Marketing Your Technology by Showcasing Your Expertise
Marketing technology in the B2B arena means marketing to tech-savvy customers. These folks are generally not impressed by hyperbole or snappy ads. They want facts, data. And they want to know that your product or service comes from a tech-savvy provider. In other words, to sell to these buyers you need to establish your technical credibility.
That's why white papers have become so prevalent in the marketing arsenals of technology companies. A great white paper helps you sell indirectly, by demonstrating your knowledge. It promotes your business by showcasing your expertise.
But how do you create a great white paper? Technical subjects are deep, and so is your company's knowledge. How do you boil it all down into a readable document that will help you sell?
Choose Your Reader
The first step, as with any writing project, is to focus on the reader and what they need to know. Professional writers call this crucial first step the audience definition. Who are you writing the paper for?
You can think of the audience for technology white papers as falling into two major categories:
- High-level executives - the decision makers who will ultimately decide on purchase.
- Technology advisors, such as IT managers and engineers - those who advise the decision makers and recommend purchase.
Effectively communicating to these two audiences often requires two different kinds of white paper.
- For the high-level decision maker, think executive summary. The paper should be 2-3 printed pages, easily read in a few minutes. Pitch the discussion at the level of complexity that this audience will understand. Focus on the high points, not the details.
- For the technical advisors, more detail is appropriate. Your paper should discuss the issues in sufficient depth to demonstrate a mastery of the subject. Also, it's often a good idea to anticipate and dispose of sales objections that may arise from the technical aspects of the issue.
Choose Your Problem
Once you've defined your audience, the next step is to focus on a specific question or problem. Choose a major question that your company can answer or a customer problem that you solve. Make sure it represents a compelling issue for your audience.
To verify that your focus is sharp enough, make sure you can state the question or problem in a single phrase or sentence, in a way that's easy to understand. Here are some examples:
- How to choose a document imaging system
- What's the best way to web-enable legacy applications today?
- Building a cost-effective video conferencing system
Build on a Solid Framework
Any writing project becomes easier if you have a good outline. While it's true that successful white papers can take many forms, the following generic outline gives you a good starting point. It's also flexible enough that you can vary the structure to fit your needs.
| Title: State the focus question or problem in a phrase or single sentence.
Examples: Choosing Acoustical Equipment for PA Systems, What You Need to Know About Web Services
Problem Statement: Describe the question or problem in the first paragraph. Provide enough detail so your readers will understand the issue and why it is important to them.
Elaboration: If necessary, expand on the problem statement. For example, you might give historic or background information that led to the current situation. Or you might list the major factors that must be considered in choosing a specific solution.
Possible Approaches: Discuss possible answers or solutions. Explain any concepts involved in each solution and analyze the pros and cons of each. If you're not sure your audience will understand your points, give concrete examples of each solution.
Your Solution: Explain the answer or solution favored by your company or embodied in your product line. Explain why it is better than the alternatives. Back your claim with facts, such as research or test results.
Invite Feedback: Finish with a call to action, inviting the reader to respond with feedback or to contact your company for more information.
Contact Info: Make sure you include information on whom to contact and how.
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Jack Massa specializes in designing clear messages for technology companies. He is Principal of Guidance Communications, Inc.(www.guidancecom.com), an Atlanta communications firm.