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Applying Inbound to Outbound Collateral: Give Whitepapers Color

Reza Almaneih : Nov 11, 2014 1:24:11 PM

The Wonder of Whitepapers

Whitepapers are typically the work of experts that provide technical information or cover a subject directed to a well defined audience. Their focus tends to be narrow and designed to capture the attention of highly motivated prospects. Given the complexity and substance conveyed in most whitepapers, it's logical to assume that the reader is very interested in the material. What this suggests within the inbound marketing model, is that the prospect is already past the initial stages of the buyer's journey and is nearing a point of decision. What does this also suggest? It suggests that this ideal reader is someone whose attention you want to capture - and you want to capture as many of him/her as you possibly can.

Using Inbound for Outbound Marketing Collateral

We've learned through experience that most marketing deliverables, outbound included, inevitably find their way onto the internet. The question is whether or not your ideal target will find it? That's why we advocate applying inbound to outbound collateral which makes it easier for motivated prospects to connect with your content. Whitepapers are great vehicles for employing inbound methods and increasing the ROI of your effort. In addition to the recommendations we've made in previous blogs, there are several actions you can take to "add color" and improve the performance of a whitepaper. These include:

Optimizing text with SEO - Help search engines find your whitepaper. Check with your digital marketing group to make sure you are in alignment and employing the best long-tail keywords possible.
Addressing the needs of your target audience - Be award of the problem(s) your prospect faces and include a solution as part of your whitepaper. Prospects will find you if you can alleviate their pain points.
Providing additional information they will find helpful - Be certain your whitepaper has links to other sources that can assist your prospect as he moves through his buyer's journey. This can potentially speed up the decision making process.
Requesting the prospect to act - Employ Calls to Action that require the prospect to take an affirmative action. Include a clear value proposition that will entice her to accept. Include CTA's that point to related offers.
Repurposing existing content - Make time to review old whitepapers. Redesign, update and link to related, current content. Don't let content collect dust on the shelf.