Why many white papers fail and how marketing managers can prevent it

TORINO, Italy - Nov. 3, 2016 - PRLog -- CopyEngineer today released a special report for B2B marketing managers entitled 'How to Plan a White Paper: A Proven 7-Step Process for Minimizing Headaches and Maximizing ROI', explaining why white paper projects require thorough planning, and describing a simple, proven process for achieving that planning.

Surveys of technology buyers consistently put white papers at the top of the list when it comes to marketing content that influences their purchasing decisions. Yet, a recent survey of marketing professionals found that producing a white paper that will deliver on that promise is no small feat. A whopping 93% of the marketing professionals surveyed said they had published a white paper that failed to achieve its marketing objectives. Perhaps more astounding was the finding that 79% of those marketers had been involved in a white paper project that failed to even publish a white paper.

"We've seen great white papers become big lead generators, and lead closers," says Bob Buday, co-founder of thought leadership firm The Bloom Group. "But nearly every firm we have worked with during the last 18 year has a runaway story – a story of a white paper that didn't deliver."

The report examines several reasons why white paper projects fail. It also contends that the underlying cause of many of these failures was inadequate planning. That same survey of marketing professionals, for example, found that some 57% of them either never or only sometimes developed their white papers following an approved, written plan.

The report also suggests that many of the reasons frequently cited by marketers for white paper failures – factors like insufficient promotion, wrong type of white paper, inappropriate level of detail, and internal conflicts among the developers and reviewers – are all symptoms of insufficient planning.

Finally, the report recommends a solution to the problem – the White Paper Plan – and presents a 7-step process for developing one.

The white paper covers:

·         Various reasons why white paper projects fail

·         The most frequent cause of white paper failures

·         The White Paper Plan (WPP) and its benefits

·         What a White Paper Plan does

·         A proven, 7-step process for developing an effective White Paper Plan

"I strongly believe every white paper project should begin with a White Paper Plan," says B2B copywriter John Cole, founder of CopyEngineer (http://www.copyengineer.com/) and author of the report. "A well-constructed WPP will keep all parties involved in the development of your white paper focused on the same objectives. It will settle disagreements before they become problems. And it will increase the probability your next white paper will be produced on time, approved quickly, and deliver the results you desire."


The special report is offered as a gift to subscribers of 'Technical Response', CopyEngineer's monthly e-newsletter of content marketing and lead generation tips for technology marketers. It can be obtained for free at:

http://www.copyengineer.com/how-to-plan-a-white-paper/