As the Copywriting Supervisor for Messages On Hold, I’ve read a lot of briefs. In fact, if I were to estimate I’d say I’ve read about as many briefs as I’ve had cups of tea – and I love tea.
This might sound like bragging but let me assure you, it’s far from it. Having read briefs from just about every industry under the sun, it’s given me a keen eye for what separates an effective brief from one that perhaps needs a gentle nudge in the right direction – which, by the way, is perfectly okay – that’s what we’re here for!
If you want to give your marketing partners the best chance for success, the theory behind creating a ‘better brief’ provides an excellent starting point. After all, great ads start with great briefs.
Tip #1 – Distinguish the features from the benefits
A feature is an attribute of a product or service. For example, my mobile phone has a 4-inch AMOLED screen. That’s the feature – all facts. The benefit is what a 4-inch AMOLED screen means for me, the consumer. In this case, it’s a clearer, brighter and sharper image – put simply: better visibility. Don’t waste time telling the customer what you have, remind them why they want it.
Tip #2 – One topic per message
Most people have pretty limited recall when it comes to new information. That’s why we make it easy for your callers to remember what’s important by covering one topic per message. Let’s go back to my mobile phone. A 4-inch AMOLED screen isn’t the only great feature; it also has 8-gig of expandable memory. That’s two topics – so we’ll need two messages. Remember: choose the strongest benefit or USP (unique selling point) of the product.
Tip #3 – Make the caller respond/act
After listening to a compelling message, the caller should have a clear idea of what his or her next action should be. If you’re running a special, make it time bound so the caller knows to act quickly. If you’re informing them of a change of location, prompt them to update their records. Or if you’re pushing a new product or service, let them know where they can find out more – be it online or in-store. You want to create the idea that if the caller doesn’t act now they might miss out.
Remember, briefs are crucial in creating dynamite productions – so don’t be afraid of them! Write down a handful of topics (perhaps 7-8) and then decide what the benefit of each topic is to the caller. Put the most powerful point for each topic at the top and if you feel like you’re saying too much, remember the one-topic one-message rule.
– Lachy Banton