Disclaimer: This article reflects my personal experience as a small business owner and working with small business owners. It is not legal, tax, or financial advice. Please consult a qualified attorney, CPA, or financial professional for guidance specific to your situation. Some links may be affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
If you are starting a business, your first instinct is probably:
“I need a website.”
Eventually, yes. Most businesses do benefit from a website.
But a website is infrastructure. It is not legal protection. It is not financial structure. It is not validation of an idea.
And if you build a full website before your operational pieces are in place, you will likely need to rebuild it later.
Step 1: Register Your Business Properly
Before you design anything, make it official.
Form an LLC or Legal Entity
Many small business owners in the United States choose to form an LLC for liability protection and tax flexibility. Registration is handled at the state level, and filing fees vary by state. Depending on your situation, you may also want to use a registered agent to ensure proper compliance and document handling.
This separates your personal assets from your business. That separation matters.
Companies like LegalZoom and CorpNet offer LLC formation support, registered agent services, and compliance assistance if you prefer guided support.
Get an EIN From the IRS
An EIN is your business tax ID.
You will likely need it to:
• Open a business bank account
• Set up Stripe or PayPal
• File taxes
• Hire contractors
• Complete W9 forms
It is free through the IRS website. You do not need to pay a third party to obtain it.
Step 2: Secure Your Domain Name & Business Email Address
Even if you are not ready to build your website, purchase your domain.
Once you begin searching domains on platforms like GoDaddy or Namecheap, desirable domains can disappear quickly.
Whether that is through automated monitoring or simple demand, the result is the same. If you find one you like and it is available, buy it.
You do not need hosting yet, and you do not need a full website yet. But you do want control of your digital real estate.
If you own a domain, use it.
A business email like hello@yourbusiness.com or info@yourbusiness.com builds instant credibility and you can also use it to set up all of your business accounts.
Once you purchase your domain, you can connect it to a professional email provider such as:
• Google Workspace
• Microsoft 365 Outlook
These platforms allow you to:
• Send and receive email from your domain
• Sync with calendar and scheduling tools
• Share files securely
• Create additional team inboxes as you grow
Many domain providers offer promotions or bundled pricing when you set up business email through them. For example, GoDaddy partners with Microsoft 365, and Squarespace partners with Google Workspace.
Step 3: Open a Dedicated Business Bank Account
A business bank account is not just about organization of your finances. It is about protection and tax clarity.
A separate business bank account:
• Keeps personal and business finances distinct
• Simplifies bookkeeping
• Makes quarterly tax payments easier
• Strengthens your liability protection
• Provides clean financial reporting
Online banks like Novo and Bluevine integrate well with Stripe and other payment processors. They usually offer a lot of great perks and discounts for their customers.
Step 4: Consider Professional Liability Insurance
If you provide services, advice, consulting, design, coaching, or implementation work, you should strongly consider professional liability insurance. Also known as errors and omissions insurance, it protects you if a client claims financial harm due to your services and provides you with peace of mind.
Even if you do everything correctly, disputes happen. Insurance is not pessimism. It is risk management. General liability insurance may also be appropriate depending on your industry.
Step 5: Validate Your Offer Before Building a Full Website
Before investing in a full multi page website, validate your offer. And no, validation does not always mean launching a polished landing page.
It can mean:
• Talking directly to potential clients
• Offering a beta version
• Pre-selling
• Creating a simple waitlist page
• Running a small paid test
If people are not willing to book, commit, or pay, the issue is not your website design. It is positioning. Do not build a full website for an untested offer. Validate first. Build second.
Step 6: Set Up Contracts, Proposals, and Client Systems
If you are a service business, you will likely need formal agreements.
At minimum:
• A client contract
• A proposal template
• An invoicing workflow
• A client onboarding system
Platforms like Moxie and Dubsado combine:
• Proposals
• Contracts
• Invoices
• Questionnaires
• Client portals
Your website should send leads into a structured system. Not into your inbox with good intentions.
Step 7: Add Scheduling Software If You Offer Calls
If you offer consultations, discovery calls, or client sessions, use scheduling software.
Platforms like:
• Calendly
• Acuity Scheduling
Allow clients to:
• Book available time slots
• Receive automated reminders
• Sync with your calendar
• Pay at booking if needed
This reduces friction and presents a professional experience.
Step 8: Set Up Email Marketing and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Platforms
If you are building a business, start building your email list from day one.
Email marketing platforms may include:
• Kit
• MailerLite
• Flodesk
• ActiveCampaign
• HubSpot
Some platforms, like HubSpot and ActiveCampaign, function as both an email marketing system and a CRM. That means they can manage contacts, automate emails, and track your sales pipeline in one place.
If you sell services, you need a way to track:
• Leads
• Follow ups
• Deals
• Client stages
Whether that is a standalone CRM or built into your email platform, the system matters.
It is also important to understand how pricing works.
Many email marketing platforms price based on “marketing contacts,” which means the number of contacts you actively email. Entry level pricing can look affordable, but costs can increase significantly as your contact list grows.
Before choosing a platform, review:
• How contacts are counted
• What qualifies as a marketing contact
• How pricing scales
• Whether CRM functionality is included or extra
Your website should integrate cleanly with:
• Your CRM
• Your email marketing platform
• Your payment processor
Otherwise, your data becomes fragmented, automations fail, and reporting becomes unreliable.
Choose your systems with long term growth in mind.
Step 9: Clarify Your Brand Before You Design Anything
Branding is not just a logo.
Branding is:
• Your positioning
• Your target audience
• Your messaging
• Your value proposition
• The problem you solve
• The outcome you deliver
Before building your website, you should be able to clearly answer:
• Who is this for
• What specific problem do I solve
• Why am I different
• What transformation do I deliver
Your visual identity supports that strategy. It does not replace it.
When branding is clear, website decisions become easier. Messaging becomes sharper. Conversion improves.
This is why strategy comes before design.
Step 10: Choose the Right Content Management System (CMS) for Your Website
Your content management system determines where your website lives and how your website functions. Some CMS platforms include hosting, and some (e.g. WordPress) require a separate hosting provider.
Common options include:
• WordPress
• Showit
• Shopify
• Squarespace
• Webflow
The right CMS depends on:
• SEO needs
• eCommerce requirements
• Membership features
• Customization level
• Long term growth plans
Platform selection should be strategic.
Step 11: Build a Strategic Website
Once your foundation is in place, design and build your website intentionally.
A strategic website includes:
• Clear positioning
• Defined target audience
• Conversion focused messaging
• Integrated backend systems
• Proper analytics and tracking
A website should function as:
• A lead qualification tool
• A sales engine
• A credibility builder
• A growth platform
This is where I come in. I help small business owners choose the right systems, validate their offers, and build websites designed for revenue and scale.
Step 12: Establish Your Legal Website Policies and Cookie Compliance
If your website collects personal information, you need proper legal disclosures.
If you:
• Collect email addresses
• Use contact forms
• Install Google Analytics 4
• Run Meta or Google Ads
• Use cookies or tracking pixels
• Sell products or services online
You need documented policies.
At minimum, most businesses should have:
• Privacy Policy
• Terms and Conditions
• Cookie Policy or Cookie Disclosure
• Disclaimer if applicable
Your Privacy Policy explains how you collect, store, and use data.
Your Terms and Conditions outline how users interact with your site and services.
Your Cookie Policy explains tracking technologies and user consent.
Depending on your audience, you may also need to comply with regulations such as:
• GDPR
• CCPA
• Other regional data privacy laws
Tools like Termageddon generate legally updated policies that adjust as laws change. Instead of creating static documents that may become outdated, Termageddon keeps policies current and provides guidance on cookie consent management.
Whatever solution you choose, make sure:
• Your policies are accessible in your website footer
• Your cookie banner functions properly
• You are transparent about tracking and data use
Step 13: Install Analytics From Day One
Before launching, I recommend installing:
• Google Analytics 4
• Google Search Console
These tools allow you to monitor:
• Traffic sources
• Conversion behavior
• Search performance
• Technical site issues
Without analytics, you are guessing. With analytics, you can improve strategically.
Ready to get started?
Your website should support your business, not complicate it.
If you are ready to build with intention, integrate the right systems, and launch with confidence, let’s do it properly the first time.
