Briefing a designer can be frustrating.
You know what you want… sort of.
You’ve seen work you like… maybe.
But when it’s time to explain it, the words don’t land.
“We want it clean, but not boring.”
“Playful but still serious.”
“Like Apple… but for charities.”
The designer smiles politely. Then the first draft comes back — and it’s miles off.
The real problem
Most briefs jump straight to how it should look.
But good design isn’t about looks.
It’s about purpose.
If you skip the thinking stage, you’re asking the designer to guess. That’s when you get concepts that miss the mark.
What to put in a design brief
To get work you actually like, start with clarity — not colour palettes.
A strong brief should include:
- Brand positioning
Who you are, who you serve, and what makes you different.
Example: “We help B2B tech start-ups launch in the UK market with positioning, messaging, and brand activation.” - Tone of voice
How your brand sounds, with examples.
E.g. Warm and plain-spoken: “We cut the jargon and talk like humans.” - Messaging
The key points you want the audience to take away.
Example: “Our product reduces project timelines by 30% without extra cost.” - Creative direction
The feeling you want the work to evoke — and why.
Example: “We want our rebrand to feel bold and confident to reflect our market-leading position.”
When you provide these, the designer can make strategic decisions instead of interpreting “fresh but timeless” in 12 different ways.
Make briefing easy for every creative
In my Brand Clarity Sprint, we create a Brand Clarity Deck — a simple, re-usable reference that:
- Explains your positioning, tone, and messaging
- Sets visual and emotional direction
- Works for designers, photographers, developers — even your internal team
No more vague directions.
No more “this isn’t quite right.”
📩 Want to make briefing a designer easier?
Choose your next step:
- Download the free Design Brief Template to get started right away
- Contact Kat for marketing consultancy support with your brand
- Explore the Brand Clarity Sprint to create a reusable brand guide that makes every creative project smoother