Want this implemented for you? We don't just write guides—we execute them.
Why Most Agency Briefs Fail
Here's a stat from our own experience:⚠️ 70% of agency-client relationships that go wrong can be traced back to a bad brief.
Not a bad agency. Not a bad client. A bad brief.
The brief is where expectations are set. If it's vague, the agency guesses. If it's unrealistic, the agency either pushes back (good) or says yes and underdelivers (bad). If it's missing key information, the agency fills in the gaps with assumptions that may not match your reality.
A good brief takes 2-3 hours to write. It saves months of misalignment.
What a Good Brief Includes
1. Business Context
Tell the agency who you are and where you stand:
- What does your business do? (In plain language, not marketing speak)
- Who are your customers? (Be specific: industry, company size, decision-maker role)
- What's your current market position? (Market leader? Challenger? New entrant?)
- Who are your main competitors?
Why this matters: Without context, the agency can't tailor their approach. "We're an accounting firm" tells them nothing. "We're a mid-size accountancy practice in Manchester targeting owner-managed businesses with —1-10M turnover" tells them everything.
2. The Problem You're Trying to Solve
Be specific about what's not working:
- "Our website converts at 0.8%. We need it above 3%."
- "We're getting traffic but not from the right keywords."
- "We've never run paid ads and don't know where to start."
Avoid: "We want to grow." That's not a brief—it's a wish. Define the specific growth you need and the barrier you're hitting.
3. Goals and Success Metrics
Tell the agency how you'll measure success: -⚠️ Specific: "Generate 30 qualified leads per month from organic search" -⚠️ Measurable: "Reduce cost per lead from —80 to —40" -⚠️ Time-bound: "Achieve this within 6 months"
Don't say: "Improve our online presence." That means different things to different people.
4. Scope and Constraints
Be honest about boundaries: -⚠️ Budget: Give a realistic range. "—2,000-3,000/month" is infinitely more useful than "competitive rates." -⚠️ Timeline: When do you need to see results? What's your deadline? -⚠️ Internal resources: What can you do in-house? (Content writing, design, development) -⚠️ Approval process: How many people need to sign off? How long does that take?
Pro tip: If you don't share your budget, agencies will either lowball to win the work or pitch their most expensive option. Neither serves you.
5. What You've Tried Before
Save the agency from repeating your mistakes:
- Previous agencies and what went wrong
- Campaigns that worked (or didn't) and why
- Current tools, platforms, and tech stack
- Existing content, assets, or brand guidelines
6. What Good Looks Like
Share examples of work you admire:
- Competitors' websites or campaigns you think are effective
- Brands in other industries whose marketing you respect
- Specific elements you like (tone of voice, visual style, campaign structure)
And elements you don't like. "We don't want to sound corporate" is as useful as "We like conversational copy."
The Brief Template
Here's a stripped-down template you can copy:
Company: [Name, what you do, who you serve]
Market Position: [Where you sit vs competitors]
The Problem: [What's specifically not working]
Goals: [2-3 measurable outcomes with timelines]
Budget: [Monthly range]
Timeline: [When you need results / project deadlines]
Scope: [What you need the agency to do vs what you'll handle internally]
What You've Tried: [Previous agencies/campaigns and outcomes]
Inspiration: [Examples of work you admire + what you don't want]
Decision Process: [Who's involved, how long approvals take]
Access: [What data, platforms, and accounts you can share]
Common Briefing Mistakes
1. Being Too Vague
"We want more leads" gives the agency nothing to work with. How many? What kind? From where? At what cost?
2. Not Sharing Budget
Agencies can't scope work without a budget. Saying "what would you recommend?" without a budget is like asking an architect to design a house without telling them whether you have —200k or —2M.
3. Briefing Tactics, Not Outcomes
"We need a Facebook campaign" is a tactic. "We need 20 qualified leads per month from paid media" is an outcome. Let the agency recommend the tactic—that's what you're paying them for.
4. Too Many Stakeholders
If five people need to approve the brief, the brief will be a compromise that says nothing. One person should own the brief. Others can input, but one person decides.
5. Not Sharing What Failed Before
If your last agency underdelivered, tell the new one why. Were expectations unrealistic? Was the budget too small? Did internal bottlenecks slow everything down? Honest context prevents repeat failures.
After the Brief: What to Expect
A good agency will respond to your brief with: 1.⚠️ Clarifying questions (if they don't ask questions, they didn't read it properly) 2.⚠️ A strategic recommendation (not just "here's what you asked for" but "here's what we think you actually need") 3.⚠️ A clear scope and timeline 4.⚠️ Pricing tied to deliverables (not vague "ongoing support" packages)
If the proposal doesn't address your specific goals, doesn't reference your brief, or looks like a template—it probably is. Move on.
Ready to implement this?
These principles are what we use every day with clients. If you want them applied to your business, let's talk.