White papers remain the most important content to help buyers make purchase decisions – helping buyers to understand opportunities, understand solution options and understand the competitive differences of your solution vs. others. However, in today's world of information overload, white paper download rates have declined, and your investment in traditional white paper marketing campaigns is not as effective as it used to be.

1. TOM PISELLO, Chairman & Founder
Blog: http://tompiselloroiguy.blogspot.com/
Twitter: @tpisello
http://www.alinean.com
http://www.fightfrugalnomics.com
Connecting Despite Information Overload:
Driving More High Quality Leads with Interactive White Papers

2. Today’s B2B Buyer and Marketing Trends
http://www.fightfrugalnomics.com
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3. The Economic-Focused Buyer
• Size
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4. Information Overload Rising / Effectiveness Declining
Campaigns Received Per Week
60%
50% Average 2006: 15.4 campaigns
50% Average 2010: 20.3 campaigns
40% 32% increase
40% 37%
30% 28%
20%
10% 11%
10% 6% 6%
3% 3% 3% 3%
0%
1 to 10 11 to 25 26 to 40 21 to 50 51 to 75 75+
2006 2010 Source: SiriusDecisions 2010
62% of B2B vendors need more leads in
order to generate the same amount of
sales
4
4
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5. Who do Buyers Trust for Decision Support Content?
3rd Party sources such as Peers, Analysts & Trade Pubs Impart Most Influence
Most often
Direct vendor sources yield the least influence
selected
35%
30% Internal events/triggers
Peers
25%
Industry analysts
20%
Trade publications
15%
Search engine results
10% VARs/Partners
5% Consultants
Vendors
0%
Early Middle Late
Source: SiriusDecisions 2010
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6. Which Content is Most Effective?
White Papers Remain King of Decision Support Content
Most often
selected
70%
White papers
60%
Peer referrals
50%
Webinars
40%
Email
30%
User Events
20% Analyst reports
10% Case Studies
0%
Early Middle Late
Source: SiriusDecisions 2010
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7. Will White Papers Retain The Content King Crown?
• > 84 % buyers use white papers during the buying journey (most used)
• Average of 3.2 white paper downloads per month (very active)
• Leveraged throughout the buying lifecycle:
– Discovery
• 35% for awareness and finding ideas to challenge status-quo
• 33% for finding solution options
– Consideration -23% for creating a short list of vendors and vendor
evaluation
– Decision - 10% for making a final decision
BUT, utilization and frequency of use are DOWN year over year…
Need something newer, more personalized / dynamic to break through the
clutter and renew relevance to more skeptical / frugal buyers ….
Source: Ziff-Davis Enterprise
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8. Marketing Strategies for 2011 and Beyond
http://www.fightfrugalnomics.com
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9. Fight Frugalnomics with Value Marketing
Product Focus Solution Focus Value Focus
Discussion: Discussion:
Discussion:
• Customer knows issue • Prescriptive & Quantified
• Customer knows issues &
• Tie features / functions to desired outcome • Discover… Is customer
needs aware of issue?
• Questions to discover pain
• Compares product points
alternatives • Diagnose… How bad is it?
• Feature • Function • Price • Recommend solution to • Quantify … Value of change
solve pain
• Compare … Value vs. Status
Drive: Product Driven Drive: Pain-Point Driven Quo / Competition
Drive: Diagnostics-Driven:
What is issue & outcome /
value of change?
Solution
Vendor Trusted Advisor 9
Provider © 2011 Alinean, Inc.

10. Buying Lifecycle: How Companies Buy vs. How to Market / Sell
Loosening
of the
Status Quo
Discovery
Committing to
Change
Prospect
Exploring
Lead Possible
Solutions
Consideration
Marketing Qualified
Lead Committing
to a Solution
Sales Qualified Lead
Justifying
the
Decision
Opportunity
Decision
Making
the
Close
Selection
Traditional Marketing Cycle SiriusDecisions Buying Cycle
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11. Content Marketing Strategy and the Buying Lifecycle
BUYING CYCLE
NEW CONCEPT
NEW PARADIGM
ESTABLISHED MARKET
Loosening Exploring Committing Justifying
Committing Making the
of the possible to a the
to change selection
status quo solutions solution decision
Reputation Demand Creation Sales Enablement
Content Marketing Strategy Vendor Selection
Education Solution
Create
Align
awareness Demonstrate Validate/
Illuminate Help buyer proposed
around a financial value reinforce you
problem & identify solution
new / technical are correct
drive solutions to with
problem, competence to choice vs.
urgency the problem decision
new solve problem alternatives
criteria
paradigm
Source: SiriusDecisions © 2011 Alinean, Inc.
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12. Value Marketing and the Buying Lifecycle
Help buyer diagnose / illuminate issues
Benchmark / comparison proof that peers
Loosening
/ leaders are solving issues faster / better
of the
Status Quo
Recommend roadmap for solving issues
Discovery Make issues you solve a priority vs. other
Committing to
issues
Change
Exploring Quantify the “cost of doing nothing”
Possible
Solutions Make the “case for change”
Consideration Quantify rewards vs. risks
Committing
to a Solution Make your proposed project a priority vs.
other projects
Justifying
the Need to prove solution is best value
Decision
Decision Total cost of ownership (TCO)
comparisons can help
Making
the Make your solution a priority vs. all other
Selection solutions
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13. Challenges for B2B Marketers
• Engaging “Buyer-Frugalnomicus”
– How do you stand out from the 100 other marketing emails / campaigns
buyer receives each day?
– How do you create credible content that users will trust / believe?
– How do you engage without overload?
• Long and more comprehensive assets have value, but demand a lot of time and
some information may not be relevant or may confuse buyer
• But, if you make it short, you may not have enough information to really engage
the prospect and hit their specific pain points
– How do you deliver what buyers need based on their stage / role in the
buying decision?
• Improving Marketing Effectiveness
– How do you increase the effectiveness of content marketing being
created?
– How do you help drive higher quality sales ready leads to sales?
– How do you get more lead intelligence to directly assist sales in more
successful calls and increased conversions?
© 2011 Alinean, Inc.
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14. Connect and Engage with Interactive White Papers
http://www.fightfrugalnomics.com
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15. Connect and Engage with Interactive White Papers
• Break through the Noise!
• 3rd Party Credibility
• Improved Intelligence via Profile
PERSONALIZATION
•
CUSTOMIZATION
•
ONE-ON-ONE COMMUNICATION
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16. Abstract and Simple Profile
Preview w/ Abstract
Pivot Points:
• Industry
• Location
• Size
• Stage in Buying Cycle
• Role in Buying Cycle
• Pain Points
• AS IS: Asset / Service
Survey
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17. User Provides Responses to Profile Questions
User Fills in Simple
Form
Tip Help Provided
Confirms Edits
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18. Pain Point Profile Collects Additional Information
Pain Point Profile
Intelligence for:
• Personalized report
• Lead Nurturing
Weigh Value of Each
Question versus:
• User Time
• Personalization /
Intelligence Value
Once Questionnaire
Complete, Can
Download Report
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19. Registration
Customized
Registration
Integrate with
Existing Registration
Rich Lead Nurturing
Integration
• Lead information
• Profile information
• Key results
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20. Personalization
Qualitative
• Company Name
• Focus on Pain Points
• Case Studies by
Industry / Location /
Size
Quantitative
• Cost of Doing Nothing
• Quantify Value /
Benefits
• ROI / Payback
• TCO Advantages
© 2011 Alinean, Inc.
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21. Connect and Engage with Interactive White Papers
• Break through the Noise!
• Generate More Leads vs.
Traditional White Papers
• Engage and Educate
• Reduce Sales Cycles
• Drive more Sales
• Engage
• Personalized
• One to One Dialogue
• Research Based
• 3rd Party Credibility
• Improved Intelligence via Profile
© 2011 Alinean, Inc.
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22. Interactive White Paper Development Process
Existing White Paper (2-4 wks) Original White Paper (3-6wks)
– Week 1: – Week 1:
• Receive original white paper content • Outline goals and objectives
• Collaboratively decide on pivot points • Determine pivot points
• Rapid prototype interface (questionnaire / • Identify research / sources
abstract) • Provide outline
• Gather / author personalized content
– Week 2 – 3:
– Week 2: • Gather research and 3rd party sources
• Finalize personalized content / reviews • Write original content
• Program personalized content rules • Conduct content reviews / editing
• Integrate with lead intelligence system • Post Alpha (prototype)
• Post pilot
– Week 4
– Week 3 • Program personalized content rules
• Incorporate pilot findings • Post Beta (working, but not finalized)
• Post final • Incorporate Beta findings
– Week 4 and On-going – Week 5
• Promote with marketing campaigns • Post pilot
• Verify lead quantity / quality meeting goals • Incorporate Pilot findings
– Week 6 and On-going
• Promote with marketing campaigns
• Verify lead quantity / quality meeting goals
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23. Partnerships for Complete Interactive White Paper Solution
Research / Content Reach
Intelligence Integration
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24. Next Steps
Get a Free White Paper Assessment
• Examine existing white paper inventory for potential Interactive
conversion
– Pivot points
– Content availability / content / research needed
• Examine new white paper potential
– Properly aligned with Demand Creation Spectrum?
– Help Buyers Journey along the Buying Lifecycle?
– Value Focused: Diagnostics / Justification / Competitive Value?
http://www.alinean.com/demand-gen/interactive_white_paper.aspx
http://www.fightfrugalnomics.com
© 2011 Alinean, Inc.
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