Preparing a Website Project: What to Sort Out Before the First Call
Key takeaways
- A website project almost never runs late because of the coding — it runs late because content is missing.
- The site's goal fits in one sentence; if you can't write it, you're building blind.
- Example sites only help with a reason attached: what exactly you like about them.
- One person makes the decisions. Committee sign-off stretches every project.
- Bullet points instead of finished copy are enough — but they have to come from you.
When a website project takes longer than planned, it's rarely the development. Code is the predictable part.
What actually holds a project up is three things: copy that doesn't arrive, photos that don't exist, and decisions nobody makes.
Every week of waiting is a week your new site isn't bringing in enquiries. And every round where the direction shifts costs money. The good news: an hour of preparation avoids most of it.
Contents
The goal in one sentence
Start here, because everything else depends on it.
What should a visitor do once they've opened your site? Not "find out more" — something concrete. Call you. Send an enquiry. Book an appointment. Come into the shop.
If you can write that sentence, the structure of the site almost designs itself. Every section then serves one purpose: moving the visitor closer to that one action.
If you can't, you're building blind. The result is a site that looks nice and achieves nothing.
A usable example: "Local contractors should call me when they need a tiler for period properties." It contains everything — audience, location, service, the action you want.
Sort out access
The dullest point, and the one where projects stall most often.
The domain. Is there one already? Who is it registered to, and do you have the login? If it's in a former provider's name, sort that now — not the week before launch.
Existing website. If there is one: where is it hosted, and can you get in? Which content should carry over?
Google Business Profile. If you have one: who has access?
Email. Does your business address run through the domain? Then it's tied to the move.
If you hit surprises here, the article on missing access credentials sets out the order to work in.
Copy — or at least bullet points
This is the single biggest cause of delay.
You don't have to write finished copy. Bullet points are entirely enough. But they have to come from you, because nobody knows your business the way you do.
Answer these for yourself:
- What exactly do you offer? Not everything — what you actually want to earn money from.
- For whom? Who's your typical customer?
- What sets you apart? Honestly — not "quality and reliability", everyone says that.
- Which questions do customers ask again and again on the phone?
That last one is gold. The answers become the most valuable part of the site, because they contain exactly what people genuinely want to know.
The finished copy grows out of your notes. Without them, every line stays generic.
Real photos
Everyone recognises stock photos. The smiling team in the glass office, the handshake, hands over a keyboard.
What works instead: you, your work, your workshop, your results. A well-lit smartphone photo beats any stock image because it's real.
What to gather beforehand:
- A portrait of you, ideally several to choose from
- Photos of your work, before and after if possible
- Where relevant: premises, vehicles, tools
Mind the rights on photos taken by others. Whoever took a picture holds the copyright — including the one a friend snapped for you. What can go wrong legally with other people's images and stock photos is covered in the article on image rights and warning letters.
A logo in the right format
A small JPG pulled from an email signature won't do. It turns blurry as soon as it's shown larger.
What's needed is a vector file — SVG, EPS, AI or PDF. If a designer made your logo, ask them for it. If you don't have one, that's fine too: a cleanly set wordmark is enough to start.
Examples — with a reason
Many clients send links to sites they like. That helps, but only halfway.
A link without explanation leaves the developer guessing. Is it the colour? The typeface? How prices are shown? That you can call straight away? Often it's something quite different from what the developer assumes.
Write one sentence per example: what exactly you like about it. And add a counter-example — what you definitely don't want. That often narrows things faster than ten positive examples.
One person decides
This is the point almost nobody raises, and the one that most reliably stretches projects.
If every design round goes past three partners, a spouse and a sister-in-law, you don't get a better site. You get a site that offends nobody — and after every round, new wishes that contradict each other.
Settle it upfront: who gives final sign-off? That person can ask others. But they decide, and their word stands.
Details for the legal notice
A German business site needs an Impressum, and you'll need the details for it anyway.
- Full name or company name and legal form
- A postal address where you can be served
- Contact: phone and email
- Depending on your case: commercial register, VAT ID, supervisory authority, professional body
What exactly applies to you is covered in the article on Impressum and GDPR.
Settle the rights upfront
One paragraph in the proposal saves a lot of trouble later: who owns the domain, the code and the content? Do you get the source code? What may the developer reuse?
It feels unnecessary at the start, when everyone's being friendly. That's exactly why it's the right moment. What belongs in that paragraph is covered separately.
What you don't need to prepare
Just as important: what not to spend time on.
Colours and fonts. If you have no brand guidelines, the developer proposes something. You react to it — that's faster than deciding in advance.
Technology. Which system, which host, which language — that isn't your job.
The perfect page structure. Rough is fine. It gets refined together.
Finished copy. Bullet points are enough, as above.
The checklist
| What | Why |
|---|---|
| The site's goal in one sentence | Shapes the whole structure |
| Access to the domain | The most common blocker before launch |
| Notes on your offer and customers | The basis for all copy |
| Frequent customer questions | Become the most valuable part of the site |
| Real photos | More credible than stock images |
| Logo as a vector file | Stays sharp at any size |
| Examples with a reason | Prevents misunderstandings |
| Who decides | Prevents endless sign-off rounds |
| Legal notice details | Required, needed anyway |
With this list a project starts quickly and finishes on schedule. How long each phase realistically takes is in the article on project duration. How good preparation affects the price is in the cost breakdown.
If you're still weighing whether you need a developer at all or a builder will do, there's an honest comparison.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to write the copy myself? Not the finished copy, but the substance. Bullet points are enough. Nobody knows your business like you do, and without your input every line stays generic.
Are smartphone photos good enough? Yes, if they're well lit and sharp. A real photo of your work is more credible than any stock image.
What if I don't have a logo? A cleanly set wordmark is enough to start. A logo can be added later without rebuilding the site.
Why should only one person decide? Because every extra opinion brings new wishes that often contradict each other. The deciding person can consult others, but their word has to stand — otherwise the project goes round in circles.
How long does the preparation take? Usually one to two hours, spread over a few days. You win that time back several times over during the project.
Can I start without this preparation? Yes, but it'll take longer and often cost more. Whatever's missing upfront has to be caught up during the project — with waiting in between.
In short
A website project is rarely slow because of the code. It's slow because of missing copy, missing photos and missing decisions.
Put the goal in one sentence, gather notes and real photos, sort out access and decide who signs off. That turns a sluggish project into a quick one.