White Paper Research
7 ways to organize your white paper research
I often say that a white paper writer should “think like a lawyer.” That means building a mountain of research to back up your case. But then, a lawyer has to be able to access it efficiently. They need to keep all the evidence at their fingertips, so they can pluck out exactly the right piece at…
Read MoreWho do you trust for a white paper source?
White paper writers often ask me, “What makes a good source?” Especially in an era of “fake news” and “alternative facts”?! Deliberate falsehoods are spread by many sources today. Those include social media chatbots, agents of foreign governments, clickbait creators, conspiracy theorists—not to mention vendors lying about their products. With all this misinformation, a recent…
Read MoreTips on white paper sources
When you search for white paper sources, any company can claim they’re the best. But finding the evidence to prove that can be tough. Doing research to turn up the right nuggets of proof gives your white paper more authority. Strong evidence strengthens your claims and proves that your white paper is more than one…
Read MoreIs it bigger than a breadbox?
Have you ever interviewed a someone who says they have “no metrics” for your case study? Perhaps your source never had to justify their purchase, so they didn’t keep any formal metrics. That means they have no numbers to show how much your offering helped with their business problems… and no numbers you can use in…
Read MoreHow writing a white paper is like attending a dinner party
Imagine you’re invited to a dinner party with your boss. Think of your current white paper client as “your boss.” You arrive late, make a quick apology and take your seat. The others are already engaged in a deep discussion that sounds interesting and important. You think, “I need to say something impressive soon. After all,…
Read MoreTell the truth! Show your white paper sources
When you finish a white paper, what’s next? If you’re like most writers, you send in your invoice, and then take the rest of the day off. But haven’t you forgotten something? What about sending your client all the sources you referenced in your white paper? How about backing up all those claims in your argument with…
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 More10 ways to be a good SME
This article from guest contributor Janice King offers a new perspective on how to create high-quality marketing materials by putting together a subject matter expert and a writer. Keep these tips in mind if you provide subject knowledge or share a writer with the engineers and other experts in your company. Have you ever been a SME? As…
Read MoreTips on interviewing executives
So you need to interview someone important for your white paper. They could be the founder of the company or the lead engineer on the project. The point is, executives are busy… and you don’t want to waste their time or sound like a noob when you speak with them. Before you panic, remember that interviewing…
Read MoreHow to record white paper interviews
I always thought I took great notes. After all, I worked for years as a journalist. But the first time I recorded an interview, I was humbled: My notes were all over the place?! Oh, I would catch the speaker’s meaning. And no one ever accused me of misquoting them. But when I compared my notes with…
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