How to Write a Useful Agency Brief

A good brief isn't necessarily long.

It doesn't need to contain dozens of pages, complex terminology, or a fully developed marketing solution.

It has to give the agency enough context to understand the problem, the constraints and the success criteria.

A bad brief doesn't make the project impossible. But it forces the team to discover the core decisions during execution. Then the edits multiply, the deadlines stretch, and the feedback starts resolving strategic questions that should have been clarified before the start.

Start with the problem, not the pre-chosen solution

“We need a new website” is a request. It doesn't explain why the current site isn't enough and what needs to improve.

More useful would be: “Our core services aren't clearly understood, a large share of visits ends on the homepage, and the sales team gets inquiries for services we don't offer.”

This context lets the agency assess whether what's needed is:

• a completely new site;
• a new structure;
• a change in messaging;
• an improvement of the user journey;
• a new landing page;
• better tracking;
• a combination of several actions.

A good agency should be able to propose a solution, not just produce a pre-chosen deliverable.

Give the business context

The agency doesn't know the business as well as the internal team. Share:

• what the company offers;
• how it earns revenue;
• which services or products are a priority;
• what the sales process looks like;
• how long the decision cycle is;
• what changes are coming;
• which channels are used;
• what has been done so far;
• what worked;
• what didn't work;
• why the project is starting now.

Context helps the proposals be realistic instead of built on assumptions.

Describe the audience specifically

“Our audience is all companies” doesn't give enough information. More useful are details like:

• industry;
• company size;
• market;
• role in the decision;
• level of expertise;
• main problem;
• selection criteria;
• typical objections;
• alternatives;
• reason to look for a solution.

In a B2B project there may be more than one important role:

• the person who discovers the solution;
• the technical specialist who evaluates it;
• the finance person who approves the budget;
• the manager who makes the final decision;
• the user who will work with the product.

The communication may need to address everyone's needs, but the brief has to show who is the lead.

Formulate a clear goal

Avoid goals like:

• more popularity;
• a better presence;
• a modern brand;
• more engagement;
• more sales.

They're too broad. A more specific goal can be:

• increasing qualified inquiries;
• launching a new service;
• improving the conversion rate;
• reaching a specific B2B segment;
• reducing dependence on a single ad channel;
• increasing repeat purchases;
• improving lead quality;
• building recognition before a market entry.

The clearer the goal, the easier it is to choose the right approach.

Define the success criteria

How will you know the project works? The criteria can include:

• number and quality of inquiries;
• revenue;
• cost of acquisition;
• conversion rate;
• organic visibility;
• traffic to specific pages;
• sign-ups;
• activated customers;
• repeat purchases;
• use of a new feature;
• approval from specific internal groups;
• meeting the deadline and budget.

In a brand project the measurement can be more complex, but there still have to be criteria. For example, the new system has to:

• clarify the core services;
• be applicable across all channels;
• make things easier for the internal team;
• keep certain recognizable elements;
• support the entry into a new segment.

Name the constraints up front

Constraints don't get in the way of the project. Hidden constraints do. Specify:

• budget;
• deadline;
• a mandatory launch date;
• the technical platform;
• legal requirements;
• existing contracts;
• assets that can't be changed;
• available internal capacity;
• the approval process;
• markets and languages;
• dependencies on other providers;
• sensitive topics;
• partner requirements.

When the constraints are known from day one, the solution can be built inside them.

Share the budget, or at least a range

The budget helps propose an approach at a suitable scale. Without it, the agency may develop a solution that's too large or too limited for the real possibilities.

Naming a budget doesn't mean it will necessarily be spent in full. It shows the frame within which the following have to be prioritized:

• the scope;
• the channels;
• the output;
• the tools;
• the time;
• the tests;
• the external costs;
• the phases.

When the exact budget isn't set yet, give a range and explain what has to be included.

Define who makes the decision

One of the most common sources of delay is an unclear feedback process. Before the start it has to be clear:

• who participates;
• who collects the comments;
• who has the right to approve;
• who has the final say;
• how much time is needed for feedback;
• how disagreements are resolved;
• which people need to be informed but don't approve.

When five people give independent feedback without a shared decision, the agency doesn't get five useful points of view. It gets five different directions.

Show references with an explanation

“We want it to look modern” can mean different things. References are useful when you explain what exactly you like:

• the structure;
• the typography;
• the way information is presented;
• the use of images;
• the tone;
• the clarity;
• the animations;
• the sense of category;
• a specific functionality.

Add negative references too. What don't you want, and why?

The goal isn't for the agency to copy the reference. The goal is to understand the criteria and preferences faster.

A practical brief template

• About the company - What does the business do and how does it earn?
• Reason for the project - Why is it starting now?
• Problem - What isn't working, or what opportunity do you want to use?
• Goal - What has to change after the project?
• Audience - Who do we need to reach and what do we know about them?
• Current situation - What has been done so far and what were the results?
• Scope - What do you expect to be included?
• Constraints - What are the budget, deadline, technical and organizational conditions?
• Success criteria - How will we measure whether the project works?
• Participants and approval - Who participates and who has the final say?
• Materials - What data, brand assets, analyses, research and access are available?
• References - What do you like, what don't you like, and why?

A good brief shouldn't contain the ready answer

Its job isn't to solve the project for the agency. Its job is to give the right problem, enough context, and clear boundaries.

This lets the agency use its expertise instead of guessing what's behind a short request.

The better the brief is prepared, the more time is left for the strong solution and the less is lost in edits caused by unclarified expectations.