The website planner

The twelve questions

1. 01

   What does the business do, in one or two sentences?

   Write it the way you'd explain it to a new customer on the phone. Your words become the starting point for the home page.

2. 02

   Who are your customers, and where are they?

   Name the towns, regions or countries you serve, and the kind of person or business that buys from you. This decides which searches each page is written for.

3. 03

   What should a visitor do next (call, fill in a form, book or buy)?

   Pick one main action. Every page leads to it, and the button or contact form is set up for it. If it's booking or paying online, say so, because bookings and payments are quoted separately.

4. 04

   Which three to six pages do you think you need?

   Home, services, about and contact is a common start. If you're unsure, list what you'd want a customer to read and I'll suggest the pages.

5. 05

   What do customers ask most often before they buy?

   These usually become a questions section, which answers a visitor's doubts before they have to get in touch.

6. 06

   Why do people choose you over the alternatives? Give a real example if you can.

   A specific example works better than a general claim. "We fitted a kitchen in four days" says more than "fast and reliable".

7. 07

   Do you have reviews, results or named clients I can quote?

   Send links to your Google reviews, or copies of messages from happy clients. I quote only what you can show me, word for word.

8. 08

   Which three websites do you like, and what do you like about each?

   They don't need to be in your trade. Say what you like about each, such as the colours, the layout or how quickly it gets to the point.

9. 09

   Do you have a logo, brand colours and photographs? Send what you have.

   Send the largest files you have. If you have no photographs yet, say so. The site can launch with fewer images. Photographs added after launch count as a change, which is included in the monthly plan and charged by the hour without it.

10. 10

    Do you own a domain name, and who is it registered with?

    If you're not sure, tell me the address you use for email and I'll find out. The domain will be in your name either way.

11. 11

    Which email address should enquiries go to?

    This is where the contact form sends messages. A shared address such as hello@yourbusiness.co.uk works well if more than one person replies.

12. 12

    Is there anything the site must show for legal or trade reasons, such as a registration number or an accreditation?

    It might be a company number, a VAT number, a regulator's registration or a trade body membership. If you're not sure, tell me your trade and I'll check what similar businesses show.

When you have your answers, send them with the form below or by email. If the fixed price fits, the ten working days start from the day I received them. Back to the website offer→