1. Trust the experts.
Writing is a craft, and you benefit from the expertise of a skilled writer. In addition to a solid understanding of style, grammar, punctuation, and spelling, a seasoned white paper writer is also a marketer and knows how to indirectly market your products or services by informing readers and demonstrating thought leadership.

2. Conserve time.
Like any experienced professional, proven white paper writers are intimately familiar with their craft and can therefore produce drafts much more quickly than someone who is unfamiliar with the process of content gathering and writing. Since time is money, a hired writer almost always writes more quickly than a writer inside your organization, particularly if that person is unaccustomed to deadlines.

3. Save money.
Hiring a professional writer can actually save you money because these writers are always deadline driven and will finish your project faster. In addition to time savings, outsourcing white paper writing may be more cost-effective than hiring an employee if you cannot keep a writer busy full time.

4. Benefit from outside objectivity.
An outside writer is especially helpful in maintaining a sense of objectivity about your products or your company. Inside writers are sometimes too close to a topic to ask the probing questions your readers want to know. After being inside your company for a while, writers can become jaded. An outside writer lends a fresh perspective and is sometimes better able to gauge your customers’ needs.

5. Stay focused where you excel.
Although your lead engineer might be the most knowledgeable person about a specific technology, they may not necessarily be the best candidate to write a white paper. A professional writer can leverage your engineers’ knowledge base by conducting a set of interviews and then weaving this information into a paper. In this way, you keep your employees working at the jobs they do best.

6. Continue to market.
In a down economy, businesses can compete more effectively by using an outside writer. Although many companies slash their marketing dollars and stop creating papers when times get tough, this is rarely a good strategy. When the market rebounds, you want your customers to remember you. Even when budgets are slashed, successful companies maintain a presence by creating and distributing white papers. Even if you have reduced your marketing staff, call an outside writer and keep your name circulating in the marketplace.

7. Keep current.
Professional white paper writers are adept at the latest tools and trends in writing and marketing and will use these skills to your advantage when creating a paper.

8. Leverage local style and terms.
If you are marketing in a foreign country, trust your white papers to a writer who is knowledgeable about the country, customs, and culture you are targeting. A local writer will intrinsically understand regional idioms and word uses that you would not spot as a non-native speaker.

9. Achieve aggressive deadlines.
In-house writers cannot always achieve the same deadlines as a professional writer because they are often distracted by other important tasks. As part of their responsibility for delivering a good product, professional writers must deliver on time. In cases where you need the paper for a trade show or for a new product launch, hiring an outside writer is sometimes your best bet to achieve an aggressive deadline.

10. Enhance your image.
Rely on a professional writer to enhance your image—especially for important white papers. No longer do you have to worry about spelling errors or poorly written papers that tarnish your company’s image. A skilled writer will add a professional touch to all your white paper projects.

Next time, read about green white papers—the benefits of digital distribution over printing.

For more information, contact info@hoffmanmarcom.com or call 408-778-5664.