9 Things To Tell Your Web Designer Before You Start (So You’re Not Guessing)
If you’ve never had a website built before, the whole process can feel a bit like a black box. You know you need one. You know it’s probably going to cost more than you’d like. But what are you actually meant to say to a web designer before you start?
I’m Kaz, and I’ve been building websites for small businesses across Lake Macquarie, Newcastle, the Central Coast and the Hunter Valley for about 10 years now — mostly for tradies, sole traders and local service businesses who’d rather be doing their actual job than sitting in a Zoom call talking about “brand strategy.”
So here’s the plain-English version of what I wish every client told me on our first call. Bring this list along (mentally or literally) and you’ll save yourself weeks of back-and-forth.
1. What you actually want the website to do
Not “look nice” — that’s a given. I mean the job. Do you want the phone to ring? Enquiry forms to land in your inbox? People to book online without calling you at all? A pool servicing business in Morisset needs a very different site to a builder in Cooranbong. Tell me the outcome you’re chasing and I’ll design backwards from there.
2. Whatever you’ve already got — even if it’s rough
Logo, business cards, a Facebook page, even just “the colours on my ute.” If you’ve got a colour palette or a font you like (or hate), tell me. I’d rather work with a rough logo you drew on a napkin than start from a completely blank page — it tells me who you already are.
3. Who you’re actually trying to reach
Not “everyone.” Are you chasing homeowners in Toronto and Wangi wanting a quote this week, or are you after bigger commercial jobs across the Hunter that take months to close? Those two customers read a website completely differently, and it changes everything from the wording to the layout.
4. Sites you like the feel of (even outside your industry)
You don’t need design language for this. “I like how clean this one feels” or “this one’s too busy for me” is plenty. Send me a couple of links, even from a completely different trade or industry — it tells me more about your taste in five minutes than an hour of describing it would.
5. What the site actually needs to do, functionally
Do you need online bookings? A quote calculator? A shop? Integration with the software you already use to manage jobs? This is the difference between a straightforward site and one that needs a bit more engineering — and it affects both timeline and cost, so it’s better to know upfront than to add it in halfway through.
6. Whatever content you’ve already got (photos, words, reviews)
Job photos on your phone, Google reviews, even a rough “about us” paragraph you’ve never used — send it all over. I can write and design around real content far better than around placeholder text, and it usually speeds things up rather than slowing them down.
7. Your actual timeline and budget — the real numbers
Not the number you think sounds reasonable to say out loud. The real one. If you’ve got a trade show in six weeks or you’re launching a new service next month, tell me now. And if budget’s tight, say so — I’d rather build you something smaller and properly finished than something ambitious and half done. (I also offer payment plans, so it’s worth asking.)
8. How you actually like to be contacted
Some clients want a quick text when something needs their attention. Others want everything in an email they can read after the kids are in bed. Tell me which one you are early on and I’ll work around it — it makes the whole project smoother for both of us.
9. What happens after launch
A website isn’t a “set and forget” job — it needs hosting, security updates, and the odd tweak down the track. Ask upfront what’s included after your site goes live, and what isn’t. It’s much better to know this on day one than to be surprised by it six months in.
Thinking about getting a website built?
Have a free-flowing chat with me first — no jargon, no pressure. I work with businesses across Lake Macquarie, Newcastle, the Central Coast and the Hunter Valley, and I’ll tell you straight if a website’s even the right move for where you’re at.
Or call/text me directly on 0412 722 359
A Few Questions I Get Asked A Lot
Do I need to know exactly what I want before I call you?
No — honestly, most people don’t. That’s what our first chat is for. Just come with as much of the above as you can, even if it’s messy.
I’m based outside Lake Macquarie — do you still work with me?
Yes. While I’m based in Bonnells Bay, I work with businesses right across Newcastle, the Central Coast and the Hunter Valley — most of it’s done over phone and email anyway.
What if I don’t have any photos or content ready?
That’s really common, especially with trades. We can work through what you’ve got and I’ll help fill the gaps — it just helps to flag it early so I can plan for it.
If you’ve read this far, you’re already more prepared than most people who walk into their first web design chat. Reach out whenever you’re ready — Shadow and I will be here.
