15.12.09
Putting together a creative brief can sometimes seem daunting. With a deadline to meet or a new idea to launch, it may feel like a bit of a chore. We think great briefs not only inspire but help get you exactly the response you want. So here’s 10 top tips to help you get the best from your agency.
01. Take your time. A good brief shouldn’t be hurried. It should be worked through by the client and the agency, together.
02. ...but not too much. It’s not a thesis, it’s a working document. Think about what you are writing down rather than getting hung up on exactly how you are writing.
03. Look around you. You know who your competitors are. Share this information with us, it can really help us set you apart. We’ll look at URLs, mailshots, and whatever you can get your hands on. This will help us understand your marketplace better.
04. Understand your customers. We know what you want to tell them but think about what they want to hear. Understanding their needs is crucial to the success of a campaign.
05. Understand other people. If you’re hoping to poach customers from your competitors think about what makes your product or service different. What incentive is there for change?
06. So, what is the offer? Your proposition is the single most important part of the brief but also often the most difficult to articulate. If you’re struggling, draft your ideas and talk through them with us. This single proposition is what we aim to capture – our challenge is to make it come alive in a compelling way.
07. Explore the all the options. Sometimes it’s best to discuss this with your agency. You might think you want an A4 brochure because that’s what all your competitors have. Talk to us – for the same cost, we are often able to come up with different options which will help you stand out from the crowd.
08. Consider the budget. How much are you prepared to invest in your business at this stage? Think about your investment in respect of the return – what is the value of the sale?
09. What response do you want? Think about what you want people to think/feel/do. What’s the piece aiming to achieve? Do you want people to call? Visit the web? Or are you simply trying to change the way people think about an issue?
10. What about results? An integrated campaign is followed up by a well-briefed salesman and supported with further information both on and offline. All these factors contribute to the success of a campaign. Think about how integrated your campaign can be and be aware of how this can affect the success of what we do. Be realistic.
We’ve put together a simple brief that asks all these questions and more. If you’re looking to start a project soon, email us and we’ll send you one across. Some of our clients find them useful to flesh out the project first so it’s clear in their own minds while others wait until we’ve met. Either way, getting your ideas an objectives down on paper is always a great place to start.