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Having a new website developed is exciting. To prevent you from not clearly expressing expectations, a good briefing is vital. Even in the selection phase where you can choose between several Internet agencies, such a website briefing document is indispensable. In this blog post, you’ll discover why.
A briefing is a document that a client prepares to provide an Internet agency with appropriate context and input. It contains information about the client’s organization, how this project came about, the client’s objectives, the available budget and the agency’s ideal requirements. It allows the contractor to step into the client’s shoes and actively contribute ideas.
When we talk specifically about a website briefing, we are talking about a document that is shared prior to the introduction phase. The website briefing serves to see if there is a match between the client’s expectations and what the Internet agency can offer.
Even though we are talking about the same type of document, a website briefing is not always called by that name. In business, it is common to speak of a website briefing, but institutions (such as government agencies) usually speak of a project plan. Due to the nature of these organizations, these documents may differ in minor details.
First, a briefing is an investment in the future of your organization. It may seem like an unnecessary effort to prepare such a bulky document, but it ensures that you leave nothing to chance. Indirectly, you are also investing in the relationship with the Internet agency you choose by doing so: you will avoid miscommunication and frustration.
Also, preparing a website brief is a good way to structure your thoughts. This is always true anyway when putting thoughts and ideas on paper, but even more so when it comes to such a big project as a new website.
Third, a website briefing document can serve as a control tool. Of course you will strive to put your agreements on paper and sign them, but the starting point is and always will be the briefing, on which further choices will be based. As an example, an Internet agency may believe that the functionality provided matches your requirements, but you can point to the briefing and say, “No way, we didn’t put it that way on paper.”
Tip: Do note that the agreement is often leading. Is your website briefing document very extensive? If so, let it be part of the agreement to be concluded as an appendix.
A briefing can also inspire. It helps strategists, designers, programmers and marketers get inside your skin and translate this into the perfect website.
Finally, with a website briefing document, you lay the perfect foundation for comparing Internet agencies. By putting your needs and requirements clearly on paper and inviting agencies to prepare their presentations in a specific format, you create a level playing field in which it is easy to compare the different proposals side by side. A website briefing allows you to compare apples to apples.
Are you ready to have a new website created by yourself? As specialists in converting websites, we find that a complete brief is an important factor in online success. But how do you create such a briefing that provides 100% clarity?
With our free website briefing checklist, you’ll know even more precisely which parts belong in a briefing. The complete explanation and a handy example can be found in our white paper on website briefings [+ template].
