how to brief an agency and get better work.
The quality of the work you get back depends a lot on the brief you give. Here’s how creative people brief each other.
A good brief doesn’t need to be long. It needs to be clear about the problem, the audience and what success looks like. Here’s the checklist I use when briefing creative work internally.
the practical bits
- project name and main contact
- key deadlines
- budget, even a range
Sharing a budget isn’t giving away your negotiating position. It means the agency can recommend what will work for the money, rather than guessing.
the substance
- What are you asking for? Be open to a different recommendation.
- What’s the product or service? And what makes it different?
- Who’s the audience? How much do they already know about you?
- What should they think, feel or do when they see it?
- What’s the context? Market conditions, competitors, where it will appear.
- How does it fit your strategy? Is it part of a bigger campaign?
- What’s the tone? Professional, warm, bold or technical?
- How will you measure success?
brief in person
Talk it through face to face or on a video call, even if you’ve written it down. Expressions, examples and conversation communicate things that words on a page miss. Bring examples you like and don’t like, from anywhere.
make time for questions
The questions an agency asks are a good sign. They show the team is thinking about your problem, not just the deliverable. Answer them, agree the brief, and you’ll get work that’s on target first time.
want to talk it through?
The first conversation is with me, and it costs nothing.