Template

Client intake questionnaire template for studios, as a copyable outline.

The brief tells you what to make. The intake questionnaire tells you how to work with this client. Send it once they say yes, before kick-off.

How to use this template

Where the creative brief is for the project, this questionnaire is for the working relationship: who the people are, what you need from them, and how they like to communicate. Send it in the same email as the deposit invoice, and ask for it back before the kick-off date.

Copy the outline into a form or an email and trim it to the project. A small job needs only the contacts, assets and approval questions.

Client intake questionnaire: outline
CLIENT INTAKE QUESTIONNAIRE
Client: [name and company]   Project: [project name]
Please return by: [date]

1. PEOPLE
Main contact: [name, role, email, phone]
Who gives final approval? [name]
Who else gives feedback? [names]
Billing contact and invoice address: [details]
Do you need a purchase order number on invoices? [yes / no, number]

2. ASSETS WE NEED FROM YOU
 - Logo files and brand guidelines: [link]
 - Content, copy and images: [link, and the date they will arrive]
 - Existing work to match or avoid: [links]
 - Anything we are not allowed to use: [list]

3. ACCESS
Accounts or tools we need access to: [website, hosting, social, drive]
Who will grant it, and by when? [name, date]

4. HOW YOU LIKE TO WORK
Best way to reach you: [email, call, chat]
Best days and times for calls: [days, times, time zone]
How quickly can you usually reply to a question? [same day, two days]
How do you prefer to give feedback? [one consolidated email, a call, comments on a file]

5. DATES AND CONSTRAINTS
Hard deadline and why: [date, event]
Known holidays or busy periods: [dates]
Legal or compliance review needed? [yes / no, who]

6. CONFIDENTIALITY AND CREDIT
Is any of this work confidential until launch? [yes / no]
May we show the finished work in our portfolio? [yes / no / after launch]

7. ANYTHING ELSE
[Anything that would help us do this well]

What each section protects

The people section names the approver, which is the question that prevents the most late-stage trouble: a second decision-maker appearing after the first round. The assets section turns "we will send it soon" into a date, so a late logo file moves the timeline instead of the studio.

The working-preferences section sounds soft but saves time. A client who prefers a call to a long email, or who can only give feedback on Fridays, is easy to work with once you know it.

Where it fits in the flow

The usual order is inquiry, discovery call, quote, acceptance and deposit, then this questionnaire, then kick-off. Sending it right after the yes keeps momentum while the client is still enthusiastic.

Viznerve works on the front half of that flow: it reads the inquiry, drafts the reply and quote, and keeps follow-ups moving until the client answers. See inquiry triage and lead qualification.

Common questions

When should I send an intake questionnaire?

After the client accepts and before kick-off, ideally in the same message as the deposit invoice.

Is this the same as a creative brief?

No. The brief covers the project: goal, audience, deliverables. The intake questionnaire covers people, access and working preferences.

Can Viznerve draft a quote like this for me?

Yes. Viznerve reads the inquiry and drafts the reply and a priced quote in your studio's voice, from the brief. You review and send; it never sends on its own by default. See quotes and follow-ups. The trial includes 150 credits for 14 days with no card.

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