Preparing a clear, detailed brief will guide your marketing advisers, business development coach, agency, or strategic consultant. It can make or break some projects.
The discipline of a brief will focus you on what your really want and the criteria you'll use to evaluate outcomes.
Briefs are especially important for marketing communications and strategic planning activities where deliverables may be a little "blurry" and results not so clearcut.
What is a brief ?
- a process to initiate a project
- encapsulation of a business problem or challenge and desired outcome
- a way of giving (and receiving) information
- as a minimum, a document setting the scene and guiding the advisor to what you will see as a success.
What might be included in a brief ?
- summary briefing document
- background information - brochures, websites, articles
- data and statistics
- questions and answers
- sample work product
- pictures
- transcripts of client/prospective client interviews
- research papers
- personal presentations
- your ideas, what you imagine, and what would inspire you.
Your summary briefing document should set out:
- the challenge you face
- questions you are grappling with
- objective/s for the project
- your preferred outcome/s
- supporting data
- other constraints - policies, practices, sensitivities
- likely business impact of success/failure - quantified, if possible
- resources you can allocate to the project - your time, people, finance - to produce the outcome.
A good brief …
- emphasises content and communication over structure and formality
- leaves open how to achieve the objective
- indicates priority items
- lists sources for further information - people, websites, other.
Better briefing can make all the difference in working with an advisor - internal or external. More disciplined briefing practices will make it much easier to get the results you seek.
Watch for future eTips which introduce specific briefing guides for activities, including:
- client research
- market research
- firm identity and marketing collateral
- website design
- promotions
- media and public relations
- retreats and conferences
- strategic planning.
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