| How do I decide whether to start by discussing problems or solutions?
A good question! We don't have a simple answer. The short answer is: your goals, your audience, and your strategies to achieve your goals drive all the content decisions you make - including how to start the white paper. The long answer is: read our free White Paper Writing Guide! It takes you from assessing needs through organizing content (which includes choosing a starting point) to writing, illustrating, and publishing your white paper. |
You are an Information Technology manager. Despite your security measures, someone has hacked into your company's network and gained access to proprietary company information. You've heard about two advanced network security products. To evaluate the products and decide whether either or both will solve your network security problems, you request a white paper on each product.
If one white paper starts by answering your questions - rather than rehashing problems you know all too well - it will gain a big advantage. The white paper may lose the advantage if it fails to convince you that its solution is viable. But if the white paper demonstrates that its product will meet your needs while the other white paper is still "feeling your pain," the other white paper will be at a severe disadvantage. Either it will be much longer, or it will spend much less time convincing you that its product offers a viable solution. Never underestimate the power of a white paper that gives the audience the information they want to know right away! Why do so many white papers glorify problems? Because describing problems is much easier than demonstrating that products, services, and technologies solve problems. Return to:
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