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Small Teaser from Chapter 4 – Start Your Topics List
A topics list is a fluid document. It’s a collection of all the possible topics you could cover. It grows and changes, often daily. In essence — your topics list is the ordered chaos of your mind.
This is very different than your defined business goals, target audience(s) and points of value that are typically re-evaluated on a yearly or bi-yearly basis. But here’s the kicker, ordered chaos means sifting the wheat from the chaff. While no idea is a bad idea, not every idea is the right one. For your topics list to be an effective tool, every item on it must fit within the foundation defined by the work you did content mapping.
How Do You Create a Topics List? Here at RWL Design, we’re big Google Doc fans. It’s an easy to use, affordable platform that makes sharing and collaborating a breeze. When it comes to creating a topics list this is exactly what you need.
By utilizing Google Doc spreadsheets, you’ll have unlimited space, multiple tabs, and some fancy font and color options.
Begin by organizing your topics in columns. These columns should include:
- Notes
- Resources
Start with what you actually do. What products or services does your business provide? Each is it’s own topic. Add any notes and/or resources that are appropriate in the same row. If you have multiple different packages, each one goes on the list. If your company has employees with a wide range of skill sets, each employee and their skill set goes on the list.
Next, identify what result each of these products, services, employees, and skill sets provide your client. Each of these is a topic. Be specific.
For example, if you have a copywriter on staff who writes bios, your customers aren’t just getting a bio. They are getting a clearly defined and shareable identity, one that captures their personality and allows them to put their best foot forward. (First impressions can’t be repeated.)
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