Believe it or not, white papers evoke all sorts of emotions. Unfortunately, those emotions might be frustration or annoyance if your white paper doesn’t deliver on its promise.

But you can evoke emotions in your white paper that will bond the reader to the message and your brand. The formula is actually quite simple, and is a time-tested method for persuasive writing.

First, avoid the two things that drive white paper readers nuts: writing a product brochure disguised as a white paper or not focusing on a clear solution. Give white paper readers what they want, which is a fact-based discourse on a specific solution.

The Emotional Touch Point Is in the Business Challenge 

Use the time-tested problem-solution format for your white paper. Start by describing the problem and its symptoms, because it’s the symptoms that touch the emotions. It shouldn’t be too emotionally descriptive, because it could come across as manipulative. But if the problem being described causes people to be frustrated, stressed, overworked or overwhelmed — or anything else that people like to avoid — mention that. 

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