White Paper Planning
Giving your next white paper the best chance of success
The value of white paper planning
Not sure which topic to choose for your next white paper? Want to make sure your white paper generates quality leads and gets you on that vendor's shortlist? You need a white paper plan.
If your white paper doesn’t have an effective plan, you're minimizing the chances of it meeting your marketing goals. Be confident of success by laying a sound foundation.
A white paper plan means white paper success
The key to success for any project—especially a complex one like a white paper—is planning. Planning is accepted practice in almost every business field. Why should content writing be any different?
Think of a white paper plan as a first step. A step that ensures you’ve chosen the right topic and the right format. A step that ensures all your people agree on the white paper’s purpose and know where it fits in your company’s sales cycle from the get-go.
A white paper plan ensures your white paper’s success because it:
- defines clearly the project for both you (the client) and me (the copywriter)
- explains your role in the project and resolves internal debates in the early stages
- helps keep the project on track and avoid common pitfalls (like a change of direction)
- helps the copywriter manage the project much more successfully
A goal without a plan is just a wish.
~Larry Elder
A low-cost, low-risk approach to white papers
As the saying goes, ‘Well begun is half done.’ And that’s why I offer a white paper plan service. A good plan prevents the problems that plague many in-depth writing projects by putting a frame around your project.
It’s also a great way to see what it’s like to work with me. If you’re cautious about using my services for the first time or maybe you’re not experienced in dealing with external writers and/or doing white papers, then a white paper plan is ideal for you.
The fee for a white paper plan is much less than the standard 50% advance charged by almost all copywriters for a white paper. What’s more, once you receive your plan, you are free to engage me, send this plan out for quotes from other writers, or to write the white paper in-house.
And that is why a white paper plan is a low-cost, low-risk approach to developing your first or next white paper.
What’s in a white paper plan?
A white paper plan is a multi-page document that spells out your marketing objectives, identifies the people involved in the project, and confirms the topic, format and content of the white paper. It includes but is not limited to:
To produce the plan, I interview either individually or collectively the key stakeholders in the white paper, such as subject matter experts and reviewers, and I do some light research.
Once I have the necessary information, I set it out in a business-like report, together with my recommendations and a quote for writing the white paper.
Ready to plan your white paper?
Give your white paper the best possible chance of success by asking me to prepare a white paper plan. You can contact me at [email protected] or call me on 360-525-8277.
I've worked with many industries over the years and I have a business background, so I can to get up to speed with unfamiliar companies and products quickly.
Let’s kick-start your white paper!
