Where Can I Learn How to Turn My Web Design Into A Service/Business?

[TogetherWeRise]

Hello there!

I'm 16 years old and I've been studying web design for about a year now, and I'd say that I'm good enough to turn it into a small service for most of the businesses in my town (advertisement through craigslist). I only know HTML/CSS, and the basis of javascript, but I most likely won't be offering Javascript (except for contact forms).

I plan to offer basic "web advertisement" that revolves entirely around HTML and CSS. Kind of like this website that I just recently made for a small organization I am part of: http://www.ischoolerz.com

Basically, are there any resources out there that will explain the following for me:

-Some other Web Development basics that I will need to know
-How to get the service started
-How to carry out the process with clients
-Any other information going along with a business like this

Any information will be much appreciated.
Thank You!

[Apostropartheid]

Get familiar with a CMS and how to integrate it into your design. Look into contracts: these will protect you from any nasty surprises from clients. Build a decent portfolio site.

[TogetherWeRise]

What are the best and easiest CMSs to use?

[mlseim]

You'll need to learn PHP, MySQL, possibly AJAX (combination of PHP and javascripting).



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[EdNerd]

In my mind, if you have to ask this question, then you don't know enough about business to do a web site for _my_ business.

Not that you can't do good design, and not that you can't do decent CSS. I'm sure you can do much better than I can.

But a web site for a business has got to be built with business in mind: how potential customers acceess a site; what elements turn lookers into customers; how to get all the info you need in a form without turning off your prospect; SEO and all that too.

If you don't know enough about business to know these things, then I don't know that I can trust you to build me site to have these in place. (How many times have you visted a web site and said to yourself "I want to like this place, but I can't find my way around!")

Also, if you don't know a lot about business, how can I trust you to be there next year when I need you? You do plan on maintaining the sites you build, don't you?

We can easliy fall in love with the neat things we can do in code. We forget that all that is invisible to the potential clients knocking on a web-based door. What the site owner wants is an inviting site that coverts lookers into clients.

Don't forget to study some business along the way.
Ed

[TogetherWeRise]

Thanks for the reply Ed.

I've taken into account everything you've stated. And yes I agree that I may not know enough about business, but the majority of techniques and marketing that attract customers seem to be common sense to me. And although I may be a bit naive there, if i knew how all that worked, I wouldn't be asking the question I am now. I do indeed plan to study marketing and what not.

I do agree that I am in no way, shape, or form ready to turn this into a service, which is why I am asking for resources to learn HOW I can.

And my low experience and lack of professional degrees will be compromised for extremely cheap prices.