More lawyers should write white papers. Why? White papers have some serious "viral marketing" benefits. Research shows, for example, that 77% of prospects who download white papers will pass it along to their colleagues, and 24% will be pass it along to a supervisor (MarketingSherpa).
White paper offers can also be lead generation machines. Some of our clients have captured leads numbering in the hundreds from white paper promotions.
So what makes a good attorney white paper? Here are ten guidelines:
#1. Style: A white paper should not be a disguised sales pitch. That is, do not write a white paper suggesting why you are the greatest lawyer since Atticus Finch and why any intelligent client should hire you and your law firm. Instead, a good white paper will educate readers by, for example, telling them “how to” solve a tactical problem, avoid a common pitfall, capitalize on a growing trend, or address a compelling need (note: research shows that white paper readers tend to think more in terms of their problems (e.g., spyware) than possible solutions (e.g., anti-spyware)). In other words, think of a white paper as a short written tutorial that conveys expertise indirectly (since only an "expert" can be an effective tutor).
#2. Hire a "Ghostwriter": don't have time to write a white paper? Hire a "ghostwriter" - there are many talented writers out there - often former attorneys - who can take an outline that you provide to them and convert it into a compelling, well-written white paper. Don't use the "I don't have time" excuse to miss out on such a valuable marketing tool.
#3. Length: avoid broad topics that it would take a book (or at least a law review article) to cover properly. Instead, focus on a small, but fascinating slice of your knowledge base. To paraphrase a well-known proverb, write about individual “trees”, as opposed to the “forest.” This will also help you build a larger library of white papers over time.
Ideally, you want to aim for probably not more than 4-5 pages. If your audience is particularly harried, busy and stressed (such as investment bankers), even shorter might be better. The key is to deliver "bit-sized" chunks of guidance and insight that is valuable to your target audience.
#4. White Paper Titles: the title you choose for your white paper may probably be the most important choice you make since it is the title the attracts people's attention and gets them to download the white paper. Follow these guidelines for a great title.
a. The shorter the title, the better.
Try to convey the subject matter of your white paper in as few words as possible. For example, research of downloads from CNET revealed that the most-viewed white paper on digital security was named, “The Starter PKI Program,” and the least popular paper was, “An Introduction to Enterprise Public Key Infrastructure (PKI).”
If a longer title is necessary to convey the subject matter of a white paper (as is usually the case), break it into sections using colons and subtitles, such as: The Dangers of Web Due Diligence: Why Google is No Substitute for a Professional Background Investigation (research shows that 70% of the top 10 white papers use a colon, compared to only 30% of the bottom 10) (MarketingSherpa).
b. Promise a benefit in the title.
As examples, the following white papers were among the most popular in a leading IT white paper database:
- Measuring the Return on HR Technology
- 10 Things You Need to Know About Compliance
- VoIP Basics for IT Technicians
c. Use numbers.
For some reason, people love numbers (we see this regularly with email newsletter subject lines like "The Top 5 M&A Pitfalls"). As an example, “10 Things You Need to Know about Compliance” conveys to readers that your paper offers tangible, rapidly digestible facts.
d. Use “ing” words
People love "How To's". “How to” white papers offering specific advice or solutions frequently have titles with words like: “Identifying,” “Preventing,” (or “Avoiding”), and “Defending.”
e. Stick with plain English.
Do not use terms readers won’t be familiar with, or overly technical or pompous language, such as: “Best Practices in Utilization of Value Proposition Theorems”.
f. Add mystery
Titles like “Secrets of” or “Insider’s Guide To”
(click below for Tips #5-10).
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