Content marketing using white papers is effective, but losing steam with today’s more empowered, skeptical and frugal B2B buyer. Personalized, one-to-one (1:1) interactive white papers are proven to better fuel demand-generation programs and improve sales and marketing effectiveness.

1. White Papers are Influence Kings, But Need Personalization to
Retain Crown
Internet Fuels IT Buying Cycles
According to a recent survey of 500 technology decision makers and influencers, Internet access to content is
changing the way IT solutions are purchased, with buyers using on-line research to drive substantial portion of
the decision making cycle on their own. This trend does not only hold for IT buyers, but for buyers of B2B
solutions overall, as ever more savvy buyers use on-line content to set strategies, and explore and select
solutions, all before ever engaging a sales representative.
For these buyers, content is an all important decision catalyst, with buyers researching opportunities, solutions,
technical specifications, financial justification, success stories references and competitive comparisons. In a do-
more-with-less environment, buyers view on-line content as essential to the buying process, a facilitator to
help make better decisions more quickly.
Content that Matters Most?
When surveyed as to the most influential content in decision making, white papers remain the stand-out
content of choice.
This marked the third year in a row that white papers were ranked as the most influential when compared
to several other collateral types, including superior influence in driving purchase decisions over case studies /
success stories, product brochures / data sheets, videos, and podcasts.
Although white papers remain influential, media firms such as Ziff Davis Enterprise (ZDE) and others report
that white paper downloads are DOWN year over year.
Unfortunately the bulk of white paper marketing involves communicating the same information, in the same
way, over and over to prospects as different as Joe’s Barber Shop and Exxon Mobil. This results in information
overload, with low response rates, a slower buying process and lack of competitive differentiation. The issue is
that traditional white papers are often not engaging enough to break through the clutter.
So, how do marketers make whitepapers more effective, more relevant, and more ONE-TO-ONE?
Interactive White Papers
One way to overcome these issues is via Interactive White Papers - by creating content that is dynamic,
adaptive and personalized in real time, fundamentally changing the way white papers engage buyers.
Research from MarketingSherpa and KnowledgeStorm, shows that targeted content is more effective, when
customized for:

2.  Industry (82% more effective)
 Role/job function (67%)
 Company size (49%)
 Geography (29%).
Designed to create more impactful and highly relevant content experiences for buyers, Interactive White
Papers connect a solution's benefits to the unique needs of each customer through a question-and-answer
interface that updates dynamic text modules within the white paper. Based on responses to profile questions
the white paper is personalized to analyze the buyer needs and present relevant and personalized results.
The Bottom-Line
For buyers, Interactive White Papers provide a fast and easy way to personalize specific data and messaging
points in the white paper, enabling them to streamline their research and create more effective resources that
can be shared within their organization.
For marketers, personalizing white paper content based on user profile, creates a better attraction, connection
and stronger engagement. Noise is removed and education streamlined, helping to reduce sales cycles and
drive more sales.
Click here for more information on Alinean-powered Interactive White Papers.
About Alinean
Alinean, the leading provider of dynamic sales and marketing tools, empowers B2B vendors to better sell to
today's economic-focused buyer. Alinean-powered interactive white papers, assessments, ROI calculators and
TCO comparison tools create more compelling value-based connections, workshops, presentations and
proposals — delivering customized diagnostics, benchmarks, solution recommendations, benefits,
investments, ROI, payback and TCO advantage proof points.
Leading B2B firms leveraging Alinean tools include: HP, IBM, Microsoft, EMC, Dell, Intel, IDC/IDG, AT&T,
Siemens, Unisys, Thomson Reuters, NetApp, Citrix, Symantec, Novell, Cisco, Oracle, Sybase, and CA.
Learn more: at the Fight FrugalnomicsTM Resource Center http://www.fightfrugalnomics.com, by visiting
http://www.alinean.com, or calling 407.382.0005.
©2010 Alinean is a trademark of Alinean, Inc., in the United States. All other brands, products or service
names are or may be trademarks, registered trademarks or service marks of, and used to identify,
products or services of their respective owners.
For more information, please visit www.alinean.com
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