How can you effectively promote a white paper using email marketing?

2 Segment your audience

Not everyone on your email list is interested in your white paper. Sending the same email to everyone will only result in low open rates, high unsubscribe rates, and wasted resources. To avoid this, you need to segment your audience based on their characteristics, preferences, and behaviors. For example, you can segment your audience by industry, job role, location, purchase history, engagement level, or pain points. This will help you tailor your email content, design, and timing to match the needs and interests of each segment.

3 Craft a compelling subject line

The subject line is the first thing that your recipients see when they receive your email. It determines whether they will open it or ignore it. Therefore, you need to craft a compelling subject line that captures their attention, curiosity, and interest. A good subject line should be clear, concise, relevant, and benefit-oriented. It should also create a sense of urgency, curiosity, or exclusivity. For example, instead of saying "Download our white paper on X", you could say "How to solve X in 30 minutes (free guide inside)".

4 Write a persuasive email body

The email body is where you convince your recipients to take action and download your white paper. To do that, you need to write a persuasive email body that follows the AIDA formula: attention, interest, desire, and action. First, you need to grab their attention with a catchy headline, a personalized greeting, or a relevant question. Second, you need to spark their interest with a brief introduction of your white paper topic, the main benefits, and the credibility of your brand. Third, you need to create a desire for your white paper by highlighting the value proposition, the problem it solves, and the results it delivers. Fourth, you need to prompt them to take action by using a clear and strong call to action (CTA) button or link that leads them to a landing page where they can download your white paper.

5 Optimize your landing page

The landing page is where you collect your leads' contact information in exchange for your white paper. It is the final step of your email marketing campaign, and it needs to be optimized to maximize conversions. To do that, you need to follow some best practices, such as: using a clear and catchy headline that summarizes your white paper topic and benefits, using a short and simple form that asks only for the essential information, using a clear and compelling CTA button that tells your leads what to do next, using relevant and attractive images or videos that support your white paper content, using social proof or testimonials that demonstrate your authority and credibility, and using a thank you page or email that confirms the download and provides additional resources or offers.

6 Follow up with your leads

Promoting your white paper with email marketing does not end with the download. You need to follow up with your leads to nurture them, build trust, and move them along the sales funnel. You can do that by sending a series of emails that provide more value, education, and engagement. For example, you can send them a welcome email that thanks them for downloading your white paper, introduces your brand, and sets their expectations. You can also send them a content email that provides more information, insights, or tips related to your white paper topic. You can also send them a feedback email that asks for their opinion, feedback, or questions about your white paper. Finally, you can send them a sales email that offers them a solution, a demo, a trial, or a consultation based on their needs and interests.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?