Blog › By the MyBriefy team · October 24, 2026
You send a carefully written brief. A week later you get half the answers, a few one-word replies and an email that says "let's discuss on the call." Sound familiar? It's one of the most common complaints from agencies, and it's mostly fixable.
Clients don't skip briefs because they don't care. They skip them because the brief is long, unclear, or arrives at a busy moment with no deadline. Here's how to change that.
1. Make it shorter
Every question that doesn't apply to this project makes the client less careful with the ones that do. Start from a full template, then hide what isn't relevant. A focused brief of 15 questions beats a complete one of 50.
2. Pre-fill what you already know
You've probably learned a lot in the sales conversation. Write those answers in and ask the client to confirm or correct them. Editing is much easier than starting from a blank box, and it shows you were listening.
3. Write questions in plain language
"What's your unique value proposition?" makes people freeze. "Why do customers choose you over competitors?" doesn't. Add a short example in brackets where an answer could go many ways.
4. Send a link, not an attachment
A Word document in an email gets downloaded, half-filled, renamed and sent back in pieces. A form with a link lets the client answer in one place, come back later, and see what's left.
5. Give it a due date that means something
"When you get a chance" means never. Tie the deadline to the project: "Once this is approved by Friday, we can start design on Monday." Now the brief is the thing that unlocks the work they're paying for.
6. Explain why it matters, in one line
A single sentence at the top helps: "Your answers decide the direction of the work, and they mean fewer revision rounds later." Clients who understand the payoff take it more seriously.
7. Keep the conversation next to the answers
When an answer needs clarifying, comment on that answer rather than starting an email thread. The context stays with the question, and nobody has to search their inbox to find what was agreed.
8. Ask for approval, not just answers
Ending with an explicit approval step changes how clients treat the brief. It becomes a decision, not a questionnaire. It also gives you a clear reference point when the direction changes later.
If a key answer is still missing after the due date, book a 15-minute call and fill it in together. It's faster than a third reminder email.
Putting it together
The pattern is simple: a short, relevant brief, pre-filled where possible, sent as a link with a real deadline, discussed next to the answers, and approved at the end.
That's the workflow MyBriefy is built for. You pick from 32 free brief templates, hide what doesn't apply, and share it. Your client fills it in and approves it online, comments stay next to each answer, and the approved brief stays on the client's record.
Start with the general client brief. A balanced set of questions for any new client. Copy it for free, or send it in MyBriefy.
See the template