But do you really know what a white paper is? You may find it difficult to find a consensus on the definition of a white paper. For purists, I can see why it would be even more difficult finding an example. The result is a muddied one where everything from a sales brochure to a user guide can be labeled as a white paper. However, true white papers are regarded as something valuable. In several instances, I found that white papers went hand-in-hand with a press release (announcing its existence). In other cases, I had to sign up/request a white paper by handing over my personal information. State your business being here and we may hand it over. Yikes.

But look, I found one: How to Eliminate Over Half of All Design Errors Before they Occur (PDF)

A white paper’s main purpose is to produce informative content designed for the user. Yes, there are many benefits for the company producing the white paper. But, that is because they are creating more authentic content for the reader.

The same approach is used in marketing. There has been a shift to create more user-centered content. The consistent message is to think and act with our target customer in mind.

Successful entrepreneurs often preach that the key to success is solving a problem or relieving a “pain point.” White papers are similar in this shift in marketing and selling. The main purpose is to highlight a problem and provide a solution. Use the features of your product or service and convert those into benefits. Don’t make potential customers work at thinking about how a feature can benefit them. And there are times when it may be difficult to understand how a feature can convert to a benefit. Here’s an example to illustrate the difference. Which one are you more likely to respond to?

A coffee maker has an auto-program feature to brew coffee at a specific time. Not too sexy when you state it that way. How about, waking up every morning energized by smelling freshly brewed coffee? What about saving time in the mornings when you’re in a rush because the coffee makes itself. Living alone doesn’t seem so bad now. No more grabbing a coffee on the way to work at the local coffee shop. I hate those lineups at the drive-through. Maybe I’ll even save some money by making coffee at home and taking it to go. Those mocha latte half-fat, supreme largos are starting to add up. A document is more persuasive when you present the benefits rather than the features.

White Papers vs Technical Brochures

The following table shows some of the key characteristics of a white paper versus other technical documents.

White papers Technical brochures
  • Informative, researched content
  • Persuasive but not hard-selling (soft-sell)
  • Detailed information, yet specific to the target audience
  • May use images but content-heavy
  • Focuses on benefits rather than features
  • Assist the user in decision-making
  • Appeals to logic
  • Appears as a more credible source as people distrust hard selling and advertising
  • Averaging 5-12 pages in length
  • Longer shelf life
  • May include some technical information but not in detail (not the focus)
  • An advertisement focused on selling
  • Flashier, uses more images, marketing content
  • Tends to be less credible, more company-centric focus
  • Focused on the user buying
  • Appeals to emotions (marketing focus)
  • Averaging 2-4 pages in length
  • Shorter life span

Sources:

1Graham, G. (2017). White papers versus brochures | That White Paper Guy – Gordon Graham. Available at: https://www.thatwhitepaperguy.com/white-paper-planning/white-papers-versus-brochures/.
2Stelzner, M. (2007). Writing white papers. Poway, Calif.: WhitePaperSource Pub.