--- title: "6 things to prepare before you hire a web designer" description: "A short checklist that makes your website project faster, cheaper and closer to what you imagined, whoever you hire." url: https://charbelbuilds.online/blog/prepare-before-hiring-a-web-designer updated: 2026-10-08 --- [Home](https://charbelbuilds.online/) [Blog](https://charbelbuilds.online/blog) Planning a website [Planning a website](https://charbelbuilds.online/blog?category=planning) # 6 things to prepare before you hire a web designer A short checklist that makes your website project faster, cheaper and closer to what you imagined, whoever you hire. **Charbel Morkos** 8 October 2026 2 min read ![A private RSVP dashboard with attendance totals and a guest table](https://charbelbuilds.online/assets/img/work/rsvp-dashboard.webp) **In this article** 1. 1. The one thing the site should do 2. 2. Who your customers are 3. 3. Websites you like, and why 4. 4. Your content 5. 5. A realistic budget and date 6. 6. Who decides The projects that go smoothly have one thing in common: the client knew a few key things before the first call. You don't need to be technical. You need clear answers to six questions. ## 1. The one thing the site should do Get bookings? Sell products? Make people call? Pick the main action. Everything on the site should lead there, and it is the easiest way to judge whether the finished site works. ## 2. Who your customers are Describe your best customer in two sentences: who they are, how they find you and what they worry about before buying. A designer who understands this will make far better decisions. ## 3. Websites you like, and why Collect three to five sites you like, from any industry, with one line on what you like about each. "Clean" or "modern" is hard to act on. "I like how the prices are easy to find" is gold. ## 4. Your content Gather your logo, real photos of your work or place, your services and prices, and answers to the questions customers ask most. Content is the most common reason projects get delayed. ## 5. A realistic budget and date Sharing a budget range isn't a trap. It lets the designer suggest what is possible for that amount instead of guessing. The same goes for a deadline that is tied to something real, like an opening or a season. ## 6. Who decides If a partner or manager needs to approve the design, involve them from the first call. Late feedback from someone new is the biggest cause of extra revisions. Want this done for your business? Tell me what you need. I'll look at your current setup and reply within one working day. [Get started](https://charbelbuilds.online/get-started) ![Charbel Morkos](https://charbelbuilds.online/assets/img/charbel.webp) Written by Charbel Morkos I design, build and manage websites, online stores and business systems for companies in Lebanon. [See my work](https://charbelbuilds.online/work) . [Related case study Wedding RSVP RSVP dashboard](https://charbelbuilds.online/work/wedding-rsvp) ## More from the blog - [Online presence Instagram is not a website: what your business misses without one 2 min read](https://charbelbuilds.online/blog/instagram-is-not-a-website) - [Planning a website What changes the price of a website (and what doesn't) 2 min read](https://charbelbuilds.online/blog/what-changes-the-price-of-a-website) [All posts](https://charbelbuilds.online/blog) --- *charbel.builds is run by Charbel Morkos, a freelance web designer and developer in Lebanon. Email hello@charbelbuilds.online, WhatsApp +961 81 627 526. Facts about the business, with sources: https://charbelbuilds.online/facts.md ยท All pages: https://charbelbuilds.online/llms.txt*