Choose one action the audience can complete
Write the campaign objective in one sentence. An illustrative bakery brief might aim to introduce a Saturday pastry box to nearby people who can collect it that morning. The useful action is a completed preorder or a voluntary product alert signup. A general request to increase awareness leaves the creator guessing about the story and leaves the owner guessing about success.
Specify the audience through its routine, travel area and interest. Someone buying breakfast before work needs different information from someone planning a weekend outing. Give the creator enough context to choose a relevant angle without scripting their opinion.
Give the creator a small, reliable fact sheet
Include the current product name, price, portion, location, available dates and purchase path. Identify which details the business must confirm on publication day. A seasonal ingredient or limited batch can change between filming and posting, so name the person who checks availability and updates the destination page.
Separate required facts from optional creative suggestions. The address must be right. The creator can choose how to describe their experience. Provide accurate ingredient information and direct specific dietary questions to the business. Do not ask a creator to infer allergen safety from the appearance of a dish.
- One approved product or experience
- A working order, booking or information link
- The available quantity or capacity if the promotion depends on it
Make the visit easy for staff and customers
Agree on the arrival window, expected duration, included products and staff contact. Pick a time when the team can present the experience accurately without disrupting service. Decide which areas can be filmed and how to handle guests or staff who do not want to appear. Give the shift manager the same brief the creator receives.
Write down what happens if the product sells out, the creator is late or the shop has an operational problem. A simple rescheduling rule protects both sides. Avoid substituting a different experience while keeping the original promotional promise.
Agree on the deliverable and the full cost
Define the number and format of assets, publication window, factual review process and payment timing. Specify whether the merchant receives a published post, downloadable files or both. A revision should correct an agreed factual or production issue. It should not become an unlimited request for a different creative concept.
List creator compensation, hosted products, travel, paid media and extra usage rights separately. Under Sagenta’s early access offer, creator compensation, hosted goods, advertising and additional licensing are separate from the $399 monthly merchant subscription. Confirm the actual scope before committing to a campaign.
Keep the endorsement clear and honest
The FTC explains that payment and free or discounted products can create a relationship that should be disclosed with the endorsement. Plan a clear disclosure that viewers can notice. For video, the FTC advises putting the disclosure in the video, not only its description. A platform label should not be your only check.
Review product facts, availability and agreed disclosure before publication. Preserve the creator’s genuine opinion. The brief should never require a favorable claim about an experience they did not have. Resolve a mismatch privately before publishing inaccurate promotional material.
Close the campaign with an operating review
Save the final assets, publication links, agreed rights and actual costs together. Check the customer journey from the post to the destination on a phone. Record completed orders or visits when the merchant can verify them, and separate those from clicks, saves and comments.
Review one practical question before commissioning more work. Did the story reach suitable people, did the offer interest them, or did fulfillment break down? A strong video with an unavailable product calls for an operational fix. It does not automatically call for a bigger creator budget.
Common questions
Should the brief include a complete script?
Usually a fact sheet, objective and required customer information are enough. Use a script when the format needs one, while leaving room for the creator’s own voice and honest experience.
Does a hosted meal replace creator payment?
Only when the creator explicitly accepts that arrangement. Describe the exchange before booking and record any additional deliverables or usage rights separately.
What is the smallest useful first campaign?
One accurately represented product, one suitable creator and one working customer action can produce a useful test. Choose a scope you can fulfill and measure.
Sources and further reading
Reviewed October 23, 2026