The Strategic Power of a Discovery Call in Small Business Website Design
- SusiQ
- Dec 5
- 7 min read
Updated: Dec 6
Most people begin their website journey in the same place: the look. Colour palettes. Fonts. Moodboards. A beautiful site they saw on Instagram at 11pm that they want to “sort of copy, but, you know… different.”
And it makes sense. The visuals are the comfortable part. They’re the bit we recognise instantly, and for some industries - fashion, beauty, interiors - visuals feel like the whole story.
But here’s the truth every great website starts with: Design isn’t the first step. Thinking is. And that thinking begins on the Discovery Call.
If you’ve ever wondered why your current website isn’t doing much, why enquiries are thin, or why you can’t actually find your own business on Google unless you type in the full name and postcode, it usually comes back to this early stage.
The bit before the design. The conversation that shapes everything that comes after. The part most people don’t realise is the real foundation.
So, what actually is a Discovery Call?
In simple terms:
It’s the call where your website stops being a guess.
It’s not a sales call. It’s not a technical interrogation. It’s a calm, strategic conversation where we figure out what your website needs to do, long before we think about what it needs to look like.
Think of it as the moment the fog lifts. Suddenly, all the big decisions become clearer because we’ve understood the purpose first.
The Eureka Moments
I’ve lost count of the number of times clients have arrived on a Discovery Call ready to tell me exactly what their site should “look like”.And nearly every time, within minutes, something shifts.
There’s this pause. Then the lightbulb moment.
They realise the website isn’t actually for them. It’s for the people who will use it.
A fashion brand discovers their homepage isn’t about their favourite colours - it’s about the emotions they want customers to feel.
A service provider realises they don’t have just one audience but three, each needing a different conversation. This leads to smarter navigation and separate landing pages, tailored messaging and clearer journeys.
A business that spent thousands on a previous site suddenly sees why it never worked. No structure. No call to action. Nothing guiding people through the experience. Just a jumble of content and some very expensive wallpaper.
These are the moments when clients finally see the website not as a pretty brochure, but as a tool.
Introducing the 5Ws - the questions every website must answer
You might remember the 5Ws from school - the simple framework teachers used to help us make sense of a story: Who, What, Where, When, Why.
It turns out they’re surprisingly useful in business too. These aren’t just writing prompts; they’re the exact questions every visitor quietly asks within seconds of landing on your website.
Who are you?
What do you offer?
Where do you operate? (Yes, this really matters — people want to know if you’re in their area.)
Why should I choose you?What do I do next?
Not one of these depends on your preferred shade of blue.
If your site answers these questions quickly and clearly, everything else becomes easier - content, design, messaging and structure. If it doesn’t, people feel unsure, confused or unconvinced… and they quietly disappear.
Your Discovery Call is where we uncover the answers together, long before anything is designed.
The ‘So What?’ - why all this matters for your small business website design
A website built without Discovery is like building a house without a plan - you might get something pretty, but it won’t necessarily be usable.
Here’s what proper Discovery gives you:
A website with clear purpose
You know what the site needs to achieve, so you stop adding “just in case” pages that confuse people.
Messaging that matches your ideal customer
You stop talking into the void and start speaking to the real humans you want to reach.
A structure that guides people towards taking action
No more hope-for-the-best navigation. Real journeys that make sense.
Better enquiries
When customers understand you, they respond. It’s really that simple.
Money saved later
It’s far cheaper to define the right site early than fix the wrong site later. And trust me - I’ve seen a lot of expensive wrong sites.
The hidden half: what you don’t see but absolutely need
A big reason small businesses struggle online is the behind-the-scenes setup. The technical foundation that helps you show up in Google and AI search. The part most DIY sites and many paid sites completely miss.
Clients are often baffled that their site “does nothing”.But when we look underneath, there’s no structure, no metadata, no clarity, nothing connected with how people actually search. Then the penny drops: A beautiful website without foundations is just a brochure sitting quietly in a drawer.
The Discovery Call is where we identify what foundations you need - before anything is built.
Setting priorities: the clever bit that saves time and money
Many small businesses try to fit everything they offer onto the homepage. But when we explore your goals, something interesting happens.
We find out:
what actually makes you money
what matters most to your audience
what deserves to take centre stage
and what can sit quietly until needed
Suddenly the site becomes focused, confident and purposeful.
Discovery makes this easy.
Small business websites designed with strategy in mind are a willing formula, no matter how small.
What happens on your Discovery Call
A calm, guided conversation where we cover:
your business goals
your audiences
your most profitable services
what your customers need to see first
what pages you need (and what you don’t)
what structure works best
your visibility goals for Google and AI search
your next steps in plain English
You leave with clarity - not homework. And you also get a good understanding about what the 'next step' will be.
Ready to build a website that actually works?
If you want a website that’s clear, confident and built around your goals, the Discovery Call is where we begin.
TL:DR
What is TL;DR?
It means “Too Long; Didn’t Read” - a quick summary for fast scanning and voice assistants like Alexa or Siri that surface the short version first.
The Discovery Call is the most important step in building your website because it’s where we work out what the site actually needs to do before we think about what it looks like. Most small business websites skip this planning stage, which is why they end up confusing people, attracting the wrong audience or sitting quietly on page seven of Google. The Discovery Call uncovers your goals, your audience, the questions your visitors need answered and the priorities that matter most for your business. It’s also where we establish your structure, your key messages and the parts that will help you show up in Google and AI search. In short: the call saves you time, money and guesswork, and sets your website up to actually work.
Blog FAQs
Why do you start with a Discovery Call instead of jumping straight into design?
Because your website isn’t just a design project. It’s a business tool. The Discovery Call helps us understand your goals, your audience, your services and the job your website needs to do. Without that clarity, the design has nothing solid to stand on.
I already know what I want my site to look like. Do I still need a Discovery Call?
Yes. Design choices come after we’ve understood your strategy. The call helps uncover what your users need from your site, which is often different from what you personally like visually.
What do you actually cover on the call?
Your business goals, ideal customers, services, what’s currently working, what isn’t, what you want people to do, and what your website needs to say first. We also talk through the questions every visitor asks: who you are, what you offer, who it’s for, why it matters and what to do next.
How long does the call take?
Around 45 minutes. Enough time to get clarity without making you rearrange your day.
Is it technical? Will I understand it?
Absolutely. It’s a simple, plain English conversation. No jargon. No need to prepare anything. You just show up, and I’ll guide you through the important bits.
What if I already have a website?
Great. We’ll look at what’s working, what isn’t and why it may not be performing. Most websites I audit are missing a clear message, a simple structure or proper setup to help them show up in search.
What happens after the call?
You’ll get clarity on your website direction, the structure you need, the pages you don’t need, and the next steps to move forward. You can then decide to book a package or take time to think.
Is the Discovery Call a sales call?
No. It’s a clarity call. Once you understand your website needs, you can make decisions confidently. There’s no pressure to buy.
Who is the Discovery Call best for?
Start-ups getting online for the first time, small businesses with a DIY website that isn’t working, and businesses planning a refresh who want to avoid expensive mistakes.
Page Glossary
Audience
The people you want your website to reach. Understanding their goals and challenges means you can shape your content around their needs, not yours.
Call to Action (CTA)
The instruction that tells someone what to do next. Examples: “Book now”, “Buy”, “Subscribe”. Many underperforming websites simply don’t use these clearly.
Discovery Call
A guided conversation that helps you understand what your website needs to do before anything is designed or built. It’s where we set your goals, audiences and priorities.
Foundations / Behind the Scenes Setup
The technical essentials that help your website work properly, such as metadata, headings, settings and structure. You don’t see these parts, but they make a huge difference to whether your website shows up in search.
Landing Page
A single focused page designed for one audience or purpose. Often used when different groups of people need different information.
Messaging
The words your website uses to explain who you are, what you do and why it matters. Clear messaging helps visitors feel confident in choosing you.
Search Visibility
How easily your site appears in Google and AI search results. Good visibility means customers can find you without typing your business name exactly.
User Journey
The path a visitor takes through your website, from the moment they land to the moment they take action (like booking, buying or contacting you).
Website Navigation
The menu or options that help users move around your website.
Website Structure
The layout of your pages and how they connect. Like a map. Clear structure helps users find what they need without guessing.
About the Writer
Susi is the creative brain behind Web Wise and the small business web designer at Kingstown Web Studio who loves turning real-world lessons into clear, useful stories. With 30+ years in marketing and a talent for explaining things in plain English, she writes the kind of blogs she wishes someone had given her earlier: practical, honest and a little bit cheeky. When she’s not building websites, she’s sharing the ideas, insights and lightbulb moments that help small businesses show up with confidence.
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