A whitepaper is an excellent tactic for any content marketing strategy.

Yet, if businesses are not in the practice of writing whitepapers, the thought of creating one can be somewhat scary.

Whitepapers have a defined structure. Creating one can be clunky, difficult and time-consuming. When all is said and done, you may be left wondering if the final draft is truly conveying the message you intended.

Consider this: If you are not a pastry chef and you need a beautiful three-tiered cake to serve at a party, you likely wouldn’t take on the challenge to bake it. It isn’t as if you don’t know how to bake a cake, but the demand is greater than your ability to deliver on the task. So, you would probably turn to an expert to bake the cake.

The same should be true for whitepapers. If you are not an expert and dread the writing, outsourcing is a very sensible and cost-effective option.

Why whitepapers?

Whitepapers should be part of a business content marketing plan because they remain very effective communication tools that have stood the test of time. A good whitepaper contains rich and substantive content that clearly communicates a point of view.

Ideas within the paper should provoke innovative thinking. Statistics and other data included in the paper allow others to know the information that is provided is accurate, well-researched and supports the content.

Finally, one of the best reasons that whitepapers remain valued in the workplace is that they aren’t a sales pitch. The information can stand on its own to support the expertise of the company presenting it. This incites readers to develop a relationship with a business because they view it as a thought leader.

Why outsource?

As previously mentioned, if you are not an expert in writing whitepapers, you’ll get a better ROI by turning to an expert, like content provider Tempesta Media.

Outsourced writers have a solid understanding of the expectations, grammar, spelling and style. These writers know how to indirectly market the information your business wants to present. Here are ways outsourcing this task benefits your company:

• Most informed. Today’s technology moves so fast and affects so many parts of the business that if you are not on top of the latest trend, you are not a leader. Professional white paper writers stay on top of everything. They transfer this knowledge and skills to the white papers they draft.
• Skilled research. While it might seem appropriate to have an in-house staffer write on a topic he or she knows, this employee isn’t skilled to deliver the information a reader will want to know about the topic. A professional writer will.

Rob Leavitt, who leads ITSMA Thought Leadership Council says, “There is no substitute for well-researched, well-thought-through points of view on issues that really matter to your customers. If you don’t take the time to do that, it doesn’t matter what format you are using. It just won’t be effective.”

• Think global, write local. As businesses expand their reach in the global marketplace, writing for that audience can be complicated. Professional writers know how to localize content to best market and promote specific countries, regions, customs and cultures.

More intangible benefits

Outsider objectivity. Businesses that have their staff write white papers can sometimes be too close to the products or services they deliver. That makes it difficult to maintain a sense of objectivity. External writers approach the subject with fresh eyes.

This outsider can study your company the way a customer might and ask the same questions a customer might like the answers to. The writer can then craft a relevant white paper that addresses the reader’s needs. Achieving this helps convert a reader into a customer.

• Focus. Experts deliver the message you intend. Often, businesses that write their own white papers can stray to other topics because they know so much about the company that they perceive everything as critical to the paper. This is not the case. Weaving in only the most salient information and data keeps the paper streamlined.
• Time is money. Expert writers who are given a deadline deliver on deadline. In comparison, assigning the white paper to an in-house employee can take time away from his or her other tasks.

Additionally, if that staffer is not familiar with the process, numerous drafts of the white paper may have to be written before it is perfected. All things considered, outsourcing the writing to someone who understands all the technical aspects and can easily craft content saves time. When the deadline is met, it saves your business money in the long run.