If the role of marketing is to start a conversation, then the role of the marketing manager is to come up with new answers to a handful of questions from prospects. Consider everything you have your marketing communications writers do for you in light of a few life-or-death questions that your prospects pose: 1. “Who [...]
Not all content sources are as obvious as your boss’ meeting notes. Smart marketing managers look for content ideas in other places as well. It’s the beginning of the week, and time to round up some meat to feed the content beast in your organization. Do you keep sending your marketing communications writers back to [...]
Marketing managers looking for a new content vehicle should create an eBook, halfway between the brochure and the white paper. Here are 3 tips on creating an eBook. Have you created eBooks as part of your content marketing mix? It’s a relatively new category, still evolving. eBooks are the spoonful of sugar that makes the [...]
Part 6 in a series of white paper outlines, each with a different structure and focus. Here, the outline for a white paper on your company’s complete transformation. Have you been with an organization long enough to remember: when things were a mess, and what everybody had to go through to make things run as [...]
Part 5 in a series of white paper outlines, each with a different structure and focus. Here, the outline for a white paper that rationalizes a big change in direction. Do you remember: when Nixon went to China? when the Supreme Court ruled that separate was not equal? when AOL started allowing unsolicited e-mail? when [...]
Part 4 in a series of white paper outlines, each with a different structure and focus. Here, an outline for a buckshot-in-the-air white paper that scares readers toward innovation. What do you think about scaring your prospects and customers a little bit? How do you feel about getting them off the dime to buy your [...]
Part 3 in a series of white paper outlines, each with a different structure and focus. Here, an outline for a white paper when you need to set the record straight. Sometimes you’ve just got to tell them that they’re wrong and you’re right. With the right structure, you can vindicate yourself in a well-crafted [...]
Part 2 in a continuing series of white paper outlines, each with a different structure and focus. Here, an outline for white papers that guide readers through revolutionary change. This white paper outline is about The Revolution that your new ideas and technologies ignite in your customers’ organization. Suppose you want your prospects to: replace [...]
Part 1 in a continuing series of white paper outlines, each with a different structure and focus. Here, an outline for white papers that educate readers on new technologies. If you’re writing a white paper for yourself, you can get away without writing an outline first, but if other people will approve the paper, you [...]
Ready for a white paper makeover? Pump some story into your white papers, turn them into e-books and separate them on your Website. Complete this sentence: When I hear “white paper,” I think: “Oh, boy, I get to read another one!” Wall of text with no pictures. Crew cut, short-sleeved shirt, black tie, 1950s. Skim, [...]
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