Lesson 2 of 30 · 7 min
Start with the business objective
Turn a vague request into a measurable media job.
The objective comes before the channel
A strong plan begins with the change the business needs: awareness, qualified demand, sales, or retention. Picking a platform first usually creates activity without a clear definition of success.
Write a one-sentence brief
Use this structure: Move a specific audience from a current belief or behavior to a desired action by a deadline, measured by one primary outcome. Keep supporting metrics secondary.
Separate the objective from the tactic
"Run TikTok ads" is a tactic. "Make first-time buyers aware we now ship overnight" is an objective. Tactics should be arguable; objectives should be agreed. If the team is debating platforms before it agrees on the change it wants, the plan is being built backwards.
Name the constraint out loud
Every objective is bounded by budget, time, geography, or creative. Writing the binding constraint next to the objective prevents the common failure of promising a national brand outcome on a budget that can only fund a regional one.
Takeaway
One audience, one desired change, one deadline, and one primary measure.
Check yourself
No score, no signup — pick an answer to see why it's right.
Question 1
Which is the strongest media objective?
Question 2
A stakeholder asks for "a big brand campaign" on a budget that can fund one mid-sized city. What should you do first?