# White Paper > 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. - Skill: `reaperinvest/white-paper` (Agent Skill) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add reaperinvest/white-paper` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/reaperinvest/white-paper/raw - Safety review: pending - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Research & Search - Author: reaperinvest (https://skillmd.com/u/reaperinvest) - Updated: 2026-09-22 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/reaperinvest/white-paper --- # 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. --- ## Core Principle A WHITE PAPER MUST EDUCATE FIRST AND SELL SECOND — THE READER SHOULD GAIN GENUINE INSIGHT WHETHER OR NOT THEY BUY ANYTHING. --- ## 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.** --- ## 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.** --- ## 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"] ``` --- ## 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 ``` --- ## 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) ``` --- ## 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? --- ## 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.