30 Sep

5 More Ideas To Keep In Mind When Giving Out Gifts

Posted in Promotional Products on 30.09.14 by John Meloche

Hands holding gift in package with blue ribbon isolated on whitePromo gifts are awesome. They’re great. They’re amazing! Okay, so perhaps we could go on all day about how incredible promotional products are in the promotion of businesses from all over Canada. Because, after all, that’s what we do, here at Synergy Marketing! We’re no strangers to the benefits that promo gifts provide business owners. But, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re convinced that they can do the trick.

In yesterday’s blog, we admitted that getting the most out of your promotional products comes at the hands of smart marketing strategies. There are numerous things to consider when you are passing them out. On TheMarketingGuy.com, Mark Blaney explains that there is a little more to it than simply handing out gifts to any random person you meet. It’s important to consider the frequency that your clients purchase from you.

As well, you should consider the season of the year, whether or not recipients can be mobile with their gifts and what the potential returns on your investment may be when you buy promo gifts to use as part of your new marketing campaigns. But that was yesterday’s blog. If you haven’t read it, be sure to give it a look. And then come back to today’s blog, as we will be continuing our look at Blaney’s ideas to consider when handing out promo gifts. Here are five more.

1. What are your competitors doing? Promo gifts have long been known to help business owners get those proverbial “legs up” on the competition. After all, not every business owner hands out promo gifts. But what if your competitors are handing out gifts? You should look into what type of promotional products they may be giving out and look to outdo them. With Synergy Marketing’s help, that won’t be too hard at all!

2. What have you received that made an impact on you? You must have received, at the very least, a handful of promotional gifts in recent years. Which ones did you like the best? Which ones did you find most useful? Which ones were forgettable? Consider the types of gifts you would personally like the most when deciding upon the promo gift that is right to promote your business.

3. What will the cost of distribution be? For most business owners, handing out promo gifts is a free practice. Then again, you may want to consider shipping some out to your more valued customers – especially if they live outside of your area. As well, you may want to consider training members of your staff to select customers to provide promo gifts to. Additional training may be required for new hires. As always, costs come in many forms.

4. How long will it last? Blaney raises a few points with this consideration that we’d like to address. Firstly, the product itself should be durable and long-lasting. Synergy Marketing proudly provides the best promo products in the business. Top-quality is the name of the game. Furthermore, you want to consider how long the impact of your gift may last. Is it something that can be used year-round, like a calendar? Or is it only good for a few uses?

5. Does it look like you are trying to buy their business? In our experience, the handing out of promo gifts in no way wreaks of desperation. The gesture itself is often regarded as something that is generous and thoughtful. After all, people love getting things for free. Thank your customers with the gesture of a free gift and you’re on your way to securing their loyalty. Call Synergy Marketing at 1-877-748-9884 today to order the promo gift of your choice!

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29 Sep

5 Things To Consider When Handing Out Your Promo Gifts

Posted in Promotional Products on 29.09.14 by John Meloche

Depositphotos_7759171_xsSo what’s the deal with promotional products anyway? Do they truly work? These are questions that members of our sales staff hear fairly often from our nation’s entrepreneurs. Naturally, Canadian business owners are busy. And they often have questions about the validity of promo gifts and how beneficial they truly are in increasing sales and gaining more customers. The answer, we feel, lies in how promo gifts are used.

Of course, at Synergy Marketing, we know all about the power of promo gifts. For decades, they have been excellent ways to boost revenue and gain referrals, among other benefits. But, as mentioned, their success is most often found in the clever ways in which they used. Sure, you could use them to simply hand out to any random person that visits your store. But what is the strategy in that approach?

The key is to come up with a sound marketing plan that promotional gifts will help to make successful. That way, your gifts will be that much more effective. On TheMarketingGuy.com, Mark Blaney writes that there are number of things to consider when handing out your promotional items. Over the next two blogs, we’d like to discuss his list of ideas and add our perspectives on each point. Here are the first five.

1. The frequency clients purchase your product or service. As mentioned, you don’t necessarily want to hand out every promo gift that you have to offer to every customer you meet. Some gifts are best kept for those that frequent your business most often. The type of gifts you give new customers should be different. In other words, you want to reward your most loyal customers with high-end gifts but encourage new ones to keep coming back with practical items.

2. The season of the year. Considering that we have just begun our fall season, this is an especially important consideration. Obviously, our winter toques are bound to have greater impacts on your customers than our Frisbees will at this time. Clearly, some promo gifts are simply better for certain seasons than others. In fact, now that we are entering our fourth quarter of the year, you may want to consider picking up some 2015 promotional calendars!

3. Will it be left at the office or taken home? One of the best aspects of promo gifts is the way that many of them are able to travel with their recipients. Water bottles and key chains, for example, are excellent “take them with you” gifts. Mouse pads, on the other hand, are obviously meant for stationary locations. That doesn’t necessarily make one gift better than the other. It simply means that you must consider the types of clients you give your gifts to in order to have the biggest possible impacts.

4. Is it a novelty item or useful item of value? On the Synergy Marketing Blog, we’ve often discussed “usefulness” as a primary reason that promo gifts are so effective. Once again, it’s important to consider the type of people who make up your target market. What needs can you speak to by handing people your promotional products? Of course, you want to assist your business. But you will have a better chance of doing so if you assist those who support it first.

5. What is the potential return on investment? As we mentioned earlier, marketing strategies and promo gifts go hand in hand. So it’s important to remember that although you’re paying a lot less than you normally would to advertise your business (promo gifts are incredibly cost-effective when compared to traditional modes of advertising), you should plan out how you intend on profiting as a result of their dispersal.

Be sure to check out our next blog for more ideas to consider when handing out your promo gifts. But be sure to call us at 1-877-748-9884 to order the perfect promo gift for your business today!

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26 Sep

5 Marvellous Ways To Market Your Brand On Twitter

Posted in Social Media on 26.09.14 by John Meloche

Depositphotos_35067017_xsWe write blogs. We tweet. And we post on Facebook. Admittedly, these are the main social media actions that we practice on a daily basis, here at Synergy Marketing. Far from social media specialists, we do know a thing or two about how to, at least, stay active and draw greater attention to our brand by utilizing the above mentioned tendencies. As a result, we have been gaining more likes and followers in recent weeks.

The key, we suppose, is to keep at it. The more interactions we have with others on social media – which is the whole point, isn’t it? – the more interest we seem to attain. With that said, we’d like to thank those who follow us on Twitter and welcome those who have just recently decided to do so. We’re happy to remind all Twitter users that whoever follows us will be followed back! That’s just one way we use this medium to grow our fan base.

On CIO.com, Jennifer Lonoff Schiff provides a number of other ways to use Twitter to your advantage. As a business owner, it’s important to know just how beneficial this popular social networking tool is in helping your business to grow. Schiff writes that there are hundreds of millions of Twitter users worldwide. And “that makes Twitter a potentially powerful marketing tool — if you know how to use it.” Here are five of her Twitter marketing tips.

1. Optimize your Twitter bio. It’s important to set up your profile in a professional manner so that it has the ability to shine a favourable light on your brand before you’ve even sent out your first tweet. It should clearly and quickly tell people who you are and include a link to your company website, informs Schiff. Ours reads: “We supply promotional merchandise to some of the largest corporations in North America. Call us at 1-877-748-9884.”

2. Get colleagues involved. There’s no one like your friends to get your Twitter game rolling. Make sure that your friends, co-workers and colleagues are all following your Twitter account. Encourage them to send out tweets that incorporate your Twitter handle, asking others to follow you as well. The more that people are immediately engaging with your brand, the more attention you’ll receive when your important tweets start going out.

3. Tweet regularly. Remember that it’s all about being social on social media. Having an account and not using it is no different than ignoring someone who is trying to talk to you. If you don’t tweet on a regular basis, people end up forgetting about you, reveals Schiff. Posting, at least, on a daily basis will keep you at the top of people’s minds. At Synergy Marketing, we make sure to post a link to our blogs every business day of the week on both Facebook and Twitter.

4. Don’t be afraid to ask for some Twitter love. “Ask followers to retweet, mention or favourite your tweets — or to share content with a fresh tweet,” suggests Schiff. What we’ve started to do, here at Synergy Marketing, is thank our recent followers through our tweets. With social media, the more you mention others, the more inclined they will be to mention you. And that means more people will get to know who you are.

5. Retweet and favourite other tweets. Of course, to get love, you have to give love. That means that your Twitter account shouldn’t be used to strictly tweet information about your brand. Retweet your favourite comments made by those that you follow and be sure to “favourite” them as well. It’s as simple as clicking a little star icon. The more active you are on Twitter, the more you get noticed. It’s that simple!

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25 Sep

5 Ways To Use Freebies To Your Advantage

Posted in Synergy Suggestions on 25.09.14 by John Meloche

Free stickerWhen most business owners first hear about the concept of giving their customers something for free, they consider it a crazy idea. How can one make money by giving things away? Sure, at first it may seem like there is no way to profit when no money is earned for the passing on of an item. But the truth is that freebies have a long history of bringing in more money for business owners than not.

On IveTriedThat.com, Halina Zakowicz explains the advantages that can be had by business owners who give out freebies. “People go nuts when something free is offered, even if that free item isn’t that great,” she writes, “However, people will still go nuts over a free item even if that entails buying more.” And with that, she points out one of the primary advantages to handing out something for free.

Often this practice entails that something else will be paid for. We all know about “buy one, get one free” deals. We also know about “free for the first month” subscriptions. So, you see, depending on the marketing campaign you wish to roll out, a freebie can certainly help to build your business. Zakowicz goes on to list a number of ways that entrepreneurs can use freebies to their advantage.

1. To build website traffic. Remember that people tend to flock to the internet a lot quicker than they do to brick and mortar store locations to check out what various companies have to offer. As a result, “you can offer free ebooks, software, courses, etc. as a way to build traffic to and interest in your business,” suggests Zakowicz. However, it’s important to keep “interested parties” on your website even after they’ve collected their freebies.

2. To collect customer information. Giving things away for free doesn’t mean that you actually have to give them away for free. Huh? What we mean is that while your freebie doesn’t have to cost your customers any money, perhaps what you get in return is their names and email addresses. “Thus, the actual price of ‘free’ stuff is usually information,” writes Zakowicz, “The email list is where most business is done and where the real sales are made.”

3. To communicate your commitment to quality. Just because people love getting things for free doesn’t mean that your freebie should be of poor quality. “Give away the highest quality,” insists Zakowicz, “The first way to ensure audience return is by giving away only your highest quality items for free.” That way, she continues, you will encourage your audience to return. You don’t want them thinking that you have nothing valuable to offer.

4. To increase your online popularity. Keep in mind that referrals mean everything in this day and age. And that’s especially true thanks to the popularity of social media. “A quality freebie is invariably shared with others,” says Zakowicz, “Your audience members may find your free content so useful that they end up passing it on to other people that they know. These people are also wowed by your freebie, visit your website and even sign up for your email newsletter.”

5. To provide payback opportunities. We’ve often said, on the Synergy Marketing Blog, that handing out promotional gifts is a great way to show your appreciation to both your customers and employees. And as Zakowicz points out: “If you consistently impress people with your high quality freebies, many will look for ways to pay you back for your gesture(s) of goodwill. Don’t pass up on these opportunities!”

Get your hands on the best possible freebies available in our industry by calling Synergy Marketing at 1-877-748-9884 today!

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24 Sep

5 Smart Ways To Market Your Brand To Students

Posted in Synergy Suggestions on 24.09.14 by John Meloche

Group of happy best friends with shopping bags taking a selfie iWith the new school year now in full swing, there are a lot more students out and about. That means that the potential for these young members of our communities to visit your store has increased significantly. Have you done anything to encourage them to walk through the doors of your place of business? If not, it’s definitely time to pay greater attention to students, as they can help to increase sales at your business.

There is, however, a technique to marketing your brand to students. At least, this is what Chris Arnold of the U.K.-based Marketing Magazine believes. Promoting your brand to students actually takes some thought and consideration, considering that they are part of a special group. They don’t just take to any type of marketing ploy, Arnold communicates. So he provides a list of tips on how to do it right.

1. Profile and target your audience properly. Arnold writes that you can’t simply come up with a marketing plan that is directed to all students. Of course, they all have unique interests and needs. So, it’s important to understand your audience, paying attention to the emotional states prevalent at their young ages. “The basics don’t change, advertising needs to be relevant, engaging and even entertaining,” he insists.

2. Be truthful. Students generally know the difference between realistic and disingenuous marketing campaigns. And they are certainly not fans of brands that are deemed to be unethical, Arnold says. They also know good deals when they see them. He goes on to discuss a recent study that found that while students consider social media “important”, the best way to communicate with them is through email.

3. No texting. “Just because you can target a student doesn’t mean you will engage them or sell to them, especially as many are adverse to marketing messages,” writes Arnold, “Students are very much against the use of unsolicited texting for marketing purposes – a mobile number is a personal thing only given to close friends.” So it’s important not to bombard their personal sources of communication with what they would consider junk mail.

4. Don’t try to be cool. As mentioned, students know the difference between what is fake and what is real. When certain advertising campaigns attempt to speak to what is “in style”, they often come off as corny. Outdated images and cliché concepts aren’t bound to impress the modern-day student body. Treating students more like the average consumer is actually a better way to go. But do keep in mind that they tend to make purchases online more often than not.

5. Focus on the finer things. The idea that students do not have enough money to buy quality items is based on a stereotype, says Arnold. “Many have got use to the quality things they have at home and expect to fill their cupboards and fridges with the same things,” he writes, “So there’s a massive opportunity for brands that thought students too poor, to reconsider them as both customers for now as well as when they graduate and get well paid jobs.”

And while Arnold communicates the necessity to stay away from clichés, we must end today’s blog with quite the cliché: children are our future. In all seriousness, when you focus on the needs of our younger generation, you place your hands on the pulse of what is popular today and in the years to come. Consider developing relationships with this generation and you could be helping your business to succeed well into the future.

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23 Sep

5 Ways To Market Your Brand During The Autumn Days

Posted in Synergy Suggestions on 23.09.14 by John Meloche

New discountsWell, here we are. It’s official. The autumn season has begun. And although the weather in Synergy Marketing’s home headquarters of Toronto, Ontario isn’t proving it just yet, the fall season is bound to bring about some significant changes. Of course, the weather is bound to cool off and those leaves are soon set to change colour and fall to the ground. Yes, autumn is here. And that means changes need to be made at your business as well.

If you have not begun any fall promotions as of yet, it’s not too late. But there’s certainly no more time to waste. Just one day into the new fall season, it’s important to begin celebrating the seasonal change at your place of business in order to attract more customers through your doors. In the business world, there is practically always a reason to acknowledge changes in the calendar. It helps to show that you are staying on your toes.

More importantly, the whole “keeping current” atmosphere of your brand communicates to customers that there is always something new to check out. The more incentive you give for people to visit you, the more business you will conduct. On eHow.com, R.L. Remenyi, writes that you “can use the transition from summer to autumn and the autumn holidays to implement several marketing strategies to keep your business visible to your target audience.” Here are five.

1. Offer Autumn Specials. As mentioned, using a change in the calendar to offer your customers something special is generally a good idea. Remenyi suggests that you “cut prices, offer a discount on your services (and) give away a free product with a purchase or hand out free samples” as part of a new fall special. Naturally, promotional products work perfectly with this idea. Perhaps, our fabulous winter toques would work best for this time of year.

2. Participate in Autumn Events. “Get involved with fall community events,” insists Remenyi. This way, you’ll be able to place yourself in situations where everyone can see you. This gives you opportunities to meet new people and introduce your business to them. Becoming a sponsor for an autumn event is a great way to spread the good word about your brand. And the fall presents many great opportunities to do so, including Halloween events.

3. Create an Autumn Newsletter. Newsletters are always great ways to provide exclusive information to your most valuable customers. Remenyi recommends that you create an autumn-themed newsletter to promote the various fall events you plan on hosting and specials that you plan on offering. “Invite them to stop by an event and see you, tell them how they can get fall specials and include a recap on your summer,” she suggests.

4. Use a Direct Marketing Piece. Your newsletter, by the way, can be sent via email. However, going the old-school tried-and-true method of mailing out postcards and flyers may still be able to help your business. Especially if your mail out includes coupons that can be redeemed in-store, a direct marketing piece can be a fantastic way to drive more traffic to your place of business.

5. Thank Your Clients. This is a tip that we practice year-round at Synergy Marketing. “In the spirit of Thanksgiving, say thank you to your loyal customers and clients,” writes Remenyi, “Your customers will keep you in mind since you are extending a thoughtful gesture, not advertising a product.” And there’s no better way to say “thank you” than by handing out a practical and useful promo gift.

Get yours today by calling us up at 1-877-748-9884 today!

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22 Sep

5 Ways Promo Gifts Benefit Small Business Owners

Posted in Promotional Products on 22.09.14 by John Meloche

benefits road signAccording to Sarah Matista on Webs.com, a recent Vistaprint survey found that of those who responded “52% said their impression of a company is more positive after receiving a promotional product from them, and nearly 50% use those products daily.” So, apparently, your worst case scenario when handing out promotional products to your customers is that only half of them will be impressed!

To be honest, those are amazing odds! Generally, when companies track the reaction to their traditional marketing campaigns, they find much smaller percentages of success. What makes it worse is that their standard advertising ideas cost them so much more than it does to order their branded promotional gifts! Promo gifts, as the survey points out, are often used on a daily basis. Using them is utilizing cost-effective marketing that has staying power.

What promo gifts would work best to promote your business? With so many to choose from, we highly suggest that you go over a few ideas with one of our friendly and knowledgeable representatives, here at Synergy Marketing. It’s as easy as giving them a call by dialing 1-877-748-9884. Matista acknowledges promotional products as very beneficial advertising tools for small business owners. Here are five reasons why.

1. They increase brand recognition. Promo gifts are great ways to make your business stand out from its competition. As mentioned, they help to keep your brand name on the minds of your customers day in and day out. TV commercials, as expensive as they are to make, can’t promise you that! “By customizing an item that a customer can use in his or her everyday life with your logo,” writes Matista, “you’re able to keep your small business top of mind.”

2. They provide mass outreach at a low cost. The lasting power of promo gifts is what makes them so exceptionally valuable. There is arguably no better way to spend your advertising dollars. As Matists points out, “With a small price tag but large, lasting impact, promotional products are a great value for your investment. Keep this in mind: A simple giveaway is a great way to increase customer loyalty.”

3. They work better than business cards. What do you generally do with a business card? How often do they get lost or even thrown out? Most people punch numbers into their phones for storage anyways, so the business card only gets a few seconds of actual valuable use. Promo products, on the other hand, are built to stick around. “Promotional products are a fun, creative way to showcase your contact information,” says Matista.

4. They are tactile. Promo gifts are the gifts that keep on giving. And as cliché as that sounds, it’s totally true. Consider the types of items that your clients would want to keep around, suggests Matista. A customer’s ability to touch, hold and actually put to good use the gifts that you give him or her make this advertising strategy a constant winner. But it’s all about choosing the right gift for your business. “If you run a bar, think about handing out free bottle openers,” she suggests.

5. They create a powerful marketing platform. Writes Matista: “Think about this: If you had to choose between eating the same pizza, twice a week, every week, for lunch, or getting two different lunches each week instead, what would you pick? We think most of you would choose variety. The same principle can be applied to your small business. Although having staple marketing products is important, being able to vary what you’re using to brand your business is important, too!”

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19 Sep

5 More Free Online Marketing Ideas

Posted in Social Media, Synergy Suggestions on 19.09.14 by John Meloche

Keyboard with Online Marketing Button.Well, it has certainly turned into “free online promotion” week on the Synergy Marketing Blog! We certainly hope that you’ve enjoyed all of this week’s blogs, thus far. We can honestly say that, with the exception of using promotional gifts to boost your business, free online advertising is the most “no-brainer” marketing strategy any business owner can employ. Apparently, you just can’t beat the internet. And again, you can’t beat free!

On BusinessKnowHow.com, Karl Walinskas writes: “They say the best things in life are free: love, friendship, intellect, but hardly in life does free stuff give any true worth, as in products and services. Well, in the web based arena, that is not consistently the truth, specifically in web page marketing. It’s because what is free of charge to you is providing value to the person giving it away.”

It’s important to remember that your customers will always have options. And with the internet opening the world up to so many more of those options, it’s incumbent upon you to not get lost in the sauce. This week’s blogs have been dedicated to helping you make your mark online so that your business continually gets noticed. In today’s blog, we’ll review five more free online marketing ideas.

1. Directory listings. Walinskas reveals that there are many websites out there that allow you to list your business website on them for free. And there is a good reason why. “Their financial models are typically based upon the up-sell,” he explains, noting that you will always get the basics free of charge. Make use of these free features so that would-be customers can get better acquainted with your brand.

2. Complimentary PR. He also suggests that you write news releases about all of the latest goings-on with your business. Do you have a new product or service that you would like to introduce? Walinskas suggests that you submit your news release through complimentary PR services. He lists such effective and cost-free options as PR.com, PR Log, 24-7 Press Release and I-Newswire.

3. Social Media. No surprise that this tip has made the list, right? In case you haven’t seen yesterday’s blog, we suggest you give it a good once over. We reveal what we feel are the six best social networking platforms that you can use to promote your business for free. Walinskas reiterates that sites like Facebook, Twitter and Google+ are among the best to use. In fact, he writes that if you don’t have pages on these sites, “shame on you!”

4. Offer Commentary. We often read that sharing your expertise is an excellent way to gain favour within your industry. And that’s why offering free information on the internet is often a tip that makes lists such as these. Not surprisingly, Walinskas recommends starting a blog to offer tips, advice and other interesting news pieces that will help to drive more traffic to your website. And remember to post links to your blogs on your social media pages!

5. Your Email Signature. “This is the easiest free of cost technique I know of to get people to a blog, and the one that is surprisingly most often overlooked,” writes Walinskas, “Every email you send ought to have a standard footer that describes you. It usually has a name, title or something captivating about you, and some way to connect with you. It should also have your website linked or whatever other page you may want to lead people to.”

And don’t forget to call us by dialing 1-877-748-9884 to select the promotional products that will work best in boosting your business!

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18 Sep

6 Free Social Networking Platforms That Grow Your Business

Posted in Social Media, Synergy Suggestions on 18.09.14 by John Meloche

Globe with pointers and network signals, Social media network coIn yesterday’s blog, we continued down our path of “free online promotion” blogs by taking a look at some ideas that small business owners can use to boost their businesses using the internet. It’s a lot easier than you think – and cheaper too! Obviously, it doesn’t get much cheaper than “free”. But, of course, some of the ideas take a bit of effort and creativity. After all, we’re living in a world where people flock to the internet more than ever.

That means that if your brand doesn’t have a strong internet presence, it’s practically non-existent. On SearchEngineWatch.com, Carrie Hill says as much by listing 30 different ways that entrepreneurs can promote their businesses online for free. Among them are ideas to show off your expertise in your field by writing “how-to” articles or better yet, filming “how-to” videos. There are, however, some specific sites that are among the most popular ways in the world to spread the word. Here are our top six.

1. Get on Facebook. This is a tip that we’ve been following for some time now. Facebook is arguably the most popular social networking site in the world. Even Hill admits that “Facebook is so much more robust than it ever was!” and suggests that you “create groups, events, and photo albums. Link to your Facebook profile from your site and allow visitors to your site to like and share your content.”

2. Get on Twitter. Right up there with Facebook is Twitter when it comes to world’s most popular social networking platforms. And yes, this is a tip that we follow ourselves. Each and every business day, we post links to our blogs on both our Facebook and Twitter pages in an effort to drive more traffic to our site. “Start Twittering or start doing it much better than you are now – it’s a great way to network with like-minded individuals,” insists Hill.

3. Get on Pinterest. According to its website, “Pinterest is a visual discovery tool that you can use to find ideas for all your projects and interests.” And as Hill explains, “Pinterest is hot right now. If you have visually stimulating content that is relevant to the site’s demographic, you can find great success right now. Be sure you’re using solid practices for marketing on Pinterest as you get started.”

4. Get on Google+. According to its website, “Google+ is a place to connect with friends and family, and explore all of your interests.” “Build a Google+ page for your business and follow businesses that are related to your product or service niche,” writes Hill, “Share informative and relative content and link to your profile from your website. You should also consider allowing users to +1 your content on a page by page basis.”

5. Get on Flickr. In yesterday’s blog, we mentioned how much people love watching videos online. However, that doesn’t mean that the still picture has lost its lustre! Flickr offers “picture galleries available with social networking, chat, groups, and photo ratings,” the site describes. Hill advises that you should “share your photos at Flickr – get a profile, write descriptions, and link to your website. Don’t share photos you don’t own or have permission to use.”

6. Get on Instagram. While this particular tip didn’t make Hill’s list, it should not be left off of ours. Instagram is a widely popular website and app that people use daily to post photos. As the site describes itself, “Instagram is a fast, beautiful and fun way to share your life with friends and family.” Take pictures of your products and post them with descriptions of just how great they are. The possibilities are endless!

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17 Sep

5 Ways To Market Your Website For Free

Posted in Synergy Suggestions on 17.09.14 by John Meloche

Computer mobility and cloud computing conceptOver the past couple of days, we have been blogging about the importance of using Craigslist to promote your small business. After all, we feel that it’s important to practice what we preach. At Synergy Marketing, we post a new Craigslist ad every day of the week in order to reach as many potential customers as we can in Canada. Craigslist can be especially useful if you have a company that works with customers from all over the country, like we do.

There are, of course, many other ways to use the internet to promote your business for free. And why wouldn’t you? Firstly, it doesn’t get much better than free! And secondly, the internet is arguably the most popularly-used communication tool in today’s tech-savvy world. There truly is no downside to, at least, giving it a try. So what are those other ways to promote your business on the internet for free?

On SearchEngineWatch.com, Carrie Hill writes that it all starts with your website. Naturally, it won’t make a whole lot of sense to market your brand online if you don’t even have an online presence. But once your website is up and rolling – which it certainly should be by now – how can you drive more traffic towards it? Thankfully, Hill answers that question by providing several ways that you can market your website for free. Here are five.

1. Write a press release. “Press releases still work,” insists Hill. Write up a press release and send it out to your entire emailing list and encourage a response. Ask your customers to contact you for more information or to take advantage of special offers that you put forth in your release. She also advises that you “send the press release to your local media outlets, or any niche media outlets that may be interested in what you do.”

2. Share links with other businesses. Driving traffic to your website will increase when you make use of other websites. Contact other business owners to see if they’d be willing to do a simple link swap. You scratch their back and they’ll scratch yours – or so the saying goes. “Setting up joint benefit with local businesses or others in your niche can help you reach eyes you never did before,” says Hill.

3. Write a “how-to” article. Showcasing your expertise in your field is always a great way to attract attention and gain favour in your industry. Hill suggests that you write your article and submit it to such sites as Wikihow.com or Answers.com. “This is kind of fun and a good resource for getting mentions and links,” she believes, “Looking at your product or service in a step-by-step manner is often enlightening in several ways.”

4. Film a “how-to” video. If there’s anything that people like more than reading interesting articles online, it’s watching videos online. Hill suggests that you record a video that showcases your expertise and how your products and services can be of value to customers – then upload it to YouTube. “Be sure to optimize your title and descriptions,” she advices, “Once it’s uploaded, write a new page and embed the video on your own website.”

5. Start a blog. Obviously, this is advice that we have taken ourselves. Daily blogging keeps your website fresh and offers important content that turns into reasons that your website will get picked up easier in search engines. If you’re not much of a writer, you may want to hire a professional blogger. Sure, at that point, this tip exits the “free” category. But, from experience, we can tell you that blogging is well worth it. Look into it further HERE.

Be sure to check back for tomorrow’s blog as we continue to provide more great tips on how to use the internet to promote your business for free!

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