Free Brand Brain AI Template: Copy, Fill, Ship

Starting a brand brain from a blank page is the part that stalls people. Here is a free brand brain AI template you can copy into a plain text file, fill in, and hand to an assistant. A filled example for an invented bakery sits beside it so you can see what good answers look like.

The template is the output of the process in Lesson 1.2, Build your brand's brain. Use the lesson to gather the material, and this page to organise it.

Copy the template, fill every section with short plain answers, save it as a text or markdown file in your business folder, and update it weekly.

How to use the template

Create a file called brain.md in your business folder. Paste the template in. Fill each section in short sentences. If a section has nothing true to say, write "unknown" rather than guessing, and let the assistant ask you about it later.

Tools like Claude Code read a file named CLAUDE.md at the start of every session, according to Anthropic's documentation. If you use it, you can save your brain file under that name or point CLAUDE.md to it. Other assistants can take the file pasted at the top of a chat.

The template

Copy everything between the lines.

BRAND BRAIN Last updated: [date] 1. Goal right now [One line. Views, then followers, then sales. Which stage are we in?] 2. What we sell [Products or services, one line each. Prices only if you keep them current.] 3. Who it is for [Who buys, what they already know, how they feel, where they spend time.] 4. How we sound [Three adjectives. One sample of writing you like: paste below.] 5. Never say [Words, claims and topics to avoid.] 6. Facts to get right [Hours, address, links, approved claims.] 7. What has worked [One sentence per item, plain facts only.] 8. Media status [Ready: ... Needs an edit: ... Still to shoot: ...] 9. Questions customers ask [Real questions, in their words.] 10. Instruction to the assistant [At the end of each chat, save new learnings here and list what you changed.]

A filled example

This is invented for illustration. The bakery does not exist.

BRAND BRAIN Last updated: 2 November 1. Goal right now More people in the neighbourhood see us. Then followers. Then orders. 2. What we sell Sourdough loaves, pastries, weekend specials. Pricing is on the shop menu, check it before quoting. 3. Who it is for Local families and office workers. They know our shop but not our baking process. Mostly on phones in the morning. 4. How we sound Warm, direct, a bit funny. Sample: "Fresh out at 7. Gone by noon, usually." 5. Never say "Artisanal", "guilt free", any health claims. 6. Facts to get right Open Tuesday to Sunday. Closed Monday. Address on the shop menu. 7. What has worked Posts with a photo of the shop counter got more comments than product shots. 8. Media status Ready: counter photos. Needs an edit: dark oven video. Still to shoot: shop front. 9. Questions customers ask "Do you have anything nut free?" "Can I pre order for Saturday?" 10. Instruction to the assistant At the end of each chat, save what you learned and list your changes.

Why each section is there

1. GoalGives the assistant something to choose between.
2. Sell and audienceStops generic writing for everyone.
3. Sound and never sayDoes the most to keep output on brand.
4. FactsPrevents confident mistakes about hours and claims.
5. Worked and questionsFeeds real material into future drafts.
6. Media statusTurns content needs into a shoot list.
7. InstructionKeeps the file alive after the first week.

Fill it in a sensible order

Start with sections 1, 4 and 6. The goal, the voice sample and the facts have the biggest effect on draft quality. Do the rest when you have time. A half filled brain with true entries beats a full one with guesses.

Keep it short

Long files are harder to maintain and harder for the assistant to use well. Anthropic's documentation for Claude Code notes that only part of an auto memory file loads at the start of a session, so keep the important lines near the top. If the file passes a couple of pages, split detail into separate files and link them.

After you fill it in

Test with a fresh chat and a one line request. If the draft sounds generic, add a better writing sample. If it gets facts wrong, add them to section 6. The weekly routine keeps the file current, and the mistakes list shows what to watch.

Variations worth trying

The template is one shape among many. A service business might swap the sell section for a list of services and a short description of the usual client. A creator might add a section on recurring series or formats. A shop with many products might keep a separate product file and link to it from the brain. If several people use the brain, add a line saying who approves what. If you post in more than one language, note which languages and any phrasing to avoid in each. Keep the numbered order so you can compare versions over time. You can also create a short version with only the goal, voice and facts sections for quick tasks, and keep the long one for deeper work. Whatever you change, keep the instruction to the assistant at the bottom, since it keeps the file alive.

Next steps

Do Lesson 1.2, Build your brand's brain to build the folder around this file. If your tool is not ready, begin with Lesson 1.1.

Questions people ask

Is the template really free?

Yes. Copy it from this page. It is plain text.

Do I need to fill every section?

No. Write "unknown" where you do not know yet.

Can I change the sections?

Please do. Add sections that fit your business and drop ones that do not.