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Part of How to brief a marketing agency: UK client checklist
How to brief a marketing agency: UK client checklist
How to brief a marketing agency: a UK checklist covering scope, budget, VAT, data consent and British English tone, plus the metrics to agree before kick-off.
What to take away
- A brief fixes scope, budget, timings and the single approver before any agency starts work.
- UK briefs need three extrasa lawful data-sharing section, a British English tone note and an ad claims check against the CAP Code.
- Give a budget range and your VAT position, or proposals will arrive at very different scales.
- Agree five metrics up front so agencies can be compared on the same evidence.
Put the business problem before the deliverable
Most briefs open with the thing the client wants built. That tells an agency what to sell, not what to solve. Describe what changed instead: repeat orders falling, a new competitor, a launch that landed flat. Then set out what success looks like in twelve months.
Name one approver and one finance contact. Three voices on every call slows each stage. Put the decision-maker, the budget holder and the owner of the customer data on the first page.
Set out scope, timings and exclusions
List the channels in scope and, just as firmly, the ones that are not. Paid search and email inside, print and out-of-home outside. Add a start date, a first review at six weeks and a stop or continue decision at three months.
Brief sections to cover
- Business backgroundwhat changed, target outcome
- Scopechannels in, channels out, key dates
- Moneymonthly range, third-party costs, VAT
- Datawhat you share, lawful basis, controller
- ToneBritish English, examples you like
- Measurementfive metrics and their source
Exclusions protect both sides. If the agency assumes you supply product photography, say whether that is true. Name who buys media, who owns the ad accounts and who pays for software.
| Brief section | What to write | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Business background | What changed and the target outcome | Stops an agency pricing a deliverable |
| Scope | Channels in, channels out, key dates | Prevents unpaid extras |
| Money | Monthly range, third-party costs, VAT | Makes proposals comparable |
| Data | What you share, lawful basis, controller | Keeps data sharing lawful |
| Tone | British English, examples you like | Avoids rewrites |
| Measurement | Five metrics and their source | Lets you judge the work |
Write down the money and the VAT position
Give a range rather than a single figure. A monthly band of £3,000 to £5,000 tells an agency whether to propose a two-person team or a full service one. Ask each agency to show fees, media spend and third-party costs on one page.
Budget band and VAT
- £3,000–£5,000monthly budget band
- One pagefees, media spend, third-party costs
- VAT registered?state yes or no
- Turnover near thresholdcheck current rules
State whether you are VAT registered and whether you want quotes including or excluding VAT. If turnover sits near the threshold, check the current rules before assuming VAT will not apply. GOV.UK sets out when to register for VAT and the date it takes effect.
Comparing proposals is easier once you know the going rate. Our guide to agency retainer fees covers what UK businesses typically pay each month.
Protect the data you hand over
Any brief that passes over customer lists, CRM exports or ad account access needs its own section. Say what you will share, the lawful basis for sharing it and which organisation is the controller. The ICO guidance for organisations explains the duties behind those answers.
Ask how the agency will delete or return the data when the contract ends. Put that answer in the brief, not in a side letter.
Fix the tone and the UK compliance points
Send two examples of writing you like and two you dislike. State that all copy uses British English spelling and UK date formats. One line here prevents an argument about spelling variants eight weeks later.
If the agency will write ads, price claims or promotions, point them at the CAP Code. The advertising codes set the rules UK advertisers must follow.
Agree the measurement before kick-off
Pick no more than five metrics and ask every agency to report against the same five. Name the data source: GA4, your CRM or the platform dashboard. Agree the reporting day, the format and who reads it.
For a formal shortlist or a public contract, our marketing agency tender process guide explains the stages, scoring and timescales.
Common questions
What should a marketing agency brief include?
Scope, timings, a budget range, your VAT position, data-sharing rules, tone of voice and the metrics you will judge the work on. Add one named approver.
How long should a UK marketing brief be?
Two to four pages suits most small and medium businesses. Long enough to settle scope and data rules, short enough that the agency team reads it.
Should I send the brief before the first call?
Send a one-page summary before the call and the full brief afterwards. That gives agencies enough to prepare without inviting a price before you have explained the problem.
Do I need an RFP as well as a brief?
A brief explains the problem and the constraints. An RFP asks agencies to price it on a shared template. Run both when the budget is large.
