The biggest cause of slow website projects isn't the designer. It's waiting on information. Gather these items before you start and your site can go from idea to launch much faster, and it'll say exactly what you want it to.
Put everything in one folder on your computer or phone. When the designer asks, you'll be ready.
1. Your business basics
- Business name exactly as you want it shown
- Phone number and email address
- Street address, or your service area if you go to customers
- Business hours, including any seasonal changes
- Links to your Facebook, Instagram, Google Business Profile or other pages
2. Your logo
Send the highest-quality version you have. A PNG with a transparent background or an SVG file is ideal. If you only have a logo on a business card, take a sharp photo in good light.
No logo yet? A clean text version of your business name works fine to start.
3. A list of your services
Write each service in a line or two, using the words your customers use. "Drain cleaning" is better than "hydro-jetting solutions" if that's what people search for.
Then star the two or three services you most want to sell. Those should get the most attention on your site.
4. Photos
Aim for 5 to 15 real photos:
- Your work (before and after shots are gold)
- You and your team
- Your storefront, workspace or vehicles
- Happy customers, if they agree
Recent phone photos taken in daylight are fine. Avoid blurry, dark or heavily filtered shots.
5. Reviews
Copy three to five of your best real reviews from Google, Facebook, Yelp or customer texts. Ask customers if you can use their first name. Never invent reviews.
6. What makes you different
Answer each of these in one sentence:
- Why do customers pick you over competitors?
- What do you do better than anyone else?
- What's the compliment you hear most often?
- What's one thing customers worry about that you handle well?
These answers become your best headlines.
7. Websites you like
Find two or three websites you like, from any industry. Note what you like about each: the colors, the layout, how simple it feels. This helps a designer understand your taste in minutes.
8. Your domain name
If you already own a domain, know where it's registered and how to log in. If you don't have one yet, list two or three names you'd like.
9. The one action you want visitors to take
Call you? Request a quote? Book an appointment? Buy something? Visit your shop? Decide this up front, because it shapes the whole site.
10. Any must-haves
Note anything specific you need, such as a menu, a booking link, a price list, a map, or a page in Spanish.
Quick checklist
With these items in one folder, most of the hard work is done. A designer can turn them into a finished site quickly, and you'll get a website that sounds like your business, not a template.