That's what most people start off with, a vague idea of what they want the web site to accomplish. It's a good start.
However, not every business requires a huge site with all the bells and whistles, e-commerce or even a content management system. Every business is different and as such should have the web site resources applicable to their needs. Yes, many businesses share common ground and will have similar functions on their web sites, but not always.
I guess what we're saying here is that
We don't treat every business the same, because they're not.