Six simple tips to get your marketing brief in shape for a seamless design experience.

I’m sure you’ve worked with creatives in the past, and at least once, you’ve felt like the two of you were speaking two different languages.

Have you ever wondered to yourself, ‘Why don’t they get what I want this brochure to look like?’. Or maybe, you jumped all in without a proper brief and hoped for the best.

First up, creatives speak a language of their own. They’re visual people (I’m one of them), and we thrive on taking your ideas and bringing them to life. Whether that’s through graphic design, photography or video content, we love the power each medium has to offer.

However, for us to deliver a seamless experience and creative that nails the brief, we need a solid brief

If you aren’t fluent in marketing speak, here’s a crash course on how to write a clear marketing brief for your brand’s future design work.

1. KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE

Who’s your creative intended for? What social platforms do they hang out on? What’s the demographic? This information influences the design and style of your creative.

2. WHAT OUTCOME DO YOU WANT?

What action do you want the creative to accomplish? Is it an engagement piece? Are you driving leads? Decide and let us know.

3. ASSETS, ASSETS, ASSETS

When submitting your brief, be sure to provide all the assets (logos, graphics, or photos) your designer may need for the job. Everything must be high-resolution. Doing this right saves everyone time.

4. BEAUTIFUL DESIGN, NEEDS COPY TO MATCH

They say a picture is a thousand words, true. But, it’s likely your creative is going to use words to enhance your brand’s message. If you’re not a wordsmith, consider hiring an exceptional copywriter. Words move people. If yours don’t, hire someone that can craft copy that will.

5. KNOW WHAT YOU LIKE

Knowing what you don’t like is just as important as what you do. How do you want your brand to be perceived? Determine what design elements speak to you and what’s not aligned with your brand. Eg. A law firm is unlikely to adopt brilliant pink and curly typography (unless you’re Reese Witherspoon)

That said, you may want to throw your design team complete creative freedom. If that’s the case, let them know.

Best way to achieve all the above is by including

• Examples of work you LOVE
• Examples of your competitor’s creative
• Your Brand Guidelines

6. DELIVERABLES

Outline all the deliverables you need to be met for your project. Include any specs from media, printers or suppliers. When your design team has all the information. They’ll be armed and ready to nail your brief.

Now you know how to write the perfect marketing brief, you and your design team will be speaking the same language.

7. TELL EM HOW YOU WANT IT TO FEEL

Using descriptive words in a creative brief is crucial as it provides clarity and direction to the creative team working on a project.

The right words help paint a vivid picture in the minds of the team, allowing them to understand the desired tone, mood, and style of the project.

Descriptive language also helps to eliminate any confusion or misunderstandings that may arise during the creative process, leading to a more efficient and effective outcome. 

Got a design project in the pipeline? Save time sourcing an experienced designer. Check out our dedicated creative resourcing instead.

PS. We’ve also done the hard yards and put together an online briefing form—just fill it in.