What is the difference between a White paper & Case study?
Case studies are extended testimonials on how a product or service helped someone in the real world. They are somewhere between 500 and 1500 words long, written in a journalistic style with many quotes from the actual customer. The classic format for a case study is Before/After, Then/Now, Problem/Solution: Before we had this terrible problem, then we found this fantastic product, and After we started using it, everything became sweetness and light. White papers, on the other hand, are persuasive essays about a certain product, service, technology or methodology. They are generally 3,000 words or more, written in a somewhat academic style, with no direct quotes from the vendor’s representatives. A white paper may be told in the Problem/Solution format, but rarely in the Before/After format. White papers tend to be used earlier in the sales cycle, while case studies tend to be used later in the sales cycle to reassure a prospect that other buyers benefitted from the same approach they a
