A marketing briefing is a crucial document for any successful marketing project. It serves as a guide for agencies and marketing teams, providing a clear understanding of the project’s objectives, target audience, and requirements. A well-crafted briefing can help ensure that everyone is on the same page and that the project is executed efficiently and effectively.1.
In this article, we will explore in depth how to create an effective marketing briefing, covering the following aspects:
- What is a marketing briefing and why is it important?
- Types of briefing
- Key elements of an effective marketing briefing.
- Structure for an effective marketing briefing.
- How to do a briefing
- Tips and best practices for creating an effective marketing briefing.
- Common mistakes when preparing a briefing
- How to present a briefing
- Examples of marketing briefings in different industries.
- Marketing briefing templates.
- Frequently asked questions about marketing briefings.
- Additional resources on marketing briefings.
What is a marketing briefing and why is it important?
A marketing briefing is a document that provides instructions for carrying out a specific job or task in the marketing area.2. In it, all the ideas and concepts necessary to commission a project to a supplier or an agency are developed.2. It is the roadmap that will serve as a starting point to correctly develop any type of project or campaign based on the requirements and needs transmitted to us by the client.3.
Your goal is to establish a clear understanding of the objectives, target audience, budget, deadlines and any other information relevant to the project.4. Acts as a benchmark to evaluate the success of a marketing initiative4.
Its importance in marketing lies in the fact that:
- Clarity and consistency: Defines the objectives and scope of the project, avoiding confusion and ensuring that everyone involved is on the same page4.
- Guidance and direction: Provides clear guidance for the creative or technical team, allowing them to fully understand what the client needs5.
- Efficiency and productivity: Streamlines the work process and optimizes the use of resources4.
- Evaluation and monitoring: Allows you to compare the results obtained with the established objectives and make adjustments as necessary4.
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Types of briefing
There are different types of marketing briefings, each with a specific focus: 6
- Briefing creativo: The most common, used by advertising agencies and marketing departments to establish the strategy of an advertising campaign. Includes information about the product or service, target audience, budget and objectives6.
- Marketing briefing: Defines the marketing strategy of a company. Includes information about the competition, market, target audience and marketing objectives6.
- Product briefing: Used for the launch of a new product or the optimization of an existing one. Includes information about the product, target market, competition, sales goals, and other important details6.
- Technical briefing: Defines the technical specifications of a project, such as the development of a website or an application6.
- Internal communication briefing: Used to communicate important information to employees of a company6.
- Event briefing: Defines the strategy for organizing an event, including objectives, target audience, logistics and budget6.
- Briefing the crisis: Used to manage communication in crisis situations6.
In addition to these, we can also find: 7
- Initial briefing: Done at the beginning of a project to establish a clear understanding of the objectives and requirements8.
- Business briefing: It focuses on the current and historical situation of the company, as well as the business objectives that want to be achieved7.
- Advertising briefing: Includes the details necessary to launch an advertising campaign7.
Key elements of an effective marketing briefing
An effective marketing briefing should include the following key elements: 9
- Introduction: A brief description of the project and its context.
- Goals: The SMART objectives that are sought to be achieved with the campaign.
- Objective audience: A detailed description of the target audience, including demographic, psychographic, behavioral data and their needs.
- Message: The key message that you want to convey.
- Tone and style: The tone and style of communication that will be used.
- Channels: The marketing channels to be used.
- Budget: The budget assigned to the project.
- Timeline: The project schedule, including key deadlines.
- Restrictions: Any restriction or limitation that may affect the project.
- Contact information: Contact information for questions and clarifications.
- Company digital properties: Website, profiles on social networks and initial metrics to measure growth (traffic, engagement, dwell time, conversions, etc.)11.
Structure for an effective marketing briefing
While there is no one-size-fits-all structure for marketing briefings, a common and effective structure is as follows: 7
- General company information:
- Company name
- Description of the company and its activity
- Mission, vision and values
- Products or services you sell
- Market positioning
- Available Resources
- Project Description:
- Project name
- Background and current situation
- Project objectives (SMART)
- KPIs to measure success
- Market and competition analysis:
- Market Description
- Market trends
- Competitor analysis
- Opportunities and threats
- Objective audience:
- Definition of the target audience
- Market segmentation
- Buyer person
- Needs and wants of the target audience
- Marketing strategy:
- Key message
- Tone and style of communication
- Marketing channels to use
- Content strategy
- Budget and resources
- Actions to be carried out (influencer campaigns, television spots, SEO and SEM actions, etc.) 7
- Media and channels to use (digital, online, mass, etc.) 7
- Creativity (creative concept, slogan, image) 7
- Graphic resources 7
- Execution and delivery times 7
- Execution plan:
- Project timeline
- Tasks and responsible
- Deadlines
- Monitoring and evaluation system
- Legal and regulatory aspects:
- Legal restrictions
- Sector regulations
- Compliance with data protection law
- Additional information:
- Additional documents (market studies, etc.)
- References and examples
- Contact information:
- Name and contact information of the project manager
- Agency or marketing team contact information
How to do a briefing
To prepare an effective briefing, you can follow these steps: 14
- Be clear about the objective and the recipient: Define what you want to convey with the briefing and who is going to read it.
- Collect all relevant information: Extracts the necessary information from different sources (meetings, documents, emails, etc.).
- Give structure to the document: Organizes information logically and uses formatting elements to make reading easier.
- Document writing: Write the briefing using clear, concise and specific language.
- Add a cover: Give the document a better presentation with an attractive cover.
- Review and delivery: Review the briefing carefully before sending it to detect possible errors.
Tips and best practices for developing an effective marketing briefing
- Be clear and concise: Use clear and concise language, avoiding unnecessary technicalities14.
- Be specific: Provides detailed and specific information on all aspects of the project5.
- Be realistic: Set achievable goals and an adequate budget15.
- Be organized: Structure the briefing logically and use formatting elements to facilitate reading14.
- Review and edit: Review the briefing carefully before submitting it to make sure there are no errors14.
- Involve stakeholders: Involves interested parties in the briefing process to obtain a complete vision of the project12.
- Use templates: Use marketing briefing templates to ensure you don’t forget any key elements14.
- Adapt the briefing: Adapt the briefing to the specific needs of each project16.
- Includes weaknesses: Don’t be afraid to include the weaknesses of your company or project in the briefing. This will allow the agency or marketing team to better understand the situation and propose more effective solutions.15.
Common mistakes when preparing a briefing
Some common mistakes to avoid when preparing a marketing briefing are: 18
- Lack of clarity in objectives: Objectives must be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound.
- Not defining the target audience: It is essential to know the characteristics of the audience to which the campaign is directed.
- Not analyzing the competition: It is important to know the competition to be able to differentiate yourself in the market.
- Not setting a budget: It is necessary to define a budget to be able to plan marketing actions.
- Not setting a schedule: It is important to define a schedule to be able to meet deadlines.
How to present a briefing
When presenting a briefing to a client or agency, it is important: 12
- Be clear and concise: Explains information clearly and concisely, using language that everyone can understand.
- Use visual aids: Use presentations, graphs or tables to make information more attractive and easier to understand.
- Answer questions: Be prepared to answer any questions that may arise.
- Ser flexible: Be willing to make changes to the briefing if necessary.
Examples of marketing briefings in different industries
| Industry | Briefing example | Key Elements |
| Fashion | Launch campaign for a new clothing collection | Collection style, target audience, marketing channels, key message |
| Feeding | Promotion campaign for a new food product | Product benefits, target audience, marketing channels, budget |
| Technology | Marketing campaign for a new mobile application | App functionalities, target audience, marketing channels, key performance metrics |
| Events | Organization of a conference | Event objectives, target audience, logistics, activity program, budget, marketing plan, risk assessment, KPIs |
Marketing briefing templates
There are various marketing briefing templates available online that can help you create an effective briefing. Some of these templates include: 19
- Brand brief template: This template helps you define your brand identity, including its mission, vision, values and personality.
- Campaign brief template: This template helps you plan a specific marketing campaign, including its objectives, target audience, message, and channels.
- Creative brief template: This template helps you define the creative direction of a project, including tone, style, and visual elements.
Frequently asked questions about marketing briefings
- Who should prepare the marketing briefing? Ideally, the briefing should be prepared by the company requesting the marketing service, in collaboration with the agency or marketing team.13.
- When should the marketing briefing be prepared? The briefing must be prepared at the beginning of the project, before campaign planning begins.4.
- What is the ideal length of a marketing briefing? There is no ideal length, but it is recommended that you be concise and focus on essential information17.
- What information should be included in the target audience section? Demographic, psychographic, behavioral information and the needs of the target audience must be included.9.
- How are success metrics defined in a marketing briefing? Specific and measurable KPIs must be established to evaluate the success of the campaign.6.
Additional resources on marketing briefings
- Books: “Marketing Management” de Philip Kotler y Kevin Lane Keller, “Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind” de Al Ries y Jack Trout.
- Websites: Marketing agency websites, marketing blogs, article websites or online publications about marketing.
- Online courses: Online learning platforms such as Coursera, Udemy and edX offer courses on marketing and briefing.
Conclusions
Creating an effective marketing briefing is crucial to the success of any marketing project. By providing a clear view of the objectives, target audience, project requirements and strategy to follow, the briefing helps ensure that everyone is on the same page and that the campaign is executed efficiently and effectively.
To create an effective briefing, it is important to follow a clear structure, collect all relevant information, be specific and concise, and define success metrics. In addition, it is essential to involve interested parties in the process and adapt the briefing to the specific needs of each project.
Remember that a good briefing is a living document that can be updated and modified as the project progresses. The key is constant communication between the company and the agency or marketing team to ensure that the project stays on track and that the desired objectives are achieved. Start creating your briefing today!
Sources cited
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2. Briefing Diccionario de Marketing – Acumbamail, access: February 25, 2025, https://acumbamail.com/glosario/briefing/
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4. What is a briefing and how to do it? – Urbaniza Interactiva, access: February 25, 2025, https://urbanizainteractiva.com/blog/que-es-un-briefing-y-como-hacerlo/
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10. The Briefing: 10 essential elements you must have – Cactus Digital, accessed: February 25, 2025, https://www.cactusdigital.com/briefing-10-elementos-esenciales/
11. The 6 best examples of marketing briefing – Witei, accessed: February 25, 2025, https://get.witei.com/es/articulos/los-6-mejores-ejemplos-de-briefing-marketing/
12. How to create an effective briefing in 5 steps – We Are Marketing, accessed: February 25, 2025, https://www.wearemarketing.com/es/blog/como-crear-un-briefing-efectivo-en-5-pasos.html
13. Complete guide to writing an agency briefing, accessed: February 25, 2025, https://factorincognito.com/briefing-guia-completa/
14. What is a briefing and how to do one? (+templates) – Cyberclick, access: February 25, 2025, https://www.cyberclick.es/que-es/briefing
15. How to do an effective Briefing for your Marketing Agency, accessed: February 25, 2025, https://solucionesvalencia.com/como-hacer-un-briefing-efectivo-para-tu-agencia-de-marketing/
16. 10 key questions for the web development briefing – Fusiona, accessed: February 25, 2025, https://fusiona.cl/blog/ux/10-preguntas-para-un-briefing-de-desarrollo-web/
17. Marketing campaigns: 10 key elements of the briefing – Qualifio, accessed: February 25, 2025, https://qualifio.com/es/blog/campanas-marketing-10-elementos-clave-2/
18. Brief for Advertising Agency, Definition, Guide, Example | Relevant, accessed: February 25, 2025, https://relevantmkt.com/brief-agencia-publicidad/
19. Free Brand Brief Templates | Smartsheet, accessed: February 25, 2025, https://es.smartsheet.com/content/brand-brief-templates
20. Template to create a Digital Marketing Briefing – Oink my God, accessed: February 25, 2025, https://oinkmygod.com/recurso/plantilla-briefing-marketing-digital/
