More White Papers Worth Downloading

I like white papers. They're not as long and time-consuming as books. They provide more detailed information and how-to insights than the usual article. I've collected over 100 white papers in a folder on my hard drive, organized by subject matter. I frequently use them for research and share them with clients.

And when I'm really crunched for time (like this week!), my white paper collection provides a ready source of quick-yet-useful content to include in my blog. So here's my latest list of white papers worthy of your consideration:

The Online Lead Generation Guide for Professional Service Firms (Hinge). I spent most of my years as a business development professional before we had the internet. How did I ever manage? Sadly, many A/E firms still aren't making effective use of the web in researching and attracting new leads. This guide will help you better leverage the internet in complementing your traditional leading finding activities. Download

The 10 Commandments for Building a Value Proposition That Sells (RainToday.com). There's an old saying that people don't buy a product or service, they buy what they think that product or service will do for them.That's the essence of what your value proposition needs to be. This white paper will help you refine your message to potential customers, and perhaps even clarify what you're in business to do. Download

The Power of Meaningful Employee Recognition: Why One Size Doesn't Fit All (Maritz). Very few A/E firms have mastered the skill of motivating employees to perform at their best. On the contrary, when I do employee surveys, recognizing and rewarding performance is typically among the lowest scores. This brief white paper summarizes some important research on employee recognition and offers some guidance on doing it the right way. Download

Improving Trust (Trusted Advisor Associates). Strong business relationships are built on a foundation of mutual trust. The consummate experts on building trust in professional services are Charles Green and his colleagues at Trusted Advisor. This white paper outlines some strategies for increasing trust in your business relationships. Download

The "Feel Good Funnel" (Huthwaite). If you're a student of business development, you need to be reading the excellent material that Huthwaite produces, which is based on their incomparably extensive sales research. This white paper touches on one of my favorite themes: Do fewer better. That's good advice for sales and for managing business in general. Download

The Inbound Marketing Trade Show Planning Guide (HubSpot). This white paper comes from another reliable source of helpful insights, particularly on the subject of "inbound marketing." A lot of A/E firms do trade shows, but most don't do them all that well from a business development perspective. This guide will help you get more out of future trade shows. Download

The New Rules of Selling Consulting Services in 2011 (RainToday.com). Still another go-to source, and another useful white paper on how to sell professional services. Check out the "old rules of selling consulting services" and see how many still apply to your firm. Then use this white paper to come up with a few ideas for doing sales better going forward. Download

A Book Report on How Full Is Your Bucket? (Gary Tomlinson). This is hardly a new book, but it may be unfamiliar to you. It is one I highly recommend, but if you just want to glean its primary insights, read this 11-page condensation. Based in large part on research by the Gallup Organization, the book outlines how we can dramatically impact others through positive interactions. Download