How to write a brief that gets accurate quotes

Vague briefs get vague quotes. If three people price three different projects, you cannot compare them. Ten minutes on a clear brief saves weeks of back and forth.

The seven things to include

• What you need: the thing itself, in one sentence.
• Why you need it: the result you are hoping for.
• Who it is for: your customers or readers.
• What you already have: content, photos, accounts, software, earlier work.
• What is out of scope: anything you do not want quoted.
• Your budget range: even a rough one stops people guessing high or low.
• Your deadline: and whether it is fixed or flexible.

An example

"We are a six-person architecture practice in Leeds. We need a new eight-page website to replace one built in 2017, with a projects gallery we can update ourselves. We have the text for most pages and professional photos of twelve projects. We do not need a blog or a logo. Budget £2,500 to £4,000. We would like it live within two months."

Common mistakes

• Describing the solution instead of the problem
• Leaving out the budget, then being surprised by the range of quotes
• Forgetting to say who will supply the content

When you post on VouchQuote we ask these questions for you and turn your answers into a brief that every professional quotes against.