The Unconventional Guide to the social web

You Have a Message to Bring to the World

No one else has the same message, and if you don't find a way to get it out there, no one will ever know.

Your message might be on behalf of a remarkable organization you're responsible for building, or your message might be YOU: the blog you write, the art you create, the service you offer. Whatever you have to share with the world, you need to find a way to get it to the world.

The problem is - how do you get your message out? Carrier pigeons are hard to come by these days, and you don't have a big advertising budget.

You've heard about social media - maybe you've even signed up for Twitter and Facebook - but you feel overwhelmed, confused, or unable to gain traction in a crowded marketplace.

What do people really talk about on Twitter? Isn't Facebook just for chatting with friends? Why are some people able to attract large groups of followers while others don't? How can you promote something through social media without looking like a spammer?

Those are good questions, but it all starts with a more fundamental idea:

What if You Could Get Your Message to an Audience that was Already Receptive?

Instead of standing on a milk crate with a bullhorn, what if you spent your time building relationships that had meaningful, measurable, impact? What if you could share your message with an eager group of fans, just waiting for you to come forward with your great ideas?

Please understand: you can't bring your message to everyone. Not everyone will be interested -- but you can bring it to the people who care deeply about what you have to say.

When you begin to use an active social media strategy to bring your message to people who care, everything changes. Traffic goes up. Sales go up. Whatever-you're-doing goes up.

And that's what this project is all about. You, your message, and the rest of the world.

How to Change the World

Changing the world is serious stuff. Businesses and entrepreneurs change the world through innovation. Bloggers and artists create something spectacular out of nothing but talent and sweat. Leaders inspire peers and followers to go further.

What do YOU do? What's YOUR thing?

Regardless of your specific path or calling, we've put together a guide that will help you take concrete actions to scale up your reach. The goal is to help you:

• Connect with people who are already interested in what you have to say
• Demystify the "no-rules" culture of new media, especially Twitter and Facebook
• Make your message more personal, meaningful, and impactful
• Recruit a "small army" of friends and followers committed to your cause

• Make the leap from Good to Great through a sustained commitment to new media

Introducing the Unconventional Guide to the Social Web:
Because There Are No Experts

There are no hard-and-fast do's and don'ts in the Social Media world. The funny thing about expertise in this industry is that once you say you have it, you've lost it. (It's kind of like asking "How can I be authentic?" - If you have to ask, you're trying too hard.)

There is more than one way to build a brand online. This project offers several different perspectives, but other people have other ideas, and that's OK.

With that in mind, we've created a resource to help you get your message to the right people. The resource is called the Unconventional Guide to the Social Web.

It's for entrepreneurs, leaders, bloggers, and artists of all kinds. If you have a message to share with the world and need to expand your audience, this will help.

All materials for the guide are delivered immediately after purchase by electronic download, and will work on both PC and Macs. The complete product includes:

• A 35-page manual, written by Gwen Bell using yoga as the theme. The manual includes a number of microactions you can take immediately to improve (or begin!) building your online presence
• A 21-minute audio session on Social Media for Introverts - or "Why Being Shy Is OK Online" created by Chris Guillebeau, who travels the world and talks with tens of thousands of people despite being too shy to answer the phone
• A series of audio interviews with White Hot Truth's Danielle LaPorte, WebGrris's Nelly Yusupova, and a special "Mr. X." The interviews focus on practical tips and overall philosophy. (Mr. X's interview focuses on advanced social web hacks and contains some surprising information about blogging.) 
• A 14-minute video feature with the founder of Whiffie's, a Portland, Oregon small business that attracts more than 60% of its customers through Twitter
• A detailed FAQ file, 30-page collection of success stories, other reports, interviews, and bonuses (see below for more info)
• Ongoing updates and new content for at least six months
• OPTIONAL: A 30-minute, personal jumpstart session to help you set or review your World Domination strategy for the Social Web (available with the Internet Rockstar version only)

A Few of the Things You'll Learn

• What you can do RIGHT NOW to bring more visitors to your website or blog
• How to begin to develop buzz around your community or brand
• Barnyard Social Media (How almost any industry can benefit from online interaction)
• Why YOU are the killer tagline (No need to become someone you're not)
• The 99% Practice, 1% Theory Model

What You Won't Learn

• How to Become a Spammer and Annoy People
• The Road to Riches at 1,000 Twitter followers at a Time
• How to Be Authentic* (*Good news: you already are! There's no need to change.)

Your Co-Conspirators and Co-Learners

• 

  @chrisguillebeau

  Chris is a professional vagabond who publishes the popular Art of Nonconformity site and travels around the world. While sleeping on airport floors and avoiding deportation from places like Saudi Arabia, he writes for a growing community of remarkable people.

  Pseudo-expertise: Author of 279 Days to Overnight Success manifesto and The Art of Non-Conformity book (Perigee 2010), Self-Employed for Life, 600,000 Frequent Flyer Miles

• 

  @gwenbell

  Gwen is a karaoke stage-diving, globe-trotting serial entrepreneur with a penchant for putting her face on a mat, climbing up walls and starting things. Her favorite mixed drink is The Aviation, and she shares her life at GwenBell.com.

  Pseudo-expertise: Partner at Kirtsy.com, founder of yoga studio in Japan, brand enthusiast for Nintendo, non-lame consultant

Your Choice: Three Versions of Awesomeness

There are three versions of this awesome resource. No matter which you choose, you'll get at least 5,000 words of excellent content, at least two MP3 audio files, and an additional series of updates that arrives over time. Here's how each version breaks down:

To jump on the train or learn more about what's included, hop on over to the Order Page

Complete, No-Strings, 100% Guarantee

The Unconventional Guide to the Social Web is amazing, and we're pretty sure you'll love it. But if for some reason you don't, just let us know and you'll get a 100% refund. To ensure you have enough time to review the materials, the guarantee is valid for an entire year.

Not many people can guarantee awesomeness these days, but we're stepping up. Raise the standard! Burn the ships!

Questions & Answers

Q: OMG! How can I buy this right now?
A: Great question. To buy this right now, you click this link. Or the "Yes! I Want It Right Now!" button below - either will work.

Q: Seriously, why doesn't it cost a fortune?
A: Yes, we know that other consultants charge hundreds of dollars an hour. One other guide about Twitter costs $800, and no, you don't get 800 free iTunes downloads with it. The goal of the Unconventional Guide to the Social Web is to help people embrace online interaction and get their message out to the world without breaking the bank. This is supposed to be easy and accessible.

Q: I'm afraid of social media. Is this really for me?
A: Remember: Chris doesn't even answer his phone, but every day he talks with 15,000 people on Twitter. It's actually a lot of fun, even if you're an introvert or otherwise feel overwhelmed.

Q: Isn't Gwen crazy for doing the 30-minute sessions with each person who buys the Internet Rockstar version?
A: (from Chris) - Yes, I think so. But she seems like a motivated, hard-working crazy person, so hopefully this won't take over her life.

Q: Can I meet you in person so you can autograph my copy of the Unconventional Guide to the Social Web?
A: (from Gwen) - Yes. Chris and I both travel a lot. Chris is visiting every country in the world. My goal is to attend every conference. While we know these are big goals, we're also very dedicated to the people we're writing for. You are the reason we get out of bed in the morning. So we'll make every effort to be at your event - if you'd like to set up a signing, virtual or otherwise, please get in touch.

And That's a Wrap... Or Is It?

We'll continue the conversation through the detailed materials in the guide. Through the manual, audio sessions, and compilation of success stories, you'll meet dozens of people who have taken the leap to achieve unconventional success through the creative use of social media. A few of them include:

• Romeo the Cat - despite sleeping an estimated 20 hours a day, former shelter cat Romeo (and his well-behaved owner) raised $20,000 for animal rescue in five months and was featured in the New York Times
• Whiffie's Fried Pies - this outdoor restaurant in Portland, Oregon became a local hit almost completely through social media. When Chris asked Whiffie's owner Gregg Abbott how Twitter has helped his business, Gregg corrected him: "Twitter hasn't helped my business; Twitter IS my business. Without Twitter, I'd be back on my day job."
• NYU to Dot-Com - this pair of 2009 NYU grads started a business on Facebook after getting 800 members to their Fan Page in four days
• We Just Live Here - The store in Columbus, Texas (population: 4,000) that now sells more inventory online around the world than any other store does locally
• Puppet P.R. - this laid-off jobseeker who found new employment by creating a YouTube video series of Puppet Theatre

What about you - what's your story? How will you bring your message to the people who need to hear it?

If you'd like to change the world through online interaction, we'd love to help you along the way. The best proof is in your experience, not ours: try out the guide and see for yourself. Are you in?

P.S. Whether you buy the guide or not, feel free to connect with us: @chrisguillebeau or @gwenbell on Twitter.