A good brief saves time on both sides. It helps agencies decide whether they're a fit, and helps you compare their responses.
1. About your business
What you do, who you sell to, where you operate and roughly how big you are.
2. The problem or opportunity
What's happening now, and why you're looking for help. Be honest. Agencies can help more when they understand the real situation.
3. Your goals
What you want to achieve and how you'll know it worked. More enquiries, more sales, a launch, a better website.
4. Your audience
Who you're trying to reach, and what you know about them.
5. Budget
A range is enough. Say whether it's a one-off project or ongoing, and whether it includes things like ad spend.
6. Timing
When you'd like to start, and any fixed dates such as launches or events.
7. What you've tried
Previous agencies, campaigns or tools, and what did or didn't work.
8. How you like to work
How often you want updates, how involved you want to be and whether you'd like to meet in person.
9. Dealbreakers
Anything that rules an agency out: contract terms, location, conflicts of interest.
The easy way
The unpitch questionnaire walks you through all of this in about five minutes, one question at a time.