A good brief is the cheapest way to get better branding. Agencies can work with a loose one, but the sharper your thinking is at the start, the less time and money goes on guesswork. If you are about to approach a branding and design studio, here is what to put on one page.
Say why you are doing this now
Start with the reason. Perhaps you are launching a business, outgrowing an old logo, merging with another company or moving into a new market. The trigger shapes everything else. A start-up needs a first identity. A company that has changed may need a rebrand or a lighter refresh, and an honest agency will tell you which one you are facing.
Describe your customers and competitors
Tell the agency who you want to reach, what they care about and who else they could choose. Three or four competitors you admire, and a couple you would never want to resemble, are enough. Be candid about what makes you different. If you cannot say it plainly, that is a useful thing to discover before any design begins.
Be clear about scope and budget
List what you think you need: a logo, brand guidelines, a website, stationery, signage, vehicle livery. Then say what range you have in mind. Many owners hold back their budget, but a figure lets the agency propose the right scope rather than a menu of options. Ask for a fixed price against a defined scope so there are no surprises. At Design Minds the quote is free and holds for two months.
Our guide to what it costs to hire a logo designer in Ireland gives a sense of the factors involved.
Set out timing and who decides
Give a launch date or deadline if there is one, and name the person who signs off. Branding stalls when feedback arrives from five people in five different directions. One decision maker, with a clear way to gather opinions, keeps the project moving.
What a good agency does next
Expect questions. A studio that researches your market, competitors and audience before drawing anything, and agrees the direction with you in writing first, is protecting your money. That is how we work, using the Double Diamond process.
If you have a brief, or just the beginnings of one, get in touch or email info@designminds.ie. We are happy to help you shape it.
