Writing a project brief that gets accurate quotes
A clear brief gets you accurate, comparable quotes and a faster start. Here is what to include, with prompts for each section.
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Key takeaways
- Explain the business goal, not just the deliverable.
- Describe audience, scope, constraints and success measures.
- Share your budget range: it helps agencies propose the right solution.
Agencies quote what they understand. A vague brief produces quotes based on guesses, which are hard to compare and often change later. A clear brief gets accurate proposals faster.
1. About your business
- What you do, who your customers are and where you operate
- What makes you different
- Your current situation: existing website, brand and marketing
2. The goal
What should this project achieve for the business? For example: generate more qualified enquiries, launch a new product, enter a new market, reduce admin time. Business goals help agencies recommend the right solution, which may differ from what you first imagined.
3. The audience
Who is the project for? Their needs, questions and what would make them act. Include customer types if you have several.
4. Scope
List what you think you need:
- Deliverables, such as pages, features, brand elements or campaigns
- Integrations with other tools
- Content: who will provide copy, photos and videos
- Languages and markets
Mark what is essential and what is nice to have.
5. References
Share examples you like and dislike, with a sentence on why for each. Include competitors.
6. Constraints
- Brand guidelines to follow
- Technology or platform requirements
- Legal, accessibility or industry requirements
- Internal approval processes
7. Budget and timeline
Give a budget range and any fixed dates, such as a launch event or season. Explain whether the date or the scope is more flexible.
8. Success measures
How will you judge the project? For example, enquiries per month, conversion rate, time saved or launch date met.
9. Practicalities
- Who is the main contact and decision-maker
- How you prefer to communicate
- What information you need in proposals
Send the same brief to everyone
Comparable proposals need the same starting point. Ask each agency to list assumptions and exclusions.
You can share your brief with us through our start a project form, which walks through these questions step by step.
Frequently asked questions
What if I don't know exactly what I need?
Describe the problem and goals. A good agency can recommend solutions, and may suggest a short discovery phase to define scope.
Should I share my budget?
Yes, at least as a range. It lets agencies propose an approach that fits rather than guessing high or low.
