Before you hire a web designer, have a clear goal for the site, access to your domain and hosting accounts, manager access to your Google Business Profile, your logo files, any photos you already have, your service details, a budget range and one person who can approve decisions. You don’t need everything on day one, but missing logins and content are the most common reason website projects stall.
Most website projects don’t get stuck on design. They get stuck waiting. Waiting for a domain login nobody can find, for photos that are “on the other phone,” for someone to approve the services page. None of this is hard, it just takes longer than people expect. Here’s what I ask clients to pull together, roughly in the order it matters. If you’re still working out what the site needs to do, start with my website brief guide first. This post is about the practical stuff.
One sentence on what the site is for
Before anything else, finish this sentence: “The website should get more people to…” Request a quote, book an appointment, call the shop, buy a product. One main action. It decides what goes at the top of every page, and it’s how we’ll judge whether the site is working after launch.
Domain and hosting logins
Find out where your domain is registered and make sure you can log in to that account yourself. If someone else registered it for you years ago, now is the time to get it into your name. Do the same for your current hosting. Also tell me where your email runs if it uses your domain. Careless DNS changes can break email, so I want to know before touching anything. Please don’t email passwords. Where the provider allows it, add me as a user or delegate. Otherwise we’ll use a password manager share, and you change the password after launch.
Google Business Profile access
If you serve local customers, your Business Profile matters as much as the site. Add your web designer as a manager from the profile settings instead of sharing your Google password. You stay the owner and can remove access any time. If you can’t find who owns the profile, sort that out early. Recovering ownership can take a while.
Analytics and Search Console
If your current site has Google Analytics or Search Console set up, grant access to both. They show which pages people actually find and use, which matters when we decide what to keep. If neither exists, that’s fine. We can set them up before launch.
Logo and brand files
Send the best version of your logo you have. A vector file (SVG, AI, EPS or a PDF from your designer) is ideal because it stays sharp at any size. A small JPG pulled off Facebook usually isn’t enough. If you have brand colours or fonts from an old print job, include those too.
Photos
Gather what you already have: finished jobs, your team, your shop or vehicles, before and after shots. Don’t worry about quality yet, just collect them in one folder and I’ll tell you what’s usable. Photos are decided per project. Your own photos might cover it. Good phone shots of real work often do the job. If the site needs more than that, a professional photo or film shoot is available and quoted separately, so you know the cost before deciding.
Your service details
List every service you want on the site, the area you cover, and anything you don’t do. Then write down the questions customers ask on the phone before they book. Those questions are the best website content there is, and you already know them. Add real reviews or testimonials you have permission to use. If you want me to write the copy, this list is still the starting point. Nobody knows your business better than you.
Budget, timing and one decision maker
Have a budget range in mind. It lets us talk about what fits instead of guessing. With me, landing pages start at $1,500 and business websites are $3,900 to $4,900 CAD plus applicable GST/HST. If there’s a real deadline, like a launch or a busy season, say so up front. And pick one person who can approve design and copy. Projects with three approvers who disagree drag on for weeks.
The checklist
| Item | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Main goal for the site | Decides layout, copy and what we measure |
| Domain registrar login | Needed to point the domain at the new site |
| Hosting and email details | Avoids breaking email at launch |
| Business Profile manager access | Keeps your listing and site consistent |
| Analytics and Search Console access | Shows which existing pages to protect |
| Logo files | Sharp branding on every screen |
| Photos you already have | Tells us whether a shoot is needed |
| Services, area and customer questions | The raw material for the copy |
| Budget range and deadline | Sets a realistic scope |
| One approver | Keeps decisions moving |
What you don’t need yet
You don’t need a sitemap, wireframes, a colour palette or a list of plugins. You don’t need finished copy. You don’t even need to know whether you want a landing page or a full site. That’s my job to work out with you. If you’ve got the logins and a rough idea of the goal, you’re ready to talk. See how I build websites for businesses across Canada, check the packages, or book a free call.
Common questions
Do I need all of this before our first call?
No. Bring your current website if you have one and a rough idea of the goal. We work out the rest together, and I send a list of what I need once the scope is agreed.
Should I give my web designer my domain password?
Avoid it where you can. Many registrars let you add a user or delegate access. If not, share it through a password manager and change it after launch. The account itself should stay in your name.
What if I do not have good photos?
Start with what you have and I will tell you what is usable. Careful phone shots of real work often work well. If the job needs more, a professional photo or film shoot is available and quoted separately.
How do I give someone access to my Google Business Profile?
Add them as a manager from your profile settings. You stay the owner and can remove their access later. Do not share your Google account password.
What if I do not know who registered my domain?
Run a domain lookup (often called a WHOIS or registration data lookup) to see the registrar, then search your old email for renewal notices from that company. Once you know the registrar, you can recover the account or request a transfer.
Official guidance
For the platform rules and technical guidance behind this topic:
Working from Lake Country. On location in Kelowna, West Kelowna, Vernon, and Penticton.