A high converting website isn't a nice extra on top of good design. For most clients it's the entire point of the project. It should look sharp and do the job of turning strangers into enquiries.

What actually matters

• A clear call to action: Every page should point somewhere. Contact, enquire, book. If a visitor finishes a page and doesn't know what to do next, that's a design failure, not a content problem.
• Responsive by default: The site needs to hold up on every device, not just the one it was designed on.
• Real photography, not stock: Nothing kills trust faster than a client site full of stock photos that could belong to anyone.
• Proof, not claims: Testimonials and case studies do more work than any amount of copy about how good the client is.

None of this is groundbreaking. What's groundbreaking is how often it gets skipped because the deadline was tight and the brief didn't ask for it directly. Build these in from the start and the client gets a site that earns its keep, not just one that looks good in a portfolio shot.