You might be struggling to formulate your thoughts or under pressure to action your next campaign, but understanding how to brief your marketing agency is important.
A good project starts with a good brief. And good agencies will always do their best to get to know your business and understand your aims. Perhaps that goes without saying.
Being clear about what you need from your agency at the very start of the process will almost always save you time and money in the long run. It will also keep you focused during the project and can also help to avoid confusion, and hopefully any big disagreements with your agency. Ultimately, it means you’ll be better placed to achieve the results you want.
So what makes a good brief? Here are some of the key areas which we like to cover from the outset with our clients.
Set the goal early on
Is there a specific aim, objective or the problem you want to solve? Be upfront about this and immediately you will start to focus minds. Also set out how you will determine whether the goal has been successfully achieved. Are there specific metrics or KPIs you would like to hit, such as sales, traffic to your website, or leads? Again, this will help your agency to understand where to concentrate their thinking when developing a solution.
Context is vital
Detailed background information about your company, products and services can then follow. Notes on your competitors can also prove useful. For example, what you think they do well, or what you wish to avoid.
The target audience
With direct marketing projects, the data list isn’t necessarily required up front, but information about the contacts you plan to reach is helpful. Describe the customer group you are targeting in detail. Who are these people? Where are they located? What makes them so important?
Frame your solution
Now onto the project itself. You have your target audience set, but what is the problem they might be facing, and how can your product or service solve it? Clearly highlight which features of the product these customers should find most appealing.
What’s the message?
How do you want your brand to be portrayed within the campaign? Create a message that makes people care about your product and compels them to buy. It should be short and simple, something your customers will be quick to understand. It might also reflect how your project or service might solve their problem (e.g. fast, thorough, cost effective), but must always resonate with your specific audience. As part of your audience research, you may want to test what kinds of phrases generate a stronger emotional reaction.
Be clear on the call to action
Although it might seem obvious, it’s worth reiterating exactly what you want your customers to do next after receiving the campaign. This is a crucial part of the copy and design. Just simply stating something like ‘find out more’, isn’t usually enough.
Be upfront about the non-negotiables
If you have a very strict budget, say so.
Don’t forget to mention any project management parameters you wish to set, including the approval process (give warning if it’s extensive!) and required timescales.
Are there any protocols which must be followed, with aspects such as choice of materials for direct mail?
From a design point of view, it’s also essential that you are upfront about your brand requirements and restrictions. If possible, provide a set of brand guidelines, or as a minimum detail about your branding, such as logo positioning, straplines, fonts and brand colours, and how imagery should be used.
How to brief a marketing agency – can we help with your brief?
If you have a creative project or direct marketing campaign coming up and would like to talk about your requirements and generate a good detailed brief, please get in touch.
