-Quick tip: In a problem/solution, cover doing nothing
If you ask B2B salespeople, many will say their toughest competitor is not another company.
It’s the prospect not doing anything.
- They doesn’t make any decision
- They don’t take your solution to their boss
- They dither, delay, make excuses, or stop responding
And your salesperson’s best efforts lead to nothing.
That’s why your white paper has to light a fire under your reader’s posterior.
You must make them uncomfortable enough to move out of their comfort zone and take action.
Here’s how to do this in three steps.
1. In the problem, show them a scary monster
Sketch out how the problem is a hideous monster threatening their company.
A monster that’s costing them time, money, waste, stress, lost sales, unhappy customers, abandoned shopping carts, whatever.
Put a number on that loss. Even if you have to play “is it bigger than a bread box?”
And then, make it personal. Show them how that monster:
- Makes their team look bad
- Makes them miss promotions and bonuses
- Has management wondering about replacing you
This is not the place to “be nice.”
This is the place to show them a terrible monster intent on destroying their company and ruining their life.
2. In the traditional solutions, show how nothing works
When readers finish your problem section, they should fear for their jobs.
The inky darkness should be closing in all around them.
Now introduce all the traditional solutions, all the alternatives other people tried in the past.
And knock all those down without mercy.
Again, this is not the place to use polite corporate-speak.
This is where you stick in the knife. And twist it.
When readers finish your traditional solutions, they should be desperate.
They should feel like they have nowhere to run. And nowhere to hide.
3. At the end, give them a glimpse of your solution
Just when your readers are utterly hopeless, let the dawn break through.
Show them your new and improved solution on the horizon.
Show them how your solution will help them and their team become heroes that slay the beast and save their company.
Hope is restored. All’s right with the world.
As long as they take action right now.
You don’t even have to explain much. You just have to give them a glimpse.
Make them curious enough to find out more.
Conclusions
Follow these three steps, and your problem/solution white papers will be more punchy and more effective.
You may get some objections from sales and marketing people.
“It’s so negative!” they may say. Or “Why do we have to go into all that?”
But you won’t get any complaints from the salespeople whose clients start calling them back, ready to take action.
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