Social Networking forPromotional Professionals

Presentors:

Dana Zezzo | Stephanie McClintock

Pro Towels Etc.

Buying Habits Have Changed

7. Blogger 11. MySpace 13. Twitter

www.alexa.com – Ranks the Top 500 Sites on the web

So what does this tell you?

That people are using Social Networking Sites for

Research Before Buying

• Facebook

• You Tube

• Twitter

• Blogs

Recent ASI Research Study

• LinkedIn - the online site for professionals - is used by about 54% of distributors and 46% of suppliers, with more than 85% using it for business purposes. 

• Facebook - a more casual online site - has the greatest penetration in the industry overall, with 59% of distributors and 62% of suppliers indicating they have a Facebook account.  More than 60% of users say it’s for personal use only.

Nearly 90% of respondents feel social networking already is or will become a good way to promote their business.

So you all have a great product and you want people talking about your product…Right?

Social Media marketing is about CREATING CONVERSATIONS

about your product.

Social Media will drive people to your website. You will be able to make the conversion faster.

1. Get them to visit your website2. Turn into leads3. Turn into leads into sales

Source:

Good content gets shared…It goes VIRAL What is good content?

• NEW data

• Funny videos

• Top-notch Blog posts

Add Personality and Humanizes your Brand

Transparency

Ultimate Roladex

Easier to keep contactinformation up to date –never lose touch!

Facebook Use in Industry:59% of distributors 62% of suppliers

Business Pages

POST

• Events

• Videos

• Discussions

• Photos

• Blog Articles

Use in Industry:

54% of distributors

46% of suppliers

The Goal of LinkedIn

To engage an audience & build a network.

• Do this by demonstrating your expertise and thought leadership.

• Don't sell your services, but feel free to drive people to relevant content on your site that adds value.

Tips to Build Your Network

Create a LinkedIn Group - Setup a group with a broader theme related your industry. Use the group to lead thinking in your market, then promote the group and build membership. 

Answer Questions on LinkedIn - Ask and respond to relevant questions in the LinkedIn "Answers" section. Anytime you ask or answer a question it shows up in the Network Updates feed for all your connections. Best of all, you gain expertise points. LinkedIn users tend to trust experts in their subject categories and are often contacted directly.

Integrate LinkedIn Into Your Marketing - Anytime you do a webinar or present at a trade show or thought-leadership event, invite your audience to network with you or join your group. You can also notify all the members of your group about an upcoming promotion or event and drive them back to your site or blog.

Source: