A free template for founders
A creative brief template for turning your expertise into a branded product
This template walks through the same steps Story Forge uses to help founders — especially women-led businesses in education, parenting, wellbeing, spirituality, nature and creative experiences — plan a branded book, colouring book, card deck or game. Use it on paper, or let Story Forge guide you through it and export a finished brief.
1. Your story
Write down the narrative behind your work: why you do it, who it serves, and what change it creates. Capture three themes that run through everything you offer, your tone of voice, and a handful of example phrases you actually use. Note five visual or symbolic motifs that recur in your work.
- What do your customers thank you for most often?
- Which three themes appear in every talk, post or session you give?
- Which words do you use that others in your field don't?
2. Visual direction
Choose one or two art styles that suit your subject — for example watercolour, botanical linework, woodcut or paper cut. For each, record the mood, texture and character you want, plus a starter palette of five colours with names, hex values and roles (base, accent, text, background, highlight).
- Should the product feel calm, playful, scholarly or ceremonial?
- Which existing books or decks feel visually close to what you want?
- Which colours already appear in your brand, and which are new?
3. Product ideas
Sketch two or three candidate products: an illustrated book, a colouring book, a card game, or a tarot or oracle deck. For each, note a working title, the customer it is for, its purpose, the format and page or card count, likely sales channels, and the first small test you could run to check demand.
- What could a customer keep on their shelf or table that carries your expertise?
- Would your audience rather read, colour, play or draw cards?
- What is the smallest version you could test first?
4. The numbers
Before committing, run the arithmetic: selling price, print quantity, production cost per unit, freight, design and development costs, fulfilment per sale, and payment fees. Work out your contribution per sale and your break-even point. Model a conservative, middle and optimistic scenario, and treat every figure as an assumption until you have a real quote.
- At your likely price, how many units must sell to cover the print run?
- What happens to cash flow if you sell half the run?
- Would wholesale still leave a workable margin?
5. Market evidence
Gather real evidence rather than guesses: comparable products and their prices, demand indicators in your niche, and potential distribution partners with verified websites and wholesale contacts. Label every finding with its source and date, and separate what the evidence shows from how you interpret it.
- Which three comparable products are closest to yours, and what do they cost?
- Who already stocks products like this, and do they accept new suppliers?
- What can you verify, and what is still an assumption?
6. Next actions
Close the brief with a short, dated list of next steps: the product you will test first, the demand test you will run, the quotes you need to request, and the decision you will make once the results are in.
- What is the single next action, and by when?
- What would make you stop, change direction, or go ahead?