Final answer:
White papers are most effective when they help solve problems and provide factual evidence and solutions without overt sales pitches.
Step-by-step explanation:
White papers are most successful with business customers when they aid in solving a specific problem without directly promoting a particular company's products. An effective white paper offers factual evidence of a problem and presents one or more workable solutions to address it, thereby establishing thought leadership and trust. It uses narrative techniques to explain possible solutions and provides supporting facts to help readers think critically about the proposal. By adopting a problem-solving mindset and presenting evidence that the solutions are viable, white papers can be influential without appearing overtly sales-oriented.