Skip to content

Do it right: Get a White Paper Blueprint

a blueprint becoming a frame becoming a finished kitchen to signify a white paper blueprint

Would you build a house with no blueprints? Of course not. Would you introduce a new product with no launch plan? Never. Then why should a white paper be any different? But far too often, white papers are started with next-to-no plan. A typical white paper scenario Someone says, “Let’s do a white paper!” And…

Read More

White papers and… letters to Santa?!

Santa Claus reading letters from children

Do you know anyone writing a letter to Santa? I always urge my kids to write one early in December. And that got me wondering: Is a ‘Dear Santa’ letter anything like a white paper? In the spirit of the holidays, here’s a lighthearted look at the similarities between the two… with tips on white…

Read More

How to understand your white paper’s audience

Comedians know it. Politicians know it. And white paper writers must know it, too: The first key to success is to understand your audience. “Understanding your audience will help you write the content they need in the words and the way they need it,” says industry veteran Ginny Redish in her excellent book, Letting Go…

Read More

White papers versus e-books

seesaw showing ebooks and white papers

So a client asked me to write an e-book. Before I started, I searched high and low for guidance on what makes a good e-book: How long should they be? How many graphics should they contain? Landscape or portrait format? Any other distinguishing characteristics? Unfortunately, it sounds like an “e-book” can be just about any…

Read More

Repurposing: Your secret marketing weapon

I’ve worked on white papers, and I have a secret: Less than 1% of those white papers was ever repurposed. Only a tiny handful of my clients, large and small, ever thought about repurposing. And only when I mentioned it. A secret weapon for marketing That means repurposing can be a secret weapon for any B2B marketing…

Read More

How to pick the perfect flavor for your next white paper

cover How to Pick the Prefect Flavor for Your Next White Paper

How many flavors of white papers are there? Most “white paper experts” list 8 or 10 types of white papers. When I first started in white papers, I used to agree. But after working on of these documents, I’ve made a startling discovery. There are really only three main flavors of white paper. That’s right:…

Read More

White papers and… George Carlin?

George Carlin was the last person you’d expect to have anything to say about white papers. The trail-blazing American comic was better known for his profane and cutting social criticism.  But I’ve discovered a strong link between one of the comic’s lifelong preoccupations and B2B content writing. Who was George Carlin? Any Baby Boomer likely…

Read More

White papers and… the polar vortex?!

photo of Niagara Falls frozen by polar vortex

If you live in the Midwest, the Pacific Northwest or Canada, in 2018-19 you probably experienced a tough winter. Snow fell like crazy and the temperatures plummeted. Cars didn’t start, flights and trains were cancelled, meetings were postponed. Even mail wasn’t delivered in some places. Niagara Falls froze over, as shown above. That’s rare. And…

Read More

White papers and… renovating a bathroom?!

Bathroom renovation mess

Have you ever renovated a bathroom? I’m not talking about a new shower curtain.  I’m talking about a rip-and-replace.  That means tearing out everything down to the studs, hacking out the old plumbing, ripping up the old wiring; redoing the ceiling, walls, and floor; replacing the vanity, tub, toilet…  And I’m in the middle of…

Read More