A white paper is a kind of marketing document that can be used to introduce and summarize a company’s product or service. The goal of the white paper is to provide relevant information about the organization, its products or services, and how they will benefit potential clients. It should also include contact information so prospective customers can learn more from the company directly.
A good white paper should have an introduction, overview, conclusion, and recommendations for future research on your topic. This article will provide you with a step-by-step process for writing a successful white paper.
1) Prewriting.
Write down everything you know about your topic including what you want people to take away from reading it as well as any questions readers might have while reading it.
What is your general purpose? To inform? Promote a product or service? Persuade an audience to take a specific course of action after reading it?
2) Research.
Gather all the relevant information you can about your topic and turn it into a rough draft. Research online, use books from the library and try talking with experts in the field.
3) Revise your draft.
Take a break from your paper for at least 24 hours if you can so that you can come back to it with fresh eyes and edit it. Be sure your paper contains an introduction, overview of your topic, specific details about how it works, recommendations for future research on the subject, and a conclusion.
4) Edit your final draft.
Edit your paper one last time to make sure it is the best it can be before turning it in or publishing it online. Proofread for grammatical errors, typos, and anything that needs to be corrected.
5) Publishing Your White Paper.
There are several ways to publish your white paper. You can submit it to an academic journal, post it on your website for customers to read, or make copies available in libraries and bookstores.
Now that you know the steps for writing a successful white paper, you are ready to start researching your topic and turning your research into a great white paper of your own!
5 Tips To Make Your White Paper More Engaging
White papers don’t have to be dry and boring. In fact, with a little effort, you can make them engaging and interesting for your readers. Here are five tips to get you started:
1) Start with a question.
People love to read articles that answer questions they are curious about. Pose a question in your introduction that will pique your readers’ interest and make them want to learn more.
2) Use images and graphs.
A picture is worth a thousand words, and the same goes for graphs and charts. Images help break up the text of your paper and make it easier to read. They also help illustrate your points more effectively.
3) Keep it short and sweet.
Nobody wants to read a long, drawn-out paper. Keep your paper to around four pages (not including images and graphs) by using clear, concise language. If you use too many jargon words or phrases, your readers may get bored.
4) Get personal.
Share anecdotes that connect with your readers on a personal level about how you discovered the information in this paper or experienced its results. People love to read real-life stories and enjoy learning by sharing someone else’s experience.
5) Give recommendations for future research.
Use your paper to show people ways they can continue their own research about the topic that interests them. Suggest additional resources, such as books or articles, that they can read or recommend related websites where they can find more information.
A bonus tip when making white papers is to use Venngage — an online infographic maker that provides free white paper templates for everyone. Here are some of the best white paper examples from their website!
Venngage
Writing a white paper requires time and effort, but the result is worth it. You can be confident that your information is sound and useful for readers when you take the time to conduct thorough research and carefully proofread your final draft before publishing it. As long as you remember these five steps–prewriting, researching, revising, editing, and publishing–you are well on your way to creating an effective white paper. For more creative white paper designs, click here.