CELORA /
What to prepare before commissioning a website: a practical brief
You do not need a finished technical specification to get a useful estimate. Explain the goal and share what you already have. This checklist helps define a sensible scope before design starts.
Choose one useful action
Replace “we need a beautiful website” with “a visitor chooses a service and requests an estimate”. A restaurant might need reservations; a garage needs booking; a B2B company needs project enquiries. Name the person who will respond and define a qualified enquiry. These decisions shape the content, form and measures of success.
Gather facts about the offer
List your main services, intended customers, coverage and limitations. Add genuine examples, photos, terms and frequent questions. Do not invent testimonials or performance figures. If content is missing, say so early: interviews, writing, photography and image licences may need separate funding.
Describe the existing website
For a redesign, share the URL and problems you want to solve. Identify pages receiving traffic, enquiry delivery and working integrations. Agree on useful URLs and redirects before making changes. Keep passwords out of the brief; grant appropriate access separately. If you have purchased a domain, share its name.
Explain the budget and deadline
Give an available range and the reason for launch timing: a campaign, opening or event. If the budget is undecided, request two clearly different scopes. Compare the same deliverables: pages, content, design, development, integrations and checks. Clarify recurring costs, hosting and post-launch support separately.
Define languages and markets
CELORA is based in Saint Petersburg and works remotely worldwide. A local business needs accurate coverage, contact details and any actual address. Each language needs translated pages and a complete enquiry journey. Choose markets with distinct customer needs before commissioning large numbers of near-identical city pages.
Ask before work begins
What does the estimate cover? Who supplies content? How many revision rounds are included? How is work accepted and handed over? Who maintains forms, backups and fixes? Website development and traffic acquisition are separate scopes. Agree on enquiry measurement before launch, then assess enquiry quality and response handling alongside visits.
Your first message can be short.
- Business, services and actual coverage.
- Audience and the main visitor action.
- Existing website, materials and examples.
- Languages, integrations and enquiry recipient.
- Budget range and preferred launch date.