How to write a business brief operators can act on
Vague briefs get vague proposals. A useful brief states the number you want to move, the evidence behind it, and how a proposal will be judged.
Brief templateExample
| Field | Example |
|---|---|
| What needs to improve | Paid ads cost too much per customer |
| Current result | $62 per new paying customer from Google Ads, last 90 days |
| Desired change | Under $45 without fewer customers |
| Budget range | $1,000 to $4,000 for the test |
| Constraints | No brand changes; runs in our account |
| Decision owner | Founder |
| Evidence shared | Campaign export summary; payments matched by campaign |
Ask for these seven elements
- Evidence cited
- Diagnosis
- Proposed action
- Budget and owner
- Expected range and assumptions
- Stop and scale conditions
- Measurement plan
Share summaries, not raw customer records. Approve each field before it becomes visible, and publish a new version rather than letting new evidence appear on its own.
Use this with your own numbers. Keep the evidence private, attach a budget and a review date.
Build my opportunity brief