Templates / Copywriter

Copywriter scope of work template

Copy projects grow sideways. You write the homepage, and suddenly you are also doing the email sequence, the LinkedIn posts and "a few ad variations while you are in there". Put word counts and page names in writing.

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Scope of work

[Project name]: website copy for 5 pages

Copywriter: [Your name]Client: [Client name]Date: [Date]

Deliverables

Copy for 5 web pages: Home, About, Services, Pricing, Contact
Up to [800] words per page
One 45 minute discovery call and a short brand voice summary
SEO title and meta description for each page
Final copy delivered in a Google Doc, ready to paste

Revisions

2 rounds of revisions per page. Revisions are edits to the approved angle. A new angle or new positioning is a new draft.

Not included (out of scope)

Email sequences, ads, social posts, sales pages
Extra pages or extra word count
Research interviews beyond the one discovery call
Uploading copy into the website or CMS
Rewrites after the client changes their offer or positioning

Anything not listed under Deliverables is out of scope. If you want it, I will send a short change order with the price and the timeline impact. Work on it starts once you approve.

Timeline

Week 1: discovery call and voice summary
Week 2: first drafts
Week 3: revisions and final copy

Dates assume feedback within 2 working days. Late feedback moves the dates by the same amount.

Payment

50% upfront, 50% on delivery of first drafts.

Approval

Client approval

Date

Template from Scopease, scope locking for freelancers

A Google Doc doesn't stop anyone. In Scopease the client approves this scope through one private link, every extra ask becomes a priced change order, and the invoice builds itself from approved work. Free for your first project. First 10 new signups get 6 months of Pro free, automatically.

Start free Have us set it up for you ($79)

The scope creep every copywriter hears

"Can you also write a welcome email? It's just one."

Why it is not free: One email becomes a 5 email sequence by Friday.

How to price it: Per email fee or a sequence package.

"We changed our pricing, can you redo the pages?"

Why it is not free: New positioning means new drafts, not revisions.

How to price it: Per page rewrite fee.

"Can you put it into WordPress for us?"

Why it is not free: Formatting and uploading is production work, not writing.

How to price it: Hourly, usually 1 to 3 hours.

Turn the next ask into a change order

Here is one already filled in for a typical copywriter job: write a 3 email welcome sequence for new subscribers, 5 hours at $70/hour. Change the numbers to yours and send it.

Open this change order (free)

Not sure what the freebies already cost you? Run your numbers in the scope creep calculator.

Questions

What should a copywriter scope of work include?

The exact deliverables, how many revision rounds and what counts as a round, a clear out of scope list, the timeline, and payment terms. The out of scope list does most of the work when the client asks for extras.

How do copywriters handle scope creep without losing the client?

Point back to the approved scope, then send a short change order with the price and the new date. Start the extra work only after the client approves it. Most clients are fine with it when it is written down from day one.

Is this template free to use?

Yes. Copy it, edit it, send it. No signup. It is not legal advice, so for big contracts have a lawyer look at your terms.

Templates for other freelancers

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