Having these elements in place (or at least in process) before our first meeting, will ensure that your website design will flow smoothly and will stay true to your vision.
Site plan
It is very important to have an idea of what pages you will want on your website. This plan can always be modified, but it helps to have a starting point for the design process so that the designer knows the size and layout of the site.
Are you looking for a website that you will be able to edit yourself, or do you want a website that the designer will be maintaining for you? Will you and your employees be maintaining a blog on your site? What other special features would you like to include?
Style Preferences
Clarity with what you are looking for makes it easier for the designer to produce your vision. Start by look for examples of others businesses in your field who have sites that you like, and also branch out into other fields that might just have the visual style you are looking to present. Be sure to pay attention to the overall style, as well as picking out individual colors, fonts and layout. Write down what you like and don’t like about each site so that it is clear what you are attracted to, and what styles to stay away from. Magazine advertisements can also be a good source of inspiration.
Marketing Plan
Know who you are marketing to. Who are you clients? How will you reach them? This will help target a style for your website, and ensure that your marketing plan and design are in harmony.
Have you considered blogging and using social media to connect with your clients? Would you like to integrate these features into your website as well.
Copy (Text of your site)
Your copy is extremely important to your site, and merits a great deal of care in the creation process. Be real, and express who you and your company are in an honest manner. If you create a feeling of trust with your client through sincerity and expertise, you will be more likely to have success through your website, and draw more business in the future.
Create copy that will stand out, stay positive in your message, and be honest about the passion that you have for your business. In the anonymous world of the internet, people are looking for a sense of connection when they explore your site and will be more likely to stay and find out more, if they find that connection.
Photos/Images
Whether you go with professional photos or take them yourself is up to you, but photos will boost the visuals of your site. If you are advertising a product be sure to get clear, well lit photos that show a true representation of your products. The better your photos look, the better your products will sell. If you are able to afford it, professional photography is the way to go, but if you are not ready to hire a professional, be sure to research the best techniques for taking your photos, so that the quality of your product is reflected visually.
If you are just looking for images to complement your site you can also search stock photo sites like: dreamstime.com, vectorstock.com, veer.com, 123rf.com, istockphoto.com.
Domain Name
You will need to purchase a domain name (www.mydomain.com) for your website which represents your business. With luck, you can get your actual business name, but these days there are a lot of domain names that have already been snatched up. Be sure to create a name that is appropriate to your business, memorable, not too long, easy to spell and easy to translate over the phone.
Some business also purchase more than one domain name if they believe that people might get the spelling wrong, or they want to have a monopoly on the different versions of their name. Some examples are americanairlines.com (aa.com) and barnesandnoble.com (bn.com).
Web Hosting
There are tons to choose from, and will depend on what your website needs are. Some examples are: hostmonster.com, register.com, and yahoo! small business web hosting.