The short answer: Before starting, roughly clarify four points: what the website should achieve, which pages it needs, which content already exists and what budget is available.
We discuss everything else in the free initial consultation. You don’t need to have chosen a package yet.
Step 1: Define your goals
Before it’s about colours and pages, there is a simple question: what should your website achieve? The answer determines structure, content and features.
Typical goals of small businesses are:
- more enquiries via the contact form or by phone
- appointment bookings directly through the website
- a professional presence that builds trust with new customers
- better visibility on Google in your region
- fewer recurring questions on the phone
Also think about who you want to reach: private customers or businesses, people in Munich or customers throughout Germany? A clear target group makes it easier to choose the right content and search terms.
Put your most important goal into one sentence, for example: “Customers from Munich should be able to request a consultation directly via the website.” This sentence will help you make decisions throughout the project.
Step 2: Plan the number of pages
Next, think about which pages your website needs. This structure has proven itself for many local businesses:
| Page | Content |
|---|---|
| Home | overview of your offer, key benefits and a direct way to get in touch |
| Services | separate pages for your most important services |
| About us | who is behind the business and how you work |
| Projects | examples of your work – only with your clients’ consent |
| Contact | form, phone number, address and availability |
| Legal notice and privacy | legally required information |
Separate pages for individual services have an advantage: each page can be tailored to one service and matching search terms. If you only offer one service, a one-page website with all information arranged one below the other is often enough.
For orientation: my Starter package includes a one-page website, the Business package up to 5 pages and the Premium package up to 15 pages. I explain what the packages include in the guide How much does a website cost for a small business?
Step 3: Collect content
Content is where website projects most often stall. It’s therefore worth collecting early what already exists. Nothing has to be finished yet.
- Logo – ideally as a vector file (SVG, PDF or EPS), otherwise in the highest possible resolution
- Copy about your services, your business and how you work – bullet points are enough to start with
- Photos of yourself, your team, your premises or your work
- Contact details, opening or office hours and your service area
- Customer testimonials or project examples that you are allowed to publish
- Information for the legal notice, for example legal form and register entry
- Frequent customer questions that the website should answer
You can provide the copy yourself or have me write it on request. When it comes to images: your own photos usually look more credible than stock photos. Make sure you are allowed to use every image on your website.
Step 4: Choose the features
Think about what visitors should do on your website. The features follow from that. Distinguish between what’s needed for the launch and what can follow later.
- contact form and Google Maps
- appointment booking or appointment request
- WhatsApp chat or AI chatbot for frequent questions
- price calculator or configurator
- an area where you can edit content yourself
- multiple languages
Not every feature has to be implemented right away. It often makes sense to start with the most important features and expand the website later.
Step 5: Clarify budget and timeframe
A rough budget helps to find realistic solutions in the initial consultation. Don’t just plan for building the website, but also for the ongoing costs of domain and hosting as well as possible costs for images, copy or maintenance.
The timeframe should also be clear early on. How long a project takes depends on its scope and on when copy, images and your feedback are available. We agree on the schedule before the project starts. If there is a fixed date, such as an opening or a trade fair, it’s best to mention it in the first conversation.
Step 6: Check domain, hosting and access
If you already have a domain or a website, clarify a few technical points in advance:
- Which provider is your domain registered with, and do you have access to the customer account?
- Do your email inboxes run through the same provider? They should keep working during a switch.
- Which content from the previous website should be carried over?
- Are there pages that rank well on Google? Their addresses should be redirected to the new pages after a relaunch.
If you don’t have a domain yet, we’ll discuss together which address and which hosting suit your project. You purchase domain and hosting yourself so that both are in your name.
Don’t send passwords by email unprompted. We’ll discuss how to exchange the required access securely during the project.
Step 7: Collect examples
Note down two or three websites you like – and also some you don’t. The reasoning is more important than the address: do you like the colours, the imagery, the clarity or a particular feature?
Also look at your competitors’ websites. What do they do well, what’s missing? This shows you how you can stand out. You’ll find inspiration for different industries in my design examples.
Questions for the initial consultation
In the initial consultation, we get to know each other and clarify what your website should do. These are the questions I typically ask you:
- What does your business offer, and who are your customers?
- What is the most important goal of your website?
- Which pages and features do you need?
- Which content already exists?
- Is there a preferred date for going live?
You should ask your web designer these questions – no matter who you work with:
- Do I own the finished website, and can I take it with me if I switch?
- Which one-off and ongoing costs should I expect?
- How does the coordination work, and how many feedback rounds are planned?
- Can I change content myself later, or will you take care of it?
- How are SEO fundamentals and security taken into account?
- What support will I get after launch?
What happens after the initial consultation
At MyFortiPage, a project runs in three steps:
- Consultation & quote: We discuss your business, your goals and the features you need. Afterwards, you receive a binding quote with clearly defined services.
- Design & development: I design and develop your website. You receive a first draft, give feedback, and we coordinate content and design together.
- Review & launch: I check the display, features and technical SEO fundamentals. After your approval, the website goes live.
The initial consultation is free and non-binding. We talk by phone, video or email.