{"id":5949,"date":"2022-02-24T14:31:16","date_gmt":"2022-02-24T09:01:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/razorpay.com\/learn\/?p=5949"},"modified":"2024-07-23T11:38:14","modified_gmt":"2024-07-23T06:08:14","slug":"the-white-paper-way","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/razorpay.com\/learn\/the-white-paper-way\/","title":{"rendered":"The White Paper Way"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">White papers are of the utmost importance to B2B (Business to Business) vendors. When you\u2019re selling expensive, complex, or new products to clients, a white paper helps you generate leads and create a protracted sales round.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The fact that you\u2019re here proves you understand its importance. Keep reading this article to stand out from your competitors! We\u2019ve curated expert-recommended ways to professionally write and format a white paper.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let\u2019s start by understanding the meaning of the term.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is a White Paper?\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A white paper is essentially a comprehensive and reliable document (ordinarily found on your brand\/business\u2019 website) that intends to showcase your expertise and communicate the following to your audience:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In-depth and research-based information regarding the seminal founding philosophy of your business<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The value provided by your product, service, or technology<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The primary issues that you intend to deal with and how<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-5950 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/razorpay.com\/learn-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Screenshot-2022-02-24-at-1.11.53-PM.png\" alt=\"Example of a white paper\" width=\"926\" height=\"624\" srcset=\"https:\/\/d6xcmfyh68wv8.cloudfront.net\/learn-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Screenshot-2022-02-24-at-1.11.53-PM.png 926w, https:\/\/d6xcmfyh68wv8.cloudfront.net\/learn-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Screenshot-2022-02-24-at-1.11.53-PM-300x202.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 926px) 100vw, 926px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is important to remember that a white paper is not a commercial endorsement or a sales-generating technique. It aims to gain a level of trust with your audience by educating them about the field within which your business operates, providing facts and visual data for a better understanding, and ultimately building a level of credibility around your business that will help them decide in favor of your product.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here\u2019s what you want to keep in mind while writing your white paper:<\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">White Paper v\/s Case Study<\/span><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Do not confuse a white paper with a case study. A case study highlights <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">proven<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> solutions (tried and tested) to a particular problem based on real-life experimentation and trial &amp; error. Contrarily, a white paper offers <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2018possible\u2019 <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">solutions to a given problem by focusing not on experimental observations but theoretical and academic know-how in the field.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Choose the right topic\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pick a topic to which your audience can relate. There are two routes you can take. Write a \u201cbackgrounder,\u201d i.e., a paper that analyzes and highlights the benefits of your product\/service, or a \u201cproblem-solution based\u201d paper, i.e., one that provides a probable business solution to an existing issue in the market<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><b><\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Correctly identify the audience<\/span><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is arguably the most crucial part of the process. You must know who your clientele is and which gap in the market you\u2019re aiming to fill. This will not only help you target your audience better via online ads but also enable you to formulate a more effective white paper.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If your target market involves groups of people likely well-versed in the field in which you specialize, it makes greater sense for you to use heavily technical meticulous language. This is because, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">in such cases, you want to give your audience information that they may not already have.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If your target market involves groups of people not very likely to be familiar with the field of your business or you are exploring a previously unexplored sector, you may choose simpler language, such that you can simply and easily explain to your audience exactly what you do.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Structure of a white paper<\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Include a cover page, title, and abstract<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is always advisable to begin your white paper with an engaging cover page\u2014one that pulls your audience in and includes a clear title that explains exactly what your paper is about. Visuals may also be included on the cover page if they align with your brand image.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Including an abstract is important, as it gives the readers a coherent summary of what to expect in the paper. Moreover, it gives them an idea of what your product is about, even if they do not read the full paper. They may then choose to recommend it to someone else who might be interested in the topic.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The body<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The body is the most important content portion of your white paper. You want to ensure that every point you make is backed by thorough research and data. At the same time, you want to remain succinct and to the point. Make sure your paper is not too wordy because, in today\u2019s day and age of limited attention spans, you still have to hold your audience\u2019s interest.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If it is an untapped market, you want your paper to suggest that you are the most competent and credible figure in your field. If it is an existing but competitive market, you want to make it clear to your audience what exactly it is that makes you better than your incumbents, i.e., what solutions are you proposing, and why are those the most effective?<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Infographics<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Adding infographics in the body\/research-heavy section of your paper is a good idea. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Considering white papers are lengthy and meticulous compared to other forms of business communication, a visual and eye-catching summarized representation of your data might be extremely helpful to your reader. It will help them tie it all together and serve as a reference piece for future needs.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Visual presentation<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Since a white paper is not exactly a blog-like device, and neither is it an academic paper, you may choose to implement certain visual techniques to draw your audience in. You can highlight important words or phrases in bold or italics. You can create maps or graphs to present your research in a more concise yet appealing manner.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use colors that align with your brand image, values, and aesthetic. Each color has a different tone and mood; keep that in mind before implementing. Your layout must be friendly to all types of gadgets, from laptops to tablets to phones.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">References\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Take a look at several existing white papers of businesses, preferably those in your field or related fields. This will give you a definite idea of what to do and what not to do. One of the most notable white papers in history is the Bitcoin white paper published by Satoshi Nakamoto in 2008.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lead generation idea<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One such commonly used practice is asking the reader to fill out a form before they can read the paper. The form would include questions regarding the reader\u2019s name, age, profession, the field of interest, etc. This could perhaps help you receive information that will be useful to you in the future.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Grow your business via social media and physical media<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the best (and cheapest) ways to publicize your white paper and grow your business would be via online ads. Organic posts via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn, showcasing your business.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Paid ads via Facebook and Google targeted to catch the attention of your exact audience are useful. Add a catchy CTA that leads the viewer to click on the link and takes them directly to the white paper section of your website.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Suggested read: <\/span><em><a href=\"https:\/\/razorpay.com\/learn\/how-to-write-the-perfect-cta-best-examples\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to write the perfect CTA<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even physical media is a good option to advertise your white paper. Create a list of the top 30-50 most influential figures in your field, and mail them your white paper. When it comes to marketing, a physical copy has its advantages.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First, it is easier to read\/highlight, and second, a website link, tab, or post may get lost in the copious amounts of information we consume online daily. A physical piece of your business is likely to impact the reader and stay in their minds longer.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>All in all, your goal is to establish yourself as the authority and a credible, trustworthy figure that your audience can rely on for the best possible product or market solutions.<\/strong> <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In simple terms, you want to sound like you know what you\u2019re talking about, and your business is the one-stop-shop for your target market.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A white paper is a detailed guide about a specific topic and the hurdles surrounding it. It is meant to educate readers and help them to understand and solve an issue. Need help in drafting the right white paper? Read more to find out!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":151156477,"featured_media":11763,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3507],"tags":[3571],"class_list":{"0":"post-5949","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-business-growth","8":"tag-white-paper"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/learn.razorpay.in\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5949","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/learn.razorpay.in\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/learn.razorpay.in\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/learn.razorpay.in\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/151156477"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/learn.razorpay.in\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5949"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/learn.razorpay.in\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5949\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5954,"href":"https:\/\/learn.razorpay.in\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5949\/revisions\/5954"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/learn.razorpay.in\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11763"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/learn.razorpay.in\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5949"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/learn.razorpay.in\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5949"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/learn.razorpay.in\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5949"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}