Is there any confusion in your organization about whitepapers, eBooks, sell sheets and case studies, what they are and how to use them? In case there is, let’s review:
Whitepapers
Whitepapers provide authoritative examinations of specific topics or, similarly, an in-depth explanation of an organization’s philosophy on a given topic. A whitepaper typically will be minimally designed and in portrait format. A typical length for a whitepaper is approximately 3,000 words, although this varies.
Whitepapers are sometimes product-oriented, particularly in the technology industry. Businesses should try not to make the copy in a whitepaper too sales heavy. A standard formula is for the last 10 percent of the whitepaper to be product-oriented.
eBooks
eBooks generally aim to be more accessible for the audience than whitepapers. In other words, they are more interactive, and the copy is often less academic and aims for a lighter touch. eBooks frequently include elements such as graphics and links to other multimedia assets. These features would not be included in a whitepaper.
In terms of tone, eBooks are typically more conversational than whitepapers; however, this can vary depending on your brand voice.
An eBook contains more design elements than a whitepaper and is often presented in landscape format.
Sell Sheets
Sell sheets are typically short (one or two pages), product-oriented marketing pieces. In contrast to eBooks and whitepapers, sell sheets give the business an opportunity to sell a product or service that it offers.
Sell sheets are typically straightforward in their presentation of the product or service they feature. They are meant to be consumed by the target audience when they are further along the sales funnel; eBooks and whitepapers, on the other hand, can help businesses generate and qualify leads at the top of the funnel.
Case Studies
Case studies are examples of a company’s product or service in action. The best case studies focus on a problem that is common to the core audience and how the business created a unique solution to this problem. Case studies should demonstrate a business’s effectiveness and expertise, and how these can work for prospective clients.
Businesses will often focus on the Challenge-Solution-Outcome template when developing a case study. The length and design of case studies can vary widely.
Whitepapers, eBooks, Case Studies and Sell Sheets are all part of the Trellist Content team’s offerings. If you have questions about the types of content that could help your business move forward, or need assistance in developing a content marketing strategy, Trellist can help.