A client asked me if I can design WordPress website. I know we’ve had this conversation many times before, but I just want to make sure I’m clear on it, since I’ve never worked with WordPress.
From what I’ve read, in order to develop WordPress websites you have to be highly skilled in coding, which means that most of us are simply using WordPress templates and populating the pages. Is that a fair statement?
Also, with most WordPress templates do you pretty much have to use whatever is in their template as far as formatting is concerned (i.e. colors, fonts, formats, etc.) or can some of those elements be easily changed?
I should probably design one, but I thought I would ask before attempting it.
If it were me I would be curious as to why the client is set on WP. Is there a specific reason or is it just because he heard that’s what everyone uses?
If it were me I would be curious as to why the client is set on WP. Is there a specific reason or is it just because he heard that’s what everyone uses?
I think it’s the latter. Plus, I think they want the ability to make edits, which I’m told WordPress does fairly easily. And, they have no budget, so I don’t want to invest a lot of time in designing something from scratch.
For me, I think it would be helpful to have several classes of website products to accommodate a wider range of budgets, especially the lower end. I should probably stop talking about WordPress and actually use it for at least one site so I can get a better feel for it’s limitations.
Making (content) edits is not terribly different from one CMS to the next, it’s the building and maintaining part that varies a lot.
Todd
I think it’s the latter. Plus, I think they want the ability to make edits, which I’m told WordPress does fairly easily. And, they have no budget, so I don’t want to invest a lot of time in designing something from scratch.
I have to admit that my clients and I really like Perch. It’s an excellent CMS, especially when it comes to client edits.
Unfortunately, I find its implementation very confusing, but much of that is likely due to my inexperience with coding and CSS. As I learn more my prowess should improve.
As long as you stay within the plug-n-play aspect that WP does so well you should be fine, but if you need to dig deeply into modifying a template or some other aspect you may find WP can be as (or more) convoluted than Perch. It all hinges on what you need to do within a given system. You can always find yourself over your skis.
Todd
I have to admit that my clients and I really like Perch. It’s an excellent CMS, especially when it comes to client edits.
Unfortunately, I find its implementation very confusing, but much of that is likely due to my inexperience with coding and CSS. As I learn more my prowess should improve.
Run!! You will be the one on the short end of the stick.
Marcel
My thoughts exactly. You end up doing more work in the process you won’t get paid for. And if you decide to do the work after all, just make up a contract, specifying whatever you need to do with the agreed fee to be paid. More or extra work (even though they come up with it within the process) needs another (extra) contract. Don’t get into a situation where you won’t get paid they are not satisfied with the work done on extra’s you haven’t even quoted them for in the first place.
I have done several wordpress sites recently due to what the client needs / wants.
with the right theme (I am still learning how to take a template and make it a theme) there is a lot of flexibility to customize the theme to what the client wants.
I have been learning the short code and learning how to tweak other things in the CSS
you can also make a template in pixelmator like you can in PSD - thats where I am learning now .
but my favorite is always FW
J
On Oct 19, 2013, at 7:42 PM, RavenManiac email@hidden wrote:
Hey guys, thanks for the responses. I may have exaggerated that a bit. I should have typed “low budget”, not “no budget”.
I don’t work for free. I also stopped giving away free ideas and suggestions as well.
