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Help On Writing A White Paper
Posted By: nadia* on 10/1/2004 12:54 PM (CST) 250 Points
I am responsible for all of the marketing for a medium size printing company. We print many point-of-purchase displays, in-store signage, direct mail,and such for advertising firms and other major companies. It has been very difficult differentiating ourselves from the competition--often times offering printing services is like a commodity. I wanted to create white papers in addition to the brochures we have. But, I'm having trouble on exactly what to write about without it being what kinds of equipment we have and so forth. PLEASE--can anybody offer any advise?!?

Posted by: kk+* Accepted Answer
10/1/2004 1:01 PM (CST)
Cool question Nadia. This is something I've been thinking about for a while.

You're right, commercial offset printing is a commodity.

You're right again, we don't want to hear about your Heidelber10000 or whatever.

The only way to differentiate yourself (other than on price which is terrible) is by personality and relationships. Why would I WANT to work with you. Ya know?

Establish relationships with creatives is my opinion on what you should do. Educate them. Send them hot new samples from the paper companies you work with.

If you want to right white papers, make them on the topic of cool print techniques... hexacolor, spot colors and varnishes, embossing techniques, stuff like that.

Print complex high end promo pieces and then teach the designers how to design the same effects for their clients. This is the high-margin work for you guys anyway, right?

When I was just starting out in my career... a couple printers really took me under their wing, coaching me, giving me great samples and ideas, educating me. I'm still extremely loyal to these guys and have been sending them work now for almost 10 years.

Hope this helps and I'm excited to hear other folks thoughts on this topic.

kk+
 
Posted by: Lois* Accepted Answer
10/1/2004 1:04 PM (CST)
Nadia,

To make your white papers useful to your customers, focus on how you can HELP them. What kind of information do they need to have to make a good decision? Here are a few ideas:

How can a printer save you money
What to look for in a good printer
How the printing process works
Printing in a digital age
How to take good photos
What makes a good photo or graphic
 
Posted by: et3dotcom* Accepted Answer
10/1/2004 1:08 PM (CST)
Ask your customers why they use your service. Ask your competitors customers why they use your competitor. Ask new customers why they switched; ask old ones why they are loyal. Use the answers as the basis for your paper . Ask for testimonials, ask for endorsements. Ask if any of your customers would benefit by exposing their product/service to your prospects.

Partner with some of your best consumers to:

*Write the paper so you all look good,

*To share the cost of getting your message out,

*To broaden the appeal and level of understanding of what sets your company apart from the others.

daryl
 
Posted by: nadia* Author Response
10/1/2004 2:19 PM (CST)
kk+,

Thank you for your response.

We do many mailings to prospects that include samples of unique direct mail formats and such, but still there are so many other printers that have in-line finishing capabilities that can produce the same things. It seems like we aren't bringing in any more business that way.

I agree, it is all about the relationships, but when our salesmen cannot get past voicemail and the prospects don't return phone calls--it is very difficult to begin a relationship.

We created a wonderful brochure for our web-offset division that is basically a primer on web offset in-line finishing, showing case studies of different formats that is extremely educational. So, if I focused on that for the white papers it might be a bit repetitive.

Probably should've given that information in my question. Appreciate your response though.
 
Posted by: nadia* Author Response
10/1/2004 2:24 PM (CST)
Lois and et3dotcom,

Thank you for your suggestions, I really appreciate them!
 
Posted by: Peter (henna gaijin) Accepted Answer
10/1/2004 4:28 PM (CST)
White papers are meant to provide some technical information which assists your industry (they are not specifically marketing pieces). Perhaps you can provide some technical information about an area of printing that confuses people? Something like when and why they'd want to use a certain stock over another.
 
Posted by: mgoodman Accepted Answer
10/1/2004 10:00 PM (CST)
nadia,

Try looking at the white paper content from the prospect's point of view. What do they need to know to make a decision? Don't try too hard to sell what you have. Take the other approach: provide information about what the customer needs and why.

If you don't know, talk to your customers and some hot prospects. Ask them how they make a decision to go with one printer over another. Then deal with those issues in your white paper.

Not only will customers appreciate the help, but you'll get points (for your company) for being helpful and not overly competitive/parochial.
 
Posted by: mgoodman Accepted Answer
10/1/2004 10:06 PM (CST)
An afterthought that will probably ring true to many on this forum: There is no such thing as a commodity. It's a mindset, usually on the part of a manufacturer who isn't into marketing strategy, or a purchasing agent whose job it is to get everything for the lowest possible price.

I once had to develop a marketing plan for titanium dioxide (TiO2). That's about as commodity as you can get. Yet we were able to differentiate the client's TiO2 from everyone else's -- and increase sales/share by almost 20%!

I have several other war stories about how we took commodities and differentiated them. "Commodity-ness" is not something in the product. It's in your head.

Don't let anyone tell you that your product/service is a commodity. That belief is the kiss of death for a professional marketer.
 
Posted by: tjh Accepted Answer
10/2/2004 1:07 PM (CST)
"I agree, it is all about the relationships, but when our salesmen cannot get past voicemail and the prospects don't return phone calls--it is very difficult to begin a relationship."

These is a key problem needing solving. Either by importing a sales trainer specializing in B2B, "get past the gatekeeper" sales techniques, etc, or hiring better salespeople. It is a major salesmanship skill, and if "all" your salespeople suffer this malady, not even brilliant white papers can save you.

Meanwhile, mgoodman's prior comments about commodity repositioning is right where you need to focus much of your efforts.

Here are some possibly useful links:

http://www.virtualstrategist.net/issue2/2-7-1.html

Here are a group of articles here on MarketingProfs that go to the heart of the matter:

http://tinyurl.com/65v4e

Discovering, designing and testing new ways to repackage, rename, or reposition your products / services is the key to the kingdom.

Have some fun!
 
Posted by: LittleWhacky Accepted Answer
10/3/2004 7:38 AM (CST)
Hi Nadia

The others have offered some excellent advice here, but all the same I thought I would add in my two cents' worth!

It's really just a case of moving your thinking one stage beyond where it is now, I suspect. You know, that old cliché about thinking outside the box.

By that I mean, don't write white papers about printing.

I mean write white papers about what good quality print can do for your customers.

I know there's a risk here that you're promoting all your competitors' printing as well as your own. However strong-but-subtle branding in the white paper should overcome that one.

Study your customer base very intently. How do they split up ... end-user businesses? ... third parties like ad agencies, design businesses etc? ... direct consumers?

You'd need to write a series of WPs aimed at the key sectors of your customer base.

End-user businesses could have one on the tactile/emotional advantages of print communications vs online/onscreen. (Let me know if you want to do something on that - Ecademy Writers did a think-tank on that issue recently and we'll be posting our conclusions on the site soon - go http://www.ecademy.com/module.php?mod=club&c=110 ...)

Third party agencies could have a WP on the profitablity of print material and the most effective ways to incorporate it into client media plans, how it dovetails with online comms, etc.

Direct consumers could have one on how to use printed stationery for social purposes, etiquette about invitations, greeting cards, whatever. If personal stationery is a significant part of your business you could even do WPs on how to select and commission wedding stationery, etc. Those would get you some good PR in your neighbourhood too.

Talking of PR, if you do write these WPs in the way I suggest I think they will attract more attention from relevant media, if only because they will have a wider appeal than the purely printing oriented variety.

Give me an e-shout if you want me to ramble on further about this.

All the best

SUZE
 
Posted by: psimone Accepted Answer
10/3/2004 3:26 PM (CST)
Hi Nadia -

Lots of good advice streaming in which should get your creative juices flowing. Still, wanted to add my thoughts on the subject.

Believe all outreach should be in that "outside-the-box" mentality, within a "structured" environement that first evaluates who your customers are, then adjusts your outreach to speak to their particular needs.

Next - instead of just talking about the new stuff you can do in any white papers (printing-process wise) or the great products or services you can deliver, create an informative piece that gives the basic info, while showing your prospective client the finished product.

Disseminate a product of the month e-mail newsletter, and back it up with the actual piece mailed to the decision maker, using non-standard packaging.

The critical follow-up should come in a timely fashion through your educated sales force.

Last but not least - it's been my experience that if you've done your homework well, your continued, paced, creative outreach will make a dent in your prospect's radar screen, mostly because many people do one, maybe two tries, and then give up on the prospect.

Another must: all sectors - email outreach. mailings, sales follow up - must compliment one another seamlessly. Creating comfort and sustaining belief in your knowledge base and products, will produce new clients .... in time.

And that's the last key to this. While we'd all like a fast close, I've found it best to respect my client's timetable, and not get too caught up in my own. In the long run the turtle outpaces the hare.

If you'd care to discuss this more, please e/m me.

ps
 
Posted by: Michal* Accepted Answer
10/4/2004 12:36 AM (CST)
Hi Nadia,

Few months before I was assigned to developing ideas aimed at differentiating a printers holding in Sri Lanka. The client didn't go for the project though he used some of the ideas... (well, it happens)..

You've got really good inputs from members and I'd like to add my 2 cents as well, but I'm not going to talk directly on white-paper issues.

kk+ mentioned idea I was also using in my project. I tried to find a solution to differentiate that printers company from others - and answer I've found was: to change the look this company has, not just as a company that prints, but as company that captures and presents art. (that's quite a shortcut but I hope u understand me). So I created an event to tie up with previous clients that left the company, existing and new clients, showing printers job not only as procedure but something having an art in it. Consider going for a exibition that presents things you've printed in an art way (printouts in frames, info on process used, paper, client, etc.). Make different groups of printed art, invite creatives, display printing process, show any awards you've got. Make it a real art captured and printed in a modern, fancy way- as with regards to people that created the art, and you as company that has printed it. Publish some sort of magazine, make an opening evening of the exhibition - there are many things you can do. And go for media sponsorship as you would really made a great exhibition. Across the whole thing display your company as a printers that do their work with heart in it.
Hope this helps
Michal
 
Posted by: nadia* Author Response
10/4/2004 10:54 AM (CST)
Thank you to everyone for giving me some really useful insight on this matter.
 
Posted by: ahelsel* Member Response
11/23/2004 1:53 PM (CST)
Nadia,
As I read over all the great suggestions, you have a lot of choices.
I am a past printer and sales manager of an expensive four color printer who sold out of town to ad agencies who wanted to see every job on press and we were 2 hours from them. I might add we did not have any equipment that was better or faster than the LOCAL printers had and we were the most expensive. The territory I sold in had no accounts when I started. It became the largest in sales and profit.

I am now a consultant in the printing industry. When writing your white paper, don't sell. Don't look like a printer. You are a consultant showing customers how they can....get more business, look better, feel better and most of all, become a trusted friend. Write a paper on how to choose a printer. keep yourself as "third party" as possible. Hope this helps!
 
Posted by: bugmenot* Member Response
12/9/2004 11:35 AM (CST)
This is great course on writing white papers, it'll cost you, but it's very effective.

http://perrymarshall.com/cmd.php?pg=190861&u=perrymarshall.com/whitepapers
 
Posted by: gzenker* Member Response
12/20/2004 11:19 AM (CST)
White paper? What is the real goal you are attempting to achieve? I mean, a white paper on printing may be a great resource but it won;t grab you business. Write to me at gzenker@ffbonline.com. I have some other ideas for you
 


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