How to brief your design agency for optimal success

Since we were founded nearly two decades ago, Presentation Studio has been the go-to strategic design and presentation agency for established companies and challenger start-ups. We’ve partnered with clients in the APAC region and beyond, delivering razor-sharp keynote presentations, thoughtfully presented reports, and strategically designed company communication materials, including event management of keynote speakers, visual and content alignment, slide deck templates and marketing collateral. 

What makes a good brief?

With all that experience under our belts, we know a thing or two about what makes a good brief and how to support our clients through best-practice briefing to help them convey their expectations and goals so we can roll up our sleeves and work the right way.

Clear briefs align agencies and clients on the best solution to achieve the project objective. Clarity on key deliverables saves time and effort by avoiding confusion due to miscommunication and steers the project towards success.

We’ve all been on those video calls where it feels like "too many cooks in the kitchen," and everyone is gasping to share their ideas with a large group of stakeholders. A creative brainstorm is excellent, but only if it culminates in transparent, measurable, and accountable next steps that help set everyone on the right track.

An effective brief is straightforward, easy to understand, and well-organised. It typically includes:

• Contact details for relevant stakeholders from the client and agency side; it is crucial to involve all decision-makers at this sign-off stage

• Strategy and messaging that all client-side stakeholders have signed off on before being provided to the agency

• Concise language that is free of acronyms to ensure clear understanding from non-domain experts  

• A well-organised bank of content and documents from the client for the agency to consult during the design process

• If applicable, relevant research or contextual information to help the design team deliver the best possible work product

• A clear timeline for the project team to follow that is realistic and aligns with the budget and milestones with turnaround time on both ends.

• A clear scope of work includes details of each deliverable and what is required to create each element.

Below are some best practices to consider when briefing design agencies (like ours) on new projects:

Your objective:

Is your project objective aligned and approved by all internal stakeholders? Defining it sounds simple, but it can cause the biggest internal hiccups.
So, outline whether you are looking to:

1. Educate the market

2. Attract new clients

3. Raise brand awareness

4. Provide internal company updates

If the project objective isn’t clear or aligned with your team's thinking, you must continue internal discussions or host a strategy session. When you agree on the objective in the brief, the creatives at the design agency use it as the foundation for all specifics, such as the optimal structure, messaging strategy, tone of voice delivery, design concepts, social media assets and presentation design style. They are crucial in translating your project objectives into visually compelling designs.

What’s next?

Providing assets: To avoid confusion, share only relevant information with the design agency. Essential information includes project objectives, key messages, target audience, and specific design requirements. Providing too much detail can lead to mixed messages and delays. Prioritise critical information for efficient communication.

• Don’t assume prior knowledge. Design companies handle various projects for clients simultaneously, even in different industries. Remember that what seems familiar to you might be unfamiliar to them, so raise important information early on. Also, be patient with questions.

• The timeline should be detailed and flexible, with time for delays. It helps manage project tasks and keep everyone aligned. Consider key milestones, deliverables, holidays, rehearsals, and printing time. The timeline should be ambitious yet realistic, fitting the budget and objective to ensure success.

• It’s in the detail. Check the software, screen size, file types, fonts, videos and sound on the delivery computer. Confirm the event's tone of voice, content theme, or slogan for external events. Consider swag, stickers, and handouts using infographics and icons for social media to encourage traction before and after the event.

• Don’t send drafts! From the start, provide the final copy (not the draft) to avoid unnecessary confusion and extra billable hours. By delivering the final copy, you ensure the design agency has the most accurate and up-to-date information, reducing the need for revisions and potential misunderstandings. We are grateful for any guidance on your preferred ways of working (and if you don’t tell us upfront, we’ll ask!).

• Involve your marketing/brand team. Provide the brand guidelines with other assets, including ‘do’s and don’ts’, visual language, and examples of what you’d like us to draw from. Your assets from key sources help shape the design work, reduce revisions, and save time.

If you’re looking for a design agency to bring your presentations to life through the power of values-aligned design, we’d love to work with you. Learn more about our services and get in touch here.