TOAST
Objective and Success are different slots, and collapsing them is how campaigns get away with not working.
What is TOAST?
TOAST is five slots: Target, Objective, Action, Success and Timing. It is a campaign brief in acronym form, and its one genuinely clever move is separating the second slot from the fourth.
Objective and Success sound like the same thing and are not. The objective is the change in behaviour you want — people coming back into a weekly habit. The success measure is the number that tells you whether it happened. Most campaign briefs fuse them, and the fusion goes one of two ways: either the objective becomes a metric ("increase engagement by 15%") and nobody can say what they actually wanted, or the metric goes missing and the campaign is judged on whether it felt busy. Keeping them apart forces you to name what you want AND how you would know, and the gap between those two answers is usually where a campaign is weakest.
Where TOAST Came From
A modern acronym with no documented author
TOAST has no inventor of record and no published source. It sits in the same pool as RTF, TAG, PACT and SCOPE — assembled by somebody who had noticed which parts of a campaign brief get skipped. Note what it can be compared against: campaign planning does have well-documented frameworks, including SOSTAC (PR Smith, 1990s) and OGSM. TOAST is not one of them, and any page claiming a founder for it is inventing one.
The name is completely dominated by a restaurant POS company
Practically important if you go looking. Toast is a large restaurant point-of-sale and marketing platform, and it owns essentially every search result for the word in a marketing context. Searching "TOAST marketing framework" returns their product documentation, not this. Search the expansion.
Why Timing gets its own slot
Unusual, and the reason is worth keeping. Most briefs treat dates as an attribute of the plan rather than a section, and so nobody writes down the dependency that will actually delay the campaign — the asset that has to be finished, the legal review, the person on leave. Giving it a slot forces the question "what must be done before the first send, and who owns it", which is the thing that slips.
The 5 Slots, One at a Time
Each slot is a decision. Leave it out and the model still makes it — just without you.
The exclusion is the half that matters. A target defined only by inclusion overlaps with whatever else is running, and your win-back email lands on someone the sales team is already calling. Say what the segment is and say who has been carved out of it.
Deliberately not a metric. Write the thing you would be pleased about if you saw it happen, and write why it matters now. If you cannot say it without a percentage in it, you have written the Success slot early and skipped the thinking.
Not a channel list. What arrives, in what order, over how long, and what each one asks them to do. Cap the number of touches, and require at least one that is not an email — the cap is what forces a choice, and the requirement is what stops the whole campaign being one channel with four subject lines.
The guardrail is the part almost nobody writes. A primary measure with a threshold, two secondaries, and one metric that would stop the campaign even if the primary is being hit — unsubscribes, complaint rate, support load. A win-back campaign that hits its login target while burning the list has not succeeded, and without a guardrail nobody notices until the next send.
Name what must be finished before the first send and who owns it. Then the line people never write: the date after which launching is worse than not launching. A win-back campaign that arrives the week renewals go out is not a late campaign, it is a different and worse campaign.
One Task, Before and After
The task: A win-back campaign for paying customers who have stopped logging in. Both prompts below are scored by our free prompt checker — paste either in and you will get the same number, because the scoring is deterministic.
Plan a campaign to win back old customers.
Seven words. You get a seven-touch email sequence, a paid retargeting budget nobody has, an industry-average open rate that came from nowhere, and no way to tell whether it worked.
Plan a campaign to bring lapsed customers back. Write the campaign brief. Target: The 1,340 customers who have not logged in for 90 days or more but are still paying. Not cancelled customers, and not the 200 on annual contracts renewing within 60 days, who are being handled separately by sales. Objective: What the campaign is FOR, in one sentence - the change in behaviour we want, not the metric. Get them back into a weekly habit before their renewal, so the renewal conversation is not the first time they think about us. Action: The specific sequence a target actually experiences - what arrives, in what order, over how long, and what each one asks them to do. No more than five touches, and at least one that is not an email. Success: The numbers that say it worked, which are NOT the objective restated. Give a primary measure with a threshold, two secondary measures, and one guardrail metric that would make us stop the campaign even if the primary is being hit. Timing: The calendar, including the dependency that will actually delay this. Name what must be finished before the first send, who owns it, and the date after which launching is worse than not launching. Constraints: We have no budget for paid media. The product team cannot build anything new for this. We can use email, in-app messaging and the customer success team's calendars. Write 700 to 900 words with one heading per letter. For example, use this shape for the Success section: ``` Primary: 18% of the 1,340 log in at least twice in the 30 days after touch 1. Guardrail: unsubscribe rate stays under 0.8% per send; above that we stop regardless of logins. ``` Think through what would make a lapsed customer open anything from us before you design the sequence, and weigh the risk that the campaign reminds someone they are paying for a product they do not use. Ensure every measure in Success has a number attached, and prioritise touches that need nothing built. Do not propose paid media, do not assume any new product functionality, and do not invent benchmark open rates or industry averages.
Ninety-two. The instruction that changes the output most is the one about risk: a win-back campaign can remind a dormant customer that they are paying for something they never use, and a brief that has not considered that is a brief that might increase churn.
Ninety-two, and no scorer can tell a campaign brief from a fantasy
One check is unreachable, and the two failures that actually cost money are unmeasured:
No persona slot. Available for the asking and worth eight points, but on our scorer a generic role scores the same as a specific one, so the points say nothing about whether the persona helped.
A campaign requiring paid media you have no budget for, and product work nobody will do, scores exactly as well as one you can start on Monday. Listing the real constraints is the only defence, and no rubric checks whether you did.
"Increase brand awareness" passes every check a scorer applies. Requiring a number on every measure — and a guardrail — is what separates a brief from a wish, and it earns nothing.
The habit worth taking from TOAST into any campaign brief is the guardrail metric: the number that stops you even when the primary target is being met. Almost no brief contains one, and it is the difference between a campaign that hit its target and a campaign that hit its target while burning the list it was sent to.
Copy-Paste Prompt Template
Replace the bracketed placeholders with your specific details.
Target: [Defined by behaviour — and who is explicitly excluded, so you do not collide with another campaign] Objective: [The behaviour change you want, in one sentence, with NO number in it] Action: [The sequence a real person experiences — what arrives, in what order, over how long, what each asks them to do. Cap the touches; require one that is not an email] Success: [A primary measure with a threshold, two secondaries, and ONE GUARDRAIL that would stop the campaign even if the primary is being hit] Timing: [The calendar, what must be finished before the first send and who owns it, and the date after which launching is worse than not launching] [The real constraints — budget, what cannot be built. No invented benchmark rates]
When TOAST Fits — and When It Does Not
- Campaign briefs an agency, a freelancer or another team will execute.
- Win-back, re-engagement and renewal campaigns, where the guardrail matters most.
- Launch campaigns with a hard external date to work back from.
- Any campaign with several channels that need sequencing rather than listing.
- Small teams with real constraints — the framework is at its best when the budget is a limit.
- Writing the actual copy. TOAST briefs a campaign; AIDA, PAS and BAB write what goes in it.
- Long-term strategy. Use the 4Ps; TOAST plans one campaign, not a market position.
- Always-on programmes with no start and end — Timing has nothing to hold.
- Anything with no measurable outcome available, where Success becomes decoration.
- Single-send emails. Five labelled slots is heavier than the work.
10 Ready-Made TOAST Prompts
Every prompt below was produced by the Frompting generator with TOAST selected — not written by hand for this page. Each is scored by our prompt checker; the median is 95/100. Click one to open it, then copy.
Launching a feature to existing customers 95
You are a senior marketing strategist tasked with creating a comprehensive launch campaign for a new product feature aimed at existing customers. Develop a detailed campaign plan that includes: 1. Identify the specific customer segment that will receive the campaign. 2. Define the primary goal of the campaign and the key message to convey. 3. Outline the step‑by‑step actions required, covering channels, creative assets, and sequencing. 4. Specify measurable success criteria (e.g., adoption rate, engagement metrics). 5. Provide a realistic timeline with major milestones from preparation through post‑launch follow‑up. The plan should be written in clear, professional prose, approximately 500–600 words, and organized with concise headings for each section. Quality criteria: - All recommendations are actionable and aligned with the defined goal. - Success metrics are quantifiable and appropriate for the target segment. - The timeline is feasible and includes buffer periods for review. Exclude any assumptions about budget, internal resources, or regulatory constraints unless explicitly provided. If any critical details are missing, state your assumptions and ask up to three clarifying questions before finalizing the plan. [FEATURE_DESCRIPTION: brief description of the new feature] [CUSTOMER_SEGMENT: specific existing customer group to target] [KEY_MESSAGE: core value proposition to communicate] [SUCCESS_METRICS: preferred metrics for measuring campaign success] [TIMELINE_DATES: desired launch window or key dates] Before writing the final answer, work through the problem step by step and weigh the main trade-offs; present only the reasoned conclusion, not your working notes.
A webinar lead generation campaign 90
You are a marketing strategist specializing in webinar campaigns for lead generation. Your task is to create a comprehensive campaign plan that defines the audience, sets clear goals, outlines the steps to attract and engage prospects, describes how success will be measured, and establishes a realistic schedule. The plan is for a company that wants to generate qualified leads through an online webinar. [AUDIENCE: describe the ideal attendee profile, including job titles, industries, and pain points] [WEBINAR_TOPIC: specify the subject matter and key value proposition of the webinar] [LEAD_QUALIFICATION: define the criteria for a lead to be considered qualified after the webinar] Assume standard webinar tools and typical marketing resources unless you specify otherwise. Before finalizing the plan, state any assumptions you are making and ask up to three clarifying questions to fill critical gaps. Deliver a structured document of approximately 800–1000 words, using clear headings for each section (Audience, Goal, Strategy, Success Metrics, Timeline). Ensure the content is actionable, concise, and ready for execution. Quality criteria: 1. Each section provides specific, measurable details. 2. The strategy includes at least three distinct promotion tactics. 3. The timeline outlines key milestones with realistic timeframes. Exclude any references to internal processes not mentioned by the user. Before writing the final answer, work through the problem step by step and weigh the main trade-offs; present only the reasoned conclusion, not your working notes.
A re-engagement campaign for lapsed users 95
You are a marketing strategist tasked with designing a comprehensive re-engagement campaign for lapsed customers. Create a concise campaign brief that walks through the following elements in order: 1. Identify the specific audience of lapsed customers you will target. 2. Define the primary objective of the campaign (e.g., purchase renewal, upsell, brand recall). 3. Outline the key actions you will take, including messaging themes, creative concepts, and the channels you will use. 4. Specify how success will be measured (e.g., conversion rate, revenue lift, re-activation count). 5. Provide a realistic timeline covering preparation, launch, and post-campaign analysis. The brief should be 625-825 words, formatted as short paragraphs for each element, and conclude with a bullet list of three quality criteria (clarity, measurability, feasibility). Exclude any references to the underlying framework or to this instruction set. If any essential details are missing, state your assumptions clearly and ask up to three targeted clarifying questions before finalizing the plan. [PRODUCT_OR_SERVICE: describe the product or service to be promoted] [COMMUNICATION_CHANNELS: list the channels (email, SMS, social, etc.) to be used] [SUCCESS_METRICS: indicate the specific KPIs for measuring success] [TIMEFRAME: define the overall campaign duration] Before writing the final answer, work through the problem step by step and weigh the main trade-offs; present only the reasoned conclusion, not your working notes.
A Black Friday ecommerce campaign 92
You are a seasoned e-commerce marketing strategist. Your task is to design a comprehensive Black Friday campaign for an online store. First, identify the specific customer segment the store wants to reach and any unique value proposition it offers. Next, define the primary goal of the campaign (e.g., revenue target, new-customer acquisition, average order value increase). Then, outline the concrete tactics to achieve that goal, including promotional offers, messaging themes, creative assets, and the marketing channels to be used. After that, specify the key performance indicators that will signal success and how they will be measured. Finally, create a detailed timeline covering pre-launch preparation, launch day execution, and post-campaign follow-up. Deliver the plan in a clear, numbered outline with brief bullet points under each section. The output should be under 495 words. Quality criteria: 1. Each section flows logically to the next, forming a cohesive end-to-end plan. 2. Recommendations are actionable and include specific examples where possible. 3. The timeline is realistic and aligns with typical Black Friday preparation cycles. Exclude any assumptions about the store’s product categories, budget, or target market unless you first request clarification. [STORE TYPE]: brief description of the e-commerce business (e.g., fashion, electronics, home goods) [TARGET AUDIENCE]: primary customer demographic and psychographic profile [CAMPAIGN BUDGET]: approximate budget allocated for the Black Friday promotion [KEY PRODUCTS]: top-selling or flagship items to be highlighted in the campaign [MARKETING CHANNELS]: preferred channels (e.g., email, social media, paid ads, SMS) If any of these details are unknown, state your assumption and proceed, or ask up to three clarifying questions before finalizing the plan. Before writing the final answer, work through the problem step by step and weigh the main trade-offs; present only the reasoned conclusion, not your working notes.
A referral campaign for a SaaS product 96
You are a marketing strategist specializing in referral programs for SaaS products. Your task is to design a complete referral campaign plan. First, identify the ideal customers who should receive the referral invitation. Next, define the specific goal the campaign must achieve (e.g., number of new sign-ups, revenue lift). Then, outline the step-by-step actions required to launch and run the referral program, including the incentive offered to referrers and any required assets or messaging. After that, specify how success will be measured, listing the key performance indicators and the thresholds for each. Finally, set a realistic schedule, breaking the rollout into phases with dates for preparation, launch, and post-launch optimization. Deliver the plan in a concise markdown document with the following sections in order: 1. Target audience - brief description and any segmentation criteria. 2. Campaign objective - clear, quantifiable target. 3. Action plan - bullet-point list of tasks, responsible roles, and required resources. 4. Success metrics - table of KPIs, measurement methods, and success thresholds. 5. Timing - timeline table with start/end dates for each phase. The entire output should be under 970 words. Quality criteria: - All recommendations must be actionable and realistic for a SaaS business. - The plan should be internally consistent, with each section logically supporting the next. Exclude any assumptions about product features, pricing, or existing customer data unless you explicitly note them as placeholders: [PRODUCT_DESCRIPTION]: brief description of the SaaS offering. [TARGET_SEGMENT]: primary user persona(s) to target. [REFERRAL_INCENTIVE]: reward offered to referrers (e.g., discount, credit). [SUCCESS_THRESHOLD]: numeric goal for the chosen KPI. [CAMPAIGN_DATES]: start and end dates for the overall campaign. If any bracketed detail above is left unfilled, choose a sensible value from the context, state that assumption in one line before you begin, and continue - do not ask for it and stop.
A content campaign behind a launch 96
You are a strategic content marketer tasked with creating a comprehensive content campaign plan to support a product launch. Develop a detailed plan that defines the intended audience, the primary goal of the campaign, the specific content actions to be executed, the metrics that will indicate success, and the schedule for each activity. The plan should be written for a senior marketing stakeholder and be no longer than 800 words. Include: - A concise description of the audience and their key characteristics. - A clear statement of the campaign’s overarching goal. - A step‑by‑step list of content pieces (e.g., blog posts, videos, social posts) with brief descriptions of each, the channel they will appear on, and the responsible role. - The success criteria expressed as measurable indicators (e.g., engagement rates, lead counts). - A timeline outlining when each content piece will be created, published, and reviewed. Quality criteria: 1. All elements are logically connected and flow naturally from audience to goal to actions, metrics, and schedule. 2. The plan uses concrete, actionable language and avoids vague statements. 3. The timeline is realistic and respects typical production cycles. Exclude any assumptions about budget, creative assets, or internal team size unless you explicitly state them as assumptions. If any critical details are missing, first state your assumptions and then ask up to three clarifying questions before finalizing the plan. [PRODUCT_NAME: specify the product being launched] [LAUNCH_DATE: specify the intended launch date] [TARGET_AUDIENCE: describe the primary audience for the campaign] [KEY_MESSAGES: list the core messages to communicate] [PRIMARY_CHANNELS: indicate the main distribution channels] Before writing the final answer, work through the problem step by step and weigh the main trade-offs; present only the reasoned conclusion, not your working notes.
Following up conference booth leads 92
You are a marketing strategist tasked with creating a detailed email campaign plan to follow up leads captured at a conference booth. Develop a concise brief that outlines: - Who the campaign is intended for [TARGET AUDIENCE: specify the primary segment of the conference leads, e.g., industry, job role, or buyer persona]. - The main purpose of the outreach [CAMPAIGN OBJECTIVE: define the desired outcome, such as scheduling demos, driving website registrations, or nurturing prospects]. - The specific steps and content elements to include in each email [CAMPAIGN ACTIONS: list the sequence of emails, key messaging themes, call-to-action, and any personalization tactics]. - How success will be measured [SUCCESS METRICS: identify the primary KPI(s) such as reply rate, click-through rate, or booked meetings, and any secondary indicators]. - The overall schedule and timing for the series [TIMELINE: provide the launch date, interval between emails, and any deadline for final follow-up]. Deliver the plan in a markdown document with the following sections in the order listed above, using bullet points where appropriate. Keep the entire output between 375-495 words. Quality criteria: 1. Clear, actionable recommendations that can be implemented without further clarification. 2. Alignment with the defined audience and objective, showing logical flow between emails. 3. Measurable success criteria tied to realistic benchmarks. Exclude any brand-specific claims or legal guarantees unless you receive explicit confirmation. If any of the placeholders above are unknown, state your assumption and ask up to three clarifying questions before finalizing the plan. Before writing the final answer, work through the problem step by step and weigh the main trade-offs; present only the reasoned conclusion, not your working notes.
Local awareness for a new store 91
You are a marketing strategist tasked with creating a comprehensive local awareness campaign for a new store opening. The campaign must be designed for the specific community surrounding the store and aim to generate strong foot traffic and brand recognition at launch. Develop a detailed plan that includes: - Identify the primary audience for the campaign. - Define the main goal of the campaign and the key message to convey. - Outline the specific tactics and channels you will use, describing each activity and the creative approach. - Specify how success will be measured, including the metrics and benchmarks you will track. - Provide a realistic schedule, indicating when each tactic should be executed and the overall timeline leading up to the opening. Deliver the plan in a clear, organized format with headings for each section, using concise bullet points where appropriate. Keep the total length to approximately 375-495 words. Quality criteria: 1. The plan must be actionable and include concrete steps. 2. All recommendations should be realistic for a local market. 3. Success metrics should be quantifiable and relevant to foot traffic and brand awareness. Exclude any assumptions about the store’s industry, size, budget, or opening date; instead, insert placeholders for these unknowns: [STORE TYPE]: brief description of the retail category (e.g., boutique clothing, coffee shop) [LOCATION]: city or neighborhood where the store is located [TARGET AUDIENCE]: primary demographic profile (e.g., age, interests) [BUDGET]: approximate total marketing spend available [OPENING DATE]: planned date of the store opening State any assumptions you make about these placeholders, and ask up to three clarifying questions if needed before finalizing the plan. Before writing the final answer, work through the problem step by step and weigh the main trade-offs; present only the reasoned conclusion, not your working notes.
Promoting a free tool 96
You are a strategic marketing planner tasked with creating a concise, step‑by‑step campaign plan to promote a free tool. Develop a plan that sequentially defines who the campaign is for, the primary goal, the specific tactics to achieve it, the metrics that will indicate success, and the schedule for execution. The output should be a markdown document no longer than 350 words, organized with clear headings for each section and a brief bullet list of actions under the tactics heading. Quality criteria: - Each section is specific, actionable, and directly linked to the next. - The plan uses language that a marketing team can implement without further clarification. - Metrics are realistic and measurable. Exclude any speculative market data or detailed budget figures unless provided. If any essential detail is missing, state your assumption and ask up to three clarifying questions before finalizing the plan. [AUDIENCE]: describe the primary users or customers for the free tool. [KEY BENEFIT]: the main value proposition the tool offers to this audience. [CHANNELS]: preferred marketing channels (e.g., email, social media, community forums). [SUCCESS METRIC]: the primary KPI to judge campaign success (e.g., sign‑ups, active users). [TIMELINE]: the overall timeframe from launch to evaluation (e.g., 4 weeks). Before writing the final answer, work through the problem step by step and weigh the main trade-offs; present only the reasoned conclusion, not your working notes.
Sourcing case studies from advocates 75
You are a marketing strategist tasked with designing a comprehensive customer advocacy campaign to generate compelling case studies. Identify the primary audience for the campaign (e.g., existing customers in a specific segment) and describe their typical profile. Define the core purpose of the campaign, focusing on the specific outcomes you aim to achieve through the case studies (e.g., demonstrate product ROI, showcase industry-specific success). Outline a step‑by‑step plan that includes: - The key messages and value propositions to communicate to participants. - The incentives or rewards offered to encourage participation. - The channels and tactics (email outreach, webinars, social media, etc.) you will use to recruit participants and collect their stories. - The process for interviewing, drafting, and obtaining approval of each case study. Specify how you will measure success, including at least two quantitative metrics (e.g., number of completed case studies, conversion rate of participants) and one qualitative indicator (e.g., depth of storytelling, alignment with brand narrative). Provide a realistic timeline broken into phases (planning, outreach, content creation, review, publication) with estimated durations for each phase. Deliver the plan in a clear, organized format using headings and bullet points, keeping the total length under 350 words. Ensure the language is professional, concise, and actionable, and state any assumptions you make about the unknown details. Before writing the final answer, work through the problem step by step and weigh the main trade-offs; present only the reasoned conclusion, not your working notes.
Scores range from 75 to 96. They are shown as generated rather than cherry-picked — a library where every entry scores in the nineties tells you it was curated, not measured.
TOAST vs the Alternatives
The closest sibling, and TOAST has the slot SMART lacks: Action. SMART makes a target checkable; TOAST also says what you are going to do about it and to whom.
One level up. The 4Ps decide the market position; TOAST plans a single campaign inside it. Promotion in the 4Ps is roughly where TOAST begins.
What goes inside the Action slot. AIDA shapes an individual message; TOAST sequences several and says how you will judge them.
The copy framework for a win-back in particular — the lapsed customer's Before is something you can describe accurately, which is exactly when BAB works.
The general briefing framework. Use TRACE when you are commissioning a deliverable; TOAST when the deliverable is specifically a campaign.
Five Ways People Get TOAST Wrong
The defining TOAST failure, and the reason the framework separates them. "Increase engagement by 15%" is a measure pretending to be a purpose — nobody can tell from it what you actually wanted people to do.
Almost every campaign brief omits it. Without a number that stops you, a campaign that is hitting its primary target while driving unsubscribes will keep running until somebody notices by accident.
Defined only by who is in it, a segment overlaps with everything else running and customers get hit twice. Name who has been carved out and why.
"Email, in-app, social" is not a sequence. What arrives first, what it asks for, and what happens to someone who ignores it — that is the Action slot.
Dates are easy; the thing that will delay you is the asset, the review or the person on leave. Name it, name its owner, and name the date after which launching is worse than not launching.
Industry-average open rates, typical conversion figures, expected lift — all produced on request, none of it sourced, and all of it about to become a target somebody is held to.
TOAST Questions
What does TOAST stand for?
Target, Objective, Action, Success and Timing — a five-slot structure for a campaign brief.
What is the difference between Objective and Success?
The objective is the behaviour change you want, written without a number. Success is how you would know it happened. Fusing them either turns your purpose into a metric or leaves the campaign with no measure at all.
What is a guardrail metric?
A number that would make you stop the campaign even if the primary target is being met — unsubscribe rate, complaint rate, support load. Very few briefs contain one, and it is the most valuable line in the Success slot.
Who invented TOAST?
Nobody documented. It is a modern assembled acronym. Campaign planning does have better-documented frameworks — SOSTAC and OGSM among them — if provenance matters to you.
Why does searching for it return a restaurant company?
Because Toast is a large restaurant point-of-sale and marketing platform, and it dominates the term. Search the expansion — Target, Objective, Action, Success, Timing — instead of the acronym.
Does TOAST write the campaign copy?
No. It produces the brief. The copy inside the Action sequence is a job for AIDA, PAS or BAB.
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Try it FreeFramework Details
| Name | TOAST |
| Stands for | Target-Objective-Action-Success-Timing |
| Domain | Persuasion & Conversion |
| Steps | 5 |
| Access | Pro |