FIRST FREELANCE PROJECT BRIEF TEMPLATE Scope your project before you start — protect both sides From SoloStack — solostack.madethis.app ======================================================= HOW TO USE THIS TEMPLATE -------------------------- Fill in this brief before any work begins. Send it to the client for their written confirmation (email is fine). A signed or confirmed brief is your scope protection — it defines what's in, what's out, and what happens when the boundaries shift. This is not a contract (though it can complement one). It's a working document that keeps both parties aligned. ======================================================= THE PROJECT BRIEF TEMPLATE ======================================================= PROJECT BRIEF Client: _________________________________ Freelancer: _________________________________ Date: _________________ Version: 1.0 SECTION 1: PROJECT OVERVIEW ----------------------------- Project name/title: _____________________________________________________________ What is this project? (1–3 sentences describing the work): _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ What problem does this project solve for the client? _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ What does success look like when the project is complete? _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ SECTION 2: DELIVERABLES (specific and numbered) ------------------------------------------------- List every item that will be delivered under this agreement. Be as specific as possible — vague deliverables create scope creep. 1. _____________________________________________________________ 2. _____________________________________________________________ 3. _____________________________________________________________ 4. _____________________________________________________________ 5. _____________________________________________________________ (add more as needed) Format/file types to be delivered: _____________________________________________________________ Where/how deliverables will be submitted: _____________________________________________________________ SECTION 3: TIMELINE (milestones with dates) --------------------------------------------- Project start date: _________________ Milestone 1: ________________________ Due: _________________ Milestone 2: ________________________ Due: _________________ Milestone 3: ________________________ Due: _________________ Milestone 4 (Final delivery): __________ Due: _________________ Note on delays: If either party cannot meet a milestone, they will notify the other at least [X] days in advance. Timeline extensions require written agreement from both parties. SECTION 4: SCOPE BOUNDARIES ----------------------------- WHAT IS INCLUDED in this project: • _____________________________________________________________ • _____________________________________________________________ • _____________________________________________________________ WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED in this project: • _____________________________________________________________ • _____________________________________________________________ • _____________________________________________________________ Note: Any work outside this scope will be treated as a change order, invoiced separately, and must be approved in writing before work begins. SECTION 5: PAYMENT TERMS -------------------------- Total project fee: $__________ Payment schedule: • Deposit (due before work begins): $__________ (____%) Due date: _________________ • Final payment (due on delivery): $__________ (____%) Due date: _________________ Payment method: _________________ Invoice sent via: _________________ Late payment policy: Invoices unpaid after [X] days accrue a [X]% late fee per [week/month]. Work may be paused on overdue accounts. SECTION 6: REVISION POLICY ---------------------------- Number of included revision rounds: _____ (A "revision" is a round of consolidated feedback, not individual edits submitted one at a time.) What counts as a revision: Changes to the deliverables based on client feedback within the original scope. What does NOT count as a revision / requires a change order: • Changes to the project scope or direction • New deliverables not in the original list • Changes after final approval Additional revision rounds: $__________ per round SECTION 7: COMMUNICATION PLAN ------------------------------- Primary point of contact (client): _________________________________ Primary point of contact (freelancer): _________________________________ Preferred communication channel: _________________________________ (email / Slack / other) Response time SLA: Freelancer will respond to messages within: ______ business hours Client will respond to feedback requests within: ______ business days Meeting cadence: _________________________________ (e.g., "Weekly 30-minute check-in every Monday at 10am ET" or "As-needed via email") Final approval process: _________________________________ (e.g., "Client sends written 'approved' confirmation by email") SECTION 8: SIGN-OFF --------------------- By confirming this brief (via email or signature), both parties agree to the scope, timeline, payment terms, and revision policy above. Changes to any of the above require written agreement from both parties. Client name: _________________________________ Client confirmation method: _________________________________ Date confirmed: _________________ Freelancer name: _________________________________ Date sent: _________________ ======================================================= FILLED EXAMPLE 1: COPYWRITING PROJECT ======================================================= Project name: Email onboarding sequence — Acme SaaS Client: Acme Inc. / Sarah Chen (Marketing Director) Freelancer: [Your name] Date: [Date] OVERVIEW What is this project? A 5-email onboarding sequence for new Acme trial users, designed to move them from sign-up to their first "aha moment" within 7 days. Problem it solves: Trial-to-paid conversion is 8% — the goal is to reach 12% within 60 days of launching this sequence. Success looks like: Completed, tested, and uploaded sequences. Open rates above 35% on emails 1 and 2. Measurable lift in trial conversions within 60 days. DELIVERABLES 1. Email 1: Welcome + first action prompt (within 24 hrs of signup) 2. Email 2: Feature highlight — the #1 use case (Day 2) 3. Email 3: Social proof + results from a real customer (Day 4) 4. Email 4: How-to guide for the key workflow (Day 5) 5. Email 5: Upgrade prompt + FAQ pre-emption (Day 7) 6. Subject line options: 3 A/B variants per email (10 subject lines total) 7. Plain text versions of each email for deliverability Format: Google Docs + copy/paste-ready plain text OUT OF SCOPE: Email design/templates, ESP setup, automation build. TIMELINE Start: [Date] Draft delivery: [Date + 10 days] Client feedback due: [Date + 14 days] Final delivery: [Date + 17 days] PAYMENT Total: $1,800 Deposit (50%): $900 due before start Final (50%): $900 due on final delivery ======================================================= FILLED EXAMPLE 2: DESIGN PROJECT ======================================================= Project name: Brand identity package — Bloom Café Client: Bloom Café / Marcus Rivera (Owner) Freelancer: [Your name] Date: [Date] OVERVIEW What is this project? A complete visual identity system for a new specialty coffee shop opening in Austin, TX in Q2. Problem it solves: Marcus has no brand identity. He needs a cohesive visual system before signage and packaging production deadlines. Success looks like: A complete brand kit Marcus can hand to any printer or designer without explanation. DELIVERABLES 1. Primary logo (vector, 3 color variations: full color / 1-color / white) 2. Wordmark version of the logo 3. Color palette (5 colors with hex, RGB, CMYK codes) 4. Typography guide (2 typefaces with hierarchy notes) 5. 3 brand pattern/texture files (for packaging use) 6. Brand usage guide (single PDF, 8 pages) 7. All files delivered as: .ai, .eps, .png, .pdf OUT OF SCOPE: Website design, menu design, social media templates, photography, or physical mockups. TIMELINE Kickoff + brief: [Date] Mood board review: [Date + 5 days] Logo concepts (3 directions): [Date + 12 days] Revision round 1: [Date + 16 days] Final delivery: [Date + 20 days] PAYMENT Total: $2,400 Deposit (50%): $1,200 due before start Final (50%): $1,200 due on final file delivery ======================================================= FILLED EXAMPLE 3: SOCIAL MEDIA PROJECT ======================================================= Project name: Monthly social media management — FitPath Coaching Client: FitPath / Alicia Torres (CEO) Freelancer: [Your name] Date: [Date] OVERVIEW What is this project? Monthly retainer for Instagram + LinkedIn content management for a fitness coaching brand targeting women 30–50. Problem it solves: Alicia posts inconsistently (1–2x/week) and has no content strategy. She wants consistent posting without doing it herself. Success looks like: 12 posts/month published on schedule. Growing engagement rate. No scrambling for content — everything is ready 1 week ahead. DELIVERABLES (per month) 1. Content calendar (drafted by the 1st of each month for approval) 2. 12 Instagram posts (static image captions + creative direction) 3. 8 LinkedIn posts (copy only, client uploads) 4. 4 Instagram Stories concepts 5. Monthly performance summary (engagement, reach, top post) OUT OF SCOPE: Paid advertising, video editing, photo shoots, or responding to DMs/comments. TIMELINE Monthly cycle: Content calendar delivered by the 1st. Client approval due: By the 3rd. Posts scheduled: By the 5th for the month ahead. PAYMENT Monthly retainer: $1,200 Due: 1st of each month First month deposit: $1,200 due before month 1 begins REVISION POLICY 1 round of feedback on the content calendar before scheduling. After approval, individual post edits are $50/post. ======================================================= 5 SCOPE CREEP RED FLAGS TO ADD TO YOUR BRIEF PREEMPTIVELY ======================================================= 1. "Can you just add one more thing?" → Solution: Add to your brief: "Additional deliverables not listed above require a written change order and will be invoiced separately at $[rate]/hr." 2. "Can we change the direction?" → Solution: Add to your brief: "Changes to the project direction after the [milestone] sign-off constitute a scope change and will be priced as a new project or change order." 3. "Can you do unlimited revisions?" → Solution: Your revision policy (Section 6) handles this. Never agree to "unlimited revisions" — it's a scope trap. 4. "I'll give you feedback in a few days" (then goes silent) → Solution: Add a client feedback timeline (Section 7 SLA). If they miss their deadline, your deadline shifts accordingly. Add: "Client feedback delays of more than [X] days may affect the project delivery timeline." 5. "I thought that was included." → Solution: The "What is NOT included" section in Section 4 is specifically for this. Pre-empt the most common assumptions in writing before they're made. ======================================================= HOW TO PRESENT THIS WITHOUT FEELING AWKWARD (3-sentence email introduction) ======================================================= "Before we kick off, I like to send over a quick project brief that captures everything we discussed — just so we're both working from the same page. Nothing formal, just scope, timeline, payment, and revision terms in one place. Let me know if anything looks off and we can adjust before we start." --- That's it. Three sentences. Most clients find this professional and reassuring — it shows them you have a process and that you protect both parties. First-time freelance clients in particular will trust you more for it. --- After they confirm via email: Save the thread. That email thread is your paper trail if scope ever becomes a conversation. ======================================================= More free templates at solostack.madethis.app/resources Full template library at solostack.madethis.app/products