How to attract more buyers of computer networking solutions with white papers... and eliminate two of your biggest marketing headaches...
TechTarget survey1 participants: 66% used white papers in a 90 day period to evaluate new technology information.
Want more IT buyers reading and talking about your company's white papers? Then try this:
- Publish business-focused documents aimed at Directors & CIOs (the buyers) - not jargon-filled 'technical reports' aimed at subject matter experts.
- Design them for an online, 'short-attention span' audience.
"Did a great job for us - wrote a nice piece and had great input and ideas for other projects as well."
Mike Klein, President and Chief Operating Officer, Online Tech
Unfortunately, two marketing headaches make it painful for computer networking companies to implement this approach.
Marketing Headache #1 - White Papers are Dead
The days when senior managers had uninterrupted time to read and understand 20 or 30 pages of text-only white papers are gone.
Why?
- Executives have multiple, never ending demands on their time and attention.
- You've got only seconds to grab eyeballs online.
Quite simply, b2b white papers that are too long or boring are not generating leads. They're going unread and becoming unwanted distractions.
But it doesn't have to be that way and here's why.
Solution #1: A Simple, Proven White Paper Formula
After studying with two of the world's most experienced technology copywriters, Jonathan Kantor and Mike Stelzner, I learned three critical facts about white papers optimized for the online world:
- Most are between six to twelve content pages in length.
- They educate senior managers about technology solutions to the business problems or opportunities that keep them awake at nights i.e. tell, not sell.
- The design includes callouts, concept graphics and front cover artwork.
The lesson for technology marketers in the computer networking industry is clear:
Make it easier and faster for senior business people to get
the most important and useful information from your white papers.
Accomplish that, and you're more likely to earn their trust and
attention when presenting additional educational marketing messages.
"SamuraiWriter is a very good writer with an excellent understanding of the IT world."
Robert P. Crabb, Chief Marketing Officer, Geeks On Call
Marketing Headache #2: They Shoot Computer Networking Copywriters, Don't They?
So, where can you find freelance technology copywriters who research and write business-focused white papers?
The type of white papers that buyers of computer networking products and services will actually read and respond to?
Well, that's where I can be of service.
Solution #2: Coached by Stelzner, Trained by Kantor
My name's Mark McClure, the 'Samurai Writer', and I specialize in writing white papers that help generate leads for computer networking companies.
Each client receives a unique combination of personal service plus business, technical and copywriting skills when they hire the 'Samurai Writer':
- I've been personally coached by Mike Stelzner, perhaps the best-known white paper copywriter today.
- I've worked in computer networking roles internationally for more than 17 years.
- I've applied Jonathan Kantor's world-class white paper 2.0 training to serving the computer networking industry niche.
- I was a Cisco Certified Internetworking Expert (CCIE #10814) for six years. (In marketing-speak, that's the "IT networking equivalvent of the MBA".)
Next Step
Find out more about creating white papers that target computer networking buyers by visiting the white paper page.
If you'd like a free, no-obligations budgetary quote for your white paper project, then contact me today.
