white papers and copywriting

Just go for it.

I've seen a couple of your posts, and, from my extrapolation, your copywriting credentials are more than enough.

Of course with everything there is a learning curve, and the more you write in such a pattern the better you will become.

As the other posters have said, if you have experience as a copywriter, you should have no problem writing up those white paper products.

I don't think you need the course to start. Perhaps it's something to consider later, after you've worked on white paper products a while and you want another perspective.

So just go for it!

-Danielle Lynn

I can't think of an instance when I've been contracted to write a white paper as a stand-alone project. I know there are writers who specialize in white papers, you might try Googling it.

Typically, a white paper becomes part of the client's overall marketing project, and I include it in my quote. A typical white paper will run 5 - 10 pages in length.

White papers are usually used as educational or positioning tools for the business. What this means to you, as a writer, is that if you don't already know your client's business, a white paper can also be a time-consuming project.

Also, a significant diference between a white paper and sales copy is that a white paper is very much a 'soft-sell' approach, with a much higher information to pitch ratio than sales copy.

A B2B white paper will have:

- A catchy title, maybe with a subhead or two
- An executive overview with a summary of what the white paper will cover (1 page or less)
- Introduction of the problem
- Explanation of the solution and how it works
- Supporting evidence for why the solution works (research cites, data proof, industry stats, etc)
- Description of implementing the solution and the benefits gained (often use case studies for this)
- Summary of the paper, and the next steps the reader should take (the Call to Action)

White papers used in the B2C market are more often a document along the lines of a 'Special Report'.

Google "white paper" in the industries you want to write for, and you are sure to turn up some examples you can swipe as a model framework.

I think that it's difficult to write a killer copywriting for a non-experience writer. Why do anybody organize e-training ?

Colette has excellent points, and pretty much nails it.

One small addition. I would refer to it as "consultative selling" or long cycle sales approach.

If a white paper reads just like copy, it will get trash-canned. Instantly. Desktop "virtual" trash can or the physical variety.

Not so much something new for the seasoned copywriter, but more to the general audience reading this thread. White papers are more a marketing driven approach than the common sales driven copywriting.

Yet just like copy, you can test, refine and roll out.

A white paper would differ from the hard sell approach in using a lot more proof and information than the traditional copy approach. For example, one good way is a set of case histories. These serve the same gemeral purpose (but differ substantially) as a testimonial would.

What's nice about white papers is you can identify interested people within the organization willing to do some leg work for you -- if you help them first.

Okay so how does that work? If your target is an IT department, constantly getting projects shot down, one thing they'll want is for a white paper to outline the process to get implementing your product (or whatever) green lit.

Their objection will be "I can't get my managment to approve X, and now you come to me with Y and Z?" The white paper must show how Y and Z will get them X. No earth shaking revelation there.

For a typical sales approach, you'd do a two-step or three-step to line up an appointment with a sales guy. The white paper sets up the meeting with a consultative sales person, usually working either with/as an applications chemist or systems developer. They may meet several times before a sale results.

I am familiar with a trade journal bingo card > information packet > phone call > consultation sequence.

Many times a big ticket sale with custom configuration involved.

Too many white papers are techincal solutions scouring the landscape in search of a genuine problem someone cares about solving. A marketing driven approach can really help.