Template

Creative brief template, as a copyable outline.

A good brief makes the quote easier to write and the project easier to run. Use this outline to collect what you need before you price anything.

How to use this template

Send this outline to a prospective client by email, or use it as a checklist on a discovery call. Most clients can answer the first half in minutes. The harder questions, such as who approves and what a success looks like, are the ones that save you the most trouble later.

Copy the text below, then trim it to the project. A small job may need only the goal, deliverables and deadline.

Creative brief: outline
CREATIVE BRIEF
Client: [name and company]
Contact: [person, email]
Date: [date]

1. THE PROJECT IN ONE SENTENCE
[What are we making, and for what?]

2. GOAL
What should this achieve? [e.g. attract new customers, launch a product]
How will you know it worked? [a result you can recognise]

3. AUDIENCE
Who is it for? [age, role, location, what they care about]
What do they currently think of you? [one line]

4. DELIVERABLES
 - [item and format]
 - [item and format]
Where will it be used? [web, print, social, on site]

5. TONE AND REFERENCES
Three words for how it should feel: [word], [word], [word]
Examples you like, and why: [links]
Examples you dislike, and why: [links]

6. CONSTRAINTS
Existing brand rules or assets: [logo, fonts, guidelines]
Things we must include: [text, legal lines]
Things we must avoid: [topics, colours, styles]

7. BUDGET RANGE
Range you have in mind: [a range, not a single figure]

8. TIMELINE
Final deadline: [date]
Key dates before it: [launch, event, review meeting]

9. DECISIONS
Who gives final approval? [name]
Who else gives feedback? [names]
How many people will review each stage? [number]

10. ANYTHING ELSE
[Context that would help us understand the project]

Why these questions

The goal and audience questions stop the project from becoming a matter of taste. The tone references show how a client talks about design in practice, which is more reliable than adjectives. The constraints section captures the facts that usually emerge too late.

The decisions section is the one most often skipped. Projects stall when a second approver appears after the first round. Naming everyone at the start protects your revision rounds.

From brief to quote

Once the brief is back, you can write the scope of work and price it. If answers are thin, ask for what is missing before quoting, rather than guessing. Qualifying at this stage also tells you whether the project is worth pursuing; see lead qualification.

Viznerve reads inbound inquiries and drafts a reply that asks for the missing pieces, so the brief fills in during the first exchange. See inquiry triage.

Common questions

How long should a brief be?

As short as the project allows. For a small job, goal, deliverables, budget range and deadline are enough.

Should I ask about budget?

Yes, as a range. It tells you quickly whether the project fits, and it is easier to answer than a single figure.

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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