Question

Topic: Copywriting

Whitepaper Development

Posted by Anonymous on 8/6/2008 at 4:38 PM ET 50 Points
I'd like to develop two whitepapers to offer visitors of our website and for use in email campaigns.

I'd like to avoid a self-serving tone and offer real value and education for those who choose to read it.

Can anyone suggest a firm that you've personally used that delivered similar results?

Thank you,


-Terry
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by kevin.shoesmith on 8/6/2008 at 5:51 PM Member
    I am a freelance writer who would be more than eager to draft pertinent and compelling white papers for your organization.

    Please contact me if you would like more information on how I can assist you -- at a very cost-effective price.

    Kevin
  • Posted by Inbox_Interactive on 8/6/2008 at 9:42 PM Accepted
    Looks like you're on your way to getting some help, Terry.

    One thing, though...don't be shy about making that white paper a marketing document. It's great that the content will provide value, but it's also understood that you're not issuing a white paper for solely altruistic reasons.

    You can find a way to wrap the valuable content in marketing so that the white paper--on a stand-alone basis for whoever is reading it--serves to communicate your company's services and value proposition, along with calls to action and prominent contact information.

  • Posted on 8/7/2008 at 12:09 PM Author
    Inbox_Interactive,

    I understand your point. Our marketplace is cluttered with firms that take approaches ranging from similar to quite different, and yet, despite all of our best efforts, we often end up sounding the same.

    I've tried to stay ahead of the curve, sold value, differentiated the best I could, but the result is always the same; everyone catches up.

    My efforts are now directed at differentiating our company, rather than our services. There's no doubt in my mind that we are the best at what we do. My goal is to relate that to our customers through thought leadership and brand image.

    As magnanimous as I'd like to think I am, the purpose of these whitepapers are not entirely altruistic. They will be outward facing example of our expertise and abilities, and a refreshing break from obvious self serving sales materials.

    Additionally, we don't play well in a PPC or SEO paradigm. Our web traffic is driven there through targeted outbound calling campaigns and resulting business discussions. The event of someone stumbling on our whitepapers that hasn't been escorted there is quite slim.

    I hope this gives a broader view of my needs. Again, should someone have embarked on a similar endeavor, I'd appreciate a referral.
  • Posted by steven.alker on 8/11/2008 at 2:21 PM Member
    Dear Terry

    Can I present the alternative perspective? We write white papers of such mind-boggling obscurity that the reader feels elucidated, illuminated, educated and desperate to buy something or other despite not understanding a word which they have read.

    Naturally we don’t offer any of that for sale, but it keeps them coming back for more in the hope that next time round, they will have become hip, cool or edgy enough to understand something of our output.

    It’s called “Using the English Class System to Sell Things”


    Steve Alker




  • Posted on 8/12/2008 at 10:44 AM Author
    I'm guessing it's time to close this question...
  • Posted on 8/12/2008 at 4:06 PM Author
    Thanks everyone for contributing. Honestly, I was hoping for a referral rather than a sales pitch.

    I’m not sure the sales pitches I did receive were necessarily in line with what I was looking for…(I’d like to view a website, maybe see who works there, examples...nothing out of the ordinary), but you’re welcome to try and change my mind.

    Thanks again…

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