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How do you select a topic for your paper?

By Michael Stelzner

I know many of you craft a LOT of white papers.

So here’s my question for you: How do you decide on a topic?

Do you just randomly pick something? Do you survey people?

Would love to hear from you.

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, April 16th, 2008 at 9:20 am and is filed under Writing White Papers. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

  • we have created some unique tools in the Lead Response Industry, so we educate around lead response and the handoff of leads from marketing to sales. We never mention our product during our marketing efforts but, the problems are all coincidentally solved by our systems.

    lrmguru.blogspot.com
  • Not sure if I was your target audience when you asked this, but my answer is that I found your blog and am learning how to write a white paper because I am collaborating with a friend on a new processor architecture, and he asked me to write a white paper to describe it.

    After reading some of your entries (particularly like the bits on interviewing experts), I realize now that I should be writing white papers for all kinds of projects, which I am picking based on how vested my interest is in their success, because it's clear to me this is going to be a lot of work to do right. :)
  • Hi Michael,

    The development of white papers for my clients has shifted to generate out of the interests, needs and problems that they see their prospects and customers responding to the most or struggling to address/resolve during marketing initiatives or interactions.

    By dialing in to specific behavior expressed through feedback, web activity and time spent on particular subject matter resources, the topics seem to present themselves.

    Beyond the topic, it's how you spin the subject and the expertise you expose that seem to make the difference between delivering what your audience finds high value or a white paper that doesn't generate the results you want -- namely engagement and conversation.

    Great question! And I like Jonathan's responses too.

    Ardath
  • Great ideas Jonathan!
  • Mike,

    From my clients perspective, they choose topics based on one or more of these factors:

    - Current Need - They feel a need to produce a white paper and pick a random topic that presents their unique competitive advantage.

    - Customer Need - Their customer base or salesforce has identified a compelling issue or situation that needs to be addressed via a white paper.

    - Industry or News-Related Issue - An news event has occured that presents an unique opportunity to discuss how an existing solution can solve that challenge.

    - Competitive Situation - a competitor has announced a solution that requires their organization to compare and contrast their solution with the competitive offering.

    Jonathan
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