COPYWRITING BRIEF ================= Disclaimer — not legal advice. This template is provided free of charge, as is and with no warranty of any kind, and using it creates no attorney-client relationship. It is jurisdiction-neutral: you are responsible for adapting it, for your own legal and tax compliance, and for having a qualified professional in your jurisdiction review it before you rely on it. Full terms: https://trycolo.co/terms-of-use Client: [CLIENT NAME] | Copywriter: [YOUR NAME] | Date: [DATE] Approver: [NAME], [TITLE] | Fact / legal check by: [NAME, or "none"] Draft due: [DATE] | Final due: [DATE] | Included revision rounds: [2] 1. The piece ------------ Question | Answer ------------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What are we writing? | [e.g. landing page / 5-email launch sequence / 6 paid social ads / product page] Where will it appear? | [URL, PLATFORM, EMAIL LIST, PRINT] How will readers arrive? | [e.g. paid ad, organic search, email, sales rep link] Existing copy to replace or build on | [LINK / NONE] Design or template constraints | [e.g. headline max 60 characters, 3 feature blocks] 2. Goal ------- The one action the reader should take: [e.g. book a 20-minute demo] Success looks like: [e.g. demo bookings from this page above [N]% of visitors] Secondary action (optional): [e.g. download the pricing sheet] 3. Reader --------- Who they are: [ROLE / SITUATION / DEMOGRAPHIC] What they want: [THE OUTCOME THEY ARE AFTER, IN THEIR WORDS] What frustrates them today: [CURRENT PROBLEM] Awareness level when they arrive (tick one): - [ ] Unaware they have the problem - [ ] Aware of the problem, not of solutions - [ ] Aware of solutions, not of us - [ ] Aware of us, comparing options - [ ] Ready to buy, needs a reason to act now Words they use to describe the problem: [QUOTES FROM CUSTOMERS, REVIEWS, SALES CALLS] 4. Offer -------- Question | Answer --------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------- What is being offered | [PRODUCT / SERVICE / FREE RESOURCE / EVENT] Price or price range shown | [PRICE / "not shown"] Bonus, discount or deadline | [DETAILS / NONE] Guarantee or refund terms | [EXACT TERMS / NONE] What happens after they act | [e.g. confirmation email, call within 24 hours] 5. Proof -------- Type | Detail | Permission to use ---------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------- | ------------------ Customer testimonial | [QUOTE], [NAME, ROLE, COMPANY] | [ ] Yes [ ] Check Result or number | [e.g. "average setup time 4 days, from our records"] | [ ] Yes [ ] Check Case study | [LINK] | [ ] Yes [ ] Check Credentials / awards / media | [LIST] | [ ] Yes Client logos | [LIST] | [ ] Yes [ ] Check 6. Objections ------------- What readers say or think before they decide not to buy: 1. [e.g. "It will take too long to switch."] — Our answer: [RESPONSE] 2. [e.g. "It is more expensive than X."] — Our answer: [RESPONSE] 3. [OBJECTION] — Our answer: [RESPONSE] Main competitors or alternatives readers compare us with: [NAMES / DOING NOTHING / SPREADSHEETS] 7. Voice -------- Tone words: [WORD], [WORD], [WORD] We sound like: [LINK OR EXAMPLE] | We never sound like: [LINK OR EXAMPLE] Point of view: [ ] We / you [ ] Third person [ ] Founder's first person Spelling and style: [US / UK English], [STYLE GUIDE LINK] Words we always use: [e.g. "clients", not "customers"] Words we never use: [LIST] 8. Length, keyword and call to action ------------------------------------- - Target length: [N to N] words / [N] emails of about [N] words / [N] ads with [N]-character headlines - Primary search keyword (if any): [KEYWORD] | Secondary: [KEYWORDS] - Call to action (exact wording): [BUTTON TEXT] → [URL] 9. Mandatories -------------- - Must include: [DISCLAIMER, LICENSE NUMBER, PRICING NOTE, ACCESSIBILITY STATEMENT] - Claims we cannot make: [e.g. "guaranteed results", "best in the market", health or income claims] - Legal or compliance review needed: [ ] No [ ] Yes — allow [N] business days 10. Review process ------------------ 1. Copywriter delivers first draft by [DATE] as [GOOGLE DOC / WORD / IN-DESIGN MOCKUP]. 2. Approver returns one consolidated set of comments within [3] business days. 3. Copywriter delivers revised draft within [2] business days. Second round follows the same pattern. 4. Changes to the goal, reader or offer after drafting begins are a new brief and are quoted separately. Brief approved by: ____________________ Name: [APPROVER] Date: [DATE] ------------------------------------------------------------ How to use this template 1. Review sections 3 and 4 on a call before you accept the deadline. 2. Collect proof in section 5 with permissions confirmed before drafting, not after. 3. Pin the approved brief to your first draft so feedback is checked against it. 4. Keep the brief for the next piece for the same client; update only what changed. Template provided by Colo (trycolo.co). Not legal advice — review with a qualified professional in your jurisdiction.