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How to write a brief that gets great results

The quality of what you get back is set the moment you write the brief. A clear, complete brief is the difference between one perfect delivery and three frustrating revision rounds.

7 min read

Sellers aren't mind readers — they're skilled people working from your words. A vague brief forces them to guess, and guesses cost you revisions, time, and goodwill. Spend ten minutes writing a great brief and you'll often get exactly what you wanted on the first delivery.

What every brief needs

The goal

What is this for, and what does success look like? 'A logo for a calm, premium skincare brand' steers better than 'a logo.'

The specifics

Formats, dimensions, word counts, platforms, must-haves and must-avoids. The boring details prevent the painful rework.

Taste & examples

Two or three references you love (and one you don't) tell a seller more about your taste than a paragraph of adjectives.

Deadline & budget

Be upfront about both. They let the seller propose the right package instead of guessing and disappointing you.

Write it in this order

1
Start with the why
One or two sentences on the project and the audience. Context helps a good seller make smart decisions you didn't think to specify.
2
List the deliverables
Exactly what you need, in what formats. 'Logo in SVG + PNG, plus a favicon' leaves nothing to chance.
3
Show your taste
Link or attach references. Say what you like about each — 'love the typography, not the colour' is gold to a designer.
4
State constraints
Brand colours, tone, things to avoid, technical limits. Constraints aren't restrictive; they're the guardrails that get you the right result.
5
Set timeline and budget
Share your real deadline and range so the seller can recommend the package that actually fits.

Submit requirements promptly

On Gigolance, your order's delivery countdown only starts once you've submitted the requirements the seller asked for. The faster and more completely you fill them in, the sooner your clock starts — and the fewer back-and-forth messages you'll need.

Message before you buy

For anything non-trivial, send the seller a short version of your brief before ordering. It confirms they're the right fit, surfaces questions early, and often gets you a tailored custom offer. The choosing the right seller guide covers how to pick well.

Common brief mistakes

Adjectives without examples. 'Modern and clean' means ten different things — show, don't tell.
Hidden must-haves. If a detail is non-negotiable, say so in the brief, not in revision two.
No deadline. 'Whenever' invites 'eventually.' Give a real date and the work gets prioritised.
Moving the goalposts. Changing direction mid-order is fine, but treat it as a new request — that's what revisions and add-ons are for.

Frequently asked

There's rarely too much on goal, deliverables, and constraints. Where you can give freedom is the creative how — hire skill, then let it work within clear guardrails.

Say that, and share examples of the feeling you're after. A good seller will propose options. Briefing your uncertainty honestly beats faking certainty.

Yes — a clean, reusable brief lets you compare quotes fairly and pick the best fit. Just personalise the opening line when you send it.

Find a seller to brief

Browse the marketplace and start a conversation with your brief in hand.

Browse gigs

Keep reading

Choosing the right seller for your projectPrice is the easiest thing to compare and the worst thing to choose on. Here's how to read levels, reviews, and a first conversation to pick a seller who'll actually deliver.Managing revisions smoothlyRevisions are normal and healthy — when handled well. Clear, batched, kind feedback gets you a better result faster and keeps the relationship strong for the next order.Tracking your orders end to endFollow every order in one place — the delivery countdown, milestones, revisions, and messages — so you always know exactly where things stand.

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