a brief Art of the Start with Social Media and WordPress:

The Art of The Start manifesto by Guy Kawasaki is one of my all time favourites. Guy is a genius.
I get asked quite often about getting started with WordPress and Social Media. Seems like we can combine the two for an interesting twist..
So with acknowledgements to Guy, and a Social Media twist, here’s a brief Art of the Start with Social Media and WordPress:
1. MAKE MEANING:
Guy states that “The best reason to start an organization is to make meaning – to create a product or service that makes the world a better place. So your first task is to decide how you can make meaning.”
When looking at using social media marketing, ask ‘what is it that you’re marketing?’. The answer should be something around creating value – value is meaning. For maximum effect, the value has to be rooted in the lofty goal of contribution to something bigger than yourself, but which you are a part of. This is the purpose of your endeavour, the big ‘Why‘.
2. MAKE MANTRA:
Guy states that “Forget mission statements; they’re long, boring, and irrelevant. No one can ever remember them—much less implement them. Instead, take your meaning and make a mantra out of it. This will set your entire team on the right course.”
What we’re talking about here is articulating your passion, rather than a lofty ideal. This is the vision. What does it look and feel like when you’re putting answer 1 into action – the essence of the ‘state’ you are in. Who are you being in that state? How can you distil the essence of that into a mantra?
3. GET GOING:
From Guy: “Start creating and delivering your product or service. Think soldering irons, compilers, hammers, saws, and AutoCAD – whatever tools you use to build products and services. Don’t focus on pitching, writing, and planning.”
This reminds me also of Seth Godin’s quote “Great Artists Ship”. Execution is king. But don’t make the mistake of putting execution first. Execution without an objective is unfocussed activity, not productive activity. The objective is to build answer 2, because of answer 1.
Social Marketing though raises an exception to Guy’s note of not focussing on writing. Actually we should focus on writing – because writing is creating the content. However, make sure that the writing is your channel of expression, for bringing answer 2 to life, and not just an activity to distract you or occupy you. Get writing, get interacting, get making videos, get visible.
4. DEFINE YOUR BUSINESS MODEL:
Guy says: “No matter what kind of organization you’re starting, you have to figure out a way to make money. The greatest idea, technology, product, or service is short-lived without a sustainable business model.”
This is the natural expression of creating value. Whatever you answer to question 1 was, the way you create it in answer 2, has to create value for your market, your team, the people who will pay you money for what you provide. And when it is aligned with your passion, providing value to other swill also in itself be of value to you.
This is where you experience meaning. This is where you take your ideal, and turn it into somethign practical. Think benefits, think value to you clients and customers – put yourself in their shoes and ask “what is my biggest need, my greatest desire”. Ask them, they will tell you. Respond to that need with a value offering, which is also inlien with what you love to do, and are naturally good at.
5. WEAVE A MAT (MILESTONES, ASSUMPTIONS, AND TASKS):
Guy’s words: “The final step is to compile three lists: (a) major milestones you need to meet; (b) assumptions that are built into your business model; and (c) tasks you need to accomplish to create an organization. This will enforce discipline and keep your organization on track when all hell breaks loose – and all hell will break loose.”
Here we thrash out the specific goals that will keep us on track, keep us focussed in times of turmoil and distraction. Discipline is important, but passion will win out over discipline every time. Aligning your activities and goals to your passion, in a way which creates exceptional value for your clients, and doing this within a clearly defined framework of objectives, will do the trick.

Five Practical Steps for Social Media Marketing with WordPress

1. Setup a WordPress Site. I recommend hosting with MediaTemple. Why? Because after 15 years in the website game, they are the best I have experienced. By Far.
2. Setup your social profiles. A good start are Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and Google Plus. Then integrate these into your WordPress setup [separate post].
3. After completing the 5 steps above, you know what to write, why you’re writing it, and who you’re writing it for. Get writing, video interviewing, guest posting, and responding. Keep in the back of your mind that you are looking to establish authority (in your chosen field), credibility (with your clients, followers and audience), and trust.
4. Monitor your progress, and the effect you have. Register with http://crowdbooster.com/ and track.
5. As soon as you can, establish a content strategy – which has visibility and regularity at it’s core. The frequency doesn’t matter as much as the regularity.

Other things which can support this, are tools such as Google Alerts. You automatically receive alerts when someone mentions your speciality subject – giving you the chance to respond and contribute.
There are many more steps of course, but these will put you in the less than 10% of people who do the right things and make a difference.
To your Social Media Marketing Success,
Paul.