Help me choose a CMS, find stores for a green laptop case, and how/where to build a buzz about it.

• Quadruple your pleasure! I'm a newly minted green business consultant, and would like your help on four things: finding a CMS or blog system to create a website for my business, finding places where you think a green laptop case would/should be sold, blogs/social networks to get the word out about it, and suggested protocol to approach said blogs/social networks. Happy Monday everybody. Here's the thumbnail: I recently started a green business consulting practice (woopeee!) and got my first client, a laptop case company that's decided to convert their whole line to sustainably made by the end of next year. I would like your help on four things: Finding a CMS or blog system to create a website for my business, finding places where you think a green laptop case would/should be sold, blogs/social networks to get the word out about it, and suggested protocol to approach said blogs. ~~~ Okay, part one - I'm wanting to create a website for my budding consulting practice, I'm not coding savvy, and am leaning the CMS route, rather then blog, so that I can make the content/structure malleable, but not need to be an coding genius to do it. Yes I know blogs like Typepad can have static pages as well as blog pages, but my gut says that in the long term I'll want more elbow room. At this point the consulting practice is just me, but there may be others in the future. My question is, of what's out there, which CMS systems meet these criteria: • Are easy to install, customize, update. • Can be up and running in a short amount of time, and are scalable/have plenty of useful modules to add. • " " ", even if I'm no coder. Has instructions that don't presume you know all the lingo already. • Has a variety of stylish templates, and can be customized. • Is free (preferably) or inexpensive (ie a reasonable monthly vs some huge up front fee.) • Open source and/or good support. In other words, if things go wrong, there's either tech support or people on a BB that could help me suss things out. If you have some entirely other idea outside of a blog or cms, do tell. ~~~~ Part two: I've gotten my first consulting client, a laptop case company that has decided to convert their entire line to green (made of recycled bottles!) by the end of next year. I'm helping them with reviewing/ creating marketing materials, buzz building on blogs/social networks, coming up with new channels of distribution, and general susty knowledge goodness to keep them on their toes and thinking broadly. Where would you see recycled soda bottle based laptop case (and soon to be many other kinds of) bags being sold, online and bricks and mortar? Think both where you would imagine seeing them (ie Elephant Pharmacy {a green focused "drug store that prescribes yoga"}, theGreenOffice.com), and where you think they should be seen (ie at Whole Foods, Starbucks) I've been compiling a list, and would love to have your input on this. They sell nationally, and also in Europe and I believe some Asian countries at this point. Think broad, from leetle places to beeg companies. What blogs/social networks do you see the word going out on? Again I've got a list going, think from the usual suspects (Treehugger.com) to more off the current beaten path (Changents.com) And lastly: Any suggestions for how to approach people at blogs to post about these bags, this company? It has a good story (Founder was a Berkeley enviro studies major in the 80s, got discouraged, went into business that was not enviro related, and now sees that it's possible to do it susty, and has made the commitment, and is dedicated to do it really right, as in not just because it's cool, but does every material in there make a difference vs. the conventional option?) Do I write something for them, or just give them a thumbnail and let them do their thing? My client thinks they should wait until products are in stores to do this, but I think building an anticipatory buzz instead of/as well as this would be wise. Thoughts?

• Answer:

  I'd start with http://wordpress.org/, IMO still the easiest to use and install, fulfills all your requirements, and has hundreds of great themes (http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2007/02/09/83-beautiful-wordpress-themes-you-probably-havent-seen/, http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2007/06/26/21-fresh-usable-and-elegant-wordpress-themes/, http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2007/05/07/10-fresh-elegant-and-clean-wordpress-themes/). my gut says that in the long term I'll want more elbow room The most important thing is to not get hung up on installing and customizing your CMS and just start writing. Many people end up letting their blog/website wither why they nitpick over every detail of its appearance. Readers demand good content - a nice appearance is just window dressing, especially in the age of RSS readers. finding places where you think a green laptop case would/should be sold I think your best bets are the environmental (TreeHugger, MetaEfficient), design (notcot, http://betterlivingthroughdesign.com/, Cool Hunting, DesignSponge) and tech/gadgetry blogs (uncrate, productdose, engadget, gizmodo). Check out TreeHugger's http://www.treehugger.com/blogroll.php.