How To Write a White Paper

A white paper is usually thought of as a paper accompanying a technology product. This paper defines what problem the product intends to fix, and what applications the product has to offer. Writing a white paper is usually the domain of technical writers, but in some cases, the developer of a product will want to write their own white paper for marketing or proposal purposes. Learning to write a white paper is a little more challenging than the typical technical paper, as it does involve several very specific criteria.
 

1. Focus on the intended readers. These will usually be a very specific demographic, such as mid-level engineers, amateur web designers, or some other such group. The papers have to address the problem specific to that group, and they have to be written with the level of jargon that the audience will be comfortable with using. Amateurs or laymen will not understand highly technical jargon or acronyms. Conversely, the more experienced reader, when faced with a highly simplistic white paper, may feel the product will not be at his level of aptitude.

2. Describe the problems that the product will fix. This is the main marketing application of the white paper and should be described in detail. Any selling point related to the functions should be covered.
3. Focus the white paper on the company that will be receiving them. A white paper can be changed to extol the benefits of the product to each specific company based on the market that company serves. Even very similar companies will have a different range of problems they are facing. If you can tailor your white paper to their concerns, you will garner more trust for your company and its product.
4. Use real-world examples. Describe how other companies have benefited from the product and how that success could be theirs if they only had this product, too.
5. Break up the gray space. Use examples and statistics in the form of graphs and charts. Breaking up long blocks of text is one of the best ways to ensure that people will continue reading your white paper. Also remember that some people process information differently from others. While a paragraph block of facts and figures will work with some, others will have to see it visually.
6. Summarize the entire white paper. This can be with a numbered or bulleted list, or it can be a mixture of text and numbers or bullets. The summary completes the persuasive aspect of the white paper by reminding the reader of the problems that exist and how the product will fix them.

 
A white paper is usually written about high-tech products with a lot of technical aspects. But a white paper can be written about any product that has been created to fix problems companies face.