That first conversation is the discovery call. It’s where we learn what your business actually needs, not just what a website usually has. The more prepared you are, the faster we get to a site that works for you instead of one that merely exists.
Below is every question we’ll ask, grouped the way we’ll cover them, along with why each one matters. You don’t need perfect answers. Honest, specific ones are better than polished ones, and “I don’t know yet” is a perfectly good starting point.
Start with the big picture
We open with the questions that sound the simplest and turn out to be the hardest. They shape every decision that follows, from the headline on your homepage to which button gets the most attention.
How would you describe your business? Try explaining it the way you would to a neighbor.
Do you have a mission statement or philosophy? If you don’t have one, think about why you started and what you refuse to compromise on. That’s usually the real mission, and it makes far better website copy than a formal statement.
What makes you different from your competitors? These are things we want to highlight on your site. It’ll give your customers a good reason to pick your business over others.
What is the goal of this website? More calls? Online bookings? Fewer repetitive questions in your inbox? Credibility when someone Googles you after a referral?
What would make this a success six months after launch? This way we can measure success.
Take stock of what you already have
Next we look at what exists today. Nothing here needs to be perfect. We just need to know what we’re working with so we don’t rebuild something you already own, or lose something you didn’t know mattered.
Your previous website. If you’ve had one, we’ll ask for the domain name, whether you own it, and whether you want to keep it.
We’ll also ask what you liked and disliked about the old site.
Logos and images. Gather whatever you have, even if you’re not attached to it: logo files, product photos, photos of your team or space. Original, high-resolution files are best.
Need a designer or photographer? If your logo feels dated or your photos are mostly phone snapshots, that’s normal. We can connect you with a graphic designer or photographer we trust.
Content questions
Content is where most projects stall. Design can move fast, but it can’t finish without the words and facts that fill it. Getting a head start here is the single best thing you can do to keep your timeline on track.
Hours and address. These seem too obvious to prepare, but we’ll confirm them carefully. Wrong hours on a website send customers to a locked door, and an address that doesn’t match your Google Business Profile can quietly hurt your search ranking. Note any seasonal hours or holiday exceptions too.
Your services. For each one, think through three things:
- What it includes. What does the customer actually get, and what’s not included?
- Pricing. Exact prices, starting-at prices, or “call for a quote” are all fine. Even a price range filters out poor-fit leads and saves you phone time.
- Frequently asked questions. Look at your inbox and call log. The questions you answer every week belong on your website, where they can answer themselves.
Your team. Do you want team members featured, and how many?
Information and pages. Finally, we’ll talk through what must be on the site and which pages you want.
Describe how you want to feel
Branding questions can feel abstract, but they give us the vocabulary to translate your personality into fonts, colors and layout.
Keywords and adjectives. Pick three to five words that describe your brand. “Warm, practical, no-nonsense” leads to a very different site than “sleek, premium, innovative.” It also helps to name a word you don’t want to be. “Not corporate” or “not cutesy” can be just as clarifying.
Style guide and colors. If you have a brand style guide, send it over and we’ll follow it. If not, tell us any colors you already use, colors you love, and colors you’d never want near your business. Screenshots of signage, vehicle wraps or packaging help us stay consistent with how customers already recognize you.
Our portfolio. Before the call, browse the sites we’ve built and note anything that catches your eye: a layout, a photo gallery, the way a menu works. Pointing at something real (“like that, but warmer”) is far easier than describing a design from scratch. Feel free to bring examples from other websites you admire, too.
Know who you’re talking to
How old are they? Are they browsing on their phone between errands, or researching at a desk? Are they in a hurry, comparing options, or already sold and just looking for your number?
It’s also worth asking who your website is not for. If you’d rather not field calls for small one-off jobs, the site can gently steer those visitors elsewhere. The clearer your audience, the sharper every headline, photo and call to action becomes.
Decide what it needs to do
Features. Online booking, a photo gallery, a menu, an events calendar, a quote request form, a newsletter signup, online payments. List anything you’ve seen elsewhere and wished you had. Then mark which ones are must-haves and which are nice-to-haves. That distinction keeps the budget and timeline honest.
Contact form routing. Which email address should form submissions go to? Choose one that someone actually checks every day. A shared address like info@ or office@ is often better than a personal inbox, so leads don’t disappear when someone goes on vacation or leaves the company.
Hosting. If you already have a hosting provider you like, let us know. If you don’t, that’s completely fine. We also provide hosting for a seamless transition from build to online.
Set a realistic timeline
We’ll ask about your deadline. A grand opening, a trade show or a busy season is a hard date we’ll plan backward from. “Sooner is better” is fine too; it just gives us more flexibility.
One honest note: the biggest factor in hitting a deadline is usually how quickly content and feedback come in. If you’ve already gathered your photos, service details and FAQs before the call, you’ve likely shaved weeks off the project.
Your 15-minute prep checklist
You don’t need to answer every question in advance. But if you spend 15 minutes on the list below, our call will be faster, more focused and a lot more fun.
- Write one or two sentences describing your business and what makes it different
- Decide on the website’s number one goal and what success looks like in six months
- Find your domain login and old website address, if you have them
- Gather your logo files and any photos you’d like to use
- List your services, prices and the questions customers ask most
- Confirm your hours and address
- Jot down three to five words that describe your brand
- Browse our portfolio and note what you like
- Describe your ideal customer in a sentence
- Pick the email address for your contact form
- Note your deadline and the reason behind it
A discovery call isn’t a test. It’s the start of a partnership, and the more we understand your business, the better your website will represent it. Bring your questions, we’d love to answer them. That’s exactly what the call is for.
