How to write the perfect brief for a marketing agency

Have you decided it’s time to bring in a marketing agency to help your business grow? Choosing the right agency is a big step, and finding one that truly understands your goals, audience, and brand can make all the difference. But before you dive into strategy sessions and creative ideas, there’s one crucial step you can’t skip: writing a strong brief.

A clear, well-thought-out brief sets the foundation for a successful partnership. It tells your agency exactly what you need, why you need it, and how success will be measured. Whether you’ve already mapped out your marketing strategy or you’re still figuring out where to start, this guide will show you how to craft the perfect brief to get the best results from your agency collaboration.

Let’s start with your Marketing Agency Brief Checklist:

• Project Overview: Summarise what the project is about and why it’s needed. This gives your agency a clear understanding of the overall objective from the start.
• Goals and KPIs: What does success look like? Outline measurable goals and the key performance indicators (KPIs) you’ll use to track results.
• Background Information: Provide context about your business and any previous marketing efforts. This helps the agency understand where you’re coming from.
• Target Audience: Describe who you’re trying to reach, including demographics. The more specific you are, the better the agency can tailor the strategy.
• Key Messages & Value Proposition: Clearly define the primary messages you want to convey and what sets your product or service apart. This ensures consistency across all marketing materials.
• Deliverables & Channels: List the specific outputs you expect (e.g., social media ads, email campaigns, videos) and where they’ll be used. This helps align creative and media planning.
• Budget & Timeline: Set clear expectations around budget limits and key deadlines. Transparency here helps the agency plan realistically and avoid surprises later.
• Tone, Look & Feel: Explain the desired style and personality of your brand. Include examples or brand guidelines if available to keep all creative work on-brand.
• Approval Process & Stakeholders: Identify who will review and sign off on work, and at what stages. This helps keep communication smooth and the project moving efficiently.

Our Top Tips

When writing your brief, keep it clear, concise, and structured. The goal is to give your agency enough information to understand your business and objectives, without overwhelming them with unnecessary detail. Use plain language, stay focused on what matters most, and make sure every section adds value to the overall picture. Also, if you have any internal resources, such as brand guidelines or existing assets, it might be useful to send these over!

If you’ve got a great idea but aren’t sure how to turn it into a clear, actionable brief, we’re here to help. Our tailor-made discovery sessions are designed to help you unpack your ideas, define your goals, and build a strong brief that sets your project up for success. Let’s jump on a call and we can discuss the project you have in mind. Contact us at hello@monitorcreative.co.uk and we’ll be in touch!