One of the most helpful ways you can ensure your designer delivers work that wows you is by telling them exactly what you’re looking for up front. That’s where your creative brief comes in. Here, Tim Reid of The Small Business Big Marketing Show and Aleks Witko of 99designs will walk you through the best practices of writing a great creative brief—one that puts your designer on the right track for delivering you a design solution that truly fits your business and your brand.

1. The Creative Brief
9 Steps to Perfecting
Brought to you by

2. 9 Steps to Perfecting the Creative Brief
• 25 years in marketing
communications.
• Host of Australia’s #1
marketing podcast.
• Leading keynote speaker.
Tim Reid

3. 9 Steps to Perfecting the Creative Brief
• Design at 99designs.
• Design consultant at IBM.
• Worked with many brands over
the years, including
Volkswagen, Nokia, Coca-cola,
Canon and more.
Aleks Witko

4. 9 Steps to Perfecting the Creative Brief
• A detailed plan for a design
project. A blueprint.
• A key to successful outcomes.
• Fail to prepare, prepare to fail.
What is a
creative brief?

5. 9 Steps to Perfecting the Creative Brief
When do I write a creative brief?

6. 9 Steps to Perfecting the Creative Brief
• Helps you to write down and
structure ideas.
• Helps initiate a conversation
with your designer.
• Maintains clear direction.
Why should I
write a creative
brief?

7. 9 Steps to Perfecting the Creative Brief
• If you have a business plan,
you’ll already have done a lot
of the ground work for your
creative brief.
• Here are 9 steps to perfecting
your creative brief.
How do I write a
creative brief?

8. 9 Steps to Perfecting the Creative Brief
Background
information

9. 9 Steps to Perfecting the Creative Brief
• What does your business do?
• Mission and vision.
• What problem is your business
solving?
• What makes you unique?
Business
background
1

10. 9 Steps to Perfecting the Creative Brief
• Put yourself into your
customer’s shoes?
• When is your customer?
Who is your
target audience?
2

11. 9 Steps to Perfecting the Creative Brief
• What are you actually trying to
accomplish?
• How will you do it?
• How will you measure it?
Objectives
3

12. 9 Steps to Perfecting the Creative Brief
Visual style

13. 9 Steps to Perfecting the Creative Brief
• Focus on a few key attributes.
• If your brand was human, how
would you describe them?
Brand
personality
4

14. 9 Steps to Perfecting the Creative Brief
• What you like and what you
don’t like.
• Show examples (e.g. with
Pinterest board).
• Give your designer a sense of
ownership.
Aesthetic
5

15. 9 Steps to Perfecting the Creative Brief
Deliverables

16. 9 Steps to Perfecting the Creative Brief
• How will people interact with
what you’re creating.
Context
6

17. 9 Steps to Perfecting the Creative Brief
• Try prepare content before your
designer starts. Content can
significantly change designs.
• Your designer won’t always
know all the requirements.
Content
7

18. 9 Steps to Perfecting the Creative Brief
• Understand what files you
need to give your printer.
• Digital? Print? Formats?
• Your designer will be able to
help, but will need to know a
few things first.
Files
8

19. 9 Steps to Perfecting the Creative Brief
• Be explicit about when things
should be delivered.
• Create checkpoints for
reviewing progress.
• Parkinson’s law.
Timelines
9

20. 9 Steps to Perfecting the Creative Brief
Common
mistakes

21. 9 Steps to Perfecting the Creative Brief
Target audience too broad

22. 9 Steps to Perfecting the Creative Brief
Too much or too little direction

23. 9 Steps to Perfecting the Creative Brief
Keeping feedback relevant

24. 9 Steps to Perfecting the Creative Brief
Great business
starts with
great design.
99designs.com
twitter.com/99designsBiz
99designs.com/customer-blog
Logos,websitesandmore

25. 9 Steps to Perfecting the Creative Brief
Give your
small business
a big boost.