Q

What do we need to know for ANY design or marketing project?

AWho is your intended audience? Are they regional, industry specific, company size specific, etc.?
Describe your ideal client and the specific attributes that we'll be targeting
What are your expectations, main emphasis and primary goals - increased sales, increased leads, etc.? Please prioritize.
What separates your company from your competition and what do you expect will draw clients to your company?
What company properties do you want to emphasize? Please prioritize.

Q

What do we need to design an identity?

ADo you already have a logo and other graphics to be used?
If not, do you want to have one created?
Have you identified a tagline?
That would be something like "Just do it", "Reach out and touch someone", etc. Here is some information on the subject http://advertising.about.com/od/copywriting/a/guesttagline.htm.
What keywords do you want to be found by in the search engines?

Q

What do we need to create initial designs for a website?

APlease provide a list of websites that you like and don't like. Why do you or do you not like these sites?
Please provide a list of competitors websites.
Do you have a domain name? If not, do you have ideas on one? If so, what is it?
What is your company name? Do you want to use the entire name on the site, logo, and graphics?
Do you have special features in mind like E=Commerce shopping cart, BLOG, RSS, Forms with emails, EZine, Newsletter signup, autoresponders, advertising landing/call-to-action pages, etc.?
How do you plan to market the website?
Do you have ideas of the colors to be used, and colors you don't like? Please provide example sites.
Do you have an intended website screen size - 1024x768, 800x600, or stretch to the entire width of the screen?
If the site isn't the entire width of the screen do you have a preference for left or center alignment?
Do you have a horizontal or left-side vertical preference for the main navigation?
Please provide an idea of the main pages you need in the website.
Have you created the copy text for any of your pages?
Do you have existing business cards or other printed material we need to match?
Are you leaning towards custom drawn artwork or photographs?
Do you intend to provide a call to action - make a sale, call in to your office, fill out a form, etc?

WHEN WE START WORK....
Once we start designing the website we'll need the following (Note that this information will be kept in strict confidence):
a. If you are to host the site on your own server...
FTP access information - username and password
b. Hosting company and their tech support phone number