Introduction
Start by introducing the brand - define what sets your proposal apart and the value you offer to customers. A brief information about the company and its market is enough. It helps to summarize the introduction with so called brand promise (also known as the Single Most Important Thing, Unique Selling Proposition or Key Message) in one short sentence without commas.
Goals
Specify campaign goal and expected outcome. Remember, the agency needs clear communication to do a good job. Instead of talking about increasing sales, go for a measurable achievement, such as increasing the number of subscriptions by 50% within three months. A specific goal makes work easier and progress trackable.
Audience
Identify the target audience, i.e., who you want to reach with the campaign. Who is your ideal customer? What are their needs and interests? Detailed target group description equals smoother project execution. It won’t hurt to describe the problem your product solves and the objections your audience might have. What emotions do you want your product to evoke? Specify them for the campaign to align with your brand philosophy.
Competition
Define the competition - who are your rivals and what are their strengths and weaknesses? Presenting competitive offers helps understand how best to differentiate your proposal in the market. Provide examples of projects that you like and justify why. Knowing both the threats and inspirations from the industry will help the agency better adapt to your branding.
Stakeholders
Simply put, it is about identifying people involved in the work along with their tasks. Designating roles will ensure that everyone on both the client and agency side knows what their responsibilities are.
Tone
How best to convey the brand personality? Seriously or casually? By describing the style in which you communicate with the audience, you will help the agency create a cohesive campaign that fits into your overall strategy. You can use visuals or anecdotes related to the brand to provide context for the project and thus give the agency more tools to engage the audience.
Resources and Deliverables
What specific tasks does the agency need to perform? What resources should be used? Provide specific guidelines and determine which project elements are indispensable. Define key elements such as certain characters or brand heroes. Specify all the deliverables – whether it is graphics, video content or an entire social media campaign? Which communication channels should the campaign focus on? Also, what are your aesthetic requirements? Are there any colour or framing preferences? What is the key visual? And, most importantly, what resources will you be providing?
Project Limiatations
Budget
Decide the maximum budget you are allocating for the project. If you are not sure, do your research about similar campaigns. You might want to break down the total and the amounts allocated to each stage of the project.
Schedule
When do you want to receive the completed project? Establishing intermediate deadlines will help plan work, streamline communication, and allow for any necessary adjustments to be made in a timely manner. It is also worth specifying the distribution process if the agency is to undertake this task or the file delivery detail, such as format, size, and method of transfer.
Summary
A well-written brief is an instruction manual for your product or service campaign. Include all the necessary information about the brand and offer, not forgetting the style in which you want to speak to customers and who you want to target.
