It’s a holiday cliche—as we head back to our routines after a hiatus, we all make promises to ourselves for the New Year: stop smoking, lose weight, eat less, exercise more, and so on. The gyms are packed, the last cigarettes crushed out, and for a few days at least, we stick to our brown bagged sliced turkey sandwiches and skip the Golden Arches on our lunch breaks.

But what about the promises you make to your business? It’s a calendar new year for the corporate world, too, and there’s no time like right now to set goals for improving your business practices and your bottom line. Trade Press Services has a few ideas in mind—and we’ll help you keep them!

Get published! As Stuart Smalley said on Saturday Night Live, “You’re good enough, you’re smart enough, and doggone it, people like you!” (And remember, this guy is US Senator now.) There’s no better way to show off those smarts than with a series of articles in your industry’s trade publications with your name at the top. Is writing not your strongest skill? Don’t know whom to contact or what to write about? Don’t worry—Trade Press Services does. In no time, you’ll have a list of topics and publications lined up and a seasoned writer working with you to craft your articles, which we’ll submit on your behalf.

Write a white paper. Isn’t most paper white? Yes, but a “white paper” is a defining statement about a technology or methodology. Whether it’s nuclear fusion or just better ways to haul the trash, odds are that your company does it a little differently—even a little better—than the competition. Establish yourself as the thought leader in the field by working with TPS to craft a white paper that will have the other guys wondering how to catch up.

Write that book. And you won’t even have to retreat to that bed and breakfast in Vermont with your IBM Selectric typewriter to find your inner muse and some peace and quiet. You’ve got ideas—after all, you’ve been in this business for a while now, right? And they’re ideas that people ought to hear. Things that you wish you knew when you were starting out. Things that every business in your field—heck, every business, period—ought to be doing to stay competitive and get ahead in this post-recession economy. So what are you waiting for? Trade Press Services will help you organize your thoughts, find the right publisher, and even create a progress schedule to ensure the job gets done. After all, it’s not really a New Year’s resolution if you don’t keep it, right?

Time is wasting and February will be here before you know it. Call or e-mail Trade Press Services today to discuss how TPS can help make all of these projects and more a reality.

How would you like to learn a great way to attract new customers to your business? You can—with a professionally-written white paper.

You’ve heard the term tossed around, but what is a white paper, anyway? A white paper is a report that is intended to be the definitive statement on a particular topic or issue. Lots of types of organizations write white papers, for lots of different reasons—governments spelling out official policy, for example. In the business world, a white paper not only establishes your product or solution as superior to the competition but positions you (or your company) as a thought leader.

A white paper is first and foremost a marketing tool. It should be written with your customers in mind, and should seek to address their problems, needs, or concerns. The length of the paper can vary, but again, keep your audience in mind. A highly technical consumer will be more tolerant of a longer, more detailed document than will a less technical buyer.

Whoever the audience, it’s important to grab their attention quickly. Remember, no one is forcing them to read your white paper. In the first few sentences, it’s key to catch their attention with phrases that will resonate with them. For example, “Are you tired of missing important e-mails because your spam filter does its job too well?” or “Finally—a document solution that combines the low cost of black and white with the professional look of color.”

Now you’ve got them on the hook! Next, reel them in with the specifics of exactly how your product or service can solve their problem. Be sure to include figures, stats or studies that support your claim. Testimonials from customers who have experienced success with your product work well, too.

Finally, wrap it up with a concise, compelling summary that restates your key points and includes a call to action: “To reclaim your inbox, call E-mail Solutions today.”

Trade Press Services can help you craft an effective white paper that will help your company get its message out to your audience.