A good brief decides whether an agency hits the mark on the first draft or has to rework it three times. This template walks you through everything an agency needs to know and shows what belongs in each section.
In short
- Nine sections from contacts to selection process.
- A hint on each section about what belongs in it.
- Checklist before sending at the end.
- Word file, works in Google Docs and LibreOffice.
Download for free (Word (.docx))No sign-up, free for your own use.
Who is this template for?
- Marketing managers hiring an agency for the first time.
- Founders and owners who want to scope a project clearly.
- Teams that request comparable proposals from several agencies (pitch).
What is included?
- 1. Company and contacts
- 2. Starting point
- 3. Goals (measurable)
- 4. Target audience
- 5. Message and brand
- 6. Competition and references
- 7. Channels and scope
- 8. Budget and timeline
- 9. Selection and next steps
- Checklist before sending
How to use the template
- Download the file and save one copy per project.
- Fill in goals and audience first; they determine everything else.
- State an honest budget range. It saves both sides time.
- Attach existing materials: logo, images, data, past campaigns.
- Go through the checklist and send the brief to all agencies at the same time if you are comparing.
Common mistakes
- Goals without a number and timeframe ("more reach").
- Audience "everyone" instead of specific people.
- No budget stated, so concepts that do not fit.
- Unclear who approves, so long alignment.
- Brief worded slightly differently for each agency, so no comparability.
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