{"id":"wri-free-proposal-vs-brief-check","audience":"freelancers","category":"writing-feedback","technique":"verification","title":"Check your proposal against the client's brief before sending","free":false,"task":"Before sending a proposal, you want it checked against the client's brief. Ask for a first line that reads exactly 'Matches brief: No' or 'Matches brief: Yes', then exactly 3 numbered mismatches, each quoting what the proposal says and what the brief says. Plain text, nothing after the list, no rewritten proposal. Write a prompt that gets that check.","materialLabel":"Client brief and your draft proposal (attached to your prompt automatically)","material":"CLIENT BRIEF - Juniper Dental Group, explainer video\n- Length: 60-second animated explainer for the website homepage.\n- Versions: English and Spanish (Spanish voiceover required).\n- Deadline: final files by March 1 (they launch the new site March 3).\n- Budget: up to $5,000 total.\n- Include: captions on both versions.\n\nMY DRAFT PROPOSAL\nHi Dr. Patel,\nThanks for thinking of Lumen Motion! Here's what I propose for your homepage video:\n- A 60-second animated explainer with professional English voiceover and captions.\n- 3 rounds of revisions.\n- Final files delivered by March 15.\n- Total: $6,500, with 50% due at kickoff.\nI'd love to get started next week. Let me know if you have any questions!\nBest, Rae\n\nNOTES TO SELF\n- Spanish voiceover talent: Lucia Ramos quoted me $600.\n- My usual price for 60 seconds is $4,200.\n- I can deliver by Feb 27 if I start Monday.","rules":[{"type":"numberedItems","count":3},{"type":"plainText"}],"mistakes":[{"title":"Not setting the shape","why":"The AI writes paragraphs of feedback and a new draft.","fix":"Show it: \"Line 1: Matches brief: No. Then exactly 3 numbered mismatches.\"","checks":["numberedItems","r0"]},{"title":"Reviewing tone instead of facts","why":"The AI polishes the wording and misses that the date, price and languages don't match.","fix":"Add: \"Compare the deadline, budget and versions to the brief.\"","checks":["r1"]},{"title":"Mismatches without evidence","why":"The AI says \"pricing may be an issue\" without both numbers side by side.","fix":"Add: \"Each line: proposal says X; brief says Y.\"","checks":["r2"]},{"title":"Forgetting where it gets pasted","why":"AI adds bold and headings by default, which show up as ** and # clutter in your notes app.","fix":"Add: \"Plain text, no bold, no headings.\"","checks":["plainText"]}],"promptHints":[{"label":"Asks for a verdict line","patterns":["matches brief","first line","verdict"]},{"label":"Sets the number of mismatches","patterns":["\\b(3|three)\\b.{0,15}(mismatch|issues|problems|differences)","numbered"]},{"label":"Compares to the brief","patterns":["brief","compare","against"]},{"label":"Asks for both sides","patterns":["proposal says","brief says","side by side","quote"]},{"label":"Asks for plain text","patterns":["plain","no bold","no markdown","no formatting","no headings"]}],"hint":"The fastest way to lose a client is a proposal that ignores their brief. Ask for a verdict, then each mismatch with both sides shown.","rubricLabels":["The first line is exactly 'Matches brief: No'","The 3 mismatches are the deadline (March 15 vs March 1), the price ($6,500 vs the $5,000 budget), and the missing Spanish version (with voiceover and/or captions)","Each mismatch quotes or states what the proposal says and what the brief says, and the reply has nothing after the 3 lines and no rewritten proposal"]}