Marketing Brief Template: What to Include and How to Write One

A marketing brief is a short document that tells everyone involved what you're trying to achieve, for whom, and how you'll know it worked. It's the thing that stops a campaign drifting, and it's the first thing a good agency or freelancer will ask for.

A brief doesn't need to be long. One to two pages is plenty. Here's a template you can copy.

The template

1. Background

Two or three sentences on the business and why this campaign is happening now. What's changed? A launch, a slow period, a new competitor, a new audience?

2. Objective

One clear aim, written so you can check it later. "Raise awareness" is too soft. Better: "Generate 40 qualified enquiries in the next 90 days" or "Sell 500 units of the new range by the end of the quarter."

3. Target audience

Who exactly are you trying to reach? Describe real people: what they do, what they care about, what they worry about and where they spend time online. If you have more than one audience, rank them.

4. The problem and the insight

What's stopping your audience from buying or enquiring today? What do you know about them that gives you an angle? Insights come from customer conversations, reviews, search data and sales calls.

5. Key message

What's the one thing you want people to remember or do? Keep it to a sentence. If you've built a message house, use the roof.

6. Offer and call to action

What are you asking people to do: book a call, buy, sign up? Is there an offer or reason to act now? Make sure it's honest and workable.

7. Channels

Where will the campaign run: search, social, email, events, PR? If you're unsure, say so and ask for a recommendation. Our guides on Google Ads and Meta Ads and email marketing can help you choose.

8. Budget

State the total, including any fees and media spend. A range is fine, but a secret budget just leads to guesses. If you're unsure how to set it, see how much to spend on Google Ads.

9. Timing

Key dates: when it starts, when it must end, and any fixed milestones.

10. Measures of success

How will you judge the result? List the numbers that matter, such as enquiries, sales, cost per lead and return on spend. See how to measure marketing ROI.

11. Mandatories and constraints

Anything the work must include or avoid: brand guidelines, legal wording, competitors you can't name, approvals needed.

12. Who decides

Who approves the work, and how quickly can they give feedback? Slow sign-off is one of the biggest causes of delay.

A short worked example

• Background: We run a small London studio and want more enquiries from start-ups.
• Objective: 20 qualified enquiries in 90 days.
• Audience: Founders of seed-stage companies in the UK.
• Insight: They worry about spending on brand before they've proved the product.
• Message: A clear brand makes fundraising and hiring easier.
• Call to action: Book a 30-minute consultation.
• Channels: Search ads, LinkedIn and email.
• Budget: A stated monthly range.
• Success: Enquiries, cost per enquiry, and the proportion that become clients.

Tips

• Write it in plain English
• Say what you don't want as well as what you do
• Share examples of work you like
• Invite questions, because a good partner will have them
• Keep it as a living document and update it if things change

Frequently asked questions

Who writes the brief?

You do, as the client, but a good agency will help you sharpen it.

How long should it be?

One or two pages. If it needs more, add appendices.

Can you help us write it?

Yes. Talk to us, or see our performance marketing service.