Start a Beautiful Partnership with a White Paper

The white paper is your door opener to building strong customer relationships and winning business. As Humphrey Bogart’s character, Rick Blaine, says in “Casablanca,” I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.” White papers are a cornerstone and a perfect medium to foster a trusting and respected relationship with a busy Federal customer.

Start Your White Paper with an Understanding

A white paper is typically a one- to five-page document that begins with an understanding of your government customer’s objectives, motivators, and issues. It’s all about the customer’s issue and is not an overt sales document.

If you want customers to invest time in learning about your company’s capabilities, you must first invest time in learning about their mission, risks, and requirements. Also, understand where your customer fits into the agency’s organization chart and if the agency has the budget to support your solution. This information is gleaned from their vendors, mission statements, industry articles, and other publicly available sources. If you have staff members at that agency, then enlist their help. Demonstrate to your customer that you care enough to conduct thorough research—build interest that turns into respect.

Use Your White Paper to Solve Their Problem. Don’t Sell a Product or Service

Position your white paper as an analysis of alternatives or solution description, not a brochure. Offer a clear, objective analysis and a credible solution and rationale as to why your solution can solve the customer’s needs. Stop short of fully unveiling your solution or distributing the proprietary information you want to save for your proposal.  Also, demonstrate your readiness to implement the solution.

Substantiate Your White Paper Solutions with Case Studies or Proof Points

Use quantitative and qualitative evidence, customer stories of challenges overcome, and relevant past performance to support your claims and build trust. Also, consider using proof points and customer success stories to substantiate your solution. Substantiate the solution with a quick sentence about where your company has provided the solution before, and another sentence on the benefits accrued, such as saving money or time.

Align Your White Paper with Federal Priorities and Policies

Explain how your solution aligns with customer priorities, policies, guidelines, and requirements. Show evidence of plans and processes you plan to implement to verify compliance. Reference relevant executive orders, strategic plans, or acquisition regulations to show your approach is timely and aligned with the customers’ direction.

Use a Standard Structure and Design for Your White Paper

Introductory points about what’s in it for the customer at the top of the paper, before the customer dives in, are effective attention grabbers when combined with a compelling understanding that clearly explains the customer’s objectives and requirements. The core of the paper presents the approach that quickly establishes mission relevance and describes the solution in a logical, benefit-driven format, supported by data, case studies, or past performance. Finish the white paper with a call to action, such as offering a demo or a meeting that you can facilitate with a technical subject matter expert. 

Ensure the paper is professionally written and designed. There is no respect for those who can’t spell. Write in plain language. And avoid technical or marketing jargon that may confuse or alienate the reader. A well-structured white paper should be professionally branded, easy to scan, and include clearly labeled sections, callout boxes for key takeaways, and simple visuals to aid understanding.

Conclusion

One of the best things about white papers is that customers can read, review, and digest them at their own pace without feeling rushed. Cater to the customer; it’s all about them and the solution you can provide. If the initial white paper is effective, you may be asked to write additional white papers for different audiences, such as agency executives.

If you need assistance constructing your next white paper or other pre-RFP documents, like Sources Sought Notice (SSN) responses, requests for information (RFI) responses, capability statements, presentations, or demonstrations, contact Lohfeld Consulting.

White papers can start a respected and influential relationship. By the time the RFP is released, you’ll have a treasure trove of specific intelligence needed for the winning proposal.

Relevant Information

• How to Produce Pre-RFP Documents for the Win

• How to Make Your RFI Response Unforgettable

By Brenda Crist, Vice President at Lohfeld Consulting Group, MPA, CPP APMP Fellow and Louise Fisher, CF.APMP

Lohfeld Consulting Group has proven results specializing in helping companies create winning captures and proposals. As the premier capture and proposal services consulting firm focused exclusively on government markets, we provide expert assistance to government contractors in Capture Planning and Strategy, Proposal Management and Writing, Capture and Proposal Process and Infrastructure, and Training. In the last 3 years, we’ve supported over 550 proposals winning more than $170B for our clients—including the Top 10 government contractors. Lohfeld Consulting Group is your “go-to” capture and proposal source! Start winning by contacting us at www.lohfeldconsulting.com and join us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube^(TM).