Tips to Write a Market Research Brief
Understanding the purpose of a market research brief
How to write a market research brief
If you haven’t written a market research brief before, don’t worry! We’ve outlined some ideas below which should help you prepare your thoughts. But if you prefer, just pick up the phone or book a meeting below, and we’ll be glad to help.
Why a well-written research brief matters
A well-written market research brief is one of the most important factors in the success of a research project.
It’s much more than a document outlining your requirements—it provides the context that enables a research agency to recommend the most appropriate methodology, develop a robust proposal and deliver insights that help you make better business decisions.
A clear brief also benefits your organisation. It aligns internal stakeholders, clarifies the objectives of the project and ensures everyone shares the same understanding of what success looks like.
Is this your first time looking to commission market research?
Even if you’re new to commissioning research, don’t worry about having all the answers. A good research agency will help shape your brief, challenge assumptions where appropriate and recommend the best approach. Your role is simply to explain the business challenge you’re trying to solve.
Writing an effective research brief
Where to start…
Simply focus on the business decision you need to make – it’s much easier for an agency to recommend whether the project should involve qualitative research, quantitative research, online communities, customer interviews, ethnography or a combination of approaches. The methodology should be the solution and not the starting point.
One of the most common mistakes when writing a research brief is to begin by thinking about methodology. Perhaps you’re deciding whether to launch a new product, reposition your brand, improve customer retention or enter a new market.. Click the accordion below for other common mistakes.
Even experienced research buyers can fall into one or more of these traps.
Starting with methodology
Avoid specifying surveys or focus groups before explaining the business challenge.
A good agency should recommend the methodology—not simply deliver the one you’ve requested.
Trying to answer everything
Research works best when focused.
Trying to answer every business question in one study often results in superficial findings.
Being too vague
Objectives such as “understand our customers better” are difficult to translate into research.
Instead, explain the decisions you’re trying to make.
Not sharing existing knowledge
If you’ve already conducted research or have relevant customer data, include it.
This prevents duplication and allows new research to go further.
Hiding the budget
Agencies aren’t looking for a negotiation starting point, they’re trying to recommend the right level of research.
Even a broad budget range is helpful.
8 key things to think about when preparing to undertake research
(Click on the images and details of each part of the briefing document to reveal ideas on what to include)
Tab Contents
1. About your company
Provide some context about your organisation, market and current situation.
Explain:
- what your company does
- your products or services
- the market you operate in
- recent developments
- why the research is needed now
- Any other organisations involved in the project (e.g. advertising agency, branding, packaging company or consultant).
2. Your business challenges
Describe the problem you’re trying to solve.
For example:
- Sales growth has slowed.
- Customer satisfaction has declined.
- You’re launching a new product.
- Competitors are gaining market share.
- You’re entering a new international market.
The clearer you explain the challenge, the better the recommendations you’re likely to receive.
3. The research objectives
List the key questions the research needs to answer.
Try to prioritise them.
Instead of listing twenty different questions, identify the handful of objectives that are most important for making your business decision.
4. The target audiences
Describe who you need to speak to.
Include details such as:
- customers
- non-customers
- prospects
- lapsed customers
- decision-makers
- consumers or businesses
- geography
- age
- industry
- specific attitudes or behaviour
The more clearly your audience is defined, the more accurate the proposal will be.
5. Existing knowledge
Tell your agency what you already know.
For example:
- previous research
- customer feedback
- analytics
- complaints
- CRM data
- sales information
- market reports
There’s no benefit in paying to rediscover insights you already have.
Sharing existing knowledge allows the research to build on previous learning.
6. The deliverables
Think about how you’ll use the findings.
Do you need:
- a presentation to senior management?
- an executive summary?
- dashboards?
- workshops?
- segmentation models?
- customer personas?
- video highlights?
Different outputs suit different audiences.
7. The budget
Many clients hesitate to include a budget.
In reality, providing an approximate budget helps agencies recommend the most appropriate scope.
Without one, agencies may propose solutions that are either unnecessarily expensive or too limited to answer your objectives properly.
An indicative budget is perfectly acceptable if the final figure hasn’t yet been agreed.
8. The timescales
Include: any important dates or deadlines
- project start date
- important business deadlines
- reporting date
- launch dates
- internal presentations
If your timeline is fixed, explain why.
This helps agencies assess what is realistically achievable.
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Writing a research brief – Your questions answered
FAQs – Find answers to common questions about Vision One
Enough to explain your business challenge, objectives, audience, budget and timescales. It doesn’t need to answer every question—your research agency will help refine it.
That’s perfectly normal. Many organisations commission research only occasionally. An experienced agency will guide you through the process and help develop your brief.
Yes. Even an approximate budget helps agencies recommend the most appropriate scope and methodology. This will ensure you will receive a realistic quote you can afford and avoid wasting your own time and effort.
Absolutely! You can, particularly if your organisation has previous experience or internal requirements. However, it’s often more valuable to explain your objectives and allow your research partner to recommend the most appropriate approach.
Sometimes, but projects are usually more successful when they focus on a clearly defined decision. If you have several objectives, your agency can advise whether they should be combined into one study or tackled in stages.
Project timelines depend on the complexity and scope of the research. However, most projects are completed within 2 to 6 weeks, balancing speed with rigorous quality standards. Clearly, cSat and brand tracking projects last for the duration of the contract.
We work closely with your team to establish timelines that meet your goals without compromising data depth or analytical precision.
We work with companies of all sizes, from small businesses (SMEs) to the world’s largest international brands, and market research is important to them all.
Our clients include advertising and PR agencies, financial services, food and drink,packaging research, FMCG, housing, local government, luxury and fashion, social research, travel and tourism, manufacturing and brands, service providers and associations.
For any business, market research agencies possess a deep understanding of research and how to achieve the desired results. It’s about understanding customer needs, market demand, pricing strategies and industry trends. It supports innovation, validates business ideas, and ensures that marketing messages are effectively targeted. Businesses that invest in consistent market research are better positioned to respond to market changes, create and attract loyal customers and maximise ROI.
Why companies choose to work with VIsion One
Allianz (Insurance and Asset Management)
Vision One were a pleasure to work with. I enjoyed the whole process start to finish, they managed my expectation perfectly and their level of service was outstanding and their insights were effective. I would recommend them to anyone.
Salcombe Gin (Alcoholic Drinks)
Vision One were excellent to work with throughout the process. They understood our brand and its needs and took on feedback to make changes where necessary. We’re very happy with the level of insight gained.
Silentnight (Beds, Mattresses and Sleep)
Vision One’s BrandVision has given us new and powerful insights – helping us understand our brand health and shape our strategic decisions going forward.
I just want to say thank you so much for the brilliant presentation yesterday. The work you’ve done has really hit home, which will make a massive difference to our work. We’re really grateful!
Vision One delivered exactly what we wanted with no fuss or issues. Every step of the process was easy, hassle-free and the relationship always felt warm. I would recommend them to any charity or organisation wanting to conduct research.
Fantastic service. Will go the extra mile to accommodate your needs and fit within changing timelines and requirements.
Ready to start?
You don’t need a perfect research brief to begin the conversation.
Many of our clients come to us with a business challenge rather than a fully developed brief. We’ll work with you to clarify your objectives, recommend the most appropriate research approach and develop a proposal tailored to your needs.
Whether you’re commissioning research for the first time or are an experienced buyer looking for a fresh perspective, a well-prepared brief is the first step towards generating insights that lead to better business decisions.
Get in touch for a fast, tailored proposal or
email us at mail@visionone.co.uk
or call us on 0203 693 3150
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