Why this matters

A studio can slow a project on its own: planning, estimating, communication, design, development, and testing are their side of the table. But a lot of what a site waits on is a logo file, a photo, or a license number only you have.

Good inputs give the designer real facts and real images to build from, which keeps rework down. Send these five things before day one.

1. Logo and brand files

Send the best approved logo files you have. Vector formats (AI, EPS, or SVG) scale to any size without going soft; a large PNG works if that's all there is. If you have them, also send:

  • Your brand colors, as hex codes if you know them
  • Any fonts tied to your brand
  • Marketing pieces you already use and like

No proper logo yet? Say so up front. A good designer plans for it instead of building a site around a placeholder that gets swapped out later.

2. Real photos of your work

Real photos of your team, equipment, process, and finished jobs do something stock images can't: they prove you exist and do the work. How much they help depends on quality, permission, relevance, and where they land on the page.

Start with plain notes: what you do, who you serve, what's actually different about you, where you work, and how customers reach you. The writer or designer turns approved facts into copy. You don't have to.

Photos worth sending:

  • Several finished projects, with fair before-and-after pairs where you have them
  • Your crew at work, or in branded shirts
  • Your vehicle or equipment, if that's part of how customers recognize you
  • Anything sharp and shot in good light, by a photographer or someone on the crew

3. Complete business information

This is the boring part, and the part that gets skipped. Every page rests on it. Pull together:

  • Your exact legal business name
  • Phone number and email address
  • Your public address if customers visit, or accurate service-area details if they don't
  • Where you really work, and any practical limits
  • Hours of operation
  • License numbers and the state that issued them
  • Insurance language you've approved, and any limits on how it can be worded
  • Years in business
  • Certifications or manufacturer credentials

Keep these identical to your Google Business Profile; the two should never disagree about your name, number, or hours.

4. Content and copy bullets

You don't need to write finished prose. Accurate bullet points are enough to work from. For each service, jot down:

  • What it includes
  • Who it's for
  • What makes your version different or better
  • Any pricing or process details you want customers to know

Add a few approved facts about the business itself: history, ownership, the team, how you approach the work, and the differences you can back up. That becomes the About page.

5. Examples of sites you like

"Make it professional and modern" means something different to everyone in the room. A few specific sites do more for the designer than a paragraph of adjectives.

They don't have to be in your industry. Point at the exact element you like: the header, the color approach, the typography, the navigation, the service layout. References shorten the conversation. They won't guarantee fewer revision rounds, and a designer who claims otherwise is telling you what you want to hear.

Send all of this and the project starts with a build instead of a scavenger hunt. It's also most of what we need for a free homepage preview before anything gets billed. For how it shapes the schedule, read how long a small business website takes.