Dana Zezzo, Vice President of Sales at Pro Towels Etc., gave a presentation on using social networking for promotional professionals. He discussed how social media has changed consumer buying and research habits, with people now doing 85% of business after the 9th touch. Zezzo argued that social networking sites allow companies to stay engaged with clients and prospects through daily touches, and emphasized using these sites to build relationships rather than sell. He provided tips on using Facebook, LinkedIn, and video to add personality to brands and engage audiences.

1. Social Networking for
Promotional Professionals
Pro Towels Etc. Pro Towels Etc. Dana Zezzo Dana Zezzo
Presenter:
Dana R. Zezzo ProTowels Etc.
440-344-5933| dzezzo@protowelsetc.com
www.protowelsetc.com

2. Dana R. Zezzo, Vice President of Sales at Pro Towels Etc.
Dana has spent the past two years growing the company into the largest
supplier of beach and golf towels. He has been in the promotional product
industry for over 18 years. Dana is equally involved in both the industry and
in his local community in Ashtabula, Ohio. He is a past president of TRASA -
the Three Rivers Advertising Specialty Association, and currently serves on
both the ASI Stitches Advisory Board and on the PPAI National Leadership
Conference Advisory Committee. He also gives seminars across the country
on industry related topics such as How to Market your Apparel Decorating
Business, Selling Strategies and Social Networking for Promotional
Professionals.
Dana currently lives in Ashtabula, OH with his wife, Shelly and three
daughters where he continues to update his facebook and linkedin profiles
on a daily basis.
Pro Towels Etc. has changed the view of our category and the perception of
our company by utilizing the social media platform.
DANA ZEZZO – VICE PRESIDENT of SALES
440-344-5933| dzezzo@protowelsetc.com

3. Simple Definition
social networking
=
sharing/networking online

4. Benefit From Social Networking
• Stay in front of clients & prospects
• Know your clients/prospects better
– Identify unknown connections
• Find new prospects
• Branding
• Sales
• Fun

5. What We Want to Prove Today
The Ultimate Rolodex?

6. Consumer Buying & Research
Habits Have Changed

7. Social Networking / Social Media
Keywords
Transparency
Viral
Conversation

8. 85% of all business is done after the 9th touch
Touches
• Focus on activities that drive sales and relationships
• It takes 9 touches to get an account - most reps give up
after 3
• These touches can be:
– Sales Calls
– Phone Calls
– Emails
– Presence
– Branding
– Persistence
– Social Networking
– Right Place at the Right Time
– Etc.
#1 Reason Salespeople Should Use Social Networking Sites
WARM UP YOUR COLD CALLS

9. Touches
Social Networking Usage Doubles
ASI Central (3/2/2010)
A new University of Maryland survey shows social media usage among small businesses increased to
24% in 2009, up from 12% in 2008. Further, three out of four respondents reported use of a company
social networking Web page, tied to a site like Facebook or LinkedIn. An additional 40% of
respondents say they have created a blog, where they post entries related to their areas of expertise.
About 26% of those surveyed send Tweets about their business field, while 16% use Twitter as a
customer service tool. “Social media levels the playing field for small businesses by helping them
deliver customer service,” said Janet Wagner, director of the Center for Excellence in Service. “Time
spent on Twitter, Facebook and blogs is an investment in making it easier for small businesses to
compete.” Besides demonstrating usage, the survey also compared expectations to results, showing
social networking wasn’t quite as effective in attracting new customers as had been hoped. Roughly
73% of respondents expected social networking to help customer acquisition, while only 61% of
surveyed businesses could identify an uptick. However, 46% of respondents believe social media
helped their businesses stay engaged with customers, falling in line with expectations.
Maybe most notably of all, 22% of those surveyed feel social networking is already helping them turn a
profit, with 46% believing the marketing tool will help them make money within the next year. This new
optimism among business executives is an attitude reversal from prior studies, including one
conducted by Citibank last August. In that study, 75% of respondents did not find social networking to
be helpful for generating leads or expanding their businesses.

10. Daily Touches
The BIG Question … Social Media 30 – 60 minutes a day!
NEW : SMS TEXT | HOV LANE?

11. www.alexa.com – Ranks the Top 500 Sites on the web
7. Blogger 11. MySpace 13. Twitter

12. Credit: http://www.fastcompany.com/mic/2010

14. So you all have a great product and you want people
talking about your product…Right?
Social Media marketing is about
CREATING CONVERSATIONS
about you and your product.
Social Media will drive people to your website.
So you will be able to make the conversion faster.
1. Get them to visit your website
2. Turn into leads
3. Turn leads into sales
Source:
*Reminder: 85% of all business is done after the 9th touch.

15. So what does this tell you?
That people are using
Social Networking Sites for
Building Relationships and
Research Before Buying

16. If Nothing Else …
This will improve your Google ranking

17. Add Personality and
Humaness your Brand

18. There’s a Fine Line

19. Networking on Facebook –
Personal Focus
• Listen & observe
– What clients/prospects
are doing
– Learn about families,
interests & activities
• “What’s happening”
• Interesting pictures
– Kids
– Events

20. BALANCE

21. Networking on Facebook –
Business Focus
• Status updates at
tradeshows
– Upload pictures of new
& cool products
• Exciting products with
broad appeal

22. Business Pages
POST
• Events
• Videos
• Discussions
• Photos
• Blog Articles

23. Adds Personality and
Humanizes your Brand
Transparency

24. Prime Example

25. Selling on Facebook
• DO NOT SELL ON FACEBOOK
• It’s About Networking, NOT Selling

26. Use in Industry:
54% of distributors
46% of suppliers

27. • The professional networking site
• 3 key purposes
– Expose credentials to customers
– Expose your entire network to you
– Find new customers

28. 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.

29. Why Be Active on LinkedIn
• Some people only connect with
personal friends on Facebook
• Gives you a professional profile
• Referrals & introductions
• Prospecting
• Google
• Lots of users, you never know…

30. Harness the Power of Video

34. Rules To Follow On All Sites
• Do not sell
• Be relevant & transparent
• Live as if your mom is watching
• Remember if you are mixing
– Don’t play games
– Don’t drink and post
• Have fun!
Credit to: Dale Denham
www.linkedin.com/in/daledenham

35. Ultimate Rolodex
Easier to keep contact
information up to date –
never lose touch!
Facebook Use in Industry:
59% of distributors
62% of suppliers

36. THANK YOU!
Presenter:
Dana R. Zezzo ProTowels Etc.
Cell: 440-344-5933| dzezzo@protowelsetc.com
www.protowelsetc.com
Pro Towels Etc. Pro Towels Etc. Dana Zezzo Dana Zezzo