White paper offers have long been a staple of high-tech lead generation campaigns. With the advent of the Web, however (and the instant access to information that it provides), white papers don't generate the same level of response they once did (in a sense, the Web has "devalued" them.)

Still, a good white paper (perhaps dressed up as an "executive brief", a "buyer's guide" or "technology primer") remains a good investment both as a direct marketing offer and as a general sales tool. An effective white paper doesn't necessarily sell the reader on your company or your technology, but rather delivers information of value that attracts the right kind of prospect -- the person with the problem or challenge that your product or service can solve. Your sales force or your Web site can do the selling.

And you don't have to be selling a technical product. Pick up the business section of your local paper, and you'll likely see white paper offers from financial service companies with titles like "10 Ways to Choose Your Next Mutual Fund" and "Planning for Your Retirement." (A person planning for his or her retirement is a good prospect for your investment advice.)

Based on offers that have proven successful for our clients, here's an outline for an effective white paper:

1. Current industry problems/trends (highlighting, naturally, the "pain" that your product or service solves)
2. Technology considerations/options (what's old, what's new, the "new" being your product or service)
3. How the new technology or service or business model works (including a technical description, if applicable)
4. Benefits/Applications/ROI (including case studies, if possible)
5. How to choose a solution/vendor
6. Summary