How (and why) you should include your client in the briefing process

A well-considered creative brief is the backbone of any project’s success and yet, the quality is completely dependent on how well your client articulates the initial requirement. With that in mind, we’re sharing our thoughts on why you should include your client in the creative briefing process, and how to go about doing so.

In many creative agencies, there is a natural tendency to keep clients at arm's length. At worst, if you offer them a sneak peek behind the curtain, you run the risk of them picking your processes to pieces and scrutinising costs more heavily. But at The Secret AD, we believe the best-case scenario is worth that risk. Here are our four reasons why you should include your client in the creative briefing process.

1    You’ll help your client understand the agency’s processes

Many clients have never worked with or in a creative agency. As such, they have no awareness of the specific challenges that Client Services teams can face. By allowing your client to understand (in detail) the process that takes place between their sharing an initial client brief and the work being presented back, you provide a rationale for your behaviour throughout interactions with them.

For example, once a client has seen a creative briefing template, they’ll better understand why you’re challenging and questioning the client brief. You’ve effectively shown them the gaps that you, and therefore they, will need to fill before the brief will be accepted into the studio.

2    You’ll boost the team’s morale

When a client is truly involved in the briefing process and goes beyond simply firing off an email to their account manager, it’s likely that they’ll take more time to better consider the brief to begin with. Going one step further, if they’re involved in the actual briefing, you and the team will have additional time to probe and discuss the challenges they want to solve in more detail.

Both of these scenarios will increase the chance of a first-time approval of the work. The brief has been thoroughly stress-tested and the right questions answered upfront, leaving far less room for misunderstanding. A first-time approval has the potential to boost the team. In contrast, nothing saps a team’s motivation quicker than an eighth round of amends…

3    You’ll increase job profitability

It’s an obvious point but we’re going to make it regardless: fewer amends = more profit in the job. But how can you ensure there are fewer client amends? You guessed it. Make sure they’re fully involved and engaged with the creative briefing process. That means asking them to provide a clear, written client brief to begin with and allowing time for the team and you to review it and ask questions.

Furthermore, if the client has approved a written brief and later asks for amends which contradict that brief, there’s less onus on the agency to absorb the cost. Instead, you can confidently provide a cost for the rebrief, without wondering who’s really to blame.

4    You’ll have a better relationship with the client

Though tempting to think otherwise, it’s important to remember that your clients are also human. And as human beings, we naturally trust one another more when we share our thoughts, opinions and challenges.

Working in an agency is no different in that respect. By allowing your clients to understand your working process and the barriers or systems that you have to navigate to deliver work for them, you’ll make it much more difficult for them to squeeze you on deadlines or change the brief mid-way through the project. Less frustration on both sides will inevitably have a positive effect on your working relationship.

How to include your client in the briefing process

Now you know the why, here are 4 simple steps you can take to bring your client closer to the creative briefing process.

1      Share a client brief template with them

Remove the guesswork and make their lives easier. By sharing a client brief template with them, that includes space for the vital information your agency needs, you’ll reduce back and forth and help them to frame their thoughts in a way that works best for you.

2     Review the creative brief together

Client briefs and creative briefs do have similarities but the purpose of each is quite different. In a client brief, we’re looking for strategic direction, the business challenge/objective and insight into the target audience. When it comes to a creative brief, that information needs to be suitably translated into a working document for the team, with a clear ask. Make sure nothing gets lost in translation - ask your client to review the creative brief that you’ve written and provide feedback if something isn’t as they expected.

Not sure how to write a great creative brief? Take a look at our guide here.

3      Have them sign off the creative brief

A creative brief should always have approval from department heads, but also the client! Formal sign-off makes a client accountable for the words they’ve written and the work they’re requesting. And by being accountable, they’re more likely to be invested in getting it right the first time around.

4     Refer to the brief regularly

This is a critical step when it comes to evaluating work. If a client is unhappy with the output, ask them to highlight where they don’t feel it aligns with the brief and challenge any feedback that contradicts that (approved) creative brief. This shouldn’t be an awkward or combative situation but rather a chance for you to demonstrate that clarity is essential and that as a team (you, the client and the studio) you’re working toward the same goal and want to ensure any diversions are intentional and considered.

Have you found this article helpful personally, or feel your Client Services colleagues might? Get in touch now to discuss how The Secret AD can help your team master briefings and develop strong client relationships.