You sit down and write! Right? So, you’ve got a fundraising letter to write – and it’s got to be the best appeal that’s ever been written in the history of fundraising appeals. Your deadline is two weeks away. What’s the first thing you do?

Not so fast: you sit down and think. I know, I know, it doesn’t sound as glamorous.

But the truth is, behind every great appeal stands a silent but essential partner: the real star of the show.

This essential partner goes by many names: creative brief, marketing concept and copy platform, to name a few. And why is it so vital to the success of your next appeal – or even your next major donor brochure or online fundraising campaign?

Because a good creative brief tells you everything you need to know: who you’re writing to; why you’re writing (and yes, you need a good reason to write); what you want your readers to do; when they must act; and how to take action.

Then it goes a step further and answers equally critical (but too often overlooked) questions like: are there any words and phrases you must avoid? Can your letter be personalised? Who will sign the letter, and why?

‘Now really, Lisa,’ you ask, ‘how important can this creative brief be?’

Well, imagine your body without a backbone. I’d wager that most people would react far differently to the human jellyfish version of you than they do to the ‘you’ of today.

Sadder still, many would turn away without ever knowing the real you – just as many readers will do for a fundraising appeal without a creative-brief-backbone.

So how do you go about creating a creative brief?

Easy: you swipe mine.

Just for you, I’ve published this creative brief template, under a Creative Commons license. And that means you can borrow with abandon. It's below, in full.

Enjoy! And do let me know how those new appeals perform: lisa@lisasargent.com.