Quick Tips
Quick tip: To find the gem, wash away the muck
One problem I often see in white papers is over-long quotes from sources. Lengthy quotes can easily slow down your narrative and distract from the point you’re trying to make. If you see a quote that runs two or three paragraphs long, you can be pretty sure the writer included too much. Your goal as…
Read MoreQuick tip: 6 easy hacks for ChatGPT [with sample prompts]
After using ChatGPT for a time, we all tend to learn a few hacks that give better results. So here’s a quick roundup of six easy ways to pump up your prompts. The first three are commonplace tips you may have heard before. The last three are strange “emotional engineering” tips to push the AI…
Read MoreQuick tip: Don’t use numbers out of context
White papers need solid proof to make their case. So please don’t fabricate shoddy statistics out of thin air. If you try to make up a snappy-sounding statistic, you’re taking a huge risk. You’re gambling that: You can get away with deceiving prospects No one will question your sources or analysis No one will say…
Read MoreQuick tip: Don’t start your white paper like this
Too many white papers suffer from what I call “throat-clearing.” That’s when a paper begins by repeating something the audience already knows. Consider this example from a white paper from HP: Rapid innovations in Internet and mobile computing technology are drawing many communications, media, and entertainment (ME) companies to expand into profitable new markets to…
Read MoreQuick tip: Cook up your titles like lasagna
A mouth-watering serving of lasagna contains three essential ingredients. And so does my favorite format for a white paper title. For lasagna, those three key parts are: Melted cheese topping that catches the eye. Rich sauce that forms the main body. Noodles that lay the foundation of the dish. Miss out on any one, and…
Read MoreQuick tip: Check quotes from your sources
When you quote someone, make sure to get their quote right. This is especially important if they’re an ongoing source you want to go back to again. Remember, most business people are not used to being quoted. They’re not spokespeople. They’re not celebrities. So they’re unsure about the process. To reassure a source, here are…
Read MoreQuick tip: Build your own list of sources
Here’s how to save time researching your next white paper. Build your own list of sources you trust, and go to them for insights. I’ve said this before: Don’t start with Google. Now I’m doubling down on that advice. Develop your own list of trusted sources. Don’t rely on Google to find them. This works especially…
Read MoreQuick tip: Do footnotes the Chicago way
So you’re writing a white paper with lots of sources. So you’re writing a white paper with lots of sources. Way to go on doing your research! Now you need footnotes (or endnotes) to cite those sources. But how do you format the pesky things? Just stick in URLs and call it done? Well, I’ve…
Read MoreQuick tip: Format white papers for the screen, not the page
I’ve seen figures saying 90% of all white papers are viewed on-screen. Yet too many white papers are still formatted like printed books: Long paragraphs of text Skimpy white space Few visual breaks Lots of extra pages at the start Making a white paper like a mini-book is NOT the way to reach busy prospects.…
Read MoreQuick Tip: Using multiple calls-to-action
You’ve heard the classic advice: Use a single call-to-action. Make it crystal clear what an interested prospect should do. But what if you have multiple audiences for the same white paper? What if one call-to-action isn’t enough? There’s a simple way to handle that: Just specify a different call-to-action for each segment of the audience.…
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