How to Brief a Creative Graphic Design Agency: A Complete Checklist

TL;DR: Working with a creative graphic design agency can boost engagement and your brand’s overall value. However, to be able to make the most out of your collaboration, you need to set up your creative agency for success by providing a clear brief for every project.

To hire a creative design agency means having access to skills and design expertise beyond your team’s capacity. But simply hiring a graphic design agency isn’t enough; you need to do your part for the design team to be able to deliver tailored results.

Take personalization, for instance. Data tells us that 88% of respondents said a personalized customer experience increased their sales moderately or significantly. This number only goes to show that tailored messaging performs.

In this article, let’s unpack everything you need to know about how to outsource design needs to a creative graphic design agency in a way that gives you the most value for your money. 

We’ll also include a free design brief template you can check now and again every time you request designs from a design agency or an unlimited graphic design service. Let’s dive right in!

Why Does a Clear Design Brief Matter?

When working with a creative agency, a clear and detailed brief can spell the difference between a smooth project completed on time and one that drags on due to confusion.

Preparing a clear design brief does the following: 

• Removes the Guesswork. Communication is of utmost importance when outsourcing graphic design. In fact, data reveals that one in five businesses finds it challenging to communicate with outsourced teams. That said, a clear brief ensures you and your design team are on the same page from day one.

• Keeps the Brand Look Consistent. Including your brand guidelines and other visual assets in the brief ensures that all your projects stay consistent, even if several designers work on them. After all, brand consistency boosts revenue by 10 to 20% and you wouldn’t want to miss out on that. 
• Speeds up Project Completion Time. Many reputable graphic design services, including an unlimited design company platform like Penji, offer a turnaround time of 24-48 hours. You can help achieve this fast turnaround by providing a clear brief that lessens the likelihood of major revisions.

How Do You Brief a Creative Graphic Design Agency?

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to brief an agency:

1. Provide a Simple Project Summary

To brief a design agency, you must first start with what you need. The best subscription creative service platforms, like Penji, should help you out with this by providing options through the app.

Then, describe your project, including what you need it for.

Example:

“We’re launching a new product bundle for the holidays and need a hero banner for our website. The goal is to highlight the promo price and drive traffic to the product page. This banner will be used on desktop and mobile.”

2. Identify Your Target Audience

If it’s your first time working with a creative-as-a-service platform or a creative agency services provider, you need to identify who you want to attract with your visuals. The best creative design services would work to tailor-fit the project to appeal to your intended audience. 

Example:

“Our audience is young professionals ages 25–35 who value convenience and aesthetics.”

3. Share Your Brand Guidelines and Key Visual Assets

Some brands think twice about hire creative agency due to fears that it might make their brand look inconsistent and dilute their brand identity. However, it should not have to be the case. All you need to do is attach your brand assets for the designer to follow.

Examples: 

4. List Your Required Deliverables

Next, list all the deliverables you need. This list will give the designer a full picture of the scope of work.

Example:

“Deliverables for this project:

• 1 website hero banner (desktop)
• 1 website hero banner (mobile)
• 3 social media graphics for Instagram
• 1 email header for the newsletter.”

5. Give Creative Direction Without Limiting Exploration

Describe how you want the visuals to look, but don’t box the designer in. After all, you’re paying for the creativity of the best creative services. That said, you might as well let them explore and offer their design expertise.

Example:

“We want the design to feel warm, festive, and modern. Think clean holiday visuals, not overly traditional.

6. Share Past Designs and How You Would Want to Improve

To make your brief even clearer, you can share past designs and improvements you might want. You can also attach images for inspiration to ensure that you and your designer are on the same page. 

Example: 

“Our last holiday campaign was too text-heavy. We’d like this version to be more visual and to highlight the product image more prominently.

7. Clarify Technical Requirements and Formats

Include the specs you need in your brief. This can include the file format, size, or even the channel you’re using it for.

Example:

“Final files must be delivered in 1080×1350 px (Instagram), 1920×1080 px (desktop banner), and 1080×1920 px (mobile banner).

What Should You Prepare for a Creative Graphic Design Agency? (Quick Checklist)

Here’s a quick creative brief template checklist you can save or screenshot as a guide for your next project.

Basics: 

• Project Summary
• Target Audience
• Brand Guidelines and Assets
• Deliverables List
• Creative Direction
• Examples Or References
• Technical Specs

Possible Additional Details:

• Goals and Metrics
• Timeline and Deadlines
• Budget
• Internal Stakeholders
• Approval Flow

The Lowdown: How Unlimited Graphic Design Services Fit Into the Workflow

A clear brief is a crucial part of optimizing your partnership with a creative graphic design agency. By providing the right brief, you can help ensure that you’re getting the most out of your agency fees or unlimited design service subscription.

Ready to work with a team that delivers fast, on-brand designs? Reach out to Penji.

Hiring only the world’s top 2% designers, you can be sure that your design projects are in good hands. View their portfolio to see why Penji is the favorite unlimited design service of brands all over the world.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What Is a Creative Graphic Design Agency?

A creative graphic design agency helps services communicate to their audience using visual assets, such as logos, branding kits, social media posts, and email templates. These days, it’s not restricted to traditional agencies anymore and could also take the form of a design-as-a-service platform, a freelancer collective, or even an on-demand marketplace platform.

2. What kind of brand assets or information do I need to supply to a design agency?

If you already have a brand guidelines template, you need to provide that to your design agency to ensure that all projects stay consistent. If you don’t have one yet and want a brand book built from scratch, you need to provide details like your brand identity, brand values, and core messaging and voice. 

3. How detailed should I be when briefing an agency?

You need to give the creative branding agency sufficient details without micromanaging them. The template above is a good starting point. During the design process, however, you must also give the design team enough allowance to be creative.