In the world of one-minute reads and five-minute podcasts, there is still a place for the high-quality, durable content provided in white papers.
White papers are authoritative deep-dive reports intended to educate the reader. They often include research and data summaries, and their tone tends to be more formal than that of a blog post.
White papers are a powerful marketing tool for a number of reasons:
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They instantly boost the creator’s credibility as a trusted authority on the subject matter covered.
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They create additional marketing opportunities, including speaking engagements and conversations with clients, prospects and the media.
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They are a durable marketing tool because a well-researched, well-written white paper can enjoy a long shelf life.
Lawyers are particularly suited to producing white papers given their penchant for writing long, formal documents. But not many make the effort. That said, building a library of white papers that serves as a resource for your clients and prospects is an opportunity for you to differentiate yourself and generate more business.
What should you write about?
General counsel repeatedly say that they want to work with lawyers who really understand their business, industry, and the marketplace in which they operate. They don’t want general newsletters and alerts that parrot the content of a new piece of legislation or tout your latest awards. Instead, they want content that offers real insights and actionable information – the type of content that can help them avoid risk and seize opportunity.
Consider a white paper that looks at industry trends, and how such trends may be impacted by current law and marketplace pressures. Or report on statistics generated a year or two after a major legal or regulatory change, with thorough analysis of how these changes are impacting your target audience.
Consider a white paper that looks at industry trends, and how such trends may be impacted by current law and marketplace pressures...
A white paper targeted to a particular industry sector is especially impactful. Even though a new law may affect different industries similarly, your target audience is interested in how the law relates to them specifically. Therefore, include examples, anecdotes, and terms of reference from a single industry sector (pharma, software, aviation, etc.). You can later repurpose the analysis from this white paper to generate additional content for other industry sectors should you choose to do so.
A few words about style and structure
The goal of a white paper is to position you as an expert on a particular area of law as it relates to a particular industry. Therefore, your work should never be a thinly disguised sales pitch or brochure, but a thorough examination of a particular topic.
Even though a white paper is usually written in a formal style, it’s important to make sure that it is not written as an academic treatise or a legal document. Instead, use the language and style that appeals to your target audience, which is often comprised of business people and general counsel who speak in business terms.
Your paper should include:
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An attention-grabbing title that will resonate with your target audience
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An executive summary, a brief section that provides an overview of your report with enough detail to give the reader the essence of the content. A general rule of thumb is that an executive summary be about 5% as long as your primary report.
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Data-centric information presented in charts and infographics to break up the density of your narrative
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Clear headings to aid the reader who chooses to skim
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A call to action that clearly articulates what the reader should do with the information (evaluate procedures, consult an attorney, etc.)
Consider your options for producing a white paper
Writing a white paper or industry report may sound like a mountain too high but you have options. Here are a couple of ideas to keep your project moving forward:
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Engage a qualified freelancer to assist with drafting and/or editing. While your firm retains control over the direction of the project, and the final product, a freelancer can make sure that the writing is done well and by deadline, instead of being relegated to the back of the priority list because you are busy.
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Consider partnering with a co-author from an industry association to give your content additional credibility. Working in tandem is a formula that helps some writers summit the mountain peak more quickly.
A plan to promote and share your white paper is of paramount importance
The ultimate goal of a white paper is to generate leads for new business, which means that your content must be seen by the right people. Therefore, it is essential to create an effective plan to publicize and share your work. You should:
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Share your paper with clients and prospects to increase their awareness of your expertise. This can also serve as a great conversation starter. Your email to each should highlight the white paper without summarizing it to such a degree that the recipient doesn’t need to read it.
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Use your white paper to pitch speaking opportunities on the same topic to the organizers of industry events and conferences and to media outlets for news features and stories. Seek coverage in industry publications read by your target audience, as well as legal publications read by general counsel.
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Make the white paper available for download in exchange for some basic information (name, company, email) to increase your pool of leads. Making the download available only in exchange for this information may also discourage your competitors from taking advantage of your hard work –it is a fact that lawyers routinely use information that their competitors post. Note that according to Demand Gen Report’s 2017 Content Preferences Survey, content consumption habits continue to shift. The report indicates that consumers of content are most willing to register for and share information about themselves in exchange for white papers (76%), eBooks (63%), webinars (79%) and third-party analyst reports (66%). They are less willing to register for podcasts (19%), video (19%) and infographics (24%).
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Prominently display your content download on your website home page and/or industry specific page so it is visible even to the most casual browser.
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Leverage social media. Use key quotes and charts from your paper to generate interest and downloads. Focus on the social media platforms that your target audience consumes and consider boosting your posts so they are more likely to be seen.
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[Tammy Mangan is a seasoned professional services marketer and consultant. She has led marketing, communications and business development initiatives at both AmLaw 100 and 200 firms. She can be reached at tamangan@comcast.net. Maria Granovsky, Ph.D., J.D. is a freelance B2B commercial writer for businesses in complex fields like law, science, and medicine. She can be reached at maria@mariagranovsky.com or www.mariagranovsky.com.]
