Client Story: Ann Lawson Construction and Unlock Collective: a behind-the-scenes website refresh

Jul 22

Ann came to us with a website that she felt was outdated and didn’t create the confidence she wanted when her potential clients found her online. We brought intentional strategy for this small business to rebuild her website in a way that better reflected the quality of their work, and the high standard of the experience, making it easier for future clients to explore past projects, and turn site visits into real inquiries.

Who is Ann Lawson Construction?

Ann Lawson Construction is a woman-owned and queer-owned general contracting business based in Portland, Oregon. With over a decade of experience, their work is grounded in quality craftsmanship, creating a safe and empowering client experience and serious attention to detail. They are fully licensed, bonded, and insured, and they have grown primarily through word-of-mouth referrals.

In other words: they build beautiful spaces, and they build trust at the same time.

The challenge: an old website that was not supporting the business

The existing site was basic, dated, and not doing the job of a modern contractor website.

The goals were clear:

Elevate the brand presence and first impression
Tell the story of the business in a way that feels true to Ann Lawson Construction
Showcase past projects with clarity and strong visual evidence
Make it easy for potential clients to reach out
Improve search visibility (SEO) so the right people could actually find the site

What we built: brand elevation + custom website design

Unlock Collective partnered with Ann Lawson Construction on a branded website refresh, built to feel polished, welcoming, and easy to navigate.

To reach these outcomes, we focused on:

Website strategy and structure, so visitors can quickly understand services and next steps
Clear website copy that reflects the business and builds trust
Showcasing projects that highlights craftsmanship without overwhelming the viewer
Conversion-focused contact paths, so it is obvious how to inquire
SEO foundations, so the site can perform in local search

The result: a website that gets found and brings in better leads

The finished website tells the Ann Lawson Construction story clearly, showcases their work, and makes it easy for visitors to reach out.

And it is not just a visual upgrade. The analytics show meaningful improvements behind the scenes, including stronger search performance. Their site is showing up first in searches, which means more of the right clients finding them and getting in touch.

What it was like working together (the behind-the-scenes part)

Our process is collaborative and straightforward. We start by getting aligned on what needs to change and why, then we build a plan that makes decision-making easier, not harder.

With Ann Lawson Construction, that looked like:

Clarifying the story: what makes their client experience feel supportive, comfortable, and high quality
Prioritizing content: what a visitor needs to see first, and what can come later
Designing around trust: clean visuals, easy navigation, and a layout that feels confident
Refining details: language, flow, and project presentation so the site feels like the business

We love working with service-based businesses like general contractors because your website has one big job: help people feel confident choosing you.

Looking for a contractor website that actually works?

If you are a small business owner and your website is not bringing in inquiries, it might be time for a refresh.

Unlock Collective is a queer-owned creative design and consulting agency that builds inviting and strategic branded websites for small businesses. If you want a site that feels like you and supports real growth, we would love to collaborate.