Briefing an agency
By Happy Giraffe, posted 21st March 2012 at 10:18AM
As an agency we get a range of briefs appearing in our inbox. They all vary and it’s interesting to see how different companies approach putting a brief together. Those without a brief, often don’t know what they should include or where to start so we’ve put together a few tips to help you out.
First things first, tell us about who you are and what you do. Give us some background on where you are now and why you need an agency. Once you’ve addressed the background tell us where you want to be. What are your objectives and what do you want/expect to achieve from this project?
What outcomes are you looking for? Do you know what you want and need e.g. a new website, a brochure, a press release?
Who are you targeting? Who is your audience, how are you targeting them? If we get an idea of who you are aiming your marketing at it makes it easier to tailor the messaging, if you aren’t sure who you need to be aiming at tell us that too. We can profile your customer base and assist you in the best ways to reach them.
Finally, there are a few key points that are always really helpful. Do you have a budget? What’s your deadline? If you’re looking at really tight turnaround times put this in your brief. It’s also really helpful to know if there are any brand guidelines to work with.
Don’t get put off by the thought of writing a brief, it doesn’t need to be a 40 page document! If you can put some answers together for all of these questions an agency will be able to see what you really need and tailor a proposal that will get to the heart of your requirements.
