How to Write a Website Brief That Gets Better Proposals
A good brief saves time and money. Use this structure to describe your project so agencies can give accurate, comparable proposals.
A clear brief is the cheapest way to improve any project. It helps suppliers understand what you need and lets you compare their proposals fairly.
What to include
- About the business: what you do, who you serve and what makes you different.
- Goals: the results the site must achieve, such as enquiries, bookings or sales.
- Audience: who will visit and what they want to know.
- Scope: the pages and features you expect, and what is out of scope.
- Content: what you already have and what you need help creating.
- Design: examples you like and dislike, brand assets and tone.
- Technical needs: integrations, languages, accessibility, hosting preferences.
- Timeline and budget: a date and a range, even if approximate.
- Decision process: who approves each stage.
Tips
- Describe problems, not only solutions; suppliers may suggest better answers.
- Be honest about budget so proposals fit it.
- Share analytics or customer questions if you have them.
What a good proposal gives back
It should restate your goals, list deliverables, show a process and timeline, explain assumptions and give a price or range with what is and is not included.
Frequently asked questions
Is a long brief better?
No. A clear one or two pages is enough. Include what matters and be specific.
What if I do not know my budget?
Give a range or ask suppliers for options at different levels so you can see what each adds.
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