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# Discovery & Brief

After [initial contact](../getting-started/initial-contact), we
move into a short discovery stage. The goal: turn your idea — in
your words — into a written brief we both agree on, before we
spend anyone's time costing it.

## The discovery conversation

We set up either a call, a video meeting, or an in-person
meeting depending on what suits you. It typically lasts
30-60 minutes and covers:

- **What you're trying to do.** Goals, audience, the outcome you
  want.
- **Where you are today.** Existing website, branding, hosting,
  email — anything you already have we should keep, replace, or
  work around.
- **Constraints.** Timing, budget range, brand guidelines,
  technical preferences, anything we can't change.
- **Who's involved.** Decision-makers, content owners, anyone
  whose sign-off we'll need.

This isn't a sales pitch. We listen, ask follow-ups, and write
down what you say.

## What we send back

Within a few days of the discovery conversation, you'll receive
one of two things:

- **A short brief** — the written summary of what we'd
  recommend, in plain language. We send this when the scope is
  novel or open-ended enough that we want to confirm we
  understood you before pricing it.
- **A proposal directly** — the brief embedded inside it. We
  send this when the scope is well-defined enough that there's
  no separate brief stage to do.

Either way, you'll have something written to react to before we
talk about money.

## When the brief comes separately

If you receive a brief on its own, read it through and tell us
either:

- **Yes, this matches** — we move on to the proposal.
- **Close, but change X** — we revise and resend.
- **No, we're talking about different things** — we set up
  another discovery conversation.

It's much cheaper to iterate on a one-page brief than on a
proposal with line items. Be picky here.

## What we never assume

- A scope just because we've done something similar before — we
  ask.
- A budget — we propose against what you tell us, not against
  what we hope.
- That you'll keep working with your current providers — but
  also that you'll switch. We do whatever fits your situation.