean-and-mean business environment can't afford to delegate critical business decisions to lower-level department managers. These executives are directly involved, especially when decisions require significant financial commitments.

They need clear, concise information and proof of real business benefits. And, they want it now – not tomorrow or next week.

White papers work; here are the facts:

• According to the annual 2008 TechTarget Benchmark Report on Media consumption among IT buyers entitled "Perception Versus Reality of the IT Pro and IT Marketer", white papers are the first choice for evaluating a solution: The white paper still sits at the top for evaluations with 59% of respondents to their survey indicating that they rely on white papers more than newsletters (51.8%), trials (46.2%), product literature (40.7%), articles (38%), webcasts (47.7%), case studies (25.7%), podcasts (9.3%) and virtual trade shows (8.4%). In addition, the report indicates that buyers consume more white papers than any other type of media with 52% that read 5 or more white papers in an average three month time span.
  
  
• This same report showed that among both IT Buyers and Marketers, white papers are the most frequently downloaded media type, have been most utilized to evaluate new technology, and have been most effective in delivering superior ROI:

  Source: TechTarget.com 2008

  
  
• A March 2007 Knowledge Storm/MarketingSherpa survey, of nearly 4,000 business-to-business marketers and technology and business professionals found that 75% of technology-industry marketers use white papers in their marketing mix, 71% of technology buyers regularly read white papers before making a purchase decision and 57% of buyers pass white papers along to colleagues.

• A survey conducted by enteprise solution provider, Arbor Networks, determined that white papers were the most effective medium for generating leads. The vendor tracked the percent of leads that were received across all advertising media over the course of one year. The case study showed that White Paper offers (49%) were almost twice as effective as the next two media implemented, Banner Ads (25%) and E-mail newsletter sponsorships (21%). Print ads garnered only a 1% lead return.

• A study by web marketer RainToday revealed that 74 percent of professional services companies ranked white papers as an excellent source of lead generation. In addition, the study indicated that white papers are one of the top two marketing strategies businesses plan on implementing within the next two years.

• Leading technology news provider, TMCnet, published an article entitled "Internet Lead Generation Tops Marketing Initiatives in 2007", which stipulated that one of the strongest ways to achieve online branding and lead generation success is through the use of white papers. According to TMC Vice President, Kevin Noonan, "Fifty solid white paper leads versus 1,000 pay-per-clicks for example have a greater value for the money. White papers not only generate absolute results but also gives the company a better perception of the potential buyers. White papers are seen as an authority to turn to for solutions instead of merely being seen as a sales pitch."

• According to statistics compiled by website eMarketer.com, corporate decision makers rely on white papers for product information. White papers are the second most-consulted source of information; employee phone directories are first. Market analysis is a distant 10th.

• Bitpipe.com, one of the leading white paper reference sites on the Internet, discovered in its 2005 IT Marketing Trends Study that the overwhelming majority of technology marketing professionals - an astounding 85 percent - acknowledge that white papers are an important source of lead generation.

• In another study, MarketingSherpa.com reported that IT buyers rely heavily on white papers to help them do a better job: 79% of respondents said they read white papers to learn something new about technology relevant to their job; 73% said that they weigh white papers as "extremely valuable" or "very valuable" for keeping up-to-date on the latest technology trends; and 62% said they use white papers to obtain information to help with actual implementations. 36% of total white paper downloads were passed on to another supervisor within their enterprise. These decision makers also indicated that white papers influenced at least one buying decision in the past 12 months.

An effective white paper is more than text.
That's why you need a resource that understands how decision makers scan a piece and assimilate information, and what will motivate your readers to take action. You also need a resource that will help you get your message out to prospects and customers with speed. We focus on organizing your information in a way that leads the reader to scan effortlessly from section to section. Appropriate use of text formatting and applicable supporting graphics engage readers and keep their attention. We also take care to keep papers to a concise length – enough to present the information in detail, without making it boring or overwhelming.

In addition, our proven FastDraft™ methodology ensures quick turnaround, so your white papers make it into the hands of your audience while the messages are still fresh.

If your white papers are hard to understand and the information is stale, it's unlikely that a decision maker will be motivated to pick up the phone or send you an e-mail to request more information. In the end, isn't that what a white paper is supposed to do?

The Appum Group knows white papers.
A business white paper is not meant to be a flashy marketing piece; neither is it a technical tome.

Good white papers illustrate common business pains and problems your audiences encounter: they inform and educate readers on possible solutions to their business problems and motivate them to consider using your company's product or service to solve those problems.

Let the Appum Group help you turn your white papers into marketing power tools – contact us today for more information.