decision-maker. The single strongest predictor of a project that finishes on time and performs well — more than budget, more than timeline, more than the studio you pick.
What a studio actually needs
Not page counts and colour preferences. Those follow. Supply these first:
The commercial goal, stated as a number
"More enquiries" is not a goal. "We get 20 enquiries a month and need 40, at roughly the same quality" is. It tells the studio what to optimise and gives both sides a definition of success that cannot be argued about later.
Who is buying, and what stops them
The objections your salespeople hear every week are the raw material for the entire site. If customers always ask about delivery times, that belongs above the fold — not in an FAQ at the bottom.
What currently works
If a page, a phrase or an offer already converts, say so. Rebuilding away a working element is a common and entirely avoidable loss.
Constraints that are real
Brand rules you cannot break, regulatory language you must include, systems the site must integrate with, a date that genuinely matters. Late-discovered constraints are the main cause of rework.
What to leave to the studio
Briefs that specify solutions get solutions rather than results:
- Layout and where elements sit — describe the priority, not the position.
- Technology choices, unless you have a genuine constraint.
- Exact wording, unless it is legally required.
- Page count. It should follow from what needs saying.
A useful test: if your brief could be handed to three studios and produce three genuinely different approaches, it is a good brief. If it could only produce three versions of the same thing, you have written a spec and paid for opinions you will not get.
Five questions to ask before signing
- What would you change about my current site first, and why? Tests whether they looked.
- What could make this project fail? An honest answer names client-side risks too — late content, slow approvals.
- Who writes the copy? The most commonly unassigned task, and the one that most affects results.
- What happens in the month after launch? Reveals whether support is included or an upsell.
- Show me something that underperformed and what you did. Everyone has one. Studios that claim otherwise are not measuring.
During the project
Two habits keep projects on track: consolidate feedback into one document per round rather than sending reactions as they occur, and explain the reason behind each request. "Make the logo bigger" is a solution; "clients say they cannot tell who we are quickly enough" is a problem a designer can solve properly — possibly without touching the logo at all.
Frequently asked
How long should a brief be?
Two pages is plenty. Clarity matters far more than volume — a precise page beats a vague ten.
Should I include design references?
Yes, and say what you like about each one specifically. "Clean like this" is unusable; "I like how this one states the price immediately" is directly actionable.
What if I do not know what I want?
Say so. That is a legitimate starting point and a good studio will run discovery. What causes trouble is pretending to have decided and changing direction mid-build.
Who should be involved on my side?
One decision-maker, named in advance. Projects reviewed by committee take far longer and converge on the least objectionable option rather than the most effective one.
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