Technologies may come and go, but white papers have been an effective lead generation tool for high-tech companies for over a decade. Now, with the emergence of syndication, paid search, and other forms of content promotion, white papers are a better investment than ever.

In a previous edition of this newsletter, we provided a sample outline of what makes an effective white paper for lead generation purposes (see http://www.connectdirect.com/tips/hs199912.html). While the right content is always important, it's often the title of the document itself that drives click-throughs, downloads, and sales leads.

Case in point: recently, when one of the white papers we were promoting for a software client wasn't performing as well as expected, we changed the name from something that sounded eerily like a doctoral thesis to a more benefit-oriented title that included the phrase "Tips & Tricks". The result: downloads and leads increased twenty-fold.

We've been promoting white papers heavily of late, for a variety of clients across a wide range of vehicles. Here are some tips for naming your white paper based on recent "head to head" tests:

1. Imply a benefit from reading the material regardless of whether the reader eventually chooses to buy your product. The most successful white papers are not those that promise to explain why a particular product, service, or proprietary technology is the answer to the world's ills, but rather purport to offer information on how to solve a particular business or technical problem. So for example:

   "AcmeSoft 3.0: Delivering an Integrated Suite to Monitor, Analyze and Manage Performance" is too self-promotional, whereas:

   "Improving Business Intelligence ROI: A New Approach to Managing Business Performance" has appeal to those looking for information of value, not a sales pitch.

2. Include specific, tangible learning benefits in your title. For example:

   "Top 10 Secrets to ..."
   "Tips & Techniques for ..."
   "A Manager's Guide to Projecting ROI ..."
   "Best Practices for Successful ..."
   "What Spammers Know That You Don't"

   Remember, it's less important that the title communicate the functionality of your product, and more important that the reader understand the clear, concrete benefits from downloading the white paper.

3. Lastly, don't be afraid to second-guess the title of your white paper. Let's face it: people who write white papers are usually fairly technical, and aren't likely to title their document with your newsletter ad in mind. There's nothing untoward about changing the title of a document, even if it's already in distribution under its original name, if the title reasonably reflects the actual content. If a white paper's already posted on a particular site or network and it's not generating the response you expected, consider a new title. Charges to do so are usually minimal, and the results could surprise you.