HowOurDiscoveryDocumentCloses60%ofQualifiedLeads

How much does a website cost?

That’s the first question nearly every prospective client asks. The only honest answer is another question: “What does your business need to accomplish?” A simple website for a Tacoma coffee shop has different needs than a complex eCommerce platform for a Bellevue manufacturer selling internationally. The gap between those two projects could be tens of thousands of dollars.

To answer the cost question accurately, and to determine if we are even the right fit, we need to understand the project in detail. That’s where our discovery process comes in. It’s a structured set of questions that digs deep into your business goals. This process is why we close over 60% of the qualified leads who complete it. It works because it forces clarity for both sides.

What is a Discovery Document?

A discovery document is the output of our initial conversations. It’s a shared document, usually 10-15 pages, that outlines everything we’ve learned about your business, your customers, your market, and your technical requirements. It is not a proposal. A proposal is a sales document; a discovery document is a blueprint.

We start by asking about your core business objectives. Are you trying to increase online sales, generate more leads, reduce administrative overhead, or build a brand? We want to see the specific key performance indicators (KPIs) you use to measure success. For a Seattle real estate agency, that might be qualified buyer leads. For a local brewery in Fremont, it might be online merchandise sales and event RSVPs.

Then we move onto your target audience. We ask you to define your ideal customer. Not just demographics like age and location, but their motivations, their pain points, and where they spend their time online. Understanding if your customer is a busy professional commuting on the 520 bridge or a University of Washington student helps us make critical design and messaging decisions.

Technical and Functional Requirements

Once we understand the “why” and the “who,” we can explore the “what.” This is where we list all the functional requirements. Do you need a custom-built calculator? An integration with your Salesforce CRM? A multi-lingual site for customers in Vancouver, BC?

We also define the technical constraints. Are there existing systems we need to integrate with? What are the security and compliance requirements? A medical practice in the Providence Health system has HIPAA requirements that a local artist’s portfolio site does not. Getting these details down on paper prevents costly surprises later.

We believe in “measure twice, cut once.” Our discovery document is our measuring tape. It ensures that the website we build is the website your business actually needs. It aligns expectations and provides a clear roadmap for the entire project.

The Document Becomes the Roadmap

This completed document serves as the single source of truth for the project. Our designers, developers, and project managers all refer to it. It guides the sitemap and wireframes. It informs the look and feel. It dictates the technology stack we choose.

When the client approves the discovery document, we can finally create an accurate proposal with a fixed price and a detailed timeline. The client knows exactly what they are getting. We know exactly what we need to build.

This structured process is how we deliver complex projects on time and on budget, whether it’s for a Pike Place Market retailer or a B2B tech firm in South Lake Union. It turns a vague request into a concrete plan, which is the foundation of every successful project.

If you want a partner who will take the time to understand your business before talking about price, we might be the right fit. Let’s start the conversation.

Start your project by getting in touch through our /contact page.