The #1 mistake B2B copywriters make
What’s the #1 mistake B2B copywriters make? How can they avoid this mistake or fix it? We asked eight accomplished copywriters these questions. Here’s what they told us. Mistake #1: Not learning the craft “A common mistake? Hanging out their shingles too soon,” says Gordon Graham, also known as That White Paper Guy. “Lots of beginners…
Read MoreThe #1 mistake B2B content marketers make
What’s the #1 mistake that B2B content marketers make? We put this question to our expert panel of B2B content consultants. Here’s what they told us. Tip #1: Use sales copy to promote content Steve Slaunwhite is a marketing consultant and veteran B2B copywriter who’s written many books about writing and marketing. He says the #1 mistake B2B content…
Read MoreWhite paper writer tip #3: Plan your work
Remember the old chestnut to “plan your work, and work your plan?” That certainly applies to white paper writers. Why? Just consider most other professions. Does a surgeon go into the operating room—without reviewing the patient’s chart? Does a golfer tee up his first drive in the U.S. Open—without playing a few rounds on the…
Read MoreHow white paper writers can use high-priced sources
To be an effective white paper writer, you must find good sources to back up your argument. But what if you locate what seems like a great source, but you can’t afford to access it? What if you find a market study with a price tag of $4,995? Or a promising article you can’t download without subscribing to an…
Read More3 lessons tech writers must unlearn to write white papers
Here’s my message to tech writers: You can write great white papers. If you’ve done any technical writing, you’ve probably seen a few white papers in your time. You may have reviewed a few of them. You may even have written them yourself. As a tech writer, you already have many skills you can apply…
Read More3 lessons journalists must unlearn to write white papers
If you’ve ever worked as a journalist, you can likely write effective white papers. As a journalist, you already have many skills you can apply to writing white papers. You can write crisply and clearly. You know how to tell a story using facts and quotes. And you can meet deadlines and work with editors…
Read More4 lessons copywriters must unlearn to write white papers
Copywriters can definitely write effective white papers. You just need to unlearn a few things first. As a copywriter, you already have many skills you can apply to writing white papers. You likely know how to: Do research Interview experts Write smoothly Meet short deadlines Handle reviews and comments To succeed at writing white papers, you…
Read MoreCopywriting vs content writing
Here’s a question I got recently: Is copywriting any different from content writing? That’s a great question. Here’s my answer, some lively comments, and an update I posted after thinking about this some more. I was fortunate to learn my craft while writing for traditional magazines. From 1985 to today, I’ve written close to 1,000 magazine…
Read MoreA look back at 2015 | That White Paper Guy
We covered a lot this year in our quest to help you create compelling white papers. To give you a quick review, we’re highlighting the best of the bunch. That White Paper Guy’s website We’ve been sharing articles every two weeks on our website, www.thatwhitepaperguy.com. We’ve found you love to see real-world examples from our portfolio,…
Read MoreHow to repurpose a white paper by creating tweets
Here’s how to repurpose a white paper by creating tweets from the actual document. This is part 6 of our ongoing series on how to repurpose a white paper. You can find links to the first 5 parts of our series at the end of this article. We don’t think of social media as “content.” Rather, it’s a…
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