The Best Projects Start Before the First Meeting
Most website projects that run long don’t stall because of design or development. They stall waiting on things: logins, photos, page content, decisions.
A little preparation before kickoff makes a big difference. The project moves faster, the budget stays predictable, and the finished site reflects your organization better.
Here’s what I ask clients to gather before we start a redesign.
1. Your Goals (in Plain Language)
Before talking about colors or layouts, think about what the website needs to do. A few questions to answer:
- What’s the main thing you want visitors to do? Call, book, donate, apply, buy?
- Who are your most important visitors?
- What’s not working on your current website?
- How will you know the new website is a success?
You don’t need polished answers. Honest notes are perfect.
2. Access to Your Accounts
- Your domain registrar login
- Your hosting account login
- Your current website admin login
- Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and Google Business Profile access
- Any connected tools, like your email marketing platform, CRM, or booking system
If you can’t find some of these, that’s okay — but start looking now. Recovering accounts can take time. (I wrote more about this in Who Owns Your Website?)
3. Content: What Stays, What Goes, What’s New
Content is usually the biggest factor in a project’s timeline. Go through your current site and sort pages into three groups:
- Keep — still accurate and useful
- Update — the right idea, but outdated
- Remove — no longer relevant
Then list any new pages you need, like a new service, a team page, or an FAQ. If writing isn’t your strength, that’s fine — content support can be part of the project. It just needs to be planned.
4. Photos and Brand Assets
- Your logo in high-resolution formats (ideally a vector file)
- Brand colors and fonts, if you have them
- Photos of your team, location, work, and community
- Testimonials or quotes from clients, donors, or partners
Real photos of your people and work almost always outperform stock photography. If you don’t have them yet, consider scheduling a photo session early in the project.
5. Websites You Like (and Don’t)
Share a few websites you admire — they don’t need to be in your industry. Note what you like about each one: the layout, the tone, how easy it is to find information.
Sites you dislike are just as helpful. Knowing what to avoid saves time.
6. Decision-Makers and Timeline
- Who gives feedback, and who gives final approval?
- Are there dates the site needs to be live for, like an event, campaign, or fundraising season?
- Who on your team will update the website after launch?
Clear roles prevent the “one more round of changes” cycle that drags projects out.
Final Thoughts
You don’t need everything perfect before a project starts. But the more of this you gather upfront, the more time we can spend on the work that matters — strategy, design, and a website that actually helps your organization.
If you’re planning a redesign, book a free strategy call. We’ll talk through your goals and what a custom WordPress website could look like for you.
