How to make a briefing
The briefing is the first dialogue between the client and the agency.
It is a document containing all the detailed information that the agency needs to work effectively.
Good communication between agency and client is fundamental in order to achieve the goals.
Background information
Provide information about your company and categories of products/services. Include everything that is relevant for the agency to know such as:
- What does your company do?
- What is your niche market?
- What are the categories of products / services?
- What are the main advantages - factual and emotional?
- What is your price / distribution policy?
- What has been done so far?
- Who are your main competitors?
Strategy & Objective
This is a launch, relaunch or reposition? Do you want a new design or a re-design? What is the message to convey?
Do you want to increase sales with existing customers or attract new customers? Do you need an advertising concept? What is the message to convey?
Do you want a new image or renew the current? Do you need a Corporate Identity or re-fresh the current? What is the purpose?
Is your intent to launch a new brand or to re-fresh one? Do you need a Branding or Re-Branding? What is the purpose?
Target Audience
Describe your demographic and behaviorally target group. Provide all existing research data that are relevant for the agency to know such as:
- Who is your target audience? (age, gender, income, tastes, lifestyle, geography, etc.).
- What kind of communication would be useful for this project? (mass communication without any segmentation? Target communication for homogeneous groups? Individual communication? Mixed communication?)
- The project is limited to the media?
- Are there legal restrictions or special regulations?
- Are there special sensitivities to be considered relating to the project? (ethnic or social order, related to your area of distribution or area of activity)
Planning & Scheduling
Provide a schedule of the intended project with deadlines. The various phases of the project should be taken into account, such as: research, development strategy, visual design, analysis, completion, production and delivery.
- What is the execution time for submission of proposals?
- What is the deadline for implementing the project?
- How many variations of the proposal are you expecting?
Budget
Provide a preliminary cost estimate. This helps the agency to maximize your project and provide realistic and appropriate solutions.
- What is the budget for your project?
Copy & Images
The copy (slogan / text) and images used in a project are as important as the design itself, and must be indicated whether they will be supplied when necessary.
- The copy exists and will be provided by the customer.
- The copy doesn't exist and must be executed / delivered by the agency.
- Illustrations, photographs, etc. exist and will be supplied by the customer.
- Illustrations, photographs, etc. do not exist and must be executed and delivered by the agency.
Design Manuals
If there is a Corporate manual specifying visual rules (the use of fonts, colours, graphic grids, visual concepts, etc.), it should be supplied to the agency.
- Are there any visual limitations?
- Does a Design Manual exist and should it be respected?
Contacts
Indicate the name of the responsible person for the project in your company to communicate with someone responsible in the agency.
- Who can be the person responsible for the project to communicate with the agency?
