Hiring a web designer doesn’t have to begin with:
“I need a website. How much?”
In fact, that’s probably one of the least useful ways to start the conversation.
You don’t need to know how to design a website.
That’s what you’re hiring someone for.
But you should know enough about your business to explain what the website needs to accomplish.
A little preparation can save you time, money and a lot of unnecessary back-and-forth.
Here’s what to prepare.
1. Know what the business actually does
This sounds obvious.
It isn’t.
If you can’t explain what your business does clearly, your website will struggle to explain it too.
Write a simple description:
We help [type of customer] achieve [specific result] through [product/service].
It doesn’t need to be clever.
Clear beats clever.
2. Know who you’re trying to reach
“Everyone” is not a target audience.
Think about your actual customers.
Are they:
- Individuals?
- Small businesses?
- Large companies?
- Property owners?
- Parents?
- Students?
- Professionals?
- Local customers?
- International customers?
You don’t need a 40-page customer persona document.
Just understand who you’re talking to.
3. Know what you want visitors to do
This is one of the most important questions.
When someone visits your website, what should happen next?
Should they:
Call you?
Send an enquiry?
Book an appointment?
Buy something?
Visit your physical location?
Sign up?
Request a quotation?
Read and learn?
A website can have several goals, but there should usually be a clear primary action.
4. Gather your content
Don’t wait until the designer asks for everything one item at a time.
Start collecting:
- Logo
- Brand colours
- Company information
- Service descriptions
- Product information
- Team information
- Contact details
- Address
- Social media accounts
- Photos
- Videos
- Testimonials
- FAQs
- Existing marketing materials
If you already have a brochure, presentation or company profile, keep those handy too.
They can contain useful material.
5. Collect examples of websites you like
This is extremely useful.
Find 3–5 websites you like.
Don’t just send them and say:
“I want something like this.”
Explain what you like.
Maybe it’s:
- The typography
- Navigation
- Photography
- Layout
- Animations
- Simplicity
- Product presentation
- Tone of voice
Also collect examples of things you don’t like.
Knowing what you want to avoid can be just as useful.
6. Decide what is essential
Make three lists:
Must have
Things the website cannot launch without.
Nice to have
Things you’d like, but could live without initially.
Later
Things that can be added after launch.
This simple exercise can dramatically improve a project.
Not everything needs to be built on day one.
7. Think about your budget
You don’t necessarily need to announce your budget before speaking to a designer.
But you should have a realistic range in mind.
Your budget helps determine things like:
- Template vs custom design
- Number of pages
- Content production
- Photography
- Copywriting
- Custom functionality
- Integrations
- Ongoing support
A clear budget range can also prevent you from spending weeks discussing a solution that’s completely outside what you’re prepared to invest.
8. Know your deadline
Do you need the website:
Next week?
Next month?
Before a product launch?
Before an event?
Whenever it’s ready?
Tell the designer.
A realistic deadline is useful.
An impossible deadline is also useful to know early.
9. Gather your technical access
If you already have a domain, hosting, email service, analytics account or existing website, find the login and ownership information.
More importantly:
Make sure the business actually owns these accounts.
Your domain should not mysteriously belong to the designer.
Your hosting should not be locked behind someone else’s personal account.
Your analytics should not disappear when a contractor leaves.
Good digital housekeeping matters.
10. Decide who makes the decisions
This one gets overlooked constantly.
Who gives the final approval?
The owner?
Marketing manager?
Founder?
A committee of seven people and their cousins?
Ideally, one person should have final approval authority.
Too many decision-makers can turn a two-week project into a two-month project.
11. Think beyond launch
A website isn’t a microwave.
You don’t buy it, plug it in and forget about it for ten years.
Ask:
- Who will update the content?
- Who manages the domain?
- Who handles hosting?
- Who receives enquiries?
- Who maintains the site?
- Who manages updates?
- Who has access to the accounts?
These questions are much easier to answer before launch than after something breaks.
The designer doesn’t need you to know everything
This is important.
You don’t need to arrive with:
- A finished sitemap
- Perfect copy
- A complete brand strategy
- Technical specifications
- Wireframes
- A design system
- A database architecture
That’s part of the expertise you’re hiring.
Your job is to bring business context.
The designer’s job is to help turn that context into a useful digital experience.
A simple preparation checklist
Before your first serious conversation with a web designer, try to have these ready:
Business
- What you do
- Who you serve
- What makes you different
Goals
- What the website needs to accomplish
- The primary action you want visitors to take
Content
- Logo
- Text
- Images
- Videos
- Contact information
- Existing marketing materials
Direction
- Websites you like
- Websites you dislike
- Must-have features
- Nice-to-have features
Practical
- Approximate budget
- Desired launch date
- Existing domain and hosting
- Who will approve the work
- Who will maintain the website
That’s enough to have a productive first conversation.
You don’t need to have everything figured out.
You just need to arrive with enough information for the designer to understand the problem.
The better the problem is understood, the better the website can be built.
