Solve for...What? The Goldilocks Asana Brief
Asana content briefs — what a pain, right? Haven’t you thought, “I could write the damn thing myself in the time it takes to fill this thing out.” Or you’ve received copy that leaves you muttering, “Did they even read what I wrote in the brief?”
We get it. Asana briefs are not nothing. In fact, they’re work. But Struggle Street can usually be avoided if you approach Asana briefs with one goal in mind: You’re not gonna submit just any Asana brief — you’re gonna deliver a GOLDILOCKS Asana Brief (aka, GAB).
Because CSG-quality pieces don’t happen by accident: they generally start with a great content brief. Our blank Asana template is a good place to start, but there’s a knack to knowing the Why, What and How of getting superb content from your writer.
And that starts with a Goldilocks Asana Brief: not too much information, not too little information but just the right amount.
Let’s clear out the non-GAB approaches, shall we?
Less is more — Nope, the more gaps there are, the more we have to follow up with endless questions. That’s just time consuming and annoying for us all.
They’ll know what I want — Negative. We are awesome writers but lousy mind readers. Don’t go heavy on generalities and light on details, or the result might be bland writing and intensive revisions.
Ok, here’s the damn kitchen sink — Actually, too much undigested info is as unproductive as too little info.
Ok, got that. Now, for the love of all that’s Greg, let’s break it down.
Here’s why you need to create a Goldilocks Asana Brief.
It focuses the writer’s mind on the areas of most importance
It keeps us all aligned on solving for our clients’ Why
It serves as the one-stop reference for all key information
It saves us all time, labor and stress
2. Here’s what a GAB must provide.
The purpose of the piece — Specifically, why are we doing it? Is the goal to inform, generate leads, refocus attention? Be concise.
The key points — The headline news or data points; what you’d use in your pitch to reporters. Be comprehensive.
The message the audience should leave with — What they need to remember long after the melody fades. Be clear.
3. And here’s how a GAB gets made.
We hate to say this but there IS a dirty secret to writing GABs. You, the SG (aka, the GABer), will have to spend some time processing and clarifying for yourself what you want from the Newsroom. It starts with the work you put in. You have to think it out before you fill it out.
GABs include:
Links, resources, etc. Providing this stuff improves the likelihood of getting copy that aligns with your expectations.
Client resources
Recent studies
Recent statistics
Related articles, blogs, etc.
Examples of content that’s similar. They aren’t just good for tone of voice or factual references. They’re also handy for visualizing how the piece will eventually look.
Outlines. These should NOT be dumping grounds for everything about the subject (see: Kitchen Sink). If you want to include an outline, visit #3 above and then try using bullet points, with links, for something like:
Context – the overall situation or problem
Contrast – what the client does, knows, offers that makes a difference
Supporting point #1
Supporting point #2
Supporting point #3
Therefore, we say...
And this is why it matters...
Happily Ever After
Writing a Goldilocks Asana Brief is truly the unsung art, the secret sauce, the special superpower of the SG. It’s what makes y’all heroes and sheroes to the Newsroom. So next time you’re filling out an Asana brief, take a little extra time to clarify your needs. Then GAB about it.
But wait! If you’re still not clear about the right way to approach your project, don’t despair. Come talk to us. We love to brainstorm options, ideas, alternatives. Among us, we’ve come up with THOUSANDS of bright ideas for how to solve a client’s project. And we’ve got millions more — just waiting for you.