The project brief: the document that makes your projects succeed

A website that looks nothing like what you had in mind, a logo redone three times, a budget that spirals: in the vast majority of cases, the problem lies neither with the agency nor with the client, but with a starting point that was too vague. The brief is there to prevent this. It is the document that turns your needs into clear objectives, shared by everyone before the first pencil stroke.

What is a brief for?

The brief (also called the specifications) is the founding act of the relationship between a company and its agency. It has three roles:

• Clarify: it makes you put into words what you really want, and why.
• Compare: it lets several providers quote for exactly the same request.
• Settle: it serves as a reference in case of disagreement over what was, or was not, agreed.

What should it contain?

1. The context

Who are you, what do you sell, and to whom? What is your story, and who are your direct competitors? A few lines are enough, but they save hours of questions.

2. The objective

A project without a measurable objective is a project that cannot be evaluated. “Modernise our image” is an intention; “get 20 quote requests a month via the website” is an objective.

3. The target audiences

Describe your ideal customers: their job, their age, their habits, what makes them hesitate. This is often the most useful part for the agency.

4. The scope

List the expected deliverables precisely: number of pages, media, languages, visuals and videos. Also state what is not included, to avoid misunderstandings.

5. The constraints

Existing brand guidelines, required tools, legal constraints, accessibility, printing deadlines: anything that limits creative freedom belongs here.

6. Budget and timeline

Stating a budget range is not a sign of weakness: it is the best way to receive a realistic proposal. Also specify the desired launch or delivery date, and the approval stages.

Our tips for an effective brief

• Keep it concise: two to five well-written pages are better than a fifty-page document nobody reads.
• Show examples: websites, logos or campaigns you like, and those you don’t, with a sentence saying why.
• Appoint a single contact on the company side, who approves and makes decisions.
• Leave room for expertise: describe the problem rather than the solution, and let your agency propose the best answer.

No time to write it?

That is very common, especially in small businesses. At REIDROCHA, we build the brief with you during an initial meeting: we ask the right questions, then hand you a clear document that serves as the basis for the quotation and the rest of the project.