Define the business question
“We need more marketing” is a starting point, but it does not provide a clear basis for decisions. A useful brief explains what the business wants to change and why it matters now. It might concern the quality of enquiries, the clarity of a new offer or the role of a particular channel.
Separate the desired business outcome from the activities you are considering. Launching an advertising campaign is an activity. Reaching an appropriate audience and understanding whether the offer is relevant are different questions that the campaign may help investigate.
Describe the audience and its context
Write down who the offer is for, the situation they face and the questions they need answered. Existing customer conversations can be useful here. Distinguish what you know from what you assume, and identify where additional research would help.
- What event or need brings the audience to the business?
- What alternatives might they consider?
- What information would help them decide whether the offer fits?
- What concerns could prevent a useful next step?
Make the constraints visible
A realistic brief includes resources, dependencies and limitations. A plan that assumes unlimited creative production, immediate website changes or complete tracking may be unusable if those capabilities are not available.
| Include in the brief | Why it helps |
|---|---|
| Available budget and separate media costs | Sets a practical boundary for the work. |
| Current tools, content and access | Shows what can be reviewed or reused. |
| Decision makers and approval requirements | Clarifies ownership and dependencies. |
| Known gaps in data or information | Keeps assumptions visible from the start. |
Ask for outputs that support decisions
Specify the work you need to receive: a review, a prioritized plan, content briefs, campaign recommendations or implementation support. Describe the level of detail and who will use each output. This is more useful than a long list of activities without a clear purpose.
Finally, agree how the work will be reviewed. An initial consulting engagement may be assessed on the quality, clarity and usefulness of its recommendations. Marketing outcomes require additional context, implementation and time to evaluate.
Start with the business question, audience, current situation, constraints and desired outputs. Add detail where it changes a decision.
These are general planning considerations. A project scope should reflect the specific business, tools and information available.
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