white-paper

name	white-paper
description	Writes authoritative white papers with executive summary, research sections, data visualization suggestions, and lead-gen CTA. Use when you need a long-form thought leadership asset for B2B lead generation or industry authority building.
allowed-tools	Read Write Glob
metadata	{"author":"matthewhitcham","version":"1.0"}

White Paper

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when you need to:

• Write a white paper that establishes authority on an industry topic
• Create a gated lead-generation asset for your business
• Produce a data-backed report that educates prospects on a problem your product solves
• Build a comprehensive document for B2B sales enablement

DO NOT use this skill for blog posts, case studies, one-pagers, or short-form content. This is for full-length white papers (2,000-5,000 words) that serve as premium content assets.

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Core Principle

A WHITE PAPER MUST EDUCATE FIRST AND SELL SECOND — THE READER SHOULD GAIN GENUINE INSIGHT WHETHER OR NOT THEY BUY ANYTHING.

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Phase 1: Brief

Gather the inputs that define the white paper's scope, audience, and business goal before writing a single word.

Required Inputs

Input	What to Ask	Default
Topic / problem statement	"What specific problem or industry question does this white paper address?"	No default — must be provided
Target reader	"Who will read this? Job title, industry, decision-making authority."	Business owners and decision-makers
Business goal	"What should the reader do after reading? Book a demo, download a tool, contact sales?"	Visit a landing page
Key data / research	"Do you have stats, survey results, or proprietary data to include?"	Use publicly available industry data
Word count	"Target length?"	3,000-4,000 words
Brand / product to position	"What solution should this subtly point toward?"	Mention only in the conclusion

Brief Template

## White Paper Brief

**Topic:** The rising cost of manual compliance tracking in fintech
**Target reader:** COOs and compliance officers at mid-size fintech firms
**Business goal:** Book a demo of automated compliance platform
**Data sources:** 2024 Deloitte compliance survey, internal customer data
**Word count:** 3,500 words
**Product positioning:** Mention platform in solution section and CTA only

GATE: Do not proceed until the user confirms the brief.

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Phase 2: Outline

Build a structured outline that follows the classic white paper arc: problem → context → analysis → solution → next steps.

Outline Rules

1. Title — authoritative, specific, avoids clickbait
2. Executive summary — 150-200 word standalone summary (written last, outlined first)
3. 5-8 major sections with key points under each
4. Data visualization callouts — note where charts, tables, or infographics should appear
5. Estimated word counts per section

Outline Format

**Title:** [Authoritative title]

**Executive Summary** (~200 words)
- [Key finding 1]
- [Key finding 2]
- [Primary recommendation]

**Section 1: [Problem Definition]** (~500 words)
- [Key point]
- [Data viz: bar chart showing trend]

**Section 2: [Industry Context]** (~600 words)
- [Key point]
- [Key point]

GATE: Present outline and wait for approval before writing.

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Phase 3: Write

With an approved outline, write the full white paper following these structural rules.

Document Structure

1. Title Page Elements

• Title, subtitle, author/company name, date, version number

2. Executive Summary (150-200 words)

• Write this LAST but place it FIRST — summarize key findings and the single most important recommendation
• Must stand alone — a reader who reads only this section should grasp the core argument

3. Body Sections

• Open each section with a clear topic sentence
• Support every claim with data, expert quotes, or case examples
• Use short paragraphs (3-4 sentences max)
• Include callout boxes for key statistics or pull quotes
• Mark data visualization opportunities: [DATA VIZ: type — description]

4. Conclusion + Recommendation

• Summarize 3 key takeaways as numbered points
• Make a clear recommendation tied to the business goal
• Include a single CTA with specific next step

Formatting Rules

Element	Rule
Tone	Professional, authoritative, third-person preferred
Citations	Footnote style — [1] in text, full references at end
Data viz markers	At least 3 per white paper
Callout boxes	Use blockquotes for key stats: > KEY STAT: ...
Paragraphs	3-4 sentences maximum
Jargon	Define technical terms on first use

Lead-Gen CTA

End with a conversion-focused CTA section:

## Next Steps

[1-2 sentences restating the urgency of the problem]

[CTA: specific action — "Download the assessment template at [URL]" or "Book a 15-minute compliance audit at [URL]"]

[Trust element: "Trusted by 200+ fintech firms" or "No commitment required"]

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Phase 4: Polish

1. Data Visualization Summary

List every data viz suggestion with placement and recommended format:

## Data Visualization Plan

1. Section 2, paragraph 3 — Bar chart: compliance costs by company size (2020-2024)
2. Section 3, paragraph 1 — Pie chart: time allocation across manual vs automated tasks
3. Section 5, paragraph 2 — Comparison table: manual vs automated compliance outcomes

2. Reference List

Compile all citations in a numbered reference list with full source details.

3. Executive Review Checklist

## Pre-Publish Checklist

- [ ] Executive summary can stand alone without the full document
- [ ] Every claim is supported by data or expert citation
- [ ] At least 3 data visualization opportunities are marked
- [ ] Tone is consistent (no sudden shifts to casual or salesy)
- [ ] CTA is specific and includes a single next step
- [ ] Product mentions appear only in solution/conclusion sections
- [ ] Document reads well when skimmed (headings + callouts tell the story)
- [ ] Word count is within 10% of target
- [ ] All references are properly cited

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Example: "The Hidden Cost of Manual Compliance in Fintech" (3,500 words)

Brief:

• Topic: Manual compliance processes costing fintech firms 15-20% of operating budget
• Reader: COOs at mid-size fintech companies
• Goal: Book a platform demo
• Word count: 3,500

Outline excerpt:

Title: The Hidden Cost of Manual Compliance: Why Fintech Firms Lose $2.4M Annually to Outdated Processes
Executive Summary (~200 words)
Section 1: The Compliance Burden Is Growing (~500 words)
Section 2: What Manual Compliance Actually Costs (~700 words)
  - [DATA VIZ: stacked bar chart — direct vs indirect costs]
Section 3: Where the Hours Go (~500 words)
Section 4: The Automation Opportunity (~600 words)
Section 5: Implementation Roadmap (~500 words)
Section 6: Next Steps + CTA (~200 words)

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Anti-Patterns

• Selling too early — mentioning your product before Section 4 destroys credibility. Educate first.
• Unsupported claims — "Everyone knows..." is not evidence. Cite sources or cut the claim.
• Wall-of-text sections — white papers are not academic dissertations. Use callouts, lists, and viz markers.
• Vague CTAs — "Contact us to learn more" converts poorly. Be specific: who, what, how.
• Skipping the executive summary — busy decision-makers read only this. It must deliver the full argument in miniature.
• Data dumping — every stat needs context. What does this number mean for the reader?

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Recovery

• No data or research: Suggest 3-5 public data sources (industry reports, government data, surveys) relevant to the topic. Offer to write with qualitative evidence (case examples, expert reasoning) instead.
• Too promotional: If the draft reads like a sales brochure, flag it. Rewrite product mentions as category references ("automation platforms" not "our platform") in body sections.
• Outline rejected: Ask whether the issue is scope (too broad/narrow), angle (wrong emphasis), or structure (missing sections). Isolate before rewriting.
• No clear CTA: Ask what the single most valuable next step is for their business. Default to "book a call" if they cannot decide.
• Word count ballooning past 5,000: Suggest splitting into a white paper series or cutting the weakest section.