Why the brief is the most important document for your event

A complete event briefing contains the answers to the questions your agency needs to create a suitable proposal. These are the essential components:

1. The Goal of the Event
What do you want the event to achieve? Is it about connecting, informing, celebrating, motivating, or positioning? The goal determines everything: the format, tone, program, and location. Be as specific as possible. 'Motivating our team for the new year' is much better than just 'doing something fun'.

2. The Target Audience
Who's coming? How many people? What are their job levels? What's the average age? Do they already know each other well, or is it a mixed group? A staff party for 50 millennials requires a totally different approach than a client event for 200 board members.

3. The Core Message
What should guests take away from the event? What feeling do you want to leave them with? It doesn't have to be a slogan, but it helps your agency develop a concept that truly tells your story.

4. Budget
Be upfront about your budget. An agency can only give you the best advice if they know your financial limits. Not sharing your budget often results in proposals that are either too expensive or too cheap — and that just wastes everyone's time.

5. Date and Location
Is a date already set? Do you already have a location in mind, or do you need the agency to help brainstorm? Let us know if you're thinking about an event at your own location or if you're looking for an external venue.

6. Conditions and No-Go's
Are there any absolute no-go's? Any dietary needs, physical limitations, or sensitivities? Are there previous events that serve as an example — good or bad?

We often see briefs that are well-intentioned but don't really help the agency. Here are the five most common mistakes:

Mistake 1: Not defining a goal
'We want a fun party' isn't a goal; it's a wish. A goal sounds more like: 'We want to thank our employees for a challenging year and strengthen team bonds.' With a clear goal, your agency can develop a concept that truly has direction.

Mistake 2: Not sharing the budget
Many clients hold back their budget, worried that the agency will just spend it all. But actually, the opposite is true! Without a budget, an agency might give you three different proposals at various price points, leading to extra rounds of revisions and a longer process. Just share your budget — a good agency will work with it honestly.

Mistake 3: Being too prescriptive
'We want a DJ, a walking dinner, confetti, and a band.' That's not a briefing, that's an order list. You hire an agency for their creativity and experience. Give them the space to come up with a proposal that surprises you. Describe the desired outcome, not the route to get there.

Mistake 4: Being too vague
'We want something original.' What's original for you? A rooftop festival? Dinner in the dark? A hackathon? Without context, an agency can only guess. Give examples of what appeals to you — even if it's from other companies.

Mistake 5: Not describing the target audience
An event for the MT (Management Team) is fundamentally different from an event for the entire company. Describe who will attend, what they expect, and what motivates them. That helps your agency set the program and tone just right.

An event agency is only as good as the briefing it receives. That might sound like an excuse, but it's the reality. An agency works with the information it receives. The more complete and precise that information, the better the outcome.

With a good briefing, your agency can:

• Get a fitting concept presented faster — no need for three rounds, just one proposal that hits the nail on the head.
• Budget realistically — no nasty surprises later because the budget was crystal clear from the start.
• Suggest the perfect location — because it understands your target audience, the format, and the vibe you're going for.
• Pick entertainment that's a perfect fit — for your audience, the overall concept, and the specific moment in your program.
• Work efficiently internally — meaning fewer coordination loops, fewer misunderstandings, and a quicker path to execution.

At Live Impact, we see the difference right away. Clients who give us a clear, sharp brief get a proposal that's absolutely spot on. Those who come with a vague idea usually need a few more rounds. Both approaches will get you a great event — but the first way is quicker, cheaper, and more enjoyable for everyone involved!

That's why we've developed an online briefing document that guides you step-by-step through all the right questions. This way, you'll be sure not to forget anything, and your agency will have everything it needs.

→ Fill out the online briefing document

A briefing is more than just a document; it's the start of a collaboration. And the best briefings are followed by a good conversation.

Step 1: Internal Alignment
Before you bring in an agency, align internally. Who are the stakeholders? What are management's expectations? Is there consensus on the goal and budget? The more internal alignment beforehand, the fewer surprises later.

Step 2: Writing the Briefing
Use a structured format. Answer the questions from the previous chapter. Keep it concise but complete — two A4 pages are often enough. Need help? Use our online briefing form as a guide.

Step 3: The Briefing Conversation
Schedule a conversation with your agency after they've read the briefing. This is when the agency asks follow-up questions, gets context, and picks up on nuances that aren't in a document. The chemistry and understanding that develops during this conversation determine the quality of the proposal.

Step 4: Giving Feedback on the Proposal
After the proposal, the next phase begins: refining. Give targeted feedback. Don't just say 'we're not quite sure it's what we're looking for,' but rather 'the tone is too formal; we're looking for more energy and surprise.' The more specific your feedback, the faster the proposal will be spot-on.

At Live Impact, we kick off every project with a strategic briefing. It's not just a standard intake; it's a deep dive where we work together to figure out exactly what your event needs to be. This upfront investment totally pays off in the long run.

Use this overview as a checklist when you're writing a briefing for your event agency:

• Organization: Who are you? A brief description of your company, its culture, and your industry.
• Occasion: Why this event? An anniversary, year-end celebration, launch, or teambuilding?
• Goal: What should the event achieve? Be specific and measurable if you can.
• Target Audience: Who's coming? Think about numbers, job levels, age, and their relationships with each other.
• Key Message: What feeling or insight should guests take away from the event?
• Budget: The total available budget, including or excluding VAT.
• Date: Your preferred date or period, and how flexible you are.
• Location: Do you prefer your own venue or an external one? Which region? What type of space?
• Program ideas: Do you already have any ideas or wishes? (optional)
• Key details: dietary requirements, physical limitations, dress code, end time
• No-gos: what's absolutely not allowed or not desired
• Previous experiences: What went well at previous events? What didn't?
• Decision-making: Who makes the decisions? How many stakeholders are involved?

Don't feel like working this out yourself? Use our online briefing document — it guides you step-by-step through all the questions.

→ Start your briefing here

A good brief is the best gift you can give your event agency. It saves time, prevents misunderstandings, and leads to an event that's exactly what you envisioned — or even better.

→ Fill in the online briefing document

→ Or schedule a meeting right away

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