You just booked your design project for your business. Congratulations! This is a very exciting step! But now you are wondering what you should be doing leading up to your start date and how to prepare for your upcoming design project. 

I’m going to make this super easy on you by giving you a quick checklist to make sure you are prepared so you and your designer can keep everything running smoothly and on schedule. 

Here are a few things to set up and prepare before your upcoming design project:

Buy your domain and set up your Showit account

Google domains or Go Daddy are great options for purchasing a domain. You can also set up your Showit and purchase the package that works for you. Typically, I suggest buying the Showit + Basic Blog option. 

Book a brand photoshoot

High-quality photography that encompasses your brand will make a HUGE improvement in the overall appearance of your website as well as your brand presence going forward. Having professional photos that are on-brand can make or break a first impression to site visitors, this should be a non-negotiable for you! 

Work with a skilled copywriter

Clear, well-written copy can make a world of difference on your site and sets the tone that will be carried through the rest of your brand experience and touchpoints. Strong copy is a component of a great website that converts. 

Get clear on your goals for the project

One of the big things to make sure your project is a success is to know what a win will look like for you and your business as well as what your goals are for the project. I highly suggest sitting down and really thinking through this. 

Get clear on your ideal client

It is also important to have an idea of who you are wanting to reach, which will play a big role in the strategic design we create, making sure it is speaking to the people you want to reach. This step is huge for both your design as well as your copy.

Gather ideas for your vision & create a Pinterest board

This should be a fun, easy exercise! Create a Pinterest board, saving all the inspiration and vision you have for your brand look and feel. Obviously, this will evolve over time, but creating this board will give your designer, a great starting point for what you are visualizing. Save anything and everything that inspires you. This can include things like logo examples and website layouts or just simply inspiring vibe photos. The sky is the limit! This will is a great way for you to think about your vision. Have fun!  

Make sure you know how to give valuable feedback

This is HUGE! Rude comments aren’t helpful for the design process. Your designer is human too — respect is non-negotiable. Feedback is a necessary part of the process but it is critical that you know how to provide it so that it benefits both parties. Be specific about things you like and don’t like. “I don’t like it” without any further commentary makes it challenging for us to come to a solution. Make sure to also provide examples if you aren’t sure how to communicate your vision. I know you are not a designer so seeing examples can be helpful in understanding your vision. And make sure to keep your feedback balanced, it’s great to hear what you like along with what you would like altered.