Before You Hire a Website Designer: 5 Things to Have Ready
The fastest way to blow your website design budget? Show up to your first designer call with nothing ready.
No brand clarity. No content. No idea what you actually want the site to do. Just vibes and a Pinterest board.
I've seen it happen. The project drags, the revisions pile up, and what should have been an exciting process turns into a months-long back-and-forth that costs more than it should have.
Here's the thing: a little preparation before you hire a website designer changes everything. Not just for the designer — for you. You'll get a site that actually reflects where you are in your business right now, on a timeline that doesn't make you want to quit.
These are the five things worth having sorted before your first call.
1. Know Who You Are as a Brand
Not in a vague, "I help people transform their lives" way. Specifically. Your ideal client, your visual direction, what makes you different from the five other coaches in your niche.
Your designer can't invent your brand identity — they can only build on one. If you walk in without this clarity, you'll spend the first third of your project figuring it out on the clock.
If you need help getting there first, Branding Made Simple is built for exactly this moment — an affordable way to define your visuals and voice before a full website build.
2. Know What You Want the Site to Do
A website that's "just pretty" is a missed opportunity. Before you talk to anyone, write down three to five specific goals. Do you want people to book a discovery call? Join your email list? Buy a course?
Those goals drive every design decision — the page structure, the calls-to-action, what goes above the fold. When your designer knows what the site is supposed to accomplish, they can build it to actually do that.
3. Have Your Budget Ready — and Say It Out Loud
Nothing slows a project down like a budget conversation that should have happened on day one. Design pricing varies widely based on scope, timeline, and what's included. Know your number and share it early.
It's also worth factoring in the things that often get forgotten: professional photography, copywriting, SEO. If you need ongoing support after launch, The Styled Subscription is how my clients keep everything looking polished without it becoming another full-time job.
4. Gather Your Content Before You Think You Need It
This one stops more projects cold than anything else. Your designer cannot build your website without your words, images, and testimonials — and waiting until the design is "done" to write your copy means starting over.
Get your content drafted before your project begins. If writing your own website copy feels impossible, Website Copy Done in a Weekend walks you through your Home, About, Services, and Contact pages without the spiral.
5. Research the Right Designer — Not Just Any Designer
Portfolios matter. Process matters. But so does whether you actually want to spend several weeks communicating with this person.
Before you book a call, look at their work. Read their client testimonials. Get a feel for how they communicate. The best design outcome happens when you trust the person you're working with — and that's not something to figure out mid-project.
Come Prepared, Get a Better Site
Designers do their best work when clients show up ready. That means less time spent backtracking, fewer revision rounds, and a final site that actually fits your business — not a version of what you think you wanted three months ago.
If you're getting close to ready and want to see if we're a good fit, grab the Ready, Set…Design Guide first — it's free and walks you through exactly what to pull together before our first call.
Then let's talk. Book a discovery call →
