Right now, potential customers are searching online for information about products and services like yours. Do they have an urgent buying need? Maybe. More likely, they are in the information-gathering phase of their buying process.

How can you help them during this phase and get on their short list of potential solution providers? By offering relevant, educational information in the form of executive briefs and white papers. I’m not talking about sales collateral or aggressive marketing messages. I’m talking about providing useful information about a challenge or problem your potential customer faces. Here’s an example.

White papers and executive briefs are a great way to position your company as an expert in your industry. What jargon lovers like to call “thought leaders.”  Here’s how you can use them as lead generators:

• Point keyword search ads to landing pages on your web site where you offer a white paper
• Sponsor an industry e-newsletter and offer your executive brief
• Print business cards promoting the brief as a download and hand them out at events or mail to prospects
• Promote your white papers and executive briefs in your marketing emails