In this article you'll learn the #1 reason writing projects 
fail...and how to make sure YOU don't get the blame!

It all boils down to a simple but very powerful planning 
tool...the Project Brief. 

In advertising and marketing agencies they're called Creative 
Briefs, and a job doesn't move forward without one. 
Sophisticated marketers have learned that certain core 
questions MUST be answered if the project is to succeed. 

Creative Briefs are as individual as the agencies that use 
them, but they all have points in common. Their goal is to 
define the project, clearly state the objectives, and provide 
critical information to the team charged with executing the 
marketing campaign. 

Some of the most important questions to be answered include:

o Who is our audience?
o What lists are we using?
o What is the product's unique selling proposition (USP)?
o What are the key "pains" of our audience?
o What is our offer?
o What are the objections we'll need to overcome?
o Who is our competition?

My business-to-business Creative Brief has 33 such questions, 
and my business-to-consumer has 44. What's more, I have a 
Creative Brief specific to my copywriting specialty, the 
software industry.

I don't write a word until the Creative Brief is complete and I 
have all the information I need to write a powerful direct mail 
package, online promotion, website, or what-have-you. With a 
properly filled-out Creative Brief, you as the writer will be 
able to write strong copy that's supported by other essential 
elements for success, such as quality lists, a great offer, 
and a smart strategy.

WHAT IF YOU DON'T USE A CREATIVE BRIEF?

Be prepared for trouble. Not only have I lived it, but I often 
help my coaching students out of "hot spots." Writing without a 
plan practically ensures you'll fall into one or more of these 
traps:

o Your concepts and ideas are off the mark
o You lose money and time in heavy revisions
o You hand in unacceptable work
o Your client's promotion fails
o You miss that all-important deadline

The benefit of using a Creative Brief for every writing project 
has been proven thousands of times with successful results. 
Using a Creative Brief dramatically increases a promotion's 
chance for success because both parties (copywriter and client) 
have crafted a plan that has considered all of the elements 
necessary to success. 

A strong Creative Brief also gives the copywriter an opportunity 
to assess the project's strengths and weaknesses and correct any 
problems. For instance, the writer might argue that the offer 
needs beefing up. Now's the time conjure up a good offer...not 
later, when it's too late!

Best of all, a Creative Brief gets the "grunt work" out of the 
way. With a well-conceived Creative Brief in hand, you can:

o Tackle the project with confidence
o Work quickly, without starts and stops, to earn more
o Enjoy the process instead of stressing out

The Creative Brief is so important to the business freelancer 
that I usually introduce it to my students within the first two 
or three coaching sessions. You can find examples of Creative 
Briefs online, or you can create your own. Just be sure to 
include all the elements you'll need to create a successful 
writing job or marketing campaign.