Define what the first version must do
Choose one primary action: an inquiry, call, booking or purchase. A service business can often begin with its offer, evidence of work, an explanation of the process and contact details. Add a catalog, languages or payments when there is a real need.
Prepare content before design
Collect your logo, original photos, service list and common customer questions. Decide who approves the copy. Missing materials and scope changes consume time that could improve more useful parts of the project.
Compare the total cost
Ask for separate prices for development, domain, hosting, licenses and maintenance. Check what you receive at handover, who controls access and what future changes cost. The lowest initial quote is not always the lowest cost after a year.
What the proposal should specify
Compare proposals against the same list: page count, copywriting, revision rounds, form, languages, account handover and maintenance. Identify what you supply and what the developer prepares. If one quote includes copywriting and another expects finished text, their headline prices are not directly comparable. Clarify the cost of changes after launch and who owns the domain, rather than assuming both proposals include the same work.
Separate the first release from later additions
A small service business might begin with its main service, work examples, process and contact details. Add bookings once you know how appointments will be confirmed. Plan another language when you have an audience to reach. For each later idea, record the expected benefit and the person responsible for using it. A feature without an operating plan often becomes another maintenance task.
Request a clearly scoped first version, with a separate list of possible additions. That keeps the price and expectations clear.