Beginner's Guide

Chapter 21
written by Jen Kramer
A Joomla Website from Scratch
FIRST, START WITH A PLAN
There are two kinds of website builders.
The first is all too typical. A client asks,
I'd like a website, and I want it blue; how much will that cost?
The builder responds,
If you get it with a calendar, it will cost $X, or you can also get it with a blog for
$Y.
This kind of builder serves as a button-clicker. The client asks for something, and rather than
applying analysis or years of experience to the problem the client needs solve, this builder simply delivers
a site the way the client requested it.
The second kind of website builder has a future with bigger clients in it. When asked the same
question, this builder says,
Sure, we can definitely make your website blue. Can you tell me about your
organization and what you hope your website will do for it?
By asking instead about a client's organization and the problems they need solved, you will be
developing a relationship of trust with your client. That means completing the site is the start of the
relationship with your client, leading to further work, rather than the completion of your relationship
with the client. It's much easier to get continuing work from existing clients, rather than continuously
seeking new ones.
Assuming you want to be the second, more successful website builder, here are some pointers for
putting together your Joomla 2.5 site from scratch.
Goals of the organization, users, and website
Start a discussion with the client about their organization, whether it's a business, a non-profit, or a
personal website. You might ask some of the following questions, and there are many additional
questions to these:
Joomla! 2.5 - Beginner’s Guide
Monday, 30 January 2012! Page 234