How to Write a Branding Brief Agencies Will Love
A one-page structure for a branding brief, with the details agencies need to quote accurately.
A good brief gets you better proposals and a smoother project. It does not need to be long.
The one-page structure
- About the business. What you do, for whom, and your stage.
- Why now. The trigger: a raise, a launch, a pivot.
- Audience. Who you need to win over.
- Competitors. Three to five, with what you like and dislike about each.
- Deliverables. Strategy, identity, website, pitch deck. Say what is in and out.
- Budget. A range is fine. Hiding it wastes everyone's time.
- Timeline. Any fixed dates.
- Decision-makers. Who signs off.
Things that help
- Examples of brands you admire, with reasons.
- What has not worked before.
- Any constraints, such as an existing name or a colour you must keep.
Things to avoid
- Asking for free creative work in a pitch. Good studios decline, and you learn little from speculative logos.
- Design by committee. Appoint one decision-maker.
- Vague adjectives. "Modern and clean" describes almost every brief ever written.
After you send it
Shortlist three agencies and have a call with each. Notice who asks the sharpest questions. Then use our proposal comparison guide and the list of questions to ask.
For our shortlist of agencies, see 7 of the Best Startup Branding Agencies for Founders at https://startupbrandingagency.com/.
