A red hot lead-generating white paper...

In this blog article we'll pick up from where we left off with how to craft a white paper that positions your business as ‘the authority’ and gets qualified prospects to ‘put their hand up’.  If you have not done so already, it might be an idea to read the first blog entry and second blog entry I have done in this series.

Example 3#: A white paper for the ages

As a business owner you'll no doubt identify with the white paper title and content we created for Sheridans Accountants and Financial Planners.  More specifically, the principal of Sheridans created the content. Our task was to help mould it into a ‘marketing tool’.

As you’ll see, the white paper asks the questions business owners are thinking, and gives simple solutions to those questions.  Each of these solutions is then supported with case studies and statistics taken straight from their client files.

Importantly too, the white paper provokes the prospect into thinking about different ways they can increase their profit, grow their business and build their asset base. Or to put that another way, to quantify the things they’re MISSING OUT ON now.

And of course the solutions eloquently showcase Sheridans' unique service and standards WITHOUT being ‘salesy’.

Being able to highlight your strengths through the medium of asking the right questions is a very powerful skill in creating a white paper.

However, a word of warning.  Remember, the white paper must not look like a brochure for your business.  The white paper must be a document designed to be genuinely informative, not simply to try to sell your services.  It is best to imply the wisdom of using your services through your case studies to demonstrate how you do business.  That said, your white paper must still have a call to action at the very end.

In my next blog entry in this series we'll look at one final white paper that netted 374 leads (and counting!).  Make sure you sign up above to ensure you receive all entries in this series.

Could this get you a truckload of quality leads?

Would you like to know about just one idea for your business that has delivered a truckload of qualified leads for our clients, and for our own business? 

Well, over the coming blog articles, I'm going to let you in on just such a powerful strategy.  Especially as it can deliver those leads for less than two dollars a lead.

If executed correctly, this strategy will almost certainly deliver you a stream of high-quality pre-educated prospects - no matter what industry you apply it to.  In fact, it could be the most powerful lead-generating strategy you ever implement.

Best of all, it dovetails nicely into the promotional channels you are already using, online and offline.

What is this strategy?  Well, you may have heard me refer to this before.  It is called 'packaged information'.  More specifically, a 'special report' or 'white paper' that you promote out in the marketplace. 

By the way, don’t be put off by the term ‘white paper’.  It sounds a bit pretentious but it is a pretty good description of the function for this document, so let’s go with that.

What a white paper is, and what is it NOT...

Essentially, your white paper will be a document that presents valuable information that you’ve created and collated.  It ‘educates’ your prospective client or customer on how to address and solve a problem or series of problems they are facing.  Often though, it must start with educating the prospect that they even HAVE a problem.

(That’s why there’s such a huge untapped potential here!  Most businesses fail to tap into the market of individuals who could and would use their product or service.  But don’t because they don’t yet KNOW they need it.)

The next logical step for the white paper is then to demonstrate the solutions you can bring to the table, with subtle proof statements and case studies woven throughout. 

Bear in mind the caveat here.  The white paper must not try to directly 'sell'.   A white paper is not an ‘ad’ for you.  It is not a thinly veiled ‘spiel’ about your services. It is NOT a company brochure or a trumpet-blowing exercise.  Again, this is where most business fail in their marketing.  They try to SELL more than educate.


Specifically, the white paper’s objective is to:

• get qualified prospects to put up their hand, flagging their interest in finding out more about the ‘problem’ they may have.  
• educate your prospect through examples, case studies and logical argument to the solutions.
• through those case studies and examples, to subtly position you as an 'authority' in your field with the track record to deliver the solutions.
• and MOST importantly for your marketing success, it opens up a dialogue with the prospect.  And in doing so, gives you permission to talk with them in a collaborative way.  That permission, as opposed to trying to SELL to them, is priceless as you’ll discover. 

If this sounds a bit ‘theoretical’ so far, then hang in there for the next blog entry.   Next time we'll look at some real life examples of white papers, including our own that has generated 371 qualified lead enquiries for Results Corporation.  In short, we’ll start unpacking the secrets to how you can harness the huge lead pulling power of a white paper in your business.

Make sure you sign up to Chris Newton's Strategy Brief Marketing Course (in the top right), to receive the complete series on white papers.

For two great examples of white papers click here.