One of the most common reasons a web project runs over time or budget is nothing to do with the designer — it is that the client was not prepared when things kicked off. Getting a few things ready before your first conversation means faster decisions, fewer delays, and a better result. Here is everything worth sorting out in advance.
Your domain name
If you already have a domain, know where it is registered and make sure you have login access to the account. This sounds obvious but it catches people out regularly — domains registered by a previous agency, an ex-employee, or a family member who “sorted it years ago” are surprisingly common.
If you do not have a domain yet, pick one before the project starts. Your designer will need it to set up hosting, email, and staging environments. A good rule: keep it short, use your business name, and go for .co.uk if you are UK-focused or .com if you sell internationally.
Your logo and brand assets
Ideally you want your logo as an SVG or high-resolution PNG with a transparent background. A JPEG exported from a Word document will cause problems. If you do not have a proper logo file, say so upfront — most web designers can either help or point you to someone who can.
Along with the logo, try to gather:
- Brand colours — ideally as hex codes (e.g. #2CB53C). If you only have a printed style guide, that is a start.
- Fonts — the typefaces used in your existing branding, if any.
- Any brand guidelines — even a one-page PDF is helpful.
No brand yet?
That is fine — just say so. A good designer will either incorporate light branding work into the project or scope it separately. What slows things down is discovering mid-project that there are no usable assets.
Your copy (the words on the site)
This is the one that most often causes delays. Designers can build the structure and layout of a site quickly — but they cannot write your story, describe your services, or explain what makes you different. That has to come from you.
You do not need to write polished copy before the project starts. But it helps enormously to have rough notes for:
- What your business does and who it is for
- The services or products you offer, with a sentence or two on each
- Why someone should choose you over a competitor
- Any testimonials or reviews you can share
Some designers or agencies offer copywriting as part of their service — worth asking about if writing is not your strong suit.
Photos and images
Nothing improves a website faster than good photography. Stock images are fine as a placeholder but real photos — of you, your team, your work, your premises — build trust in a way stock never quite matches.
If you have professional photos, gather them before the project starts. If not, consider booking a photographer — even a half-day shoot gives you assets you can use across your website, social media, and marketing for years.
At a minimum, have a clear photo of yourself if you are a sole trader or personal brand. People buy from people, and a real face makes a real difference.
Sites you like (and why)
Before your first call, spend 20 minutes browsing websites — in your industry and outside it — and save two or three that you like. Be ready to say what you like about them specifically: the colours, the layout, how they describe their services, the general feel.
“I want something clean and modern” means something different to every designer. “I like how this site uses lots of white space and the headings are bold” is much more useful.
Your pages and structure
Have a think about what pages you actually need. Most small business sites need:
- Home — who you are, what you do, why you.
- Services or About — more detail on what you offer.
- Contact — how to reach you.
Beyond that, think about whether you need a portfolio or gallery, a blog, a pricing page, or individual service pages. More pages is not always better — a focused, well-written three-pager often outperforms a sprawling ten-page site.
A quick checklist
- Domain name — registered and access confirmed
- Logo — SVG or high-res PNG with transparent background
- Brand colours — hex codes if possible
- Rough copy notes for each page
- Photos — professional or a plan to get them
- Two or three example sites you like
- A rough list of the pages you need
Thinking about a new website?
We work with small businesses across Oxfordshire to build websites that look great and actually bring in work. Even if you are not quite ready, get in touch and we can talk through what you need — or browse our services.