Twelve-step plans aren't just for kicking bad habits; they're also handy for cultivating powerful new skills. Which is why we're breaking down a few of the 12 steps from Channel V Media's e-book, 12 Key Things You Must Consider When Developing a Social Media Program for Your Business, Your Brand or Your Clients. The handy guide lays out a solid action plan for agencies and firms still trying to get started the right way in social media.

Pete Caputa has summarized the e-book's steps quite nicely in a post at the Hubspot blog. Here are the first six:

1. Audience identification. If you know who you're talking to, you're ahead of the game! Now just figure out how they're talking to each other.
2. Platform development and design. This is where you figure out how to best engage your unique users.
3. Brand campaign integration. How might you integrate your social strategy into an existing campaign? Don't force it; engage people in a way that is appropriate for each medium you're using and each situation.
4. Content creation and coordination. Remember KISS (keep it simple, stupid)? Keep it consistent, smarty! Your message should be the same and coherent across all platforms.
5. Goal mapping. How are you measuring success? By traffic, brand mentions, leads, email subscriptions, sales? Sort this one out early.
6. Brand identity. Everyone on your media strategy team should understand your goals and your messaging—and stick to them.

Social media may still be a "new" frontier to some, but you can go about conquering it the same way you approach any marketing challenge: systematically and with rigor.

Read the rest of the 12 steps at Hubspot. Or if you're ready, download Channel V Media's full ebook.

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