Comments on: Avoid This Deadly White Paper Mistake http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/12/18/avoid-this-deadly-white-paper-mistake/ Everything about writing and marketing white papers Sat, 20 Mar 2010 14:00:11 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: Michael Kenward http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/12/18/avoid-this-deadly-white-paper-mistake/#comment-58161 Michael Kenward Sun, 30 Dec 2007 22:55:08 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/12/18/avoid-this-deadly-white-paper-mistake/#comment-58161 The bit that hit me was the advice to put the name of the author up front. Maybe we have different ideas about what constitutes a White Paper. These are not ego trips but statements of a position. Naming an author dilutes the message, which should appear like tablets handed down from on high. Then again, I start off from the position that nothing emanating from a company deserves the label "White Paper". I'm old fashioned. This concept arose in Government. Leave it there. Just in case anyone thinks I don't know what I am talking about, I am in the home stretch of editing a genuine White Paper. I will not name the Government or the subject, lest I lose a client. But it is about a hairy bit of technology. The bit that hit me was the advice to put the name of the author up front.

Maybe we have different ideas about what constitutes a White Paper. These are not ego trips but statements of a position. Naming an author dilutes the message, which should appear like tablets handed down from on high.

Then again, I start off from the position that nothing emanating from a company deserves the label “White Paper”. I’m old fashioned. This concept arose in Government. Leave it there.

Just in case anyone thinks I don’t know what I am talking about, I am in the home stretch of editing a genuine White Paper. I will not name the Government or the subject, lest I lose a client. But it is about a hairy bit of technology.

]]> By: Michael Stelzner http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/12/18/avoid-this-deadly-white-paper-mistake/#comment-57143 Michael Stelzner Wed, 19 Dec 2007 16:46:22 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/12/18/avoid-this-deadly-white-paper-mistake/#comment-57143 Susan - Thanks for your comment. The hook is not a copyright page, that is for sure. - Mike Susan - Thanks for your comment. The hook is not a copyright page, that is for sure. - Mike

]]> By: Susan Weiner http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/12/18/avoid-this-deadly-white-paper-mistake/#comment-57129 Susan Weiner Wed, 19 Dec 2007 15:35:53 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/12/18/avoid-this-deadly-white-paper-mistake/#comment-57129 Michael, I agree with you! You've got to start your white paper with a hook that grabs the reader's attention. A benefit--or a risk--is a great way to do that. You emphasize the benefits in the sample your blog links to. Susan Michael,

I agree with you! You’ve got to start your white paper with a hook that grabs the reader’s attention. A benefit–or a risk–is a great way to do that. You emphasize the benefits in the sample your blog links to.

Susan

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