Review the SOW and make sure the following issues are clearly defined.

 If you have any questions about the scope of the listicle or iPaper, ask the account manager.

If this is a new account for you, start getting oriented with the client and what they do.

• Check if a Dropbox folder exists yet for the client, and if it does, check if it includes background materials. For example, if we created ideation for the projects, we should already have background materials.
• If there are no background materials in the folder, ask the account manager and the CS if the client has provided any resources.
• Visit the client's website for tone, style, etc.
• Review their existing content for tone, style, etc.
• Visit their media center and review press releases for recent news, such as acquisitions, product releases, etc.
• Note key messaging points and language/industry terminology used throughout their website and in their existing content.

• Look for writers in the C4D writer database by areas of expertise.
• TIP Try to use the same writer for assets on the same topic and/or on the same SOW. However, if there are more than three assets starting at once, it's best to enlist more than one writer.
• Contact the writer(s) to gauge their availability. Provide the following information:
• Format type and approximate word count
• Topic
• APPROXIMATE start date (based on when the SME call is likely to occur) and 1st draft due date. This will have to be rough estimate for now.
• Wait to share the client's name until you're ready to send the writer assignment package. You may wish to make an exception if the writer works regularly on this client's projects.
• If the writer(s) are available and interested, let them know you'll provide full details soon. (You will do this after the kickoff call.)

The account manager will schedule an internal kickoff call IF any of the following apply:

• The client is new
• The SOW includes $50,000 or more of content
• The SOW includes a video
• The SOW includes any strategy/consulting work
• The SOW includes any rushed projects
• The AM feels, for any reason, the account team needs to discuss the engagement before the client kickoff call
• Note: If the SOW is for an existing client for whom we hold a regular internal check-in call, the internal kickoff can take place during one of the internal check-in calls.

During the internal kickoff, do the following:

• Ask the AM to provide background on the client relationship and what the client is looking to accomplish.
• Ask the AM or the CS to provide background on the target audience.
• Find out from the AM how the listicle and/or iPaper will be used. Is it for a campaign? An event?
• Ask the AM to clarify any questions you have about the SOW.

If the listicle and/or iPaper will be on a rushed timeline, discuss ways to accelerate production. Options for listicles and iPapers include:

• Beginning the design stage once you send the 2nd draft to the client. (For very rushed projects only.)
• Reminder As part of this, you will receive the proofreader's edits after design is underway. When you review the 1st design draft before sending to the client, you can mark up the proofreader's edits and ask your digital lead to input them before you send the design to the client.
• Asking the client to eliminate the 2nd functional proof. (Appropriate for any rushed project.) At this point, the listicle/iPaper will have undergone many reviews, so skipping this step is low-risk and saves four days.

Make note of any questions you'll need the client to clarify or elaborate on during the kickoff call.

• Enter the SOW into the client's worksheet in the Account Tracking Spreadsheet. List all the SOW's individual projects underneath. Full instructions are located here: #
• For any projects within the SOW that are RUSHED, change the copy in that row to red.
• Set up the necessary Dropbox folders.
• Create a new client folder if one doesn't already exist.
• Within the client folder, add these folders:
• Branding
• [SOW ID] - SOW and Production Timeline (ex: MIC01 - SOW and Production Timeline).
• Include this subfolder: Kickoff_call. Place the recording and transcript of the kickoff call here.
• Background_resources
• Individual project folders
• Name the project folder [Asset ID] - [Asset Type] - [Abbreviated Name]
  (ex: MIC01_001 - LST - How to Monetize Online Grocery)
• Include these subfolders for each project folder:
  - Background_resources
  - Writer_legal
  - Recordings_Transcripts
  - Drafts
  - Layouts
  - Proofs
  (If the client requires outlines, create an Outlines folder.
• Send the digital lead and the design lead a link to the client's Dropbox folder so they have access to all the project documents.

Dropbox Folder Example 1 // Dropbox Folder Example 2

• Review the Kickoff Call Checklist and be ready to discuss each item.
• See the "To Do During Kickoff" instructions below for talking points specific to listicles and iPapers, as well as general talking points that are especially important to discuss.
• Identify which documents you will share on screen and review during kickoff, including the SOW, any background documents that have been supplied already, examples of existing assets, etc.
• Reminder Check again that your digital lead and your design lead have been invited to the kickoff call.

• Download the recording of the kickoff call.
• If you kicked off an entire SOW, save the recording in the "Kickoff_call" subfolder within the SOW's Dropbox folder. If you kicked off only certain projects within an SOW, save the recording in each of the projects' "Transcripts_Recordings" folders in Dropbox.
• Transcribe the call and save it in the relevant "Kickoff_call" or "Transcripts_Recordings" folder.
• Inform the AM, CS and design lead once the recording — and later the transcript — are in Dropbox.
• Reminder For a new client, once the design checklist comes in, set up a design call before the 2nd draft of copy goes to the client. This meeting is REQUIRED. Be sure your digital lead is invited to the call and has sent you their questions, and that you've shared those with the client so they can invite the appropriate technical team member.
• Assign the writers their projects.
• Create the Writer Agreement, outlining the requirements for the assignment, payment, and payment terms.
• Along with the Writer Agreement, send the writer the following information:
• Client: Client name with link to the client's website.
• Assignment description: Description of relevant products/services/solutions, particularly those that are relevant to the projects you're starting. These include:
• Objective of the listicle or iPaper
• Format
• Word Count
• How the client will use the listicle or iPaper
• Background resources: Existing resources, and how they should be used/their significance
• Tipsheet for writing listicles and iPapers: Tipsheet for Writing Listicles and iPapers
• Template: Provide the template for listicle drafts or the template for iPaper drafts.
• Target audience: Explain the job role/title of the target reader, as well as pain points and other key audience information.
• Tone: Editorial style guide, if it exists. If not, briefly explain the client's preferred tone, and provide an example, if possible.
• 1st draft due date: When you set this date, make it realistic for the writer, but also give yourself and the digital lead proper time to review, and to send and receive any edit requests to/from the writer.
• Fee: A general guideline when determining payment for the writer is approximately $1 per word. However, your budget may allow you some flexibility to exceed this guideline if working with a proven writer with expertise in the topic.
  
  TIP To determine the flexibility of your budget, follow these guidelines:
• Your total hard costs must total AT MOST half of what we're charging the client. Total hard costs include:
• Writer fee
• Coding cost
• Design cost
• Production costs (for example, stock photos)
• Research costs (rarely required for listicles and iPapers)
• Rush fees for writers, designers, and/or coders
• TIP Coding and design hard costs are usually $1,200 for a listicle and $1,400 for an iPaper.
• Next steps: Ask them to sign, date and send back the writer agreement.
  
  Set out other next steps — for example, sending their availability for SME calls.
• After one business day, if you have not heard from the client about these items, follow up with your contact:
• Background resources promised during kickoff
• SME call scheduling
• For new clients, the Design Checklist (ask the design lead whether the client submitted this) or branding call scheduling
• Once the SME call(s) is scheduled, create a Schedule of Production Milestones for the projects you've kicked off, and send it to the client. If no SME call is needed, send the Schedule of Production Milestones within 1 business day of the kickoff call.

Production Step: Required actions and Best Practices During Production

Kickoff call

• Be sure the digital lead is on the kickoff call. Their attendance is REQUIRED.
• Record and transcribe the kickoff call.
• When uploading to TranscriptionWing.com, in the "Email/Sending Instructions" section, instruct Civicom to email you the transcript once it's completed. (If you don't, it will send the transcript to agaffney@gthreecom.com only.)
• In the "Project/Cost Center" section, write the asset ID(s) of the listicle/iPaper for which the kickoff call was held.
• Be sure to ask all the listicle- or iPaper-related questions listed in the "During Kickoff" section; otherwise you will likely experience difficulties during production.

SME call & transcription

• When contacting the writer to schedule the call, ask the writer to develop interview questions and send them to you at least two days before the SME call. Review them, make additions or edits if necessary, place them in the SME Interview Questions Template and send the revised version to the client and back to the writer at least 24 hours before the call.
• Introduce the C4D team at the beginning of the call. If the writer is a freelance writer, avoid mentioning that they are a freelancer; we don't lie or conceal the fact that we use freelancers, but we don't want to draw attention to it, either. In front of the client, treat the writer like one of the C4D team.
• Record the call.
• Be sure that the conversation addresses all topics the writer needs.
• After the SME call, send a follow-up email to the writer and do the following:
• Thank them for participating in the call.
• Provide an ETA for the transcript.
• Inform them that you'll follow up w/the client about any resources the client promised during the SME call.
• Remind them to use the Listicle or iPaper Draft Template when writing.
• Establish the due date for the 1st draft.
• After confirming the writer can meet the 1st draft due date, follow up with the client and do the following:
• Thank them for arranging the call.
• If they promised to send any resources, inform them that you'll look out for those resources (list the specific resources as a reminder).
• Provide an ETA for the 1st draft. Make sure this date allows you and the digital lead time to review the draft. If you must wait for the resources in order to begin writing, tell the client that the ETA is contingient upon receiving the resources by a given date.
• Transcribe the call.
• Choose a turnaround time that suits the project timeline.
• In the "Email/Sending Instructions" section, instruct Civicom to email you the transcript once it's completed. (If you don't, it will send the transcript to agaffney@gthreecom.com only.)
  
  REMINDER Send the transcript to the writer as soon as it's ready.
• In the "Project/Cost Center" section, write the asset ID of the listicle or iPaper for which the SME call was held.

Send D1 to digital lead for review

• When you receive the 1st draft from the writer, check that:
• It follows all requests made during kickoff
• The content will achieve the client's objectives for the asset and includes all key points discussed during the SME call
• It uses any industry terminology or keywords that the client uses in their existing content, or that the SME used during the call
• It includes all elements of a listicle or iPaper, as specified in the Tipsheet for Writing Listicles and iPapers
• SEND THE DRAFT TO THE DIGITAL LEAD FOR REVIEW BEFORE SENDING TO THE CLIENT. They will check the draft for length and other red flags.
• REMINDER You can ask the Content Strategist to review the draft, too, if you're not certain whether it will meet the client's standards. To be respectful of the CS's time, use this tactic judiciously.
• TIP If you need to ask the writer to make revisions but you're facing a close deadline, it's better to tell the client that the draft isn't where you want it to be and ask for an additional day. In almost every case, sending a client a sub-standard product will do more damage than asking for additional time.

Send D1 to client

• Ask the client to have their team review the draft. If the SME will be reviewing it, their input should be given at this stage.
• Specify the date by which the client should provide feedback, and ask that any feedback from multiple reviewers be consolidated.
• Draw their attention to the last section of the draft, in which you ask about content for the short sidebars.
• REMINDER If this is a new client and you have not already held the branding call, follow up about scheduling it. This call MUST take place by the time you send the 2nd draft of copy for client review.

Receive feedback on D1

• Decide whether the revisions require the expertise of the writer, or whether you can make the changes yourself without taking too much time.
• REMINDER Our writer agreements include two rounds of revisions from the writer, so factor this in when deciding whether to make the edits yourself or send back to the writer.
• Establish the ETA for the 2nd draft, and inform the client.
• Warning! If the client's feedback meets any of these criteria, the project might get out of scope:
• Significant amounts of copy were added to any sections, including the questions and/or answers
• Listed items or sections were added that push the number of listed items or sections past our recommended limit
• Requests to add topics that you consider tangential or change the topic all together
• What should you do?
• Before making any changes or responding to the client, ask your digital lead to review the feedback and determine whether there's danger of scope creep.
• Copy the AM on all these communications.

Send D2 to client

• Check that all requested changes have been made, and that errors were not introduced in the process.
• Make sure the listicle/iPaper still complies with best practices. If you have any doubt, ask your digital lead to review the draft before sending back to the client.
• Specify the date by which the client should provide feedback.
• REMINDER For new clients, the branding call MUST have occurred by this stage.

Receive feedback on D2

• WARNING If the client's feedback meets any of these criteria, the project might get out of scope:
• The amount of feedback is greater than that on the 1st draft
• Significant amounts of copy were added to any sections, including the questions and/or answers
• Listed items or sections were added that push the number of listed items or sections past our recommended limit
• Requests to add topics that you consider tangential or change the topic all together
• What should you do?
• Ask the digital lead to provide a second opinion on whether there's a danger of scope creep.
• Ask the CS for suggested solutions that will meet the client's require while mitigating the risk of scope creep.
• Copy the AM on all of these communications.

Final copy to client, proofing & design

• We need explicit approval of the final draft via email before we can move to design. Inform the client that this is the final draft and ask for their approval, or for any final, minor edits. Inform them that we need their approval in order to move into design.
• Specify the date by which the client should provide approval/final feedback. Again, if you see the warning signs of scope creep, take the actions listed in the previous steps.
• Once the client approves, send the copy to be proofread. Copy your digital lead and design lead so they can start lining up resources for design and coding.
• When proofing is completed, review the edits and clean up the draft. You can choose to reject changes.
• Save the final, proofed, clean draft as "FDRAFT." (Example: Oracle_ORA08_001_LST_Top-5-HR-Insights_FDRAFT_v006.) Send the final copy to your digital lead.
• Add design notes to the final draft to provide overall suggestions or instructions for design — for example, whether the asset is related to or part of the same campaign as another existing asset, specific instructions from the client, suggestions for types of graphics overall and for each list item/section, descriptions of any simple animations, etc.
• Add "DesignNotes" to the end of the file name. Ex: Oracle_ORA08_001_LST_Top-5-HR-Insights_FDRAFT_v006_DesignNotes

Send prelim L1 to client (JPG)

• Check the 1st design draft for the following:
• All parts of the draft are included and correctly placed, and none of the copy is repeated.
• The general guidelines you provided in the design notes are reflected.
• Brand guidelines generally look to have been followed. For example, if the client requires strict use of brand colors, are there other colors included that may not be acceptable to the client?
• Specify by what date the client should provide feedback.

Receive feedback on L1

• Review the feedback. Take note of any signs of scope creep.
• Send to the digital lead.
• Determine the ETA for L2 and inform the client.

Send prelim L2 to client (JPG)

• Check that all feedback on L1 is reflected in L2.
• When sending to the client, specify by what date they should provide feedback.

Receive feedback on L2

• Review the feedback. Take note of any signs of scope creep.
• Send to the digital lead.
• Determine the ETA for the 1st functional proof and inform the client.

First functional proof (full) comes in to C4D

• Your digital lead will provide a link to the coded listicle/iPaper. Check the following:
• All paragraphs and sidebars are included and correctly placed, and none are repeated.
• Click on all links, buttons, and other interactive elements to test all parts of the listicle/iPaper. This includes testing embedded content, animations and click-to-tweets.
• Email your feedback to the digital lead.

Send internal edits to coder

• The digital lead will send your feedback and their own feedback to the coder.

Send 1st functional proof to client

• Check that all feedback on the internal functional proof has been resolved.
• When sending to the client, specify by what date they should provide feedback.

Receive feedback on 1st functional proof

• Review the feedback. Take note of any signs of scope creep.
• Send to the digital lead.
• Determine the ETA for the 2nd functional proof and inform the client.

Send 2nd functional proof to client

• Check that all feedback on the 1st functional proof has been resolved.
• When sending to the client, specify by what date they should provide feedback.

Receive feedback on 2nd functional proof

• Review the feedback. Take note of any signs of scope creep.
• Send to the digital lead.

Send final functional proof

• Approval must be given explicitly, via email/in writing.

Receive final approval, proof and send files

• At this stage, if the client still has edits, they should be minor. You can either send these edits to your designer and then send to proofing, or — if the edits a reminimal — you can send it straight to proofreading.