Hahn Writing Services

The importance of taking a good client brief cannot be understated.  It doesn't matter how well you know your client, or how well your client knows what is required.  Often people wish to skip over this process in order to keep things expedient. Nine times out of 10 it ends up being a mistake.  If I don't get the brief right, There's a good chance I'll miss the mark on the project and end up having to do it all over again.

For those who don't know, a client brief is when a copywriter, or other creative person, requests information from a client about a project. It takes into account all aspects regarding the project: what it is, who it's for, and anything else relevant to the outcome. Client briefs are used by advertising agencies, marketing consultants, and just about anyone in the creative industry.

The purpose of the brief is to give the creative person (that would be me) the best possible understanding of the client's objectives, their audience, and most importantly, the key message they wish to convey.  But the client brief often serves as an opportunity for the client to really think about the goals they wish to accomplish. It is a chance for them to be introspective.

These days we are all running on full-steam, racing against time.  Whether we are trying to make budget or meet a deadline, the pressure mounts and we only look at the short term objective.  A client brief offers you the chance to put it into perspective.

When sitting down to write a brief, think about who you want to reach: your target audience.  What do they like? Something funny, witty, dry or simple?  Do they like bright and colourful or something more conservative? How do they like to be spoken to? With authority? Or in a conversational manner?

Finally: what is the ONE thing you want to say to your audience? Don't over-complicate your message. Give it to them in one simple sentence.

Once you have done this, you are on the right path to achieving a successful outcome.

In the Links page of my website I will put in links to websites where you can find information and examples of client briefs.