Serious question, a client's offhand comment made me redo my whole intake form

I was setting up a new branding project for a bakery, and the owner said 'I don't get why you need my life story before we talk colors.' I realized my 20-question form was scaring people off... so I cut it down to just 5 key things. How do you figure out what info is actually needed upfront?

3 comments

3 Comments

johnkelly25d ago

That "life story" comment hits home. I had a ten page creative brief that nobody ever filled out. Total waste of time. Now I just ask for their website, three brands they like, and their biggest worry. Gets us talking way faster. You figuring out the five key things is the real move.

garcia.wren25d ago

My old intake form was basically a therapy session that ended with a logo. I asked about their childhood dreams and their favorite season. The bakery guy was right, we're picking colors, not writing a biography. Cutting it down to the five things that actually start the conversation was the best move I ever made.

jenny4225d ago

That "biggest worry" question is genius because it cuts right to what actually matters. You're not just collecting facts, you're finding the real problem to solve. It turns a boring form into a useful tool.