Defining the work before searching for an agency

Before you search, describe the problem, the decision you need help with and the limits an agency would work within. Leave the method open. You can then search for the expertise the job needs, not an attractive list of services.

Write the problem in business terms

Start with an observation and its consequence. “Our product pages receive enquiries that the sales team cannot qualify” is more useful than “we need SEO”. It gives a prospective partner a problem to investigate without assuming search traffic is the cause or the solution.

Note what you know and what remains a hypothesis. If your team suspects the website, say why: customer feedback, a change in the enquiry mix or a known technical fault. Do not turn an untested suspicion into a requirement. Name the person who can confirm the underlying business facts.

State the desired outcome in terms your organisation recognises. It might be more suitable enquiries, a usable website journey or a clearer way to assess campaign performance. Record the current baseline if you have one, and say plainly when you do not. A target invented solely to make the note look complete will make later judgement harder.

Essential elements of a strong agency brief

Separate necessary conditions from possible methods

List the boundaries a provider must respect: launch date, available budget, systems, markets, approval roles, accessibility needs and any claims your business cannot make. Keep preferred tactics separate so candidates can challenge them.

A compact working note can use five prompts:

The note helps you identify the expertise needed and gaps that could prevent useful conversations. A later brief can add the detail a provider needs to propose or price the work.

Structured approach to defining agency work

Decide what you need someone to do first

Ask whether the first purchase is diagnosis, a defined deliverable or ongoing management. If you cannot tell why results are poor, a limited investigation may be more useful than a year of channel activity.

If the cause is established and your team lacks delivery capacity, specify the output and handover you need. If work is recurring, describe the decisions and production that must happen repeatedly.

Be candid about internal capacity. An agency can recommend a change that requires your developer, sales lead or product owner to act. If that person has no time, the proposed timetable is incomplete. Identify these dependencies before using them as selection criteria.

End with a one-paragraph search statement: “We need help with [problem] for [audience or process], aiming for [outcome]. We can provide [inputs]. The work must fit [constraints]. We need a provider to recommend [first decision or output].”

The statement gives you a consistent basis for finding candidates without pretending you have already solved the problem. Revise it when evidence changes.

Key steps to define your agency work before searching