98% of marketers plan to host at least 1 event this year – but what happens after the event(s)?
In this article we look at:
đ§How white papers can help you convert event leads and engage the c-suite.
đ§The process of repurposing your event into a white paper.
đ§The value of hiring a white paper writer.
Benefits of white paper copywriting
While two-thirds (68%) of B2B marketers agree that events help generate the most leads, events alone are not enough to convert leads to prospects â and eventually clients.
Thatâs why you should consider repurposing your event into a white paper. Used in conjunction with an event, a white paper will:
đ§Give you a valuable asset to use in your post-event follow up.
đ§Allow you to engage with potential leads who did not attend the event.
đ§Support your other marketing tactics â such as social, PPC, email nurture flowsâŠ
đ§Boost your brandâs credibility with rich thought leadership content.
đ§Extract maximum value from your event.
Using white paper writing to engage the c-suite
Over 4 in 5 (82%) B2B buyers use white papers to help them make decisions, because they explore a topic in greater depth, which enables them to overcome a specific challenge or take advantage of a new opportunity.
As educational content, white papers are not a direct sales pitch but a way of demonstrating your skills, knowledge, and experience in action. C-suite execs crave this distilled value, which is why they spend an average of 4-hours per week reading white papers, and award business to suppliers based on this thought leadership content.
What is white paper writing?
If events are great at generating leads, white papers are great for identifying the leads are interested in what you have to offer (think âAIDAâ â awareness, interest, desire, action).
Within your white paper, you can share the key points from your event with a wider audience. Additionally, when 58% of senior execs are turned off by âunsubstantiated opinionsâ, your white paper goes further to include evidence that backs up any claims. This evidence could be:
đ§Research or commentary from credible sources, such as established analysts like Gartner, Forrester, or IDC.
đ§Industry studies that were performed on a statistically valid sample.
đ§Data that youâve commissioned yourself â an amazing tactic if you want to position yourself as a leader in the market.
Furthermore, your white paper is an opportunity to show what you do and the value you offer by sharing examples of how youâve helped your customers (also an opportunity to repurpose your case studies!).
What is a white paper writer? And what does a white paper writer do?
A white paper writer is a skilled professional who knows how to distil the key messages of your event and repurpose them into a new format (and potentially for new audiences).
As every writer is different, I can only comment on my own working process.
đ§After their event, my clients will share a recording – for example, a Zoom recording for a webinar or audio recording for an in-person roundtable.
đ§I listen to the recording and extract all the key points into rough notes.
đ§Now itâs time for the colouring pens and A3 paper! Iâll literally draw out the discussion and start to connect different conversations until I see some core threads emerge.
đ§I structure these threads into a central theme (for example, digital transformation) and three supporting ideas (for example, cloud, data & analytics, cybersecurity).
đ§With the bare bones of a narrative, I begin the process of deep research to add weight to the ideas â as well as pull in existing content from that client, so the white paper aligns with their broader campaigns/messaging.
đ§Once Iâve edited the skeleton, Iâll send it through for review.
đ§Once approved, I write the copy for v1, which is then send for review.
đ§Typically, I allow for 2x rounds of amends.
Why hire a white paper freelance writer?
To be completely blunt, because this is what I do. I love repurposing events into white papers, Iâve been doing it for 15+ years, and as one account manager I worked with said, âAlice has an amazing talent for creating engaging and relevant content. She is a true professional and her expertise and delivery always exceed our expectations.”
Also, Iâve sat where you are. I spent 10 years working as a marketer â both in-house and agency-side â and I know how demanding your job is. Outsource your white paper to me, and within 1-2 weeks (depending on how quickly you can review!) youâll have something thatâs ready to publish.
“Working with Alice to produce the content means that Iâm free to focus on everything else. She knows our business and is always challenging us and looking for new things we could try to optimise our conversion rate.”
Digital Marketing Manager
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