30 Dec

Promo Gifts Will Help You Have A Happy New Year

Posted in Promotional Products on 30.12.14 by John Meloche

keychain-132x132With this being our very last blog of 2014, we’d like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy new year. It is the sincere hope of the entire team, here at Synergy Marketing, that 2015 will be your most prosperous year yet. And naturally, we hope that you will invite us to be a big part of that! Our promotional products have helped many business owners throughout Canada have successful years of business for quite some time now.

“They helped me to have my best year yet,” one of our great clients informed us before the holidays, “They just gave my business a whole new reputation. I started with pens and moved on to water bottles, because I just found that the more use my customers were able to get out of the promo gifts, the better they liked them. Giving (the gifts) out helped me to get to know (my customers) better and they definitely got to liking me better too!”

In 2015, you will have ample opportunities to make better impressions on your customers. But it’s certainly a great idea to start the new year off with a bang by beginning with an all-new marketing campaign. Handing out promo gifts helps to build upon the advantage that you have over larger companies as a small business owner. By doing so, you’re building upon your personal connections and ability to interact directly with those who support your business.

“Handing out promo gifts has helped me to drum up conversations with the people that enter my store,” our client commented, “At first, I thought they were just going to be like ‘oh thanks’, but then I realized that their ‘thank yous’ opened them up to wanting to ask more questions or learn more about my business. Just as conversation pieces alone, my promo gifts have helped my business gain a better reputation.”

So how will you be gaining a better reputation in 2015? What promo gifts do you feel will be most beneficial to your client base? As you’re very likely aware, Synergy Marketing has quite the extensive catalogue. From the aforementioned pens and water bottles to key chains, flashlights, calendars and so much more, our product list just can’t be beat! As well, the quality of our gifts is top-of-the-line.

As important as it is to build personal connections with your clients with our promo gifts, it’s also important to provide them with reliable and useful items. Passing along easily breakable or noticeably poor quality products won’t be doing your business any favours. Your branded promo gifts are reflections of your brand. And that’s not just because they bear your company’s name and logo.

If your promo gifts are of high quality, they will connote that your business is one that only provides the best. How else will you be able to secure the loyalty of those who visit your place of business? At Synergy Marketing, we know the power of the promo product. And that’s why we insist upon providing the best in the business. Let’s work together in making 2015 the year when we build our business relationship!

Our offices are currently closed for the holidays. But we are back open for business on Monday, January 5th. In the meantime, we encourage you to peruse through our website to get an idea of the promo product or products that you would like to order to promote your brand in 2015. When next Monday comes, be sure to give us a call at 1-877-748-9884. We look forward to speaking with you. Until then, happy new year!

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29 Dec

5 Tips For Getting Greater Online Recognition In 2015

Posted in Synergy Suggestions on 29.12.14 by John Meloche

Talking monitorWelcome back to the Synergy Marketing Blog everyone! We certainly hope you had an incredibly Merry Christmas! And since our offices are closed until Monday, January 5th, we just wanted to take this opportunity to wish you all a very Happy New Year! In fact, one of the reasons we decided to post a blog today is to offer you a few ideas on how you may be able to pull of your best year yet in 2015.

Our blog has long been known as an excellent source of marketing ideas – if we may say so ourselves! And, every once in a while, we’ll find that the advice we research on brand marketing takes an interesting spin. You see, sometimes it pays to be innovative and different. After all, doing the same old thing isn’t bound to provide you with different results. Are you looking to get more innovative in the new year?

Well, perhaps, the best way to embark on big changes is to adopt simple strategies. In fact, maybe a few tiny tweaks are all you need to take your brand to the next level in 2015. At least, this is what Kris Ruby believes. On StartupCollective.com, she writes that a few changes to the ways in which you communicate with your clients online can make a big difference when the calendar changes over. Here are five tips for getting greater online recognition in the new year.

1. Social Media-Driven PR. Now, how often have you heard that making good use of social networking profiles such as Facebook and Twitter is good for business? Ruby insists that “the best PR campaigns are those that are cohesively integrated between social media and public relations…Utilize social media to share press placements, connect with bloggers and get on the radar of editors while executing multi-platform PR campaigns.”

2. Content Marketing Is the New SEO. Likely, as often as you have heard that utilizing social media is important, you have heard that blogging is the way to go. Adding content to your website on a regular basis is an excellent way for it to become more highly noticed in search engines. “The goal is to craft relevant content to make it easier for your prospects to find you,” informs Ruby.

3. Real-Time Marketing. News stories that get a lot of attention are bound to trend online. This is what has made hashtags so popular. They tie your social media posts into other relevant conversations. Is there are way to tie your business in to a current news story? “If it’s a breaking news day, find any tie in that is truly authentic,” advises Ruby, “This applies to both social media marketing and public relations campaigns.”

4. Blogger Relations. We mentioned that it’s important for your company website to include a regularly updated blog. But is there a way to get other bloggers to write about your company on their websites? “In the new world of media relations, you are essentially selling content,” Ruby tells us, “Remember, bloggers are only going to push forward interesting content that will increase viewership. Make it easy for them to run your story and you will increase the likelihood of being featured.”

5. Constant Measuring. As always, it’s important to track what works for your company and what doesn’t. What online marketing strategies have worked to engage your customers in the past? Stick to what works and abandon unproven strategies. Warns Ruby, “if you are not continually measuring what has the greatest impact with your audience, you will lose followers, and it will ultimately damage the value of the community you are trying to create.”

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23 Dec

Happy Holiday Wishes From Synergy Marketing

Posted in News on 23.12.14 by John Meloche

Christmas card ornament decoration background. Vector illustration Eps 10. Happy new year message, Happy holidays wish.Well, Christmas is just two short days away now! Just a reminder that Synergy Marketing will be open today for special holiday hours between 10:00am and 3:00pm, but will be closing down for the holidays after that. Be sure to give us a quick call at 1-877-748-9884 today to place an order for the promotional product of your choice, and get your 2015 off to a flying start. Our promo gifts have always helped Canadian business owners to have very happy new years!

In yesterday’s blog, we highlighted a few of the promo gifts that we offer that make up our greatest winter giveaways. Among them were our ice scrapers and toques. But, as you can imagine, there are so many more gifts to choose from. In today’s blog, however, we’d like to highlight you – our amazing customers – through words from members of our staff. Without you, Synergy Marketing wouldn’t have been able to celebrate such a successful year in 2014!

“I would just like to send a very special Merry Christmas wish to all of my clients. You make coming into work every day very special for me. I really enjoy being able to help out other business owners. And it’s easy when you know that the products that you sell work amazingly in helping business owners grow their businesses. I’m thankful for the support we get and I’m even more thankful that we can support them too.”

“Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you all enjoy your happiest holiday season ever. May 2015 be your most successful business year to date. And I also hope that it’s your safest one too. Too often, we hear about all of the bad stuff going on in the world in the news. Let’s try to focus on the good things that happen. And it all starts with us. Offer kind gestures, words of wisdom and help to others to make our world a better place in the new year.”

“I wish everyone a very happy holiday season and a very happy new year. No matter what you celebrate or how you choose to celebrate, I hope that you can reflect on the past year and be thankful for all that you have. I know that I am thankful for my family, my friends and my customers who have continued to support me throughout the years. Enjoy it to the fullest everybody, I know I will!”

“I’d just like to say that 2014 was a great year and I expect 2015 to be even better. I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and hope that they all get what they wish for. I know I wish for peace, love and happiness, but I also wish for health and success for everyone that I know. Working for Synergy has helped me to realize that success feels so much better when it involves helping others to be successful too.”

“Happy Hanukkah! This is a time of year when people are celebrating all types of holidays. Let’s not forget that we all have reasons to celebrate and that there’s no reason we can’t all celebrate together. Being part of Synergy reminds me about how diverse the City of Toronto is and how amazing Canada is as a country. This year, let’s celebrate all of us and work towards a future where we regularly celebrate each other.”

Today’s blog will represent our last one before the Christmas break, however, today will also represent the last day of operations for our company in 2014. Be sure to check back for more blogs next week, but don’t forget that Synergy Marketing will return to its normal hours of operation beginning on Monday, January 5th, 2015. Until then, we wish you all the happiest and healthiest of holidays!

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22 Dec

Offering Holiday Hours To Get You The Right Gift!

Posted in Promotional Products on 22.12.14 by John Meloche

DRK-03_BIG-160x160On behalf of the entire Synergy Marketing staff, we’d like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and the happiest of holiday seasons! We’re very appreciative of our great clients. Without you all, there’s no way we could have reached our goals and grown our company in the past year. As well, we’re thankful for the many new clients that we’ve developed relationships with in the past few months.

It gives us great pride to know that, as we grow our company, we are helping so many other Canadian businesses to grow themselves. This is what promotional products do. They help small business owners develop stronger relationships with their customers so that they achieve greater successes in the long run. Here’s hoping that thanks, at least in part, to our newly-formed relationships, that you all have your happiest of holidays yet!

We just would like to inform everyone that we do have members of the Synergy Marketing sales staff working today and tomorrow during our special holiday hours. Although we generally close down for the holiday season, our offices will be open between 10:00am and 3:00pm Monday and Tuesday. Please don’t hesitate to give us a call at 1-877-748-9884 to discuss getting your hands on some excellent promotional gifts to begin your marketing campaigns in 2015.

As you are likely well aware, Synergy Marketing has so many great promo products to choose from. You may even be wondering which ones would work best for your company and therefore, wish to take some time to think about it. We encourage you to call us today so that we can make your lives easier! Our friendly and knowledgeable sales staff is made up of experts of connecting the right promo gift to the right business owner. Here are a few suggestions.

Translucent Ice Scrapers. These are among our most popular promo gifts in the automotive industry. However, they don’t necessarily have to be made exclusive to auto mechanics and the like. Considering that we live in Canada and it is, after all, winter time, it will be pretty hard to go wrong with a promo gift that can help your customers rid their car windows of ice and snow all season long.

100% Acrylic Toque With Cuff. Speaking of the winter time, it will be pretty hard to convince anyone that it’s a good idea to go outside without a hat on. Our acrylic toques are perfect for any Canadian winter. Keep the heads of your customers warm while they promote your business for you all winter long. Another one of our excellent go-to promo gifts during this time of year, our toques are excellent traveling billboards for your brand!

500ml Water Bottle with Ice Stick. Some of you may be thinking passed the winter time when business resumes in 2015. And we can’t say that that’s a bad idea. Thinking ahead is always smart. Maybe hooking your customers up with some great water bottles for the summertime is a great way to get them thinking about your brand in a favourable light. After all, water bottles can be used all year round anyway!

Europa Sport Sunglasses. You forward-thinkers may also want to consider some cool shades to promote your business in 2015. Another year-round gift that helps for people to look forward to the days when the weather heats up, our Europa Sport Sunglasses are just one of four different sunglasses designs that we have available. Give us a call at 1-877-748-9884 today and let’s get you the perfect gift to help your business have a happy new year!

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19 Dec

5 Ways To Address Facebook’s Proposed Changes

Posted in Social Media on 19.12.14 by John Meloche

Social Media KeyPerhaps, it’s because the new year is quickly approaching that we’ve been so focused on the popularity and power of social media on our blog lately. Not that using social media to promote small businesses is a new thing or anything – it’s just that social media’s widespread appeal is only bound to get even more popular in the near future. Do you know anyone who doesn’t have a Facebook or Twitter profile?

Very few, if any, we’re sure. Facebook, by the way, is one of those social networking sites – arguably the most popular of them all – that has found a way to encourage business owners of all types to bring more attention to their brands. But as Ryan Pinkham reveals on ConstantContact.com, Facebook is planning to implement some changes in 2015 that will limit the reach of promotional posts.

Is this bad news for business owners? Well, according to Pinkham, it all depends on how you look at it. He explains that Facebook is looking to impact “posts that solely push people to buy a product or install an app; posts that push people to enter promotions and sweepstakes, without providing context (and) posts that reuse the exact same content from ads.” So, it’s important that you engage your audience – not just advertise. With that, he offers some ways to avoid a negative impact from Facebook’s proposed changes. Here are five.

1. Identify your top performing posts from 2014. What posts were your most popular over the past year? “You can use your Facebook Insights to see which posts received the best reach,” Pinkham informs us, “You should also look to see which type of content is generating the highest response in the form of comments, likes, and shares.” Going forward, be sure to focus on your most well-liked post types and refrain from those that don’t get much action.

2. Experiment with timing and frequency. They say that timing is everything. What times of the day do you believe your posts are most likely to be seen? Pinkham suggests that you test your posts at different times of the day to see which ones get the most traction. Look at the past year’s results as well. Consider frequency too. Is it best to post several times a day? Or will a few times per week suffice?

3. Check for context. Try to attach a sense of meaning to your posts. Simply advertising your brand won’t generally cut it. Instead, ask a question that will spark interest in the answer. Make the answer lie in something that you have to offer. “Are you letting customers know about a new line of products?” asks Pinkham, “Provide some information about why you decided to add this line of products – maybe it was something customers had been requesting.”

4. Develop an advertising budget. Money talks, right? Facebook’s limiting of promotional posts for free was bound to happen. So you may want to look into your advertising budget to see if some of it can go towards your social media marketing. “If you’re going to use Facebook to promote your products or services, or to let people know about upcoming sales or events, you need to have an advertising budget for Facebook in 2015,” Pinkham puts it plainly.

5. Experiment with different networks. Don’t forget that Facebook isn’t the only social networking site out there. Instagram, as Pinkham points out, has become incredibly popular over the past couple of years. “On Instagram, you can create engaging content to showcase your products and engage your fans right from your mobile device,” says Pinkham, “It’s easy to get started and you can share new content in a matter of minutes.”

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18 Dec

5 More Bright Ideas For Social Media Marketing

Posted in Social Media on 18.12.14 by John Meloche

Bright Ideas ConceptIn yesterday’s blog, we revisited the topic of marketing your business on social media. And, as we pointed out, doing so means interacting with your friends and followers, not just promoting your company to them. At Synergy Marketing, we know a thing or two about marketing. This is why we champion the use of promo gifts in your advertising campaigns. For years, they have helped small business owners develop stronger relationships with their customers.

However, social media have the ability to perform a similar function. And that is to build relationships with those that have an interest in your brand. The key word here is “social”. Are you engaging your customers through your profiles or are you just posting ads? It’s important to remember what makes people tick when they jump on Facebook, Twitter and all of the other platforms on a daily basis.

Yesterday, we took a look at a Rebecca Borison article on Inc.com. In it, she outlines a number of social media marketing best practices, with the help of Moment.me CEO, Dovev Goldstein. In today’s blog, we’ll conclude our look at that article. In 2015, it will be important for small business owners all across Canada to better utilize their social media profiles to grow their businesses. So here are five more bright ideas.

1. Be interactive. As we mentioned yesterday, using social media the right way means interacting with your friends and followers. So instead of simply talking at them through blatant advertisements, Borison recommends that you “post things like quizzes or polls to engage followers. Or maybe run a live Q&A or a competition.” It’s important that you get creative so that you encourage others to interact with you online.

2. Turn the relationships into sales. As we pointed out yesterday, a smart social media user knows that it’s all about building relationships. You see, once you have established those relationships, you can then provide offers that can convert into sales. There are many ways to do this. One of them, according to Borison, is to “personalize offers to specific social media in a hyper-targeted manner.”

3. React quickly. “Hopefully you’ll be receiving positive feedback on social media, but chances are you’ll also get a lot of complaints,” she warns, “It is crucial that you act quickly and respond to these complaints.” Here’s the thing. We live in a quick-to-react world. Social media have given us all the ability to voice our concerns to the general public the second we feel them. Be sure to use your profiles to quickly respond to questions, concerns and complaints.

4. Personalize. Again, remembering that social media is all about being social, don’t be afraid to speak to friends and followers directly. “It’s important to not only personalize offers and tweets to individual customers but also to also personalize your business and give it character,” says Borison, “Being authentic is key in successful social media.” Goldstein agrees that personalizing your brand is a great way to develop more customer relationships.

5. Like and comment. This particular point was left off of Borison’s list. But we point it out because we know that it’s something that we need to do more of in 2015 ourselves. Remember that every time you like someone’s post or leave a comment on it, you’re essentially creating a link to your own profile. This is all part of being interactive. Don’t wait for people to come to you. Socialize on their pages as well.

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17 Dec

5 Social Media Marketing Best Practices

Posted in Social Media on 17.12.14 by John Meloche

Vector social media conceptWe’ve done a lot of blogging on the power of social media. As we get ready to head into 2015, chances are you can expect a lot more. And not just from us, mind you. Millions of people from all over the world log on to their Facebook and Twitter profiles each and every day. And you’re probably well aware that those are only two of the many social networking sites out there. With that said, social media have become a small business owner’s dream.

Why? Well, when you consider the vast popularity of social media, it only makes sense to use such profiles to promote your business. It’s free to do so – for the most part – and you’re bound to gain some attention for your brand simply by using social media regularly. There is, however, a trick to the whole social media game. As Rebecca Borison points out on Inc.com, “simply broadcasting advertisements on Twitter and Facebook is not going to attract or engage followers.”

Instead, she writes that it’s important to actually be social on social media. That means that just using your profiles to post advertisements about your business is not going to cut it. “Truly taking advantage of social media requires time, effort, and an understanding of the platforms,” says Borison. With the help of Dovev Goldstein, the CEO of Moment.me, she goes on to list a number of social media best practices. Here are five.

1. Use data and analytics. Yes, we often say that using social media is free. However, Borison writes that there are tools that can help you to track just how popular your business is on social media. Some may cost you something, some may not. Either way, she insists that you should “try to glean as much insight as possible from not only your followers but also all social media users who mention your company.”

2. Reach for loyalty, not millions. Everyone is trying to “go viral” these days. Borison believes that small business owners should aim to attain a certain number of loyal followers instead. “You should also think of social media relationships as real-life relationships, which take a long time to form and solidify,” she says. Goldstein adds that it is more advantageous for small business owners to invest small amounts on social media marketing over time instead of one huge campaign.

3. Go local. When we think of social media, we often consider the ways in which we can communicate with the rest of the world. Borison reminds us not to forget those that live closest to your business’ location. Your nearby residents should still remain your target market. She suggests that you “reward customers who visit the location and check in on social media.” Goldstein agrees that “location-based marketing is becoming increasingly popular.”

4. Use what you already have. Creating content for your website is a big way that companies are able to attract extra traffic to their websites. Why do you think we post a new blog each day of the week? We also post links to each blog on Facebook and Twitter daily. “Leverage content you’ve already created or that your customers have produced,” says Borison, “This will make your life easier while including other voices and engaging followers.”

5. Plan in advance. “Set up a content calendar so that you’re not scrambling to figure out what to post every morning,” recommends Borison, “Take advantage of holidays like Christmas and Valentine’s Day as well as niche days that are related to your company.” At Synergy Marketing, we recommend that you incorporate your company’s promotional products into your marketing plans. It’s a great time of year to encourage all those new customers to come back.

To get your hands on the perfect promotional product for your company, call us at 1-877-748-9884 today! And be sure to check back for tomorrow’s blog, as we continue to explore the topic of social media marketing best practices.

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16 Dec

5 New Ways To Promote Your Brand In The New Year

Posted in Synergy Suggestions on 16.12.14 by John Meloche

2015 new year2015 will be here in just a matter of weeks. And as people all over the world are preparing for the upcoming holidays, the majority of business owners already have their minds on what will take place when the holidays are over. As mentioned in yesterday’s blog, we all have our New Year’s Resolutions usually planned out in advance. That goes double for those who are looking to take their companies to new heights when the calendar changes over.

“New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day mark a transition from one calendar year to the next, but they also signify a new period in the life of your business,” writes Jared Lewis on Chron.com, “The new year represents the end of one year, with all of its successes and failures, and the promise of a new year with all of its potential for success.” He goes on to note that having New Year’s promotions is one way to get your business off to a running start in the new year.

Readers of the Synergy Marketing Blog are well aware that there are practically countless ways to market a business. We’ve practically listed thousands over the years. However, there are some marketing strategies that are a bit more unique and inventive than others. When it comes to growing your business in the new year, going the unique and inventive route is probably the best idea. Lewis lists a few new ways to promote your brand in the new year. Here are five.

1. New Year’s Resolution. Nearly everyone has one, so why not take advantage of it? Lewis suggests that you use the first part of the new year to have a week long “New Year’s Resolution promotion”. This will encourage engagement with your customers as it can involve having them submit resolution ideas that will serve as entries into a raffle. “Allow paying customers to submit their idea, then provide them with necessary funding and resources to fulfill their resolution,” he suggests.

2. Getting In Shape. Arguably, the most popular New Year’s Resolution made by people year in and year out is to get in shape. So why don’t you help all these people to give it a shot? Lewis recommends that you have a promotion that surrounds this concept. “Depending upon the type of product you sell, it may be well worth your investment to pay for six-months to a full year of gym memberships for paying customers who purchase your products during the month of January,” he writes.

3. Party Promotion. What is the very first thing people do when a new year starts? If you said “party”, you’d be right! What better way to ring in the new year than with a countdown at a great party? Why not offer to promote a New Year’s party for a lucky customer? “A raffle or drawing will typically work best for this type of promotion so that everyone has an equal chance of winning,” Lewis informs us.

4. Out With The Old. The new year is all about new beginnings. Many people express that idea by getting rid of old clothes and reworking their wardrobes. Lewis suggests you take that one step further by stocking new products and getting rid of old ones. It’s time to give your company a fresh start. That doesn’t mean you should toss your older products. “Providing a deep discount to customers on old products will help bring deal-seekers into your place of business,” says Lewis.

5. Stock Up On New Promo Gifts. While this tip didn’t make Lewis’ list, you know that it always makes ours! During the holiday season, it’s a great idea to hand out holiday-themed gifts. But when the new year starts, you’ll want to get your hands on something new. Perhaps, you should consider offering up promo gifts that none of your clients would expect. Providing some pleasant surprises to your customers is a great way to begin 2015.

To order your new promotional products, call Synergy Marketing at 1-877-748-9884 today!

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15 Dec

5 Social Media Marketing Trends To Look Out For

Posted in Social Media on 15.12.14 by John Meloche

Social mediaWith 2014 soon coming to a close, there is something on the minds of most people throughout the world: New Year’s Resolutions. And while such resolutions usually have short life spans (gyms, for example, often report high enrolment numbers in January and dwindling visitation in February), it is important for business owners to stick to their plans to better their businesses in 2015. But how can they be sure to do that?

One way is to market your business in a way that is bound to reach a large number of people in an economic way. And, these days, the first thing that comes to mind when you bring up economic marketing is social media. Jumping on Facebook, Twitter and the like is an easy and free way to spread the word about your brand without having to pay a penny. But it appears as if there are some social media marketing trends that are about to change in the new year.

At least, this is what Roger Katz writes on Clickz.com. He predicts that 2015 is bound to bring about new ways in which people utilize their social media profiles. As a result, he advises business owners to take note of these changes so that they can better market their businesses online. In today’s blog, we’ll take a look at the five trends that Katz recommends entrepreneurs look out for.

Trend 1: It’s Increasingly a Mobile-First World. People use their smartphones every day. We live in a world where people walk around with mini-computers in their hands that get them the information they need within seconds and with the touches of just a few buttons. “Millennials’ smartphones never leave their side, day or night,” Katz writes, advising business owners to “switch thinking from mobile-aware to mobile-first.”

Trend 2: It’s Now a Pay-to-Play Social World. Using social networking sites such as Facebook is free. This is true. However, as Katz informs us, companies are spending increasing amounts of their marketing budgets on social advertising. “Invest in smart social advertising,” he recommends, “Take the time needed to really dig deep on audience segmentation and targeting on advertising on the social platforms that are right for your brand.”

Trend 3: Social Content Continues as the Rising Marketing Star. Blogging, as you are likely aware, is an excellent way to continually add content to your site. Synergy Marketing has employed this strategy for quite some time now. But there are other types of content that can be used to increase the success of each of your social media channels. Katz suggests that you “continue to build content, but be smart about it. Be smart about how content can be leveraged and re-purposed.”

Trend 4: Video Isn’t Just About YouTube Any More. Videos are among the most popular types of content that people enjoy consuming. And, as Katz notes, your videos don’t need to be restricted to YouTube. “Look at how video can play in all your marketing channels,” suggests Katz, “Face the fear is that video production is expensive and difficult, and look for more creative ways to produce content.”

Trend 5: The Social Splinternet Will Continue. “Facebook is still the biggest, most dominant social game in town and the ‘lowest common denominator’ of social marketing,” he continues, “But it’s not the only game. Social audiences will continue splintering.” Therefore, it’s important to practice “social diversity”. In 2015, you may want to begin profiles on social networking sites other than Facebook and Twitter to expand your reach.

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12 Dec

6 More Expert Tips For Holiday Marketing On Social Media

Posted in Social Media, Synergy Suggestions on 12.12.14 by John Meloche

Christmas surfingWhen seeking advice, it’s always a good idea to ask the experts. And that’s exactly what we did, this week, when we researched an article posted by Jim Belosic on Inc.com. In it, he lists a number of great tips provided by industry experts who all have a lot of experience in the field of social media marketing. Not only is it important to consider this expert advice all year round, but it’s especially helpful during the holiday season as well.

With so many customers out there and online shopping for gifts, it’s important to take advantage of the many new opportunities to attract them to your business. Social networking has often been touted as today’s top way to communicate your message across the world. And many industry experts would agree that it’s a top choice when it comes to promoting your company. Here are six more expert tips for holiday marketing on social media.

1. Expose your expertise. This isn’t the first time that we’ve noted the importance of showing off. People like working with experts. According to Andrea Vahl who is the co-author of Facebook Marketing All-in-One for Dummies, “Marketing has changed. It’s a go-giver economy where you demonstrate the value of your product or service ahead of time by giving people the benefit of your expertise.”

2. Encourage product recommendations. If you believe in your products, ask your friends and followers to share their thoughts about them on your social media profiles. There’s nothing quite as powerful as customer testimonials, according to John Haydon of Inbound Zombie. “Research shows that consumers trust product recommendations from friends ten times as much as marketing messages that come directly from those recommended brands,” he writes.

3. Go above and beyond. Remember that you won’t be the only business owner using social media to promote your brand this holiday season. What can you do to stand out? It’s important to offer your clients something that no one else will. “Going above and beyond during the holiday season helps a business stand out in a time where everyone is competing for share of voice. Businesses should aim to disrupt this time of year,” says Amy Jo Martin of Digital Royalty.

4. Create a holiday countdown. Being engaging is a big part of what makes social media so successful. Get your friends and followers involved in what you’re doing on your pages. “An online advent calendar is a great example,” suggests Lilach Bullock of CommsAxis, “Daily prizes, offers, incentives, competitions, fun stuff etc. It also encourages people to come back again, to encourage sharing of your initiative, and is often much more memorable.”

5. Humanize your brand. “People want to connect with and buy from brands who they know, like and trust, and sharing your own holiday moments with your fans and followers is a great way to build this trust,” insists Boom Social CEO, Kim Garst, “I am not necessarily recommending you share your family’s Christmas morning pictures! But sharing photos of your office holiday party, Christmas decorations or other holiday events can make your brand more relatable and human!”

6. Use Facebook’s Local Awareness feature. Not surprisingly, Facebook’s Mari Smith recommends a tool offered by the social media giant that many of you may never have heard of before. “This allows you to target ads to people only when they’re physically near your business,” she informs, “You can even give people directions to your location right on their phones.”

At Synergy Marketing, we’re always looking to help you market your business. Give us a call at 1-877-748-9884 to find out how our promo gifts can help you!

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