If you’re a tech sector company that sells hardware, software or services to B2B markets, a whitepaper is not a bad idea at all. Keep reading and find out when and why a whitepaper can help you sell more of your product or service in 2015.
Five reasons you may need a whitepaper in 2015
- If you understand the importance of quality digital content and SEO…
And as a B2B tech specialist, you know all about SEO and how it has changed significantly in recent years. The search engines are now rewarding providers of quality content. By offering a paper on an area of interest to your target audience, you are fulfilling that need and improving your SEO standing. And with a little effort on your part, you can also use Social Media tools to spread the word and this all adds up to an improved SEO strategy. If your product or service has a long sales cycle, the chances are that your buyer will be doing plenty of research – so giving them plenty of relevant content can only be a good idea.
- If you could do with a lead generation tool….
If you remember the pre-digital days of cold-calling and following up on brochures, you’ll know that the hit rate was usually pretty pathetic. There was a lot of time wasted and it was just accepted as being part of the ‘numbers game’. Inbound marketing techniques and lead generation software are well and truly here to stay. Even if you don’t want to splash out on an inbound strategy straight away, you can experiment with a white paper and a ‘content wall’ to collect contact details and leads.
- If you think you need to educate your prospect first before trying to sell straight away…
If your product or service is complex, sometimes a brochure, sales call or email just does not cut it. A whitepaper gives you the chance to clearly explain your proposition and what it can offer your customer. This is important when your solution is among the first to solve a specific industry problem.
- If you want to position your business as a thought leader
Ok – this is a bit of a woolly term but it means something! Being able to pitch for business in the context of solving a genuine business problem offers many benefits. If your whitepaper is suggesting solutions to well known industry problems, it proves you know your industry. If this problem has not been widely noted before, that is better again. It shows you are at the forefront of your industry and are thinking strategically about industry issues.
While it’s probably particularly well-suited to IT target audiences, a well-crafted paper does have potential in other sectors too. Have a think about what it can do for your business and if a whitepaper is something that’s on your to-do list for 2015, get in touch. I’ve written whitepapers and marketing content for tech sector companies of all sizes.