How to write down what you want before getting a website
Writing down what you want before getting a website takes one page, not a technical document. A good brief says what the site must do, what would be nice, which sites you like and why, what you do not want, when you need it and what you can spend. With that page in hand, every web designer, builder or service you talk to is quoting the same job, and you can tell quickly who listened.
Why a written brief saves you money
When an owner says "I just need a simple website", one designer hears five pages and a contact form, another hears a store with fifty products. The quotes come back thousands of dollars apart and nobody can say why. A written brief fixes that. It also protects you later: if the finished site is missing something you asked for, the page shows you asked.
It does not need special words. Designers are used to owners who say "the bit at the top" instead of "header". Plain is better than vague jargon you are unsure of.
The one-page brief, section by section
Use these headings in a document or on paper. Keep each section to a few lines.
1. About the business, in three sentences
What you do, where, and for whom. "We are a two-person HVAC company in Toledo. We install and repair furnaces and air conditioners for homeowners. Most of our work is repair calls in winter and summer."
2. The one job the website must do
Choose one. "Get people to call us for repairs." "Get people to book a haircut online." "Get event planners to request a catering quote." A website that tries to do five jobs equally does none of them well.
3. Must-haves
The things you would refuse the site without. Write them as a short list. Typical ones:
- Phone number at the top of every page that can be tapped to call
- A contact form that sends to a named email address
- A page for each of our main services: list them
- The towns we serve, written out
- Our reviews and our license number
- Works well on phones
- I can change hours and prices myself, without calling anyone
4. Nice-to-haves
Things you would like if the budget allows: online booking, a photo gallery that you can add to, a Spanish version, a page for job openings. Keeping these separate from the must-haves lets a provider quote both, so you can drop extras without losing the core.
5. Sites you like, and what you like about each
List two or three websites, from any trade or any town, and one sentence about each: "I like how this one shows the price list right on the first page." "I like the big photos on this one but it is too hard to find the phone number." The sentence matters more than the link. "I like this site" tells a designer almost nothing.
6. What you do not want
Owners are often clearer about this than about wants, and it is just as useful. "No music. No pop-ups. No photos of people who don't work here. Nothing that needs me to log in every week."
7. What you already have
Your logo, your photos, your current website address, your domain and where it is registered, your business email and who provides it. Say which of these must stay. If you have a domain and email already, say so plainly; changing a website without care can stop your email, which is explained in MX records and why a website change can break email.
8. Timing
The date you need it live and the reason. Also any dates you are unavailable, such as your busy season, when you will not have time to answer questions.
9. Budget, up front and per year
Two numbers: what you can pay to get it built, and what you can pay every year to keep it running and changed. Many providers price low up front and make it back monthly, so the second number matters.
10. Who decides
If you and a partner both need to approve the design, say so. It changes how long things take.
A short example
Here is what a complete brief can look like for a small business. Yours can be this short.
"Martinez Lawn Care, mowing and yard cleanup in Mesa and Gilbert, mostly for homeowners and some rentals. The site's job: get people to request a quote. Must-haves: phone at the top, a quote form asking for address and yard size, our three services with what's included, towns we serve, our Google reviews, works on phones, I can change prices myself. Nice-to-have: Spanish version. Sites I like: one with before-and-after photos side by side. Do not want: stock photos, a blog. We have a logo and about forty photos on my phone. Domain is on GoDaddy, email is Gmail. Need it before March. Budget: [your numbers]. My wife and I both decide."
Mistakes that make a brief less useful
- Describing a design instead of a result. "Blue background with a slider" is a design. "Customers should see we're local and call us" is a result. Give the result and let the designer suggest the design.
- Asking for every feature you have ever seen. Each one adds cost and upkeep.
- Leaving out the yearly budget. You will get quotes you cannot keep paying.
- Forgetting what the site must not break, like email or an address that is printed on your trucks.
- Not saying who will update it. That decides which kind of site suits you. Who should update your website helps you decide before you brief anyone.
How to use the brief once it is written
Send the same brief to everyone you ask. When a reply comes back, check it against your must-haves line by line. A good provider will answer each one, ask about the things you were unsure of, and may suggest dropping something. A provider who replies with a package price and no mention of your list probably did not read it.
Keep the brief after the site is built. When the draft arrives, go through the must-haves again before you approve anything.
What to do this week
- Write sections 1 and 2 today. They take ten minutes and shape everything else.
- Make your must-have list, then cut it down.
- Find two sites you like and write one sentence about each.
- Check where your domain and email are, and note any logins you have lost.
- Write down both budget numbers, even if they are rough.
With the brief written, you can also see a first website for your business and check it against your must-have list, which is a quick way to find out what you really care about.