By Laura Lear
Bringing in a new PR and communications agency offers exciting opportunities, but only if guided by a clear, thorough brief. This article explores why a well-prepared communications brief is essential, what to include, and how it sets the foundation for measurable impact, strategic alignment, and long-term business success.
Bringing on board a new PR and communications agency can – and should – feel like opening up a world of possibilities. Perhaps you’re aiming to increase sales, attract investment, or protect your company’s reputation.
Yet, if your initial brief didn’t fully convey your goals, challenges, background, and context, you could quickly run into issues. Initial meetings can feel like everyone is aligned and ideas are flowing, yet a few weeks down the line, you find that things have drifted off course. Messaging may miss the mark, timelines are slipping, and the costs are quickly starting to mount up.
So how can business leaders avoid these pitfalls? The key is preparing a brief that is crystal clear, thorough, and equips your agency to deliver measurable impact.
Why a communications brief matters
A good brief is not just a tick box exercise; it’s the foundation of a successful partnership. Think of it as a roadmap for your agency, outlining your objectives, target audiences, key messages, budget, timelines, and expectations. It also serves as a point of reference when evaluating success.
If you have several agencies lined up in a tender process, ensure that each agency receives the same brief. You should also be prepared to discuss your brief with prospective agencies during the tender process and when commencing work. Their input may prove extremely valuable, bringing expertise from your sector and a new perspective that may help you refine your thinking.
Start with where you are
Help your agency to understand your starting point; what does your business do, and what areas of expertise set you apart in your market? Which products, services, or capabilities currently drive growth?
Next, a comms agency will need to understand the overall business problem. No business operates without any challenges, and your communications strategy should be designed with these in mind. What operational, market, or reputational pressures are shaping your current priorities? Perhaps it’s the current sales performance or industry shifts? A communications strategy that reflects your current reality will help identify the areas that your business will have the most impact.
Then, outline your plans. What’s the big driver for the next five years? Are you developing a product roadmap, expanding a service, or considering a rebrand? What audiences are most important, and why? Ranking your audience groups in order of priority can clarify where your communications efforts should focus.
Finally, provide context on your competitive landscape. How crowded is the marketplace, and where do you currently fit in? Who are your closest competitors, and why? What position would you like to take within your market in five years, and how realistic is this goal?
Share existing marketing and messaging plans
Your current communications are the starting point for your agency. Whether or not you have an existing messaging plan, explain how your brand is currently described. What is your value proposition? What is your company’s mission, purpose, and ethos? How would you describe the way that your business (and all employees) operates, and what is important to you?
This stage can also reveal inconsistencies in messaging across channels. A fresh perspective from an agency can highlight gaps or areas where clarity is needed.
Explain your top-line marketing plans and why a communications activity, project, or full strategy is required, particularly if you’re entering a phase of structured PR campaign planning. How will the communications plan tie in with the existing marketing plan? Who are the key stakeholders that the agency would need to engage with? Understanding all of the pieces of the puzzle will help your agency to hit the ground running.
Define what success looks like
Success looks different to each stakeholder. Who holds the budget, and who will influence the strategy? How do objectives vary between leadership, marketing, product, or other teams? A clear understanding of these expectations is vital for your agency to deliver a strategy that satisfies all.
Be prepared to discuss both short and long-term objectives, as results expected in three months may look very different from results aligned to a five-year growth or exit strategy. Sharing the long-term roadmap ensures that every campaign contributes to your overarching goals and allows your agency to measure results effectively.
Share your budget and timelines
While you may not have a precise figure, providing a ballpark budget is essential. Agencies can then propose different tiers – say bronze, silver, and gold – each aligned with your objectives and budget.
The same goes for the timeline – there’s a huge difference between what can be achieved in a month or a year, so be clear when results need to be achieved.
Building a long-term relationship
Investing time upfront in briefing your agency pays dividends in the long run. Clarity from the outset ensures that the strategy is focused and that your investment is maximised. Encourage conversations with the agency and your internal stakeholders – it is time well spent.
If your brief isn’t fully formed, a good agency will provide a reverse brief template. This allows you to check that their interpretation aligns with your objectives and priorities.
An investment in time that delivers long-term success
Bringing your communications agency into the fold and investing time in briefing them will pay off again and again in the long run. Being clear from the start about what your ultimate end goal is will deliver the most effective strategy and will ensure that your investment is maximised.
Also, speak to your agency to see what’s needed of you to make the relationship as effective as possible. Ultimately, what you’re aiming for is a communications strategy that doesn’t just support your business – it actively drives it forward.
About the Author
Laura Lear, Managing Director, strategic communications agency, AMBITIOUS. A strategic communications leader, Laura Lear has over 20 years’ experience in global PR, corporate communications and reputation management. She has worked at agencies including Edelman, McCann and Speed Communications and is using her expertise to support the next phase of AMBITIOUS’ development.
