Hand Over a Website to a Client

Why this matters

Building is often the easy part. Projects get stuck because of:

• waiting for the logo, the texts or the photos;
• asking the client the same question three times;
• forgetting a small change they asked for two weeks ago;
• a client who does not know how to log in or what they own.

This kit has four parts: a start checklist, a request log, a delivery checklist and email templates.

Part 1: Ask once, at the start

Send this list to the client before you start. Ask for everything in one message.

To build your website, please send:

BRAND
[ ] Logo (SVG or high-quality PNG, on a transparent background)
[ ] Brand colors (if you have them)
[ ] Fonts (if you have them)

CONTENT
[ ] Text for each page (or tell us if you want us to write it)
[ ] Photos and videos you want to use, and permission to use them
[ ] Prices, services or products to show

BUSINESS DETAILS
[ ] Business name, address, phone, email, opening hours
[ ] Social media links
[ ] Who should receive messages from the contact form

ACCESS
[ ] Who owns the domain (yourname.com) and how we can access it
[ ] Any accounts we need (hosting, email, analytics)

DECISIONS
[ ] One person who approves the work
[ ] Two or three websites you like, and what you like about each

Tip: if something is missing, start with a clear placeholder (for example "PHOTO OF THE SHOP HERE") instead of waiting. Never publish placeholders.

Part 2: Keep a request log

Every time the client asks for something, write it down in one place. A simple shared document or spreadsheet is enough.

For each request, write:

• Date it was asked.
• What was asked, in the client's words.
• Where on the site.
• Status: new, in progress, ready to check, approved.
• Date it was finished.

Why it helps:

• nothing gets forgotten;
• you can show the client what was done;
• if they ask for something new near the end, you can see that it is new, and talk about time or price.

Part 3: Before you deliver

Check all of this before you send the final link.

CONTENT
[ ] No sample text ("Lorem ipsum") anywhere
[ ] All names, prices, phone numbers and addresses checked
[ ] All links work, including social media links
[ ] Spelling checked

FORMS
[ ] The contact form sends a real message to the right email
[ ] The person filling the form sees a clear "Message sent" note

SCREENS
[ ] Checked on a real phone and on a computer
[ ] Checked in at least two browsers (for example Chrome and Safari)

BASICS
[ ] Each page has a title and a short description for Google
[ ] The site has a favicon (the small icon in the browser tab)
[ ] Privacy policy page, if you collect any data
[ ] The site uses https (the lock icon in the browser)

OWNERSHIP
[ ] The client owns the domain and the hosting account, or has access to them
[ ] All passwords are shared in a safe way (a password manager, not plain email)

Part 4: Email templates

Change the words in [brackets].

Asking for missing content

Hi [name],

We are making good progress on your website. To keep going, we still need:

• [item 1]
• [item 2]

If it is easier, we can use a temporary version and replace it later. Just let us know.

Thank you,
[your name]

Sending a preview for review

Hi [name],

Your website is ready to review. You can see it here: [preview link]

Please check it on your phone and on your computer. Send all your changes in one message, if possible, by [date]. That helps us finish faster.

Thank you,
[your name]

Delivering the finished site

Hi [name],

Your website is live: [link]

Here is what is included:

• [list of pages]
• The contact form sends messages to [email].
• You own the domain [domain] and the hosting account at [provider].

I have sent your logins separately in a safe way. If you need changes in the future, just reply to this email.

Thank you for working with us,
[your name]

Check before you finish

• The client sent everything in Part 1, or agreed to placeholders.
• Every request is in the log, with a status.
• Every item in Part 3 is checked.
• The client has their logins and knows what they own.