How to make a good brief: tips from a marketing agency with 10 years of experience

How to write an effective brief for your marketing projects: Guide with examples and template

After a decade of managing more than 500 projects in Barcelona, we have come to a conclusion that may sound dramatic but it is real: the 80% of the success of a project is decided in the brief.. And no, we are not exaggerating.

Like digital marketing agency established in the business heartland of Catalonia, we have seen everything from one-line briefs that left us with more questions than answers, to 15-page documents that looked like novels but said nothing useful. The difference between a project that flies and one that crashes is almost always in those first pages.

In this article, we tell you exactly how to build a brief that works, based on our experience working with Catalan companies of all sizes, from 22@ startups to Barcelona-based multinationals.

What is a marketing brief?

A brief is not just a document. It is the GPS of your project. Without it, both agency and client are sailing blind, hoping to reach the same destination by pure chance. It is a living document, a starting point for aligning expectations and laying the groundwork for a productive working relationship.

In our years of working with companies, we have found that the best briefs act as emotional contracts. They not only define what is to be done, but also what is to be done. why is made and how success will be measured. Sounds simple, doesn't it? But the reality is that most briefs fail in at least one of these three pillars:

Strategic clarity: Define specific and measurable objectives. A vague brief produces a mediocre project. If the goal is to «improve social media presence», the result can be so broad that no one is satisfied.
Full context: Provides the background necessary without overwhelming. The history of the company, its position in the market and its current challenges are as important as the objectives themselves.
Criteria for success: Establish concrete metrics from the start. If you don't know how to measure success, you won't know if the project has worked.

Now that you know what makes a perfect brief, it's time to answer the following key questions.

The 10 questions your brief must answer

1. Who are they and what do they do?

Don't assume that the agency knows your business. A brief should start with a clear presentation of your company and the environment in which it operates. Describe your history, your size (turnover, employees) and your market position Catalan/Spanish. Mention your main competitors and what differentiates you from them.

Real example: A technology company from Eixample contacted us two years ago. Their initial brief said «we are a tech startup». Then we discovered that they had been operating for 8 years, had 45 employees and a turnover of €3M. That difference in context completely changed our strategic proposal, demonstrating that context is everything.

2. Why do you need this project?

A brief is not a list of tasks. It is a why. It clearly defines the project objectives. Be specific and use the methodology SMART [external link].

Don't write: «We want more sales.
He writes: «We need to increase online conversions by 25% in the industrial B2B sector in 6 months».

Always add the local competitive environment. Competing in the Catalan technology market is not the same as competing in the Madrid or Andalusian market. Is your objective to achieve more leads Increase the engagement in social media? Be as accurate as possible so that we can design a tailor-made strategy.

3. Who do we talk to?

This is where the biggest differences between briefs can be seen. amateur and professionals. Good briefs go beyond «men and women aged 25-45». It uses the technique of buyer persona to paint a complete picture of your audience.

Our framework includes:

Basic demographics: age, gender, location (not only Spain, but which cities or neighbourhoods), income.
Psychography: values, interests, lifestyle.
Business context: company size, sector, decision-making role.
Pain points concrete: What problems or needs does your audience have that your product or service can solve? Avoid generalities such as «lack of time» and look for specific frustrations.

4. What are we creating?

Be specific with the deliverables. Detail what materials or assets you need.

If it is a marketing campaign, are ads needed for social media, videos, blog posts? If so, for which platforms?
If it is a branding, Do you need a new logo, a brand manual, a style guide for networks? The more details, the better.

5. What do we want to convey?

Defines the key message o unique value proposition (USP). If your audience is only going to take away one idea from your project, what would it be? What do you want people to think or feel when interacting with your brand? For example, do you want to be perceived as an innovative and leading brand, or as a trusted and approachable brand?

6. How will it look and sound?

Tone of voice: How does your brand speak - is it formal and serious, creative and casual? Define your brand personality.
Visual style: What emotions or impressions do you want to evoke? Share examples that you like (or dislike). If you have company colours or typefaces, include them.

Agency tip: A picture is worth a thousand words. Include a moodboard or links to inspiring websites. It will save you time and avoid misunderstandings.

7. What budget do we have?

Here comes one of the most frequent mistakes: briefs with unrealistic budgets for the objectives set. In Barcelona we have seen companies that want to «be like Wallapop» with budgets of €5,000.

The key is prioritise. If the budget is limited, it is better to concentrate efforts on 2-3 actions that work well than to spread out over 10 that go nowhere. Being transparent with the budget allows the agency to propose a realistic and effective strategy.

8. When do we need it?

Define realistic delivery dates. If the project has several phases, set deadlines for each phase. If there is a publication schedule or a launch date, specify it. A clear work plan is essential for good project management.

9. Who are our competitors?

Provide information about your competition to help the agency understand the landscape. This helps to identify opportunities and create a strategy that differentiates you in the market. Mention their strengths, weaknesses and what aspects of their marketing you like or dislike.

10. What should we avoid?

Just as important as specifying what you are looking for is clarifying what you want to avoid. Are there competitors whose style you reject? Prohibited corporate colours? Communication tone that doesn't fit your brand? Sharing limitations from the start is key to success. If there have been failed projects in the past, explain them so that the same mistakes are not repeated.

The difference between a brief and a productive conversation

After 10 years in the Barcelona market, we have learnt that the best projects are born from briefs that generate the right questions. A good brief is not a monologue, it is the start of a strategic conversation.

When you receive a well-structured brief, both the agency and the client save time, avoid misunderstandings and focus on what really matters: creating campaigns that work.

The next brief you write may be the difference between a mediocre project and an exceptional one. In a competitive market like the Catalan one, that difference is not only recommendable: it is essential.

AUTHOR

Karmina Team

We are a group of experts committed to helping brands grow through effective digital strategies. With a clear vision and a collaborative approach we offer customised solutions that respond to the specific needs of each client.

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