Checklist for Copywriting Estimates
The following marketing project checklists are elementary but still handy to have, especially when pulling together a multi-faceted industrial product launch with lots of individual promotions and components.
Download this Checklist for Copywriting Estimates for your business-to-business, industrial marketing projects. Then simply fill in the relevant sections and delete (or leave blank) the non-relevant sections. Then email me your document so I can calculate an estimate(s).
Please see footnotes for explanatory text.
| Category | Assignment | Your best estimate of parameters |
| Ads | Print Ad (full page) | 1) Page size (in inches): |
| 2) Number of treatments* you expect: | ||
| Print Ad (fractional page) | 1) Page size (in inches): | |
| 2) Number of treatments you expect: | ||
| Advertorial | 1) Number of pages: | |
| 2) Page size (in inches): | ||
| 3) Number of treatments you expect: | ||
| Collateral | Brochure | 1) Number of pages: |
| 2) Page size: | ||
| 3) Text density**: | ||
| Catalog | 1) Number of pages: | |
| 2) Page size: | ||
| 3) Text density: | ||
| 4) Total number of products: | ||
| 5) All new catalog? Update to existing catalog? Overhaul of existing catalog? | ||
| Newsletter (8.5" x 11") | 1) Number of pages: | |
| 2) Page size: | ||
| 3) Text density: | ||
| 4) Approximate number of stories: | ||
| 5) Approximate number of copywriter-conducted interviews needed for stories: | ||
| Case Study | 1) Number of pages: | |
| 2) Who interviews end-user: Client? Distributor? Rep? Copywriter? | ||
| 3) For increased efficiency, can we produce several studies at once? If so, how many at once? | ||
| Booklet (long format; for example, a primer) | 1) Number of pages: | |
| 2) Page size: | ||
| 3) Text density: | ||
| White Paper | 1) Number of pages: Note: without graphics or tables, a typical white paper page has about 450 words on it. So, a 8-page paper would be 3600 words. |
|
| Web | Website (home page) | Any guidelines as to number of words on home page? (Some websites try to limit content to one screen so the reader doesn’t have to scroll.) |
| Website (other pages, other web content) | 1) Website structure (list navigation links, if known): | |
| 2) Estimated number of pages: | ||
| 3) Estimated number of words on a page (50 to 500 can be typical, but some sites only want 100 to 200): | ||
| Landing page | 1) Typically connected with a direct campaign (such as direct mail or email marketing), but can also be a link on a print or online ad. What method will be used to direct traffic to the landing page? | |
| 2) Will the landing page be the start page of a microsite? If so, see next item. | ||
| Microsite | 1) Microsite structure (list navigation links, if known): | |
| 2) Estimated number of pages: | ||
| 3) Estimated number of words on a page: | ||
| Direct Marketing | Email marketing (short format) | 1) How many words? (Assume 250-400 words, unless going with a long format — see next item.) |
| 2) What is the list? How was it obtained? | ||
| Email marketing (long format) | 1) If you want to convey a lot of information in your email marketing, I recommend breaking it up into brief, descriptive paragraphs, each with a link to an appropriate microsite page. This keeps the email less than 400 words. | |
| 2) What is the list? How was it obtained? | ||
| Direct Mail Package (to generate leads) | 1) Did you have a size or format in mind for the package? What components? | |
| 2) What mailing list will be used? | ||
| 3) What is the Call To Action, (if known)? | ||
| Direct Mail Package (to generate sales) | 1) Did you have a size or format in mind? To generate a direct sale usually requires a long format and multiple components; please describe what you envision: | |
| 2) What list will be used? | ||
| 3) How will buyers order the product? | ||
| Self-Mailer (postcard or folded “tent” mailer) | 1) What size mailer? (Oversize postcards cost more to mail but have much more impact and room for persuasion. On the other hand, folded or “tent” mailers cost about the same as oversized postcards and provide even more space.) | |
| 2) Will there be a series of mailings? If so, how many? Can they be produced at the same time (for maximum economy)? | ||
| Public Relations | News Releases | 1) Type of release: product or corporate news? |
| 2) Single product or entire new line of products? | ||
| 3) For economy, can an entire program of news releases be written at once? (Reminder: news releases aren’t just about new products, but also new applications for existing products, improvements to existing products, mini case studies, new approvals, and so on. It’s not unusual to write six releases at one time.) | ||
| Feature Article | 1) Which one trade publication would you love to place an article in? | |
| 2) What other trade magazines would you consider placing an article in? | ||
| 3) Will the copywriter need to interview end-users or distributors? Estimate how many interviews: | ||
| Video | Video Script | 1) How many minutes will the video be? |
| 2) Will “voice over” be used? (VOs are easiest, most economical and most common.) Or will on-camera talent be used? | ||
| Video Packaging | 1) Standard DVD envelope? Jewel case? Jewel case with insert booklet/brochure? | |
| Other | Copyediting | 1) Submit existing copy for an estimate. |
| Instruction Manual | 1) Estimated number of pages: | |
| 2) Page size: | ||
| 3) Comparable manual(s) available for review? | ||
| Merchandising: Point-of-Purchase, Product Selector Poster, Product Demo Display | Brief description of envisioned item: | |
| Product Packaging | 1) Number of usable panels: | |
| 2) Usable panel size: | ||
| 3) Text density: | ||
| Consultation | 1) After my initial, no-charge consultation for a new client, subsequent consults are charged at my hourly rate. Minimum charge is 3 hours, which can be used over the course of the project. | |
| 2) What are your goals of the consult? |
* "Number of treatments" — the number of fully-developed ideas you need for each project. For example, three treatments for an ad would mean writing three completely different ads.
** "Text density" — a rough estimate of the percentage of each page that will be text vs. graphics or white space. Alternatively, please forward a copy of a comparable piece.
To discuss other parameters not listed here, just email or call me at 707-538-9743.