What to send your web designer before a project starts

You do not need a polished design brief before talking to a web designer. You do need enough information for them to understand your business and what a visitor must be able to do. A short, honest brief is more useful than a folder of visual references with no explanation of the service.

Copy the questions below into a document. If you do not know an answer yet, write to decide. That makes the uncertainty visible early, when it is still easy to discuss.

The business in plain language

Start with two or three sentences:

We provide [services] for [customers] in [places]. People usually contact us when [situation]. We want the website to help them [next action].

List the services you actually offer, including meaningful limits. A visiting business should state its genuine service area. If one service needs a different explanation or buying decision, note that too; it may deserve its own page.

Imagine a domestic cleaning business asking for “a modern website.” The useful brief would instead state which cleaning services it offers, which postcodes it covers, whether customers request a quote or book a visit, and what photographs it can publish. Those answers determine the page structure and contact route. The example is illustrative; replace it with your own business facts.

Write down the questions customers ask before they enquire. These often reveal more about the content the site needs than a list of favourite websites. For example: what is included, whether you visit their area, how soon you can start, and what happens after they contact you.

Decide the visitor's next step

Choose one primary action: request a quote, book a conversation, call, email or submit a short enquiry. Say who receives it and what they need in order to reply. If you want a form, list only the information needed for that first response. A long form is a separate decision, not a default.

Check the practical route as well. Which email inbox receives enquiries? Who monitors it? Can that person respond from a phone? If customers prefer phone or WhatsApp, say whether those should appear beside the form.

Gather content and permissions

A designer can organise and edit material, but cannot safely invent what your business does. Gather:

• Your current logo and brand files, if you have them.
• Your service descriptions, prices or price approach, opening hours and contact details.
• Photographs that show your work, with permission to publish them.
• Project examples you can describe accurately, including what may be named publicly.
• Any legal or operational information the site must show.

Mark anything that is old or unconfirmed. If a photograph is supplied by a customer, check whether you may use it on a public website. If you lack useful images, say so: stock images, a planned photo session and a simpler text-led design have different costs and effects.

Separate essentials from ideas

Make two lists. Essential for launch might include clear service pages, a mobile-friendly contact route and a way to update details. Possible later might include a booking system, client accounts, an online shop or a blog. These are different scopes. Sorting them early keeps the proposal focused and makes later additions easier to price.

If you already own a domain or website, include who controls the registrar, hosting, analytics and existing content. You do not need to paste passwords into a brief. Simply identify who can grant access when it is needed.

A one-page brief you can copy

Bring this to the first conversation even if several cells are incomplete. It gives the designer a basis for questions and helps you compare proposals on the same scope. If you are planning a small service site, see the managed website offer or start a project with the information you already have.