You’ve probably heard of ‘em - those long and informative PDFs that businesses promote on LinkedIn.

Maybe you’ve even exchanged your email address in order to download one. More likely still, you were forced to write one in high school. 

Don’t let bad history class memories deter you. White papers can be incredibly valuable to both an organization and its customer! Read on to learn how.

What’s the hype? 

Why are so many businesses writing these *really* long things, calling them white papers, and promoting them online? And are people actually reading them? 

Well, white papers, if written well and marketed strategically, can serve as a strong sales and engagement tool for any organization. (We’ll get to the meat of that potato in just a second.) 

And there are a lot of reasons why people may want to read them.

A white paper may be introducing a solution to a complex problem I have or providing a comprehensive resource that my organization could currently use. 

But I thought white papers were only for really big corporations…

Not necessarily! You’re probably used to seeing bigger companies, government agencies, or think tanks with large budgets churning out white papers, but that doesn’t mean smaller organizations can’t. In fact, I think they should - more on that later. 

Let’s dive in to see why white papers are still considered marketing gold and which types of organizations can benefit the most from using white papers. 

So, what are white papers exactly? 

Go right ahead and forget what you learned in school, because white papers have come a long way since our milk carton days. 

Simply, modern white papers are long forms of content used in business marketing. They can be flashy and even fun to read (imagine that). 

But white papers didn’t start out as sales tools.

White papers (formerly called blue papers, then green papers, and then grey papers) originated in British government. Most people point to Winston Churchill’s 1922 white paper as one of the earliest and most impactful examples.

Reducing history way down here, Churchill’s white paper affirmed Britain’s position on Israeli-Palestinian relations that triggered a cascade of significant foreign policy ramifications. No big deal. 

Nowadays businesses like to use white papers for slightly less impactful reasons, but nevertheless, important ones.

White papers are used to boost authority, position an organization as an expert, introduce solutions to industry problems, or bring value and insight on a complex issue to clients and customers. 

What kind of organizations write white papers… and why?

Trick question!  Every kind of organization can and should publish white papers. 

Everyone has something to say - and sometimes you have even MORE to say on a particular topic or issue that requires a bigger platform. Enter the white paper.

Pro tip: Instead of writing a blog post series about it, write a white paper instead. 

Here are just a few types of organizations that benefit from publishing a white paper: 

• Non-profits can publish a white paper on just about any issue, cause, policy, impact area, research, or topic imaginable. Just start with a non-profit’s mission and boom - you’ve got a white paper topic. 

Non-profit white papers can be especially impactful because they provide space to:

• openly explore an issue area 

• introduce research that supports the non-profit’s mission

• promote unique and innovative solutions and programs

• highlight ways the organization helps to solve these complex problems

• show where more research or funding is needed

White papers can help non-profits position themselves as the expert to solve a particular, complicated problem, which can educate and help convince potential donors to support the mission. 

• Government white papers primarily relay information on a proposed policy, project, or program that may guide decision-making. 

Government white papers can also be strictly informative. When the issue area is particularly complex, or if there are several potential policy options or implications, white papers can serve as the best communication tool. 

Government white papers can also be persuasive. Sometimes white papers are used to support a particular policy position or to demonstrate the need for funding for a project or program. 

If a particular government organization is ahead of the curve and implementing new and inventive policies, programs or projects successfully, a white paper can outline these new practices for other agencies to reference.

Just like in business, government agencies can secure their footing as an authority in a particular area by issuing a white paper. 

Believe me, word spreads quickly in the public sector and white papers are an easy way to do it. 

• Businesses, and especially small businesses that are looking to grow, can use white papers to their advantage.

Business white papers can be used to:

• Collaborate and partner with other businesses 

• Build brand reputation

• Open the door to bigger opportunities (like speaking engagements and invitations to be a guest contributor)

From a sales and marketing perspective, white papers can serve as a launchpad to create other marketing content.

Businesses can: 

• Use key points as a series of social media posts (linking back to the white paper, of course) 

• Create videos summarizing the key takeaways 

• Send white paper to journalists, bloggers and industry organizations to land interviews and features 

• Promote white paper and build an email list

• Create a blog series from key points 

These marketing strategies are not just reserved for businesses. Any organization, whether public or private, should maximize white papers to the organization’s advantage. 

So, yeah, the hype is real.

Think of white papers as the gift that keeps on giving.

Sure, there’s an upfront investment to writing a good white paper (please don’t stick your intern on it!).

But as you just read, white papers can bring incredible value to not only your client or customer but also to your organization. 

Next time you’re in a marketing rut, consider publishing a white paper!

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