Why preparation matters
The quality of your brief directly affects the quality of the result. You do not need a polished document or a technical specification. But having a few things clear in your own mind before you start talking to studios will save time, reduce misunderstandings and help you get a more accurate quote.
Here is what we wish every client had ready before our first conversation.
Know what you want the website to do
This is the most important thing. Not what you want it to look like, but what you want it to achieve. Think about the primary purpose:
- Generate enquiries from potential clients?
- Sell products online?
- Showcase your portfolio or past work?
- Provide information and build credibility?
- Replace manual processes with a client portal or booking system?
You might have multiple goals, but try to identify the single most important one. This helps the studio prioritise decisions throughout the project.
Gather your content
Content is almost always the biggest bottleneck in web projects. Having even draft versions of the following will speed things up enormously:
- About your business: Who you are, what you do, who you serve and what makes you different
- Services or products: What you offer, described in your own words
- Testimonials: Quotes from happy clients, even informal ones
- Photos: Of your work, your team, your premises. Real photos always outperform stock images
- Logo and brand assets: Your logo in a vector format if possible, plus any brand colours or guidelines you have
If you do not have all of this ready, do not let it stop you from starting the conversation. A good studio can help you work through content as part of the project. But the more you can provide upfront, the smoother the process will be.
Know your audience
Think about who will actually be using your website. Consider:
- Are they individuals or businesses?
- What age range and demographic?
- Are they local, national or international?
- What problem are they trying to solve when they find your site?
- What would make them choose you over a competitor?
Have some examples ready
Find three to five websites you like and be able to explain what you like about each one. They do not have to be in your industry. You might like the layout of one, the colour palette of another and the copywriting style of a third. This gives the studio a much clearer picture of your taste than trying to describe it in words.
Set a realistic timeline
Think about when you need the site to launch and why. Is there a specific event, season or deadline? A good studio will be honest with you about what is achievable within your timeframe.
Think about ongoing needs
Consider what happens after launch:
- Will you need to update content regularly?
- Do you want a content management system?
- Will you need ongoing technical support?
- Are there future features you might want to add later?
What you do not need to prepare
You do not need wireframes, technical specifications, a detailed sitemap or any design work. That is the studio's job. You also do not need to know anything about technology, frameworks or hosting. A good studio will handle all of that and explain their recommendations in plain English.
A simple checklist
- The primary goal of your website
- A list of pages or sections you think you need
- Draft content or notes for the key pages
- Your logo and any brand assets
- Three to five example websites you admire
- Your ideal launch date
- Any must-have features (booking, payments, contact forms)
That is it. Bring this to your first conversation and you will be ahead of 90% of the briefs most studios receive.