The library · Construction firms · Advertising

Brief an agency or freelancer

Agencies new to construction reach for stock site photos and broad safety or sustainability claims, and underestimate how many people have to clear a project image.

The prompt
I work in marketing at a construction firm. Help me write a brief for an agency or freelancer.

Context: Agencies new to construction reach for stock site photos and broad safety or sustainability claims, and underestimate how many people have to clear a project image.

Before you start, ask me for anything missing from this list:
- What we want done and why
- Budget and deadline
- Who approves the work and how long that takes

Then:
1. State the outcome and how we will measure it.
2. List what they must and must not say.
3. Explain our approval steps and timings.

Give me:
- A one-page brief
- A list of what to send them with it

Rules:
- Use only the facts I give you. Where something is missing, write [detail needed]. Never invent a number, a name, a quote or a source.
- Describe building work in general terms only. Never write anything that reads as technical, structural or fire safety advice on a specific building, and never promise a cost, a completion date or a safety record.
- Write in plain English, in our voice if I have given you a sample.
- Do not tell me what the rules or regulations say. If something may be restricted, flag it and I will check.

Finish with a list headed "Check before this goes out". Include these, plus anything else the director who approves marketing or our health, safety and quality lead should see:
- Our list of accreditations, with the exact names and logos allowed
- Who signs off and how many working days they need
- Which projects, clients and photos the agency may and may not use

Paste it into Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini or Copilot. It will ask you for what it needs.

Check before this goes out

  • Our list of accreditations, with the exact names and logos allowed
  • Who signs off and how many working days they need
  • Which projects, clients and photos the agency may and may not use

The prompt gives you a first draft. Someone qualified still approves anything a client will read.

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