When bringing a new client on board for your creative services, one of the first (and most important) things you’ll do is create a client brief. Whether it’s for a brand identity project, website design, or marketing materials, this brief is the foundation that sets you up for success.
A well-crafted client brief helps your team stay aligned and keeps everyone on the same page, all working toward a shared goal. In this guide, we'll walk you through what a client brief is, why it matters, and what should be included, as well as tips to help you create one that gets results.
What we'll cover
Table of contents
What is a client brief?
A client brief is a document that outlines your project’s goals, objectives, and expectations. It’s essentially a communication tool that aligns your client's vision with what your team will deliver. It helps keep everyone, including the client, project managers, designers, and other stakeholders, on the same page from the start.
In the brief, the client shares details about their business, target audience, project goals, and what they hope to achieve. It also includes a project timeline, budget, and other essential details that may impact the project's scope. Like a creative brief, the client brief acts as a roadmap for the project, guiding the team throughout the entire process.
Why write a client brief? Understanding the purpose
Writing a client brief provides clarity and sets clear expectations for both the client and your team. Without one, you run the risk of misunderstandings, delays, and unexpected costs, which could leave everyone frustrated. A clear brief helps you avoid scope creep — going outside of original project agreements — and ensure the project stays on track.
A concise, well-written brief can simplify workflows, improve collaboration, and increase the chances of project success. It acts as a reference point throughout the project lifecycle, keeping everyone focused on the end goal and ensuring all deliverables meet the client's expectations.
The essential components of a client brief
While every project is unique, a solid client brief should cover these core elements:
Project overview
The project overview section provides a high-level project summary, including its purpose, background information, and key details. It sets the tone for the rest of the brief and provides context to all stakeholders.
Here, you’ll want to include:
- A summary of the client's business, including company background, market position, and unique selling points
- Brand guidelines to keep imagery, design, and copy consistent
- An overview of the project and what it aims to achieve
- Target audience details (pain points, demographics, motivations, etc.)
- Expected outcomes and how the project ties into the client’s overall business goals
Don’t forget to note any challenges or constraints, like budget, timeline, or technical limitations, that could affect the project's success.
Objectives
These are the specific goals you want to achieve. They should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) to guide the project team's focus and strategy.
You may also want to note any key performance indicators (KPIs) you plan to track, such as return on investment (ROI), budget variance, and customer retention rates. Monitoring the right metrics helps keep the project on track and provides a simple way to measure its value.
Target audience
The success of any creative work requires a thorough understanding of the target audience. Without knowing who the project is intended for, it's hard to create materials that resonate with them.
But with a clear buyer persona, you can tailor messaging, design, and project outcomes that align with their interests, behaviors, and preferences.
To create a detailed target audience profile, learn about their demographics, psychographics, behavior patterns, and pain points by asking questions like:
- Who is the ideal customer?
- What are their interests, values, and beliefs?
- What is the age, gender, and income level of the target audience?
- What motivates them? What challenges do they face?
- How does your product/service solve their problems or fulfill their needs?
Scope of work
This is where you get into the finer details of the project — the specific tasks, deliverables, and deadlines. The scope of work defines what will be done during the project and helps manage expectations for both the client and the project team.
The scope of work section typically includes:
- A list of deliverables (what’s expected at the end)
- A detailed timeline with deadlines and milestones
- Roles and responsibilities of the client and project team
- Any limitations or exclusions
Budget and resources
Including budget details in the brief helps ensure financial transparency and enables the project team to appropriately allocate efforts. It also allows for open communication with the client about potential cost constraints and how they may impact project deliverables.
Some key elements to include in this section are:
- Project budget: Total cost and any limitations or adjustments
- Payment terms: How and when payments will be made
- Resources needed: Equipment, software, staffing, etc.
- Additional expenses: Travel costs, printing costs, etc.
It may also be helpful to outline potential cost-saving measures or opportunities to maximize the budget, such as utilizing existing design assets or sourcing materials from more affordable suppliers.
Key stakeholders
Listing key stakeholders — project sponsor, project manager, creative team, marketing team, main point of contact — helps clarify who is responsible for approvals, feedback, and decision-making throughout the project.
It ensures that all parties know their roles and responsibilities and that a clear communication structure is in place. This helps prevent delays and facilitates more efficient project management.
Brand guidelines and references
Brand guidelines contain instructions on using the client's logo, colors, typography, imagery, and tone in all materials. They ensure all brand elements are used consistently and accurately, maintaining a strong and recognizable identity across all touchpoints.
References like previous design work or campaigns provide further context and inspiration for the creative team, helping them understand the client's aesthetic preferences, past successes or failures, and overall brand positioning.
Success metrics
At the end of the project, it's essential to evaluate its success and determine whether the requirements set during client onboarding were achieved. Success metrics are quantifiable measures that demonstrate how well a project performs in relation to its goals. They provide valuable data and insights for future projects and help justify the client's ROI.
Some examples of success metrics for a creative project could include:
- Increased brand awareness and recognition
- Positive customer feedback and engagement
- Number of leads or sales generated
- Website traffic and conversion rates
Tips for writing an effective client brief
Now that you know the components of a client brief, here are a few tips to help you write one that really works.
Use plain, concise language to avoid ambiguity
The client brief should be easy to read and comprehend for everyone involved in the project, regardless of their background. Complex or technical jargon can create confusion and hinder the project's progress. Stick to simple, concise language that conveys the project's scope, goals, and expectations.
Balance detail with brevity — focus on what’s essential
You want enough information to guide the project, but not so much that the brief gets bogged down in unnecessary details. Keep the brief concise, focusing on what's essential or helpful for the project team to know.
Incorporate visual elements when needed
Visual aids like timelines, flowcharts, or diagrams can be useful additions to the client brief. They help simplify complex information, making it easier for teams to grasp project workflows and deadlines at a glance.
These visual elements can also enhance the design brief's overall clarity and help stakeholders visualize the project's scope, timelines, and dependencies better.
Use a tool that integrates the brief into your team’s workflows
A creative tool that integrates briefs into your team's workflows can help streamline communication, provide a centralized source of information, and improve project efficiency. It also allows for better version control, ensuring everyone is working from the most up-to-date file.
Ziflow is a comprehensive online proofing platform that allows teams to create, review, and approve creative assets in one centralized location.
Its review and markup features enable stakeholders to provide feedback and collaborate directly on brand briefs, deliverables, and more. Project managers can track progress, set deadlines, and monitor real-time changes, ensuring everyone is aligned throughout the project’s lifecycle.
Streamline your client review processes with Ziflow
A strong client brief sets the stage for a smooth, successful project. It ensures alignment, sets clear expectations, and keeps teams focused on shared goals.
Keeping briefs clear and structured minimizes back-and-forth and prevents miscommunication. And the right tools make the process even easier, helping teams collaborate efficiently and keep everything organized in one place.
With Ziflow, you can create and manage everything from client briefs to marketing videos effortlessly, collaborate with your team and clients more efficiently, and deliver exceptional work that exceeds expectations.
