Site works in all browsers. Check.
Site designed mobile-first. Check.
Site contains relevant product and service info. Check.

You can find thousands of web designers who can check all the boxes. In fact, let’s not even restrict this to web design. We’re talking about how you choose partners for your business.

Your web designer, your accountant, your marketing advisor, even your customer reps or account managers—how do you choose them?

Most business owners compose a list of criteria—the checkboxes: must be able to X, Y, and Z. This narrows the list of applicants down to a qualified handful. Then what?

When a Proposal Isn’t Enough

I was recently asked to provide a website redesign proposal. Provide details, price. And sure, the prospect did hint at a problem with site visibility on search engine platforms.

It felt a bit like the opening of an old TV detective show:

“My husband disappeared two weeks ago. No word. Just didn’t come home. Can you find him?”
And then she leaves the office. Not much to go on.

Yep, my proposal template has the usual fill-in fields: name, address, domain name, general goal of the new site, page structure, timeline and price. If that’s all it took to crank out proposals and new websites that checked those boxes, I could do it round the clock.

But would the clients feel happy with the results? Not likely.

The Problem With “Good Enough”

Here’s the reality: there are zillions of other web designers.

Yes, the sites they deliver function as they’re supposed to. They look attractive, work responsively across devices, and achieve the client’s stated goal.

But will the client now see a flood of new leads? That’s where most checkbox-driven projects fall short.

Going Beyond the Checklist

Getting back to my prospect with the minimalist request—since it was a site redesign, I could research the site’s pros and cons. Think of it as a website audit:

1. What key elements are missing and preventing the site from attracting a wider audience?
2. Who are the top five competitors?
3. What are they doing better?
4. What opportunities are they missing?
5. What are this site’s strengths and weaknesses?
6. What’s the probability that making these enhancements will lead to more leads or sales?

The list goes on. But here’s the real point: What questions are you asking of prospective business partners, and what questions are they asking you?

It’s the questions—not the boxes—that reveal whether someone will be a good partner.

The Prospect’s Takeaway

Oh, and that prospect? He hadn’t thought to address any of those questions with me. (Or he chose to play them close to the vest.)

Either way, his site will be vastly improved because he now sees a broader picture of how his site fits in with his competitors’ online strategy.

Final Thought

Pay attention to the questions. The rest will take care of itself.