The first conversation with a creative studio shapes everything that follows: the quote, the timeline and, in the end, the work. You don't need a forty-page document to make that conversation count. You need answers to a handful of questions. Here's what we ask every new client, and why each one matters.
What do you want to be different?
Start with the outcome, not the deliverable. "We need a new website" is a deliverable. "Too many people call to ask questions our website should answer" is an outcome. When we know what you want to change, we can suggest the simplest way to change it. Sometimes that's a full website. Sometimes it's three pages and a better contact form.
Who is it for?
Describe the people you most want to reach as specifically as you can. Where are they when they first hear about you? What do they already believe about what you do? What would make them trust you? Two or three short descriptions of real customers are worth more than any demographic chart.
What do you already have?
Gather what exists: your logo files, any brand guidelines, photos and videos, the logins for your website and social accounts, and anything you've made in the past that you liked or disliked. Knowing what can be reused keeps costs down. Knowing what you didn't like saves us from repeating it.
What does success look like, and how will you know?
Pick one or two things you'll actually be able to see: more inquiries, more bookings, people spending longer on the site, a launch video watched by the people it was made for. If you can tell us how you measure those today, even roughly, we can plan the work around moving them.
What's the real deadline?
There's the date you'd like, and the date that truly matters: an event, a launch, a season. Tell us both. Most projects take a few weeks, and a fixed deadline with a little room around it is far easier to plan for than an open-ended "as soon as possible".
What's your budget range?
This is the question people least like to answer, and the one that helps most. A range lets us shape the scope to fit, rather than guessing and quoting something you can't use. It doesn't commit you to spending the top of the range. It means our first proposal will be one you can actually say yes to.
Who decides?
Projects slow down when feedback arrives late or from too many directions. Name the person who will give feedback and the person who will sign off, even if that's the same person. A single clear voice on your side keeps the work moving and keeps it coherent.
What happens after launch?
Think about who will look after the thing once it exists. Who updates the website? Who posts to the social channels? Who uses the brand guidelines? If the answer is "nobody yet", that's fine. It just means ongoing support should be part of the conversation from the start.
Bring it to the first call
You don't need polished answers to all of these. Notes in a document or a few bullet points in an email are plenty. Bring what you have to the first call, and we'll fill in the gaps together. You'll leave with a clear plan and, shortly after, a fixed price.
