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Minimalist design. Maximum clarity.

They will Google you first…

Let’s make your site the reason they buy.

5.0★ Google Reviews | 700+ builds | 20+ years | No outsourcing
Chris Willitts - Freelance Web Designer

Hello, I’m Chris.

I build smart, simple sites… infused with high-level branding.

Whether someone finds you through a friend or a Google search, they’re doing the same thing: looking for a reason to trust you.

Whether someone was handed your business card or found you while comparing three other options, the result is the same: They are vetting you before they buy.

The 2026 Reality Check:

  • The Reputation Trap: 92% of people trust recommendations, but 81% still research you online to verify that recommendation before they buy.

  • The Comparison Gap: 97% of people learn more about local businesses online than anywhere else. If you’re invisible (or messy), the “researchers” simply choose the competitor who looks safer.

  • The 0.05s Verdict: It takes less than a second for a visitor to decide if you’re a pro or an amateur. 70% of people will bounce and never return if they don’t see instant clarity.

Your competitors aren’t better than you. They’re just easier to trust at a glance.

What a weak (or missing) site costs you:

  • The Quiet No: Referrals Google you, feel a flicker of doubt, and quietly disappear.

  • The Discovery Fail: Cold researchers looking for exactly what you do find your competitor instead.

  • The Time Drain: You spend your first 15 minutes on every call proving you’re legitimate instead of discussing the project.

  • The Invisibility Tax: You pay for your website every day in the form of the deals you never even knew were looking for you.

Research and referrals get you introduced. Your website gets you chosen.

Minimalism That Builds Trust

Clarity is your greatest competitive advantage.

In a world of digital noise, the loudest brand isn’t the one that wins… it’s the one that’s easiest to understand. My “Minimalist” philosophy isn’t about doing less; it’s about doing what moves the needle.

The Science of Simple:

  • The 17ms Rule: Google research shows that users perceive “low complexity” (simple) websites as more beautiful and more trustworthy in as little as 17 to 50 milliseconds.

  • The Conversion Lift: Every 1-second delay in mobile load time (often caused by “fancy” fluff) can drop conversions by up to 20%.

  • Cognitive Ease: When a site is easy to navigate, the brain feels “rewarded.” When it’s cluttered, the brain feels “threatened” and triggers a bounce.

Why I Build This Way:

  • No Fluff, All Signal: I remove the “creative ego” and focus on the message that actually triggers a sale.

  • The Branding Lens: I don’t just make it look “clean”; I ensure the design signals premium value so you can command premium prices.

  • Full Ownership: You lead your business; I lead the build. You get the premium results of a high-end agency without the ego, fluff, or billable-hour games. Just clear communication and a site that performs.

The Analogy: The High-End Watch

  • The Logic: Complexity is easy to hide behind. Simplicity requires precision.

  • The Simple Truth: A cluttered website is like a junk drawer… you know what you need is in there, but you’re too annoyed to look for it. A minimalist website is like a high-end watch. It’s clean, it’s elegant, and it tells you exactly what you need to know the second you look at it. Clarity is class. Clarity is credibility.

The “No-Pressure” Design Guarantee

If you don’t like the direction after the first draft, I’ll fix it. It’s that simple. I’m not here to lock you into a design that doesn’t feel like “you.” We collaborate, we refine, and we launch with confidence. No ego, no pressure, no weirdness.

Built for the “Doers”: Local Businesses | Founders | Consultants | Coaches | Service Providers | Trades
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Branding Advantage: “Just a Web Designer” Isn’t Enough

You don’t need branding because it’s trendy. You need it because confused customers buy from someone else.

A website designer makes things look good. A branding expert builds a brand people trust… and choose without hesitation.

The Metaphor: A clean website without branding clarity is like a sharp suit on a guy who can’t introduce himself. He looks good from across the room, but the second he speaks, the trust vanishes.

Branding is the “invisible force” that makes your website feel credible. When I design your site, I focus on three pillars:

Identity (The Soul)

  • Before: “We’re a consulting firm that helps businesses grow.”
  • After: “We turn overwhelmed founders into confident operators in 90 days.” Your ideal clients feel like they’ve found their people.

Positioning (The Lane)

  • Before: Competing on price with six other firms who “do the same thing.”
  • After: The obvious choice because you own a specific problem for a specific person. You stop competing on price and start competing on value.

Signal Control (The Message)

  • Before: Homepage with 47 links, three different fonts, and a slider no one watches.
  • After: One clear path, one clear offer, one clear action. We remove the static so your offer is loud and clear.

Paint a Picture

A mediocre website can only communicate one thing, “mediocrity.” With websites, people will always judge a book by its cover (2.6 seconds).

“Our old site made us look cheaper than we are. The new site finally matches the quality of our work and it’s helped us attract better paying clients.” — Jason Rutherford

video previewPlay Video

High-Trust Websites That Pay for Themselves

Most clients invest between $2k–$20k depending on your goals, complexity, and content situation. I’ll recommend the right build as if it were my business (nothing padded).

Payment plans available for qualified projects (Momentum + Flagship).

Your website should be your hardest-working employee: the one that builds trust, answers objections, and turns visitors into customers.

Don’t settle for bargain builds that cost you more in the long run.

Choose Your Build

Each build package gets you where you need to go, just with different horsepower.

Tier 1: Foundation — Home Base

Clean + Credible

Investment: $2,500–$5,500
Timeline: 1–2 weeks (once content is in)
Scope: 3–5 pages
The result: You stop apologizing for your website and start sending the link with confidence.

Best for: Clean credibility, fast… outdated sites, first real builds, or “I just need something professional.”
Not ideal if: You need help figuring out your message—that’s Momentum territory.
Walk away with: A modern home base that makes you look established and easy to trust.

Includes:

  • Mobile-first design with a clean, modern layout

  • Core pages built in WordPress or Shopify

  • Basic SEO (so Google knows you’re open—and where to send people)

  • Speed + security essentials (faster front door, better locks)

  • Contact form + simple analytics dashboard

  • Plus the essentials that keep it fast, secure, and easy to manage

Collaboration: You bring the raw details and photos. I’ll shape them into clean, persuasive pages that look and feel expensive. (Want deeper messaging/copy help? That’s Momentum 👇)

Tier 2: Momentum — Conversion Engine ⭐️ Most Popular

Clear + Converting

Investment: $5,500–$12,000
Timeline: 2–4 weeks
Scope: 5–8 pages (or a high-performance one-page + supporting pages)
The result: Your site stops sitting there and starts selling while you sleep.

Best for: You want the site to sell, not just exist—clarity, proof, and a clean path to booked calls.
Not ideal if: You already know your message is dialed and just need clean execution—Foundation might be enough.
Walk away with: A conversion-ready site that answers doubts and books inquiries without you doing extra explaining.

Upgrade from Foundation: Better structure, proof placed where doubts show up, and clarity edits so your message actually lands.

Includes everything in Foundation, plus:

  • Conversion-first structure (a guided tour, not a maze)

  • Proof placement strategy (testimonials/case studies where hesitation lives)

  • Stronger CTAs + smarter lead capture (a greeter who knows how to close)

  • Light copy shaping (headlines, rewrites, clarity edits)

  • Automated handshakes (FAQ flow + booking so fewer calls start from zero)

  • Plus the essentials that keep it fast, secure, and easy to manage

Collaboration: We’ll do a 30–45 minute call. You talk—I listen, pull out what matters, and structure it so the site does the selling.

Tier 3: Flagship — Full Ecosystem

Premium + Positioned

Investment: $12,000–$20,000+
Timeline: 4–8 weeks
Scope: 8–12+ pages + a reusable content system
The result: You look premium, read premium, and your site supports higher-ticket sales with less explaining on calls.

Best for: You’re raising prices, repositioning, or entering a tougher market—your brand needs to carry real weight.
Not ideal if: You just need a clean site that converts—start with Momentum and upgrade later.
Walk away with: A premium brand presence built to support higher prices—and make your rates feel obvious.

Upgrade from Momentum: Positioning, a visual brand system, and deeper messaging collaboration throughout.

Includes everything in Momentum, plus:

  • Positioning work (your “why you” in plain English—the hook people repeat)

  • Brand system (type, color, visual language—no moodboard fluff)

  • Sharper narrative across pages (clear offer, objections handled, story that builds)

  • Content system so future pages stay on-brand without a phone call

  • Social presence integration (profiles, link flow, CTAs that match the site)

  • Plus the essentials that keep it fast, secure, and easy to manage

Collaboration: This is a partnership. We refine together and build something that makes premium pricing feel inevitable—not negotiable.

Not sure where you fit?

Most people land on Momentum ⭐️ It’s the sweet spot between “just get me online” and “build me an empire.” And, it’s where “checking you out” turns into “let’s do business.”

Answer 9 questions 👇 and I’ll recommend the right tier 👇 Straight talk, no salesly B.S.

Get Custom Quote

Not ready to invest?

Fine. But don’t leave money on the table.
Get a free 10-Second Yes™ Loom review—I’ll show you exactly what’s costing you leads (or why you need a site).
👉 The #1 thing killing your conversions (or costing you invisible customers)
👉 Three fixes you can make this week
👉 Honest build recommendation: Foundation / Momentum / Flagship… or stay frozen (and keep falling behind).
Get My Free Gameplan

The 10-Second Yes Method

Minimalism isn’t “less design.” It’s less confusion.

In the first 10 seconds, people aren’t reading. They’re scanning for:

(1) What is this?   (2) Can I trust it?   (3) What do I do next?

1) UX (User Experience) — The Path

UX is how your site behaves for a real human.
It’s the invisible “tour guide” that keeps visitors from getting lost, frustrated, or distracted.

I design a clear path so visitors instantly understand:

  1. Where they are (page clarity + headings)

  2. What you do (plain-language positioning)

  3. What to do next (one obvious next step)

How that shows up:

  1. Clean structure (no “Where do I click?” moments)

  2. Fast load times (people don’t wait)

  3. Simple navigation (fewer choices, higher action)

Result: visitors don’t wander, they arrive at a decision.

2) UI (User Interface) — The Look

UI is what people see—and how it makes them feel about you.
Typography, spacing, contrast, and color aren’t decoration. They’re trust signals.

The goal isn’t “pretty.” It’s:

  1. Credibility (you look established)

  2. Trust (you feel safe to buy from)

  3. Instant comprehension (they get it at a glance)

What I control:

  1. Type hierarchy (what your eyes read first/second/third)

  2. Spacing (breathing room = confidence)

  3. Contrast (readable on mobile)

  4. A disciplined color system (accent used with intent)

Result: your site feels premium, modern, and high-trust… fast.

3) Build (Easy to Use) — The Engine

Build is the invisible part that keeps the site fast and headache-free.
No fragile custom maze. No “call a developer every time you change a sentence.”

What I do:

  1. Start with a premium WordPress/Shopify theme

  2. Customize components, styling, and layout until it feels clean and modern—without bloat

  3. Keep things lean (fewer plugins, fewer breaking points)

  4. Make it easy to update without breaking anything

Result: faster pages and user-friendly (better conversions + better fundamentals).

My method: If it doesn’t move someone toward a “yes,” it doesn’t stay.

See Pricing

Frequently asked questions

Do I really need a website?

Only if you want success. People don’t “just call” anymore… they verify first. If they can’t quickly tell you’re legit, they move on. Your competitor isn’t better. They just look safer in 10 seconds.

Here’s the reality:

87% of customers research online before buying… especially local services. They want to see if they can trust you. A website isn’t about being fancy. It’s about being the obvious safe choice after they Google you.

Why shouldn't I just use a $500 site or Wix / Squarespace?

You could. But a $500 site is a generic “business card” (at best). It just sits there. My websites are like a Smart Sales Team with a mastery of human behavior.

Cheap sites are usually slow, hard to use on mobile, and hemorrhage leads quietly. When you’re losing $500-$5,000 a week in missed revenue, that “cheap” site becomes the most expensive mistake you’ll ever make.

Do you write copy?

Yes. I offer copy shaping by default: headlines, structure, clarity edits, and persuasion upgrades. It’s like taking your ingredients (existing copy) and turning them into a clean, high-converting dish.

Ghostwriting is when you don’t bring ingredients—I cook the whole meal: full pages written from scratch. Ghostwriting is included in Flagship, and available as a paid add-on for Foundation or Momentum.

How fast can we launch?

Foundation can move fast once you complete my branding questionnaire and your core content is in. Momentum and Flagship take longer because we’re tightening structure, proof, and messaging—not just “making pages.”

That said, I don’t drag my feet. I build with urgency (work ethic courtesy of my father).

What do you need from me?

Less than you think. Start with my Branding Questionnaire and send any existing text, photos, or logos you have. If you don’t have much, that’s not a roadblock… I can work with what you have and create the rest.

If you’re too busy to build a site yourself, you’re my ideal client.

What does "basic SEO" include?

On-page fundamentals: titles + meta, indexability, clean site structure, speed hygiene, and “labeling the shelves” so Google can understand what each page is about. It’s the foundation that makes your site readable to search engines—not a full SEO campaign (no ongoing blog program, link building, or months-long SEO retainer work).

If you need a serious SEO push, I can loop in my go-to local SEO specialist partner for high-end campaign work.

WordPress or Shopify — how do I choose?

Shopify is best for ecommerce. WordPress is best for most service businesses and content-heavy sites. If you’re unsure, I’ll recommend the right platform based on your business model and goals.

Why only these two (not Wix, GoDaddy, etc.)? Because they’re the most reliable for what matters: speed, mobile performance, clean SEO foundations, and long-term control. They also make it easy for you to handle simple updates (like quick text edits) without breaking anything.

Do you outsource to other web designers?

No. You work directly with me. That’s central to my brand.

Do you offer payment plans?

Yes, payment plans are available for qualified projects.

The Foundation package is split into three milestones: 50% to start, 25% mid-project, 25% at completion.

For the Momentum + Flagship packages, extended plans (3–6 months) are available; a 5% plan fee applies.

A deposit is required, and the final balance is due before launch/handoff.

Chris Built These

Featured Live Work

Two recent builds from scratch. Built to convert, not just look good.

Built to turn LinkedIn interest into booked calls.

  • Conversion-first layout + clear CTA
  • Proof placed where doubt spikes
  • Speed-focused, lean stack
  • WordPress build
View Live Site
Score: 98 Performance | 100 SEO | Speed Index 1.1s

Built to turn local traffic into quote requests, fast.

  • Mobile-first hierarchy + clear CTA
  • Proof placed where doubt spikes
  • Speed-focused, lean stack
  • WordPress build
View Live Site
Score: 99 Performance | 92 SEO | Speed Index 0.8s

Meet Chris

I’m not just a designer… I’m a seasoned entrepreneur and brand strategist who sits in the owner’s seat. Over the past 20 years, my clients have credited my launches and redesigns with significant revenue impact — because clarity converts.

I don’t just build websites; I build businesses.

20+ years building sites that create trust • Ross School of Business (U of M)
Chris Willitts Winning an Award

The Advantage:

  • Owner’s Mindset: I’ve built 7 businesses and successfully exited one for 317% above market value. I look at your site through the lens of an acquisition, not just an aesthetic.

  • Academic Precision: As a Ross Business School graduate (University of Michigan), I embed MBA-level strategic insights into your site’s architecture.

  • Minimalist Philosophy: I specialize in high-impact, low-friction solutions that lead to faster launches and sustainable, low-maintenance growth.

  • Regional Roots, Universal Standards: I operate out of key growth markets across the country, which keeps my finger on the pulse of evolving digital trends. By blending creative ingenuity with decisive, high-impact strategy, I ensure your brand doesn’t just look local… it looks like a leader. My clients benefit from a partner who is accessible, grounded, and perpetually inspired by the best of both the creative and corporate worlds.

My Ideal Client

I work best with entrepreneurs who value precision over fluff. You are a fit for my direct-to-founder model if:

  • You value autonomy: you want a self-starter who handles the details.

  • You prioritize clarity: you know simple and clean beats clutter.

  • You seek ROI, not just a price: you’ll pay fair for elite craftsmanship that performs.

  • You think long-term: you want a loyal partner, not a one-off transaction.

  • You support local: you prefer specialists and community over megaservices.

*If you want the cheapest option or need a site by tomorrow, I’m not your guy.

The Recap

  • Minimalist Design: High-conversion WordPress and Shopify builds.
  • Brand Clarity: Positioning + messaging flow that makes you the obvious choice.
  • Strategic Guidance: Rooted in 20+ years of real-world business building.
  • Easy Communication: A direct line to the person actually doing the work.
  • Built for Dreamers: Tailored for those who dream like me.

What happens if you wait?

If you wait, the gap widens.

Every month you delay, competitors keep collecting reviews, improving visibility, and getting the first call. The best time to fix this was earlier. The second-best time is when you’re reading this (this may be your sign).

See Pricing

Trusted by the Trusted

“

Chris is one of the most creative and entrepreneurial persons I know. He has a strong history of taking innovative ideas and bringing them to life. In addition, he has a never say die attitude and consistently follows through on what he says he will do. Strongly recommend working with him!

Moses LeeCEO MLC | Venture Builder & Private Equity Investor
“

Chris is an exceptional marketing and branding professional with a strong work ethic and unwavering integrity. As a fellow entrepreneur, I have firsthand experience with his dedication to his craft and his clients. He is always reliable and responsive, and it’s clear that he truly cares about the people he works with. I highly recommend Chris for any marketing or branding project – he’s a true asset to have on your team.

Tony BlackDigital Entrepreneur | Restaurant Owner
“

Salient has enhanced our user experience and allowed us to move faster than ever and our company is now positioned to scale. We've seen a rediculous growth of 80% in just a few months!

Jack GrahamProject Manager, Coffee Inc
“

Chris does exceptional work as an end to end media buyer, working on everything from ad buying strategy, copywriting, photos and creative selection, bidding strategies, and analysis. His own experience as an online entrepreneur and business owner gives him key insights on how to successfully grow sales through digital tactics.

Alex McAfeeCo-Founder at Fast & Light

Minimalist Design Maximum Trust

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”
~ Leonardo da Vinci

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