The most expensive moment in a website project is when, halfway through, someone says “actually, we wanted something else.” The nine questions in this post are the ones to ask yourself before asking for a quote. You do not have to answer all of them with certainty, but even knowing which ones you cannot answer shortens the process.
1. Who is the site for?
“Everyone” is not the right answer. Who will visit your site most: new customers, existing customers, or someone who heard about you somewhere and is researching? A villa rental site and an industrial company’s corporate site do not speak to the same visitor. Defining the visitor makes every decision easier, from page structure to the tone of the copy.
2. What do you want the visitor to do?
Every site needs one main goal: search, fill in a quote form, write on WhatsApp, buy a product, make a reservation. Write this goal in one sentence. It will also be the designer’s first question.
3. Do you have the content ready?
Copy, photos, product information, references… The place projects are delayed most often is not design but content. Know in advance what you have and what needs to be written or shot. If you want content support, say so at the quote stage; it changes the scope.
4. Who will update the site?
After launch, new products, new listings or a new announcement will need to be added. Will you do it yourself, or ask your agency? The answer decides what the admin panel should look like.
5. Which features are really needed?
Reservation calendar, multiple languages, online payment, membership system, listing management… Every feature is a cost and a maintenance burden. Split your list into “must have” and “can be added later”. A good agency will suggest keeping the first version small.
6. What is your budget range?
Stating your budget does not weaken your hand in negotiation; on the contrary, it filters out quotes that do not suit you from the start. The same need can be solved in different ways with different budgets. A team that knows the range can suggest the best solution within it.
7. When does it need to be live?
Is there a season opening, a trade fair or a campaign date? Say the schedule up front and plan backwards. On a tight schedule, narrowing the scope is always better than lowering the quality.
8. Who will own the domain and hosting?
Whose name is your domain registered in? Who will manage the hosting? Where will backups be kept? These sound like technical details, but they are the first questions asked when things go wrong. Make sure the domain is registered in your own name.
9. How will you measure success?
“Make it look good” is not a goal. More quote forms, more phone calls, more reservations, lower ad cost… If you decide what to measure, you can also see whether the site is working.
With the answers to these questions, we can offer a client a clear scope and a clear quote at the first meeting. If your answers are not ready yet, that is fine: let’s work them out together.