A white paper is an authoritative guide that discusses issues on a certain subject, along with a proposed solution for handling them. The term, “white paper”, came about after the government color-coded reports to indicate who could access them, with the color white referring to public access.
White papers are commonly used today in the fields of business, politics, and technology to discuss challenges, issues faced, and solutions on how to overcome the challenges.
Types of White Papers in Companies
There are three types of white papers that are commonly used by companies:
Benefits of the business – A case study of how a business process or specific technology can increase productivity
Technology – Discusses a specific technology and its benefits
Hybrid – Addresses the benefits to the business along with some technical details on the product/service.
Also, white papers are now being used commercially as a document for marketing and sales. They are also prominently used in the field of technology to discuss the potential uses of a new product and how it can help increase the efficiency of processes in companies.
Although a white paper discusses the uses of the product, it is ultimately a marketing tool that promotes the company through a sponsorship of the document. The distribution of the paper also helps the company gain sales leads.
Choosing a Topic for a White Paper
Keep the following points in mind when selecting a topic for a white paper:
1. Audience
Similar to writing an article or an essay, the audience is the first factor that is considered when writing a white paper. For a business, they can be longstanding customers of the company or new customers who will learn more about the business and its products and services through the document.
The white papers published by the government will discuss urgent issues and current events in the economy that the general public will want to learn more about.
2. Expert analysis
The white paper must be written by someone with extensive industry knowledge of the product or service and a thorough understanding of the subject at hand. For companies, the document should provide in-depth research on the product and highlight how it can help benefit customers.
3. Problem-solving
While the white paper provides detailed information about the company’s product/service, it should also address problems faced by customers and how the product can solve the problem. The problem must be relevant to the industry and the customer. Very often, white papers are written to address how a product can help the customer evolve with the new trends and techniques in the field.
Format
A white paper should be structured in the following way:
1. Introduction
The introduction is an overview of the white paper. It discusses the main points that comprise the document. It also helps the customer identify if the content in the report is relevant to them.
2. Problem statement
The problem statement is the specific problem issue faced by customers that the white paper will discuss. The statement must be in line with the product/service. It also needs to be stated clearly so that it is understood by the reader.
3. Information
The information section is the most important part of the paper, where the introduction and problem statement are tied in together to discuss the product and all its features. The information will lead to a solution.
4. Solution
The solution section will help generate leads for the company, as it discusses how the product/service will help the reader. The solutions need to be relevant and backed by evidence to support the claims in the paper. This section must contain both quantitative and qualitative information.
5. Conclusion
The conclusion is a summary of the entire paper and can include a list of its key takeaways.
Uses of White Papers
White papers help increase the authority of a business and improve their credibility with customers. They can be utilized in a number of different ways, including the following:
1. Case study
Very often, many companies market lengthy case studies as white papers. A case study is a story about a business, the challenges it faced, and how the company’s product helped them overcome a problem.
A case study contains detailed and technical information and enables customers to see themselves using the product. Case studies help provide a real-world example of how the company helped its customer achieve success.
2. Reference
White papers are lengthy and detailed and may provide a lot of extra information that the customer doesn’t really need. However, they can often serve as a reference guide for other companies in the industry to help them improve their business.
More Resources
CFI is the official provider of the global Financial Modeling & Valuation Analyst (FMVA)™ certification program, designed to help anyone become a world-class financial analyst. To keep learning and advancing your career, the additional CFI resources below will be useful:
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