How to Prepare for a Branding or Web Design Project (So You Get the Most Out of It)

You’ve decided it’s time. Maybe your brand has outgrown itself. Maybe you’re starting fresh. Maybe your website makes you cringe every time someone asks for your URL. Whatever brought you here — you’re ready to invest in your brand or your web presence, and you want to do it right.

Here’s the thing nobody tells you: how prepared you are going into a design project has a huge impact on how much you get out of it. Not because designers need you to have everything figured out — we don’t — but because the more clearly you can articulate your world, the better we can translate it into something visual and lasting.

So here’s what I’d tell every client before we start.

Know your why — but don’t stress about the how

You don’t need to know what colors you want or what your logo should look like. That’s my job. But you should be able to answer: why does this business exist, and who does it serve? The clearer you are on that, the more intentional every creative decision becomes.

Gather what you already have

If you have existing brand files — old logos, colors, fonts — round them up even if you hate them. They tell me a story. If you have photos you love, products you’re proud of, or screenshots of websites that give you the feeling you’re after, collect those too. A folder of inspiration is worth a thousand words.

Know your audience better than you know yourself

Who are you trying to reach? Not just “women 25–45” — who are they really? What do they care about? What makes them choose one business over another? The more specific you can be here, the more targeted and effective your brand will be.

Have a realistic sense of your budget and timeline

Good creative work takes time and investment. If you have a hard launch date or a firm budget, say so upfront — it helps me recommend the right scope and approach from the start rather than having to backtrack later.

Be ready to give real feedback

“I don’t love it but I can’t say why” is actually useful feedback. “Make it pop” is not. I’ll always ask you to be as specific as you can — what’s working, what isn’t, and what feeling you’re going for. The more honest you are in the revision process, the faster we get to something you love.

Trust the process — and your designer

There’s usually a moment in every project where a client sees the first concept and thinks: this isn’t what I expected. That’s normal. Sometimes that means it’s not right. But sometimes it means your designer saw something you hadn’t considered yet. Stay curious, ask questions, and give it a minute before you react.

One last thing

The best projects I’ve ever worked on weren’t the ones where clients came in with everything figured out. They were the ones where clients came in open, honest, and willing to collaborate. That’s all you really need.

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