You do not need a finished brand manual or perfect copy to begin a website conversation. You do need enough context to agree what the website should do and what work the project will require.

Ready to start? Open the editable website brief (plain text), save a copy, and use the questions below to fill it in.

Explain the business in ordinary language.

Describe your services, the customers you want to reach, and the questions they ask before working with you. Include your current website if one exists and explain what you want to improve.

A specific concern—such as visitors struggling to distinguish two services—is more useful than a broad instruction to make the site premium.

Gather the material you already have.

Bring your logo files, service descriptions, approved project examples, available images, and any content that must be retained. Mark missing material rather than filling the gaps with unverified claims.

For each item, identify who can confirm that it is accurate and approved for use. This helps the project avoid delays when a page is ready but its supporting material is not.

Describe the required actions.

List what visitors should be able to do: send an enquiry, book through an existing tool, download a resource, or read articles. Explain any systems that must connect to the site.

Also explain who needs to edit content after launch. The right handoff depends on whether you want to make updates yourself or arrange ongoing support.

Agree responsibilities before production.

The proposal should make these decisions explicit:

  • Page types, features, and agreed deliverables.
  • Who writes, supplies, and approves content.
  • Feedback stages and revision rounds.
  • Hosting, domain access, and recurring costs.
  • File delivery, access, ownership, and third-party licences.
  • Launch checks and any support after launch.

These details define the scope; they should not be assumed from a starting price.

Finish with priorities.

Separate what is needed for launch from what could follow later. Share your target timing and any fixed dependency, such as an event or a new service announcement.

A clear brief helps both sides discuss the work, estimate its scope and cost, and decide whether the engagement is a good fit.

Use a blank project brief

Open the editable website brief template (plain text). Save a copy and fill in what you know. Mark unknowns for discussion rather than guessing the scope.

The template covers your audience, page priorities, content, functionality, responsibilities, and timing. Nothing you write in your saved copy is sent to the studio automatically.