How to Brief a Designer So You Get It Right the First Time

Most frustrating design projects do not go wrong in the design stage. They go wrong in the first email, when the request is "Can you make us a flyer?" and not much else.

A designer can only cook with the ingredients you hand over. A clear brief saves you revision rounds, saves you time and gets you a first draft that is close to what you pictured. Here is what to include.

1. What It Is and Where It Will Live

Start with the basics. Is it a flyer, a social post, a banner or a business card? Will it be printed or shown on a screen? What size? A design built for an Instagram post will not work as a yard sign, and a print file needs different setup than a digital one.

If it is going to print, tell your designer which product and size you plan to order. That one detail prevents a lot of rework.

2. The One Thing It Needs to Do

Every piece should have one main job. Get people to an event. Get them to call. Get them to visit a page. Get them to recognize your brand.

Write that job in one sentence. If you cannot, the design will try to do everything and do none of it well.

3. Who It Is For

Describe the person you want to reach. Age range, neighborhood, what they care about and what they already know about you. A design for longtime customers can be casual and short. A design for people who have never heard of you has to explain more.

4. Final Copy, Not Placeholder Copy

This is the biggest one. Send the actual words: the headline, the details, the dates, the prices, the phone number and the web address. Proofread them before you send them.

When copy changes after the layout is built, the layout often has to change too. Final copy up front is the single best way to get it right the first time.

5. Your Brand Assets

• Your logo in the best format you have, ideally a vector file
• Your brand colors, with codes if you have them
• Your fonts, or the name of the fonts you use
• Any photos you want used, at full size, not screenshots

If you do not have some of these, say so. That is useful information, not a problem.

6. Examples You Like, and Why

Send two or three examples of designs you like. They do not need to be in your industry. The important part is telling the designer what you like about each one: the colors, the layout, how bold it feels or how much white space it has. "I like this" is a start. "I like how simple this is" is a direction.

Send one example of what you do not want, too. It is often just as helpful.

7. Deadline, Budget and Who Approves

Share when you need it and what you have to spend, so the designer can plan the right scope. Then name the person who gives final approval. Projects stall when feedback comes from five people who disagree.

Giving Feedback That Moves Things Forward

The brief is half the job. The other half is feedback. A few habits help:

• Collect everyone's notes and send them in one message.
• Be specific: "Make the date bigger" beats "It needs more pop."
• Explain the problem, not just the fix. "People will miss the address" lets the designer find the best solution.
• Say what is working, so it does not get changed by accident.

Where to Start With Us

If you need one piece, our One Sided Digital Flyer Design ($50) and Two Sided Print Design ($99) are simple ways to start. If you need a steady flow of posts, the Social Smoke Pack runs $350 to $950 a month for 10 to 30 assets a month, depending on the tier.

Dec 14 to 20: 20% Off Design

From Monday, December 14 through Sunday, December 20, design services and the Social Smoke Pack are 20% off. The discount applies automatically at checkout, and the code COOKED20 also works. Browse everything in our design services section.

Ready to write your brief? Use the checklist above, then start a project brief with us. Order up.

— Alan