Define the job before the pages
Write down the most important action a visitor should take and the audiences the website must serve. List the questions each audience needs answered before they will enquire, book or buy. This gives the project a useful structure before visual design begins.
Gather the material you already have
Collect your logo files, brand guidelines, existing photographs, service descriptions, team biographies, testimonials and frequently asked questions. Note what is accurate, what needs rewriting and what is missing. Early content visibility prevents layout decisions being based on placeholders.
Plan practical access and ownership
Confirm who controls the domain, hosting, email, analytics and business listings. Keep access under the business owner’s control and provide collaborators with their own accounts where possible. Record renewal dates and avoid sharing permanent passwords in project documents.
Agree how success will be measured
Choose a small set of useful outcomes such as qualified enquiries, bookings, sales or calls. Record the current baseline where possible. A website launch is a starting point, so decide who will review performance, update content and keep the site technically healthy.