Demo
Sample brief structure
This is a fictional company (Harborline Studio) filled in on the same General SMB template used in the app. It shows how answers flow into an At a glance lead and a full Markdown brief similar to what you will preview and export after sign-in.
Markdown source view (export uses the same body)
# Website & digital presence preparedness — sample _Template general_smb_v1 v1 · General SMB_ --- # Decision snapshot **Primary decision:** Confirm priority sequence and owners before next planning cycle. **Why now:** The current brief reflects your latest inputs and should guide near-term execution. **Expected impact:** Faster alignment on what to execute first and what to defer. **Owner:** Report owner **Due window:** Next planning checkpoint # At a glance **Organization:** Harborline Studio (sample) **Primary headline:** A stakeholder-ready brief before you write a line of code. **Mission / purpose (why you exist):** Help small teams ship credible web projects with a single, reviewable brief—so scope and messaging stay aligned from day one. **Primary public email address:** hello@harborline.example **Regions or countries you serve (customers or audience):** Canada, United States, EU / EEA **What makes you different:** - Human-in-the-loop review, not just forms - BRD-shaped output for agencies - Canada-first defaults where helpful **Accessibility target (intent):** WCAG 2.1 AA **SEO summary (topics, geography):** Primary geography: Ontario and broader Canada English queries. Topics: website brief software, SMB discovery, agency handoff, accessibility readiness. Landing pages should match the compare-plans and download-brief jobs from our persona section. _This lead section is auto-generated from Essential and selected Core fields. Confirm details in the full brief below._ --- # Full brief # Branding details You don’t need a full brand agency deck—rough notes are fine. This section tells designers and writers what to call you, how you sound, and what assets already exist. ### Company or project name Harborline Studio ### Brand assets (where you are today) We have a logo and basic colours ### Link to logo or brand folder (optional) https://harborline.example/internal/brand-assets ### Industry / business model(s) (optional) B2B SaaS — website brief and handoff tooling for SMBs and agencies ### Tagline or slogan (optional) Clarity for teams shipping their first serious site. ### Brand voice (how you sound) > Warm, direct, confident. Avoid jargon like “synergy.” Prefer short sentences and concrete examples. --- # Hero (message & picture) ### Primary headline A stakeholder-ready brief before you write a line of code. ### Headline audience (who this is for) _To be confirmed_ ### Headline outcome (core result) _To be confirmed_ ### Headline proof style _To be confirmed_ ### Supporting line / subheadline The Business Cocoon helps small teams capture brand, standards, personas, and marketing intent in one place—then review it with a human before handoff. ### Hero image brief Wide hero, 16:9 safe crop. Subject: diverse team at a whiteboard + laptop. Natural light, teal/navy accents matching brand. Text overlay zone left third. --- # Domain & routing Capture owned domains and which one should be canonical at launch. Secondary domains should 301-forward to the primary domain. ### We already have one or more domain names procured _To be confirmed_ ### Procured domains and registrar _To be confirmed_ --- # Contact ### Primary public email address hello@harborline.example ### Primary email owner (person or team) _To be confirmed_ ### Target first-response SLA for primary email _To be confirmed_ ### Phone (optional) +1 (555) 010-0199 ### Primary URLs today (site, social, maps) https://harborline.example LinkedIn company page (draft) Google Business profile --- # User value signals Capture what customers, clients, or users are trying to do, where they get stuck, and what success looks like so delivery choices stay outcome-focused. ### What is the customer/user trying to accomplish right now? > _To be confirmed_ ### Confidence in primary user goal (1-5) _To be confirmed_ ### Evidence sources for primary user goal _To be confirmed_ ### What blocks users at this step? | Blocker | Where it occurs | Evidence | | --- | --- | --- | | | | | ### How confident are users/customers they can complete this flow? _To be confirmed_ ### What does success look like for users in this workflow? > _To be confirmed_ ### What information do users/customers wish they had before starting? _To be confirmed_ ### Which step takes the longest or feels most unclear? _To be confirmed_ ### If users could improve one thing, what would it be? > _To be confirmed_ ### Should the team provide a quick recommendation based on these answers? _To be confirmed_ --- # Markets & regions Where you operate, languages, and where data is hosted—so legal, SEO, and hosting choices line up. ### Regions or countries you serve (customers or audience) Canada, United States, EU / EEA ### Other regions (detail) _To be confirmed_ ### Regions / countries (ISO codes, optional) _To be confirmed_ ### Site languages you need (locales) English, French ### Locale codes (optional) _To be confirmed_ ### Primary data hosting region (intent) Canada ### Markets, privacy, or localization notes (optional) > HQ in Ontario; EU customers via reseller. Confirm DPA and subprocessors with counsel before launch. --- # Canada follow-up ### PIPEDA / Canadian privacy (discussion) Plan aligned with counsel ### Bilingual / French requirements French required (federal / Quebec / marketing) ### Canada-specific notes (optional) Plan for FR marketing pages and privacy policy alignment with PIPEDA. --- # EU / EEA follow-up ### GDPR / EU privacy posture (discussion) Need legal review ### EU representative / establishment Need to confirm with counsel ### EU-specific notes (optional) _To be confirmed_ --- # United States follow-up ### US state privacy (CCPA-style) posture Disclosures / processes planned with counsel ### US-specific notes (optional) _To be confirmed_ --- # About / story Mission is your north star in one or two sentences; origin is how you got here. Both can be rough—your team will polish. ### Mission / purpose (why you exist) > Help small teams ship credible web projects with a single, reviewable brief—so scope and messaging stay aligned from day one. ### Origin story (short path OK) Founded in 2024 after the team repeatedly saw SMBs lose weeks to rediscovery in web projects. Harborline builds tools that front-load alignment. ### What makes you different - Human-in-the-loop review, not just forms - BRD-shaped output for agencies - Canada-first defaults where helpful ### Primary CTA for About area Book a 15-minute fit call --- # Colour & Type Build your palette row by row—pick colours with the swatch or paste hex codes (like a brand guidelines page). ### Primary colours | Colour | Name | Where it’s used | | --- | --- | --- | | #0D47A1 | Harbor blue | Headers & navigation, Primary buttons & CTAs, Links & interactive (hover / active) | | #212121 | Charcoal | Body text, Footer | | #FFFFFF | White | Main background, Forms — fields & labels | ### Secondary colours | Colour | Name | Where it’s used | | --- | --- | --- | | #00838F | Teal accent | Links & interactive (default), Data visualization / charts | | #ECEFF1 | Cool gray | Alternate section background, Borders & dividers | ### Fonts in use (or desired) Headings: DM Sans. Body: system UI stack. Code snippets: JetBrains Mono where needed. ### Accessibility / contrast notes > Target WCAG 2.1 AA for normal text; review lime-on-white and thin weights with design. --- # Website requirements You don’t need to be technical—pick the closest options and add notes where you can. Your team or partner can refine details later. ### Accessibility target (intent) WCAG 2.1 AA ### Mobile-first is a priority Yes ### Performance expectations Prioritize speed for important journeys only (e.g. checkout, booking, sign-up, contact) ### Performance — optional extra detail Technical note for handoff: aim for strong Core Web Vitals on trial signup and pricing; lazy-load below-fold imagery; keep third-party scripts minimal. ### We sell products/services online or take orders digitally Yes ### We run events, workshops, or dated offerings Yes --- # Trust & compliance (discussion) This section is for discussion with qualified counsel—not a substitute for legal advice. If you’re unsure, use the multiple-choice prompts and short notes; your lawyer or DPO can fill gaps. ### Privacy policy — status Need one ### Analytics, cookies & marketing tags (your situation) We use analytics (e.g. Google Analytics / GA4) ### Cookies / consent tooling notes Plan: cookie banner with granular opt-in for analytics; document in privacy policy draft. ### Commerce terms, refunds & warranties — status Have suitable terms in place (or planned with counsel) ### Commerce terms, refunds, warranties — notes (if applicable) Standard net-30 for invoices; refunds for unused prepaid blocks within 14 days—confirm with counsel. --- # Privacy policy — starter resources (pre-counsel) Shown when your privacy status is Need one or Unsure. Orientation only—not legal advice. Use with your Markets & regions answers to see what might apply. ### Drafts & questions for counsel (optional) > _To be confirmed_ --- # Digital & sales personas Who influences or signs off on choosing you, and what they try to accomplish on your site and funnel—so messaging, IA, CTAs, and SEO match real journeys. ### Audience mix (how you sell today) B2B ### Buyers & decision-makers | Role or segment | How they find you (typical) | Buying goals | Blockers & trust gaps | Decision power | Typical buying window | Primary objection type | Source role | Last verified date | Assumption status | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Owner / GM | Non-branded search + partner referral | Ship a credible site without becoming the project manager; see social proof fast. | Limited time; needs plain language, clear milestones, and one path to a human. | | | | | | | | Marketing lead | LinkedIn + paid social retargeting | Single source of truth for messaging, SEO, and launch checklist; landing pages that match ad copy. | Must align with sales and support; needs exportable artifact for agency handoff. | | | | | | | ### On-site jobs & conversion paths | What the visitor is trying to do | Best next step (conversion) | What your page must provide | Journey stage | CTA type | Success metric | Source role | Last verified date | Assumption status | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Compare plans and start trial | Start trial (no card) | Clear pricing table, security FAQ, minimal form fields, fast mobile LCP, obvious primary CTA. | | | | | | | | Download sample brief | Email capture or direct PDF | Obvious CTA above the fold, fast load, accessible link text; gate only if sales agrees. | | | | | | | ### Persona assumptions to validate (research / sales) > • Confirm whether owners discover us mainly via search vs partner referral (split test messaging). > • Validate that “compare plans” is the top job before trial—not “contact sales” first. --- # Marketing & growth Keyword seeds first help the SEO summary (and Draft with AI) reflect what you actually want to rank for. ### Keywords / phrases | Phrase | Intent | Funnel stage | Priority | Target page | Source role | Last verified date | Assumption status | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | website requirements template | Commercial | | | | | | | | small business website brief | Informational | | | | | | | | WCAG checklist for new site | Informational | | | | | | | ### SEO summary (topics, geography) Primary geography: Ontario and broader Canada English queries. Topics: website brief software, SMB discovery, agency handoff, accessibility readiness. Landing pages should match the compare-plans and download-brief jobs from our persona section. ### SEO primary geographic focus _To be confirmed_ ### SEO primary language/locale _To be confirmed_ ### SEO focus balance _To be confirmed_ ### Confidence in SEO summary (1-5) _To be confirmed_ ### Evidence sources for SEO summary _To be confirmed_ ### Analytics & consent approach GA4 with consent mode v2; no pixels until acceptance; quarterly review of events. --- # Social & media One row per place you show up online. Pick preset channels from the list or type your own (forum, marketplace, community, etc.). ### Social & media channels | Channel or platform | Profile or channel URL | What this channel is for | | --- | --- | --- | | LinkedIn | https://linkedin.com/company/example | Thought leadership and pilot customer stories. | --- # Recommendations (for discussion) ### Suggested owner actions 1. Confirm legal review of privacy and cookies. 2. Approve hero copy and CTA. 3. Assign internal owner for launch comms. ### Owner action plan (priority and timeline) _To be confirmed_ ### Suggested web team actions 1. Map IA from brief sections to CMS templates. 2. Schedule accessibility audit against stated WCAG target. 3. Wire analytics per consent approach. ### Web team action plan (priority and timeline) _To be confirmed_ ### Suggested growth actions (90-day focus) _To be confirmed_ ### Growth action plan (priority and timeline) _To be confirmed_ ### Add glossary of terms to the brief Yes --- # Glossary ### Terms and definitions | Term | Definition | | --- | --- | | BRD | Business requirements document — structured stakeholder brief. | | LCP | Largest Contentful Paint — Core Web Vital for perceived load speed. | --- # Business offerings & value Define what you actually offer and why customers choose you. This section is important even if you do not process payments online. ### Core offerings (products / services) | Name | Category | Price band | Currency | Starting price | Delivery model | Primary region | Notes | Source role | Last verified date | Assumption status | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Growth | Subscription | Contact for regional pricing | | | | | Checklist, review rounds, Markdown export. | | | | | Office hours | Add-on | $200 / session | | | | | Optional live walkthrough of the brief with a consultant. | | | | ### Value proposition (why customers choose us) > For SMB owners and marketing leads, Harborline turns fragmented website planning into one decision-ready brief. Teams get clear priorities, fewer scope surprises, and faster handoff to internal or agency builders. ### Confidence in value proposition (1-5) _To be confirmed_ ### Evidence sources for value proposition _To be confirmed_ ### Proof points that support value (optional) - Reduced discovery/rework cycles in pilot projects. - Reusable template output for agency and in-house teams. - Human review checkpoints before implementation. --- # Events & pricing Use this only if you run workshops, webinars, courses, or other date-based offerings. It helps the team plan event pages, calendars, registration flows, and pricing details. ### Events / tiers | Type | Tiers / pricing | Geography | Currency | Price model | Starting price | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Live webinar | Free live; recording gated with email capture | Americas-friendly time (ET morning) | | | | --- # Supplemental offerings Use this for extra offering areas that do not fit your core offerings (for example partner hubs, member areas, franchises, or microsites). Skip if your main sections already cover everything. ### Extra hubs or offering areas Future: customer stories hub under /customers with filter by industry (services vs product).