The essential Copywriting Brief

"Here’s a check-list for your copywriter"(with a worked example)

Link to an example.

Link to a template (MS Word).

You should record things like:-

What you want to promote and how.
Precisely who it’s aimed at.
The reason behind it.
The news angle.
Main benefits to the readers/ purchasers.
Important features.
How and where it is to be distributed/published.
When copy is wanted.

If sending the list to an independent copywriter it’s useful to include:

Company name and preferred abbreviation.
Address & website.
Contact name/s with e-mail address/es & telephone.
Useful background info.

I’ve set out appropriate headings as a blank form in this new window, which you can save directly as an MS Word file and use as a template. You may find it helpful. Close the window to return here.

If you would like to see an example of a completed brief (with answers as if for a brochure), please look at this window. Close it to return here.

Please take it seriously. I see plenty of creative briefings only partly filled in, or with one-word answers. The less detail you supply, the longer your copywriter has to spend ferreting out the information, and the more expensive it becomes. Enough said?

John Clutterbuck, DipCW