Clearly formulated agency briefings are important because they are used as a communication tool between agencies and companies and are the key to a successful project.
However, even if briefings are used frequently, mistakes such as incomplete, unclear or unstructured instructions can quickly turn your project into a minefield.
You should definitely avoid these 5 "U's" when setting up your briefing
An essential building block in the briefing structure is a concrete objective. However, all too often clear business, marketing and communication goals, a precise target group description or concrete budget specifications are missing. A briefing without a fixed course is like a ship without a compass, drifting inexorably in any direction. And without a clear idea of your target group, your project becomes a puzzle without a picture - without orientation as to where the pieces belong.
To avoid stumbling blocks when setting up a briefing, it is essential to follow clear and precise steps. The measurability of the objectives plays a decisive role here. By integrating key performance indicators (KPIs), you not only create a clear definition of the objectives, but also the possibility of making the success of the project traceable. KPIs enable quantitative evaluation and analysis, allowing you to precisely track the progress and effectiveness of your project.
The briefing structure is about the art of minimalism. An overabundance of objectives or irrelevant information is like a suitcase full of ballast - heavy to carry and full of things you never really need.
When defining goals and information, it is important to focus on the essentials. above all, the task and the results must be clear, as this will set the project framework and thus you will avoid overloading the briefing.
If you're in the dark about what problem is plaguing your target group and how your solution fits in, it's like a never-ending detective story. We offer you the flashlight to penetrate the fog and illuminate the real problem of your target group.
When setting up the brief, it is important to keep in mind the target group for which the project is intended, what problems exist and what our service/product offers to solve these problems. This forms the basis for a customer-centric approach. Only in this way can the briefing serve as a guideline that clearly and comprehensibly sets out not only the objectives of the project, but also the solution offered to the problems of your target group.
Without clear templates with a recognizable sequence, your briefing will resemble an impenetrable jungle. It becomes a challenge for both you and the reader to communicate effectively and explain what you really need.
A structured briefing structure creates a transparent basis for communication. This not only allows you to work more effectively, but also makes it easier for the briefed agency to understand the content and react accordingly.
Setting a reasonable time frame is important to anchor your project on the ground of feasibility.
Set clear and achievable timeframes for each phase of the project, e.g. using the SMART method. This not only helps to avoid unrealistic expectations, but also ensures that your project is on a stable footing to be successfully implemented. By following these steps, you not only ensure that your briefing is complete, but also clearly points the way to success.
To learn more about the right briefing structure, watch our briefing example video here and see how the theory is put into practice with Brylliant.
Check the quality of your own briefings and book a free briefing assessment today.
Now that you know the downsides, let's move on to the heroes. Online briefing tools are the superheroes in your arsenal to help you avoid these pitfalls. Brylliant makes briefing creation not only easy, but effective! Free yourself from the chains of ambiguity and the chaos of unstructuredness.
With Brylliant as an online tool, you have a user-friendly platform at your disposal that allows you to create a comprehensive briefing effortlessly. You can simply fill in the required fields to ensure that all information is captured clearly and accurately. However, Brylliant not only offers the ability to capture relevant data, but also allows you to attach additional documents that are relevant to the recipient. These can be, for example, descriptions of the personas or an analysis of the competitive situation.
Important strategic documents such as target groups or brand positioning can also be permanently stored in Brylliant so that they are always directly anchored in the briefing.
By adhering to Brylliant's structured briefing structure, you not only ensure the comprehensive integration of the relevant information, but also a clear and concise presentation in the briefing document.
This briefing structure not only makes the writing process easier, but also enables the briefing to be written more quickly. This makes the task of writing a briefing an efficient and straightforward process that gains in clarity and effectiveness thanks to Brylliant's user-friendly design.
A rebriefing is a response from the agency to an original briefing in which questions are clarified or further details are requested. To write an effective rebriefing, the briefing recipient should respond clearly and precisely to the requirements set out in the original briefing and ask questions point by point that need to be clarified or address points that were forgotten when writing the briefing. If necessary, the briefing recipient can also make suggestions for improvement or explain their understanding of the requirements. The rebriefing is then best discussed in a personal meeting to avoid further correction loops of the briefing.
There are several types of briefings that vary depending on the context and purpose. When writing briefings, a distinction is often made between standard or creative briefings, media, brand, content and development briefings, etc. Each type of briefing serves a specific communication objective and has its own requirements in terms of information transfer.
An effective briefing should contain the following elements: Agency brief, initial situation, business and marketing objectives, target audience and audience insights, communication objectives, offer or proposition, brand character & tonality, scope of services, other considerations, timings and budget. You can find a detailed guide to the briefing structure here.
The term "briefing" comes from the English language and refers to an instruction or introduction that is usually given before the start of a project or task. In German, it could be translated as "Aufgabenstellung" or "Instruktion". A briefing serves to inform all those involved about the objectives, framework conditions, expected results and specific requirements. And when writing a briefing, it is best to be brief - after all, the English word "brief" means "short" in German.
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