More Favorite Free White Papers

Several months ago, I posted links to a few free white papers that I'd found particularly useful. That turned out to be one of my more popular posts. Since I'm constantly downloading white papers in my insatiable search for more best practices and useful studies, I thought it was time to again share some of my more recent favorites with you. Hope you find these helpful:

How Buyers Buy (Hinge). Based on interviews with 137 professional service buyers, approximately 50 of which were related to the AEC industry. There are some profitable insights contained in this study summary that can help you sharpen your business development strategy. Download

Closing the Delivery Gap (Bain & Company). Eighty percent of the companies surveyed in this study claimed to deliver a "superior experience" to their customers. Alas, only 8% of their customers agreed! Drawing from Bain's research findings, this white paper outlines how companies can close the obvious "delivery gap." Download

Employee Engagement Report 2011 (BlessingWhite). This large global study found that less than 1 in 3 employees are "engaged," a measure of their connectedness and contribution to the firm's success. This means that there is substantial untapped potential in your workforce, not to mention the matter of retention when business picks up. This report provides several valuable strategies for improving employee engagement. Download

The Power of Recognition (4imprint). The paper's author may cause you to question its validity, but it is in fact an excellent summary of the research on this subject. The reality is that most A/E firms fall short of providing adequate recognition and positive reinforcement to their employees. This paper is a good resource for considering how your firm can do it better. Download

The Essential Step-By-Step Guide to Internet Marketing (HubSpot). I really appreciate HubSpot's expertise related to "inbound marketing," and would encourage you to look at their other white papers and articles as well. This paper is their latest, eight steps to marketing your firm more effectively over the internet. Download

B2B Content Marketing: 2010 Benchmarks, Budgets and Trends (MarketingProfs / Junta42). If you want to know how your firm's marketing compares to that of other business-to-business firms, this report will be very helpful. It's based on a survey of 1,100 B2B marketers. Download

Mastering Rainmaking Conversations with RAIN Selling (RainToday.com). This paper outlines an effective sales process (similar to what I've been doing for years) and would be an excellent choice to circulate among your firm's rainmakers. Download

5 Lead Generation Best Practices (ITSMA / RainToday.com). One study found that over 70% of qualified leads are wasted due to mishandling or neglect. This white paper summarizes best practices among professional services based on still another study. Download

I hope you find at least two or three of these papers helpful. If you do, please let me know. And, of course, I'm always on the lookout for more, so pass along any suggestions!