Even though you are probably not an experienced journalist, coming up with ideas for articles is not hard. Most “expert” feature stories are how-to pieces aimed at educating readers on a particular topic related to the author’s industry. Another strategy involves case histories or application stories-- showing readers how a business solved a problem or addressed a need.

Save relevant news stories as launching points and ready-made research for your articles. Gather publications that serve your target market, and look for ideas that relate to your business. Look to your own experiences and those of your colleagues and clients—there's plenty of good material all around you.

Study your chosen publications and determine the types of stories each of them seems to favor—then use them as starting points for your own ideas. Look for patterns, trends, and points of discussion.

Remember: few story ideas are truly original. A new slant, an interesting angle, timeliness, and focus—these are enough to make a story publishable.