Plan your website before paying for the build
Put yourself in the customer’s shoes. They need to work out whether you can help and whether they trust you enough to call. Plan the information they need before spending time on colours and layouts.
Describe the work you want
Complete this sentence: We help [customer type] with [specific work] in [actual service area]. We’re best suited to [kind of job]. The next step is [call or enquiry].
For example: We help North Shore homeowners with planned bathroom plumbing. We work alongside their builder and need the property location, work involved and when they want it done before discussing a quote.
Write down work you do not want too. A business seeking planned projects should not accidentally present itself as an emergency operator.
Write down what customers ask you
Review recent enquiries and quotes, removing private details. List the things people ask before booking: the work you cover, where you travel, availability, past jobs and how you quote. Write answers in the language you use with a customer. Those answers tell you what belongs on the website.
Work out what each page needs to say
Start with what you do and where you work. Show a couple of relevant jobs, explain how you work and tell people how to get a quote. A service may need its own page if there’s enough to explain. Ten pages aren’t automatically better than five useful ones.
When showing a past job, explain what the customer needed, what you did and how it turned out. Include any challenges, such as working around tenants or keeping a shop open. Ask permission before using customer photos or details.
Keep the enquiry form short
Start with name, a phone number or email address, job location and a short description. Add timing if it helps you decide what happens next. Only require information you genuinely need at this stage.
Example confirmation: Thanks for the details. Your enquiry has reached us. We will contact you to discuss the job. This is not a confirmed booking.
Only promise a response time you can meet. Keep a phone option for customers who prefer to talk.
Try it on your phone
Open the site on a phone using mobile data. Find a service, check the area, tap the phone link and submit a labelled test enquiry. Confirm the number is correct, the message reaches an inbox someone checks and you can reply.
Ask someone unfamiliar with the business to repeat the task without coaching. Ask what they think you offer and what happens after enquiring. Record where they hesitate. This tests understanding more usefully than asking whether they like the colours.
Check whether the changes help
Keep track of the enquiries for jobs you actually want. Website visits and clicks on the phone button can be useful, but they don’t tell you whether someone got in touch or booked a job. Note when you change the site, and give it time before judging the result. One quiet week doesn’t tell you much.
You can do this planning yourself and give it to whoever builds your website. It helps them quote for what you need and saves going back and forth later.
Ask what happens after the site goes live
Ask who writes the copy, supplies images, manages hosting and fixes problems after launch. Check whether Google Business Profile work, tracking enquiries and making future changes are included or quoted separately.
Also ask what you own and what happens if you leave. Domain ownership and website ownership are separate questions. Get the answer in writing alongside the price.
Our NZ website cost guide covers the costs to compare.
Want someone to handle the build and upkeep
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