Step 01: Content Gathering

The Kitchen Table Interview.

Same questions. Your own words. Your own time.

This is the whole interview, in writing, with a cuppa. Answer what you can and skip what you can't, a sentence is plenty for most of it. Everything saves as you type, so you can start on your phone tonight and finish on the laptop on Thursday.

Your answers save as you go. Close this and come back whenever you like.

Welcome

Just so I know who I'm building for.

Which sounds most like you?

Some questions further down assume you've been at this a while. If you're just starting out, answer for the business you're building, there are no wrong answers here.

Your Name

Business or Brand Name *required

What's going on right now that made you start looking for a website?

How did you hear about YourHQ?

The Basics

Contact, location, domain, existing assets.

Best Email

Best Phone / Text Number

Email for Customer Enquiries (if different)

Where are you based?

Areas you cover

Do you travel to clients, do they come to you, or a bit of both?

Hours / Availability

Domain name? (or I'll find the best one for you)

Where's your domain registered, and can you get into it? ("no idea" is a fine answer, knowing now saves us a week at switch-over)

Existing website? (even if it's old or half-finished, I'll raid it for content, or write "none yet", that's completely fine)

What's your current site built on? (if you have one)

Social profiles (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube. Drop links or handles)

Logo? (send to lian@yourhq.co.nz)

Photos available?

The Business

What you do, who you serve, what makes you different.

In plain English: what do you actually do? (pretend we know nothing about your industry)

Main services, products, or packages?

One thing you're especially known for? ("Oh, you need X? Go see them." Or if you're just starting out, what do you want to be known for?)

Qualifications, licences, or certifications worth showing?

Who's your ideal client? (if you could clone your favourite, who'd they be? Or describe the person you're building this for)

Anyone this site is definitely NOT for?

What makes you different? Why pick you over a competitor?

What do you care about that maybe other people in your industry don't?

Your Story

The most important section. Write how you'd say it. Only share what you're comfortable putting online.

How did you end up doing this work?

What made you want to do this yourself rather than work for someone else?

A moment, or a person, that shaped why you do what you do?

What do you love about this work? What gets you out of bed?

When someone leaves after working with you, what do you want them to feel?

If your business had a deeper purpose beyond the work itself, what would it be?

What do you want people to know about you that they might not expect?

Brand & Voice

Helps us nail the look, feel, and tone.

Got brand guidelines or a style guide? (send to lian@yourhq.co.nz)

If your brand was a physical space (café, studio, shop, home) what would walking in feel like?

Three words that describe the vibe you want?

Brands, websites, or aesthetics you admire? (even outside your industry)

When someone lands on your site, what do you want them to feel?

How do you naturally talk to clients? (casual, professional, somewhere in between?)

If your brand was a person, how would you describe them?

Brand colours (if you have them)

Colours to avoid?

Online Presence & Content

Where you show up and what you create.

Where do enquiries come from at the moment? (so we know what's already working, and don't break it)

Which platform do you use most? Which feels most natural?

Podcast appearances, press mentions, speaking gigs, or media coverage?

Long-form posts, or short and punchy?

Want your social posts to automatically become blog articles? (Content Autopilot)

Anything about your online presence you're embarrassed by or want to move away from?

What the Site Needs to Do

Goals, calls to action, and email capture.

When someone lands on your site, what's the ONE thing you most want them to do?

Questions you get asked all the time we should just answer on the site?

Do you want to capture email addresses through the site?

Email marketing platform? (ConvertKit, Mailchimp, etc. Leave blank if none)

Something you could offer in exchange for an email? (guide, checklist, free consult)

How do you want to handle pricing on the site?

Integrations

Only fill in what's relevant. Lian will confirm scope and pricing in your proposal.

Bookings system? (Calendly, Acuity, Timely...)

Take deposits or payments upfront from clients?

Want to take payments through the website?

Sell or plan to sell digital products? (guides, templates, recordings)

Have or plan a course or program?

Are you the face of the business, or is the business the brand, or both?

Do you speak, consult, run workshops, or appear on stages?

TEDx talk, keynote, podcast episode, or signature media moment to feature prominently?

Different kinds of clients who need different things from the site? (e.g. speakers vs coaching clients vs community)

Testimonials & Social Proof

The stuff that builds trust. If you're new to business, don't skip this. Tell us what you've got from before: previous roles, qualifications, someone who'd vouch for you, the mate you did a job for. We'd rather know that than see it blank.

Best compliment a client has ever given you?

Written testimonials or reviews we can use? (Google, Facebook, DMs, emails)

Results or outcomes you're particularly proud of? (a project, a transformation, a number)

Logos, media mentions, or associations to show? ("As seen in", "Member of"...)

Wrap Up

Last few. Anything we haven't covered.

Anything else you want on the site? (seen something somewhere and thought "I want that")

Anything you've had on a website before that didn't work, or that you definitely don't want?

Anything about your business that's changing soon we should build in now?

On a scale of "keep it simple" to "give me everything", where are you sitting?

Only your business or brand name is required. Fill in whatever else you can. I'll follow up on anything I need.

Need help? Message us at 027 566 8803

The other way in

Rather talk it through?

The Drive-Home Interview covers the same ground out loud. Ring my AI assistant from the car or the couch, talk for 15 minutes, done. There is no wrong answer here, and one is not better than the other. Do the one you would actually finish.

Switch to the Drive-Home Interview