Everyone wants projects to flow, stay on budget and deliver results. Yet surprisingly many start with a casual conversation, an email with a few bullet points or a gut feeling about what’s needed. We understand that a well-crafted brief can feel like a daunting start. But it’s also one of the most effective tools for setting the right direction from the start – saving you time, money and endless frustration.
To give you the best possible conditions to, in turn, give the project team the best possible conditions, here is exactly what the title promises: a brief for those who want to write a good brief.
Why is the brief so important?
Skipping or sloppy with the brief is a bit like going on a road trip without knowing where you're going. Sure, it can be an experience. But there's a big risk that you'll drive the wrong way, take detours, and end up wondering why the trip was so expensive. In the project world, this often means late changes, unclear expectations, and decisions that have to be made multiple times. It costs time, money, and patience.
A good brief reduces risk by creating consensus early on. Everyone knows why the project is being done, what is most important, and what actually counts as a successful outcome – both for you and the agency.
What exactly is a good brief?
A good brief is not about fancy formatting or perfect wording. A good brief is clear. Clear about why something should be done. Clear about who it is for. Clear about what is most important to achieve.
And perhaps most importantly: a good brief doesn’t focus on the solution, but on the need. Many people shy away from writing a brief because they don’t really know what they want. But if there’s one thing you can take away from this article, it’s that you don’t need to know. You just need to give the agency the ability to figure it out for you.
What should a good brief contain?
Whether it's a website, a campaign, or a marketing project, there are some basic elements that should always be included:
1. Purpose and objectives
What will the project actually lead to? A brief that stops at “new design” or “updated website” says very little. Instead, try to describe what problem you want to solve or what result you want to achieve – for example, increased conversion, more leads, a stronger brand or shorter sales cycles.
2. Target group
Who are the people this is for? What do you know about their needs, behaviors, and decision-making processes today? The clearer the picture of the recipient, the easier it will be to create something that actually hits the right note.
3. Context
Are there internal changes, parallel projects or launches that affect the conditions? This background helps to set reasonable frameworks.
4. Deliverables
What must be in place for the project to be considered successful? Which parts are “must haves” and which are “nice to haves”?
5. Timetable
Are there fixed dates to relate to – internal deadlines, campaign launches or external events? Even a preliminary timeframe is better than none at all, as it affects both the approach and the level of ambition.
6. Budget
The budget doesn't have to be exact, but it should be honest. It serves as a benchmark that helps the team propose solutions at the right level and avoid ideas that aren't feasible anyway.
7. Decision-making processes and communication
Who is the project owner? Who is the operational contact? And who approves what? Clear decision-making paths reduce the risk of stops, rework and misunderstandings later on.
What can I expect from the agency after the brief is written?
One thing that is easily forgotten in the brief, but which can be absolutely crucial for a successful collaboration, is expectations of the agency or partner. Not everyone wants the same type of relationship and that's totally okay.
For example, consider how you view:
- Proactivity: Do you want the agency to challenge, come up with its own ideas and drive the work forward? Or do you primarily deliver on clear instructions?
- Availability: How close a collaboration do you expect? Ongoing dialogue or reconciliations at specific milestones?
- Role distribution: What do you want to own yourself, and what do you want to hand over completely to the agency?
Being clear about these kinds of expectations not only helps the agency deliver better, it also allows both parties to determine early on whether it's a good match. And a good match delivers good results.
Are the brief's frameworks really good for creativity?
Many people believe that people in creative professions love complete freedom. And yes, freedom can certainly be good for inspiration and the joy of creation. But when it comes to coming up with ideas that will actually make a difference to the business, playing around freely is rarely enough. The best ideas almost always arise within clear boundaries.
Communication and marketing are fundamentally problem solving. To solve a problem you need to know what the problem is, who has it and why it is important to solve it right now. A good brief provides exactly that direction.
How do you write a good brief?
Don't start with what you want. Start with why. Start with the deal and work your way forward. What is the goal, and what does success look like when the project is complete? Then you can specify the target group, context and framework for the work. Try to avoid getting stuck on exact solutions. Let the brief describe your needs and give the team the nice task of meeting them.
Does the brief look different depending on the project?
Yes and no. Of course, the details differ. A web project might be about improving user experience, generating leads, or getting more people to convert. A campaign might instead be more about reach, engagement, or brand movement. But the foundation of the brief is the same: what is the purpose, who are we going to reach, and what are the conditions? This applies regardless of whether the solution is a website, an event, or a TikTok campaign.
Does the brief have to be perfect?
Many people find writing a brief difficult because they think everything has to be nailed down from the start. That's not true. A brief doesn't have to be perfect, but it does have to be well thought out. It's the starting point for dialogue, not the end point for decisions.
This is where the agency comes in to ask questions, challenge, prioritize, and help translate requests into something feasible. Think of the brief as a wish list. The feedback from the agency is a draft of a shopping list. The actual delivery only comes when everyone agrees on what is actually going to be done.
Do you have a brief for us?
Maybe all this talk about briefs has made you want to write one. We hope so. Because we're happy to receive it. Whether it's a big project or something smaller, we're happy to help sharpen, structure and take it further.
Get in touch and we'll create exciting projects together.
