What to prepare before you hire a web designer
2 min read Nikos Koulouridis
Ten minutes of preparation saves weeks of back-and-forth. Here's what to have ready before you ask anyone for a website.
The projects that go smoothest aren't the biggest or the smallest. They're the ones where the client knew a few things before we started. You don't need to be technical for any of this. A notebook or a note on your phone is enough.
1. What should the website do for you?
Pick one or two goals. "More phone calls", "people book online", "customers see the menu before they come", "look serious to bigger clients". Every decision later gets easier when the goal is clear.
2. Who is it for?
Describe your typical customer in a sentence or two. A tourist on their phone, a parent looking for lessons, a company buying in bulk. They need different things from a website.
3. Three websites you like (and why)
They don't have to be in your field. "I like how simple this one is", "I like the big photos here", "this one is easy to read on my phone". This tells a designer more than any long description.
4. Your content, or a plan for it
- A logo, if you have one.
- Good photos of your work, your place, your team.
- A short text about you and your services. Rough is fine; it can be polished.
- Practical details: address, hours, prices if you show them.
If you don't have these yet, that's okay. Just say so up front, so writing or photography can be planned instead of becoming a surprise.
5. Domain and accounts
Do you already own a domain (like yourbusiness.com)? Who has the login? Same for email, Google Business Profile and social accounts. Finding a lost password in week three slows everything down.
6. A budget range and a date
You don't need an exact number, but a range helps someone suggest what makes sense for you instead of guessing. If there's a deadline (an opening, a season, a fair), mention it early.
7. Who decides
If a partner or a relative also needs to approve things, include them from the start. Late opinions are the most common reason projects drag on.
Have some of this ready? Send it to me as it is, messy notes included. I'll take it from there and tell you what's missing.
Want me to build it for you?