31 Mar

3 Great Spring Cleaning Ideas For Your Business

Posted in Synergy Suggestions on 31.03.15 by John Meloche

Depositphotos_54769157_xsIn the City of Toronto – where Synergy Marketing is proudly headquartered – it doesn’t exactly feel like spring yet. We know that warmer weather is on the way. But we’d sure like for it to hurry up! Have you had enough of winter as well? If so, there are some things that you can do for your business to rid it of the winter blues. And what better way to do that than some spring cleaning? Yes, spring cleaning shouldn’t just be left to residences.

The advent of spring is the perfect time to clean things up at your business. “It’s exactly like regular spring cleaning except it involves way less elbow grease and a lot more professional evaluating,” says Forbes.com, “Okay, so it’s nothing like regular spring cleaning.” What it is, in fact, is recharging your business with a new energy and attitude that will help it to achieve greater success than in months past. Here are three great ways to do that.

1. Freshen up your online presence. At Synergy Marketing, we’re happy to say that we jumped the gun on this one. Just before spring started, we revamped our website to give it a cooler, sleeker and cleaner look. We also introduced some new products and ensured that our product pages looked a whole lot better by adding amazing new photos. We also made sure to spruce up our Facebook and Twitter profiles with our updated business logo.

“Go through and take stock of what your online presence is like,” suggests Forbes.com, “Is there some copy on your site that could be rewritten to sound better or more accurately reflect slight shifts in your target market, or what kinds of services you are focusing on now? Is your brand being represented as effectively as possible? Now is a good time to tighten things up and fix up all the little details that, although they don’t take a lot of effort, make a big impact.”

2. Strengthen your staff. Forbes.com assures that it is not encouraging anyone to go on a firing spree. But sometimes, a little trimming of the fat is necessary. It may sound a bit harsh to use such a euphemism when it comes to people who work for you, but it’s important to be abreast of issues within your company that exist at the hands of less-than-stellar employees. Let’s face it – we’ve all had experiences with them.

According to the website, “it’s smart to take a minute to reflect on what needs your company has, which roles are being filled well, which ones could possibly be better executed, which ones are no longer as crucial per changes in how your company operates, and which new needs might necessitate redistribution of staff responsibilities or role definitions, or might require hiring one or two new people entirely.”

3. Update your business plan. In yesterday’s blog, we commented upon the importance of having a sound business strategy. And one of the ways we suggested you do that is by focusing in on a primary goal for your business. However, as time passes, your objectives may change. There may be some opportunities for your business to grow in new directions when you reassess what it is you’re trying to achieve.

Forbes.com recommends that you revisit your business plan at least once a year. Sometimes, reminding yourself of your original objective is all you need to encourage you to motor through to the next stages of accomplishing your goals. Perhaps, no change is necessary at all. But it’s important to be mindful of your goals so that you don’t lose sight of how to reach them. It will help to keep you as focused as you were when you started your business.

Be sure to check back for tomorrow’s blog as we continue to analyze ways that you can do some spring cleaning at your business. And for any questions about our fantastic promo gifts, don’t hesitate to call Synergy Marketing at 1-877-748-9884.

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30 Mar

5 Ways To Grow A Small Business On A Small Budget

Posted in Synergy Suggestions on 30.03.15 by John Meloche

3d small people - good profitAs a small business owner, you may sometimes feel as if promoting your company is a non-stop uphill battle. After all, you’re not working with budgets as big as major corporations, so you’re not going to be prone to filming television commercials or creating giant billboards. However, it’s important to remember that, as a small business owner, you’re actually given some advantages over the “big boys”.

As we’ve often noted on the Synergy Marketing Blog, entrepreneurs such as yourself are given opportunities to directly communicate with their client bases. It’s the “personal touch” that matters most to your customers when they are dealing with your business. So it’s important not to get too wrapped up in thinking that you need a big advertising budget in order to spread awareness about your brand.

According to Hiscox.com, “the amount the average large company spends on advertising each year is probably more than your small business will bring in over the next 100 years. But you can still put together a marketing strategy that will help you to stand out from the crowd. A relatively small amount of work on your part can yield great results. It’s largely a question of doing your homework.” And with that, the site presents five ways to grow your small business on a small budget.

1. Clearly set your objectives. Before you can begin to advertise your business, you’ll need to know exactly what it is you’re trying to accomplish. Hiscox.com insists that to attain the most success, you should focus in on a primary goal. Determine whether you would like to create new leads or retain your current clients, advises the site. Deciding upon your exact goals will help you to create the ideal marketing strategy for your brand.

2. Define your target market. What type of people make up your customer base? It’s important to know what group or groups would most be interested in what you have to offer. Hiscox.com advises that you strongly consider who your product would most appeal to. You may also want to think about shooting for a different audience than your competitors. Is there a need you can satisfy that your competition cannot?

3. Know who your competitors are. Of course, in order to outdo the competition, you’ll need to have a good handle on exactly who they are. Keep your ear to the ground and watch what your competitors are doing. “It’s not a sign of weakness to keep looking over your shoulder to see what your rivals are up to,” reads Hiscox.com, “It’s important to know what they do, so you can sharpen up your own act and differentiate your offerings.”

4. Determine your message. It’s important to engage your audience in an interesting way, the site continues. You’ll also want to give your company a “voice”. In other words, your brand should be able to communicate in ways that give recipients of your message good feelings about it. Are your campaigns humorous and fun? Or are you going for a more serious and professional approach? The best campaigns give a sense of a company’s personality and values, says Hiscox.com.

5. Locate your medium. “There’s no point in developing a great marketing campaign if the people you want to reach don’t see it,” reads the site, “That’s why how you deliver your message is just as important as what you say.” It goes on to note that the use of social media is very important in growing a small business. That is, of course, if your target audience is prone to using Facebook and Twitter. Be sure to stay active and engage your audience often if they do!

And, as always, you don’t want to leave the use of promotional products off the table. Order yours today by calling Synergy Marekting at 1-877-748-9884!

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27 Mar

3 Smart Ways To Plan Your Promo Gift Advertising Strategy

Posted in Promotional Products on 27.03.15 by John Meloche

To hit the markWrapping up our focus on the “power of promo gifts” this week, we’d like to offer some assistance to business owners who may be looking to take advantage of our products for the first time. As PromotionalGiftsGuide.com puts it, “giving away promotional gifts just for the sake of giving something is a complete waste of money and will do nothing for your corporate image or for your profitability.”

It’s important to remember that the giving away of promo gifts should be part of an advertising strategy. What are you looking to achieve? Do you want to inspire customer loyalty? Do you wish to garner referrals? Do you want to increase sales? You can do all of the above and more as long as you are utilizing your promo gifts as part of a sound advertising plan. PromotionalGiftsGuide.com offers up some smart ways to plan your strategy. Here are three.

1. Create longer brand recall. As we’ve clearly outlined over the past week (be sure to read this week’s blog entries – they are filled with useful information about promotional products), promo gifts help for your business to be remembered a lot longer than other modes of advertising. The site encourages business owners to consider the usefulness and durability of the promo gift so that it can provide long-lasting results.

“The idea is that you want the person receiving it to remember you and your company for a long time,” reads PromotionalGiftsGuide.com, “With that in mind, you should consider gifting something that the individual is likely to use on a regular basis so they will think of you every time they use it. The item should also be durable so that the person will think of you for a longer time. Something that breaks easily will just get thrown out and will not serve this purpose.”

2. Promote your reliability. The last thing you want is to hand out cheap, useless gifts. The quality of your gift will speak to the quality of your brand. If your gift recipient can’t depend on the gift that he or she has received, its promotional power is lost. However, when you provide a high-quality gift that offers years of usefulness, it sends the message that your brand can be relied upon time and time again.

“Don’t just choose the cheapest item you can find,” warns PromotionalGiftsGuide.com, “The promotional gift you send will reflect on the image of your company and items of poor quality can damage your image. Even if you are on a tight budget you can find smaller items of good quality that you can use as your business gifts. I would advise you to first determine your budget and then look for quality items that fit within your budget.”

3. Address your clients’ needs. It’s important to keep in mind that the handing out of promo gifts should not be solely based on how the strategy can help you. How can the promo gifts help your customers? When you address that question, you will be more likely to satisfy their needs and encourage them to support your business well into the future. PromotionalGiftsGuide.com admits that this can be challenging because not all of your customers are the same.

So, the site suggests that you consider the demographics of your average customers. Take into account the average age group of your client base. Are they mostly male or female? Are there cultural differences? “Different countries and cultures have their own etiquette for buying and giving corporate gifts,” notes the site, “Better not to give a gift rather than give something that will hurt a potential client’s sentiments.”

To get the best possible promo gift to advertise your business, call Synergy Marketing at 1-877-748-9884 today!

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26 Mar

3 Reasons To Invest In A Promo Gift Advertising Strategy

Posted in Promotional Products on 26.03.15 by John Meloche

Depositphotos_25582973_xsEvidently, it’s “promo gift week” on the Synergy Marketing Blog. Even though our blog entries often cover a wide range of promotional ideas, concepts and suggestions, it’s never lost on us that the good old promotional product is our favourite source of advertising. And why wouldn’t it be? For many years now, Synergy Marketing has been providing small and medium-sized business owners in Canada with the best promo products in the business!

We stand behind the high quality of all of our offerings. But we also stand behind the power of promo gift advertising. All week, we have been revealing some pretty telling statistics about just how impactful the use of promotional products can be for a business owner. And this is a phenomenon that is enjoyed worldwide. Have you invested in promotional products as an advertising strategy for your company? Here are three facts that reveal why you should.

1. Promo products have staying power. Unlike television commercials and radio ads, promo products literally stay with their recipients. They can be used over and over again, allowing for recipients of the gifts to be regularly reminded of the brand that handed them out. PromotionalGiftsGuide.com reveals that a study found that “about 55% of the people who were interviewed said that they generally kept their promotional product for more than one year.”

Now, that’s some powerful advertising! “The ‘staying power’ of promotional products is what makes the difference,” adds Nebs.ca, “Unlike ads that can be overlooked, a good quality promotional product is functional and used for a very long time. Imprinted with your company name, logo, and phone number, promotional products continue to remind people of your business long after they have been received.”

2. Promo products provide additional value. As mentioned, standard modes of advertising don’t provide any additional value to the customer experience. Meanwhile, promo gifts serve to make lives easier. Pens, key chains, flashlights and the like are items that can obviously come in handy on many an occasion. The more useful and practical a promo gift is, the more use the recipient is bound to get out of it.

PromotionalGiftsGuide.com reveals that “a whopping 75.5% of recipients claimed that they kept the items because they found them useful.” The site goes on to note that there are a number of other reasons that people hang on to their promo gifts, revealing another important fact. Promo gifts are not so quickly thrown away. They aren’t like business cards that often get lost or tossed. They provide additional value to the customer experience.

3. Promo products outperform other advertising strategies. Earlier this week, we blogged about the fact that promo gifts have been proven to outdo radio ads and television commercials when it comes to having a positive impact on customers. As well, Nebs.ca points out that when small business owners are looking to advertise their brands, “newspaper and magazine advertising is one option, but often too expensive for small businesses to do on an ongoing basis.”

The return on investment is so much better when promo gifts are invested in. The site goes on to reveal the following “recall rate data”: Banner ads – 27%, Print & TV ads – 53.5%, Promo Products – 76.1%. “Mailing a pen or other promotional product along with a sales letter can increase the number of prospects that call you back by as much as 50 percent,” adds Nebs.ca. Can you think of a reason to not use promo gifts as an advertising strategy?

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

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25 Mar

British Study Unveils Success Of Promo Gift Advertising

Posted in Promotional Products on 25.03.15 by John Meloche

Giftbox with a british flag.In Canada, promotional products have been helping business owners to grow their brands for decades. But, as we’ve revealed in some of our recent blogs, the handing out of promo gifts is an advertising strategy that is enjoyed by entrepreneurs from all over the globe. On Brandwatch.com, Richard Larson comments upon the fact that surveys conducted by The British Promotional Merchandise Association (BPMA) prove the strength of promo gift advertising.

“There is a direct correlation between promotional product advertising and an improvement in brand recognition and increase in sales,” writes Larson, “In addition to brand awareness and better sales, this form of advertising yields a better return on investment.” Referring to a 2012 BMPA study of nearly 15,000 people who received free promotional products within the previous year, Larson unveils just how successful promo gift advertising can be.

66% of participants claimed they could recall the brand on the promotional product received withing the past 12 months. It’s interesting to note just how long-lasting the impressions of promo gifts can be. Generally, television commercials come and go within 30 seconds. It’s debatable just how impactful they are. Clearly, some are more memorable than others. But this statistic showcases the ability of promo products to have lasting impressions.

Because promo gifts are useful items, they do a whole lot more than simply advertise a brand. They provide extra value to their recipients. Naturally, they can be used over and over again. So when giving out a promotional gift, a business owner essentially ensures that the recipient will be reminded of his or her business on a regular basis. Considering the low-cost of promo gifts, the return on investment is excellent. Larson confirms this as well.

79% of participants would be likely to do business with the company who provided the promotional product again. This, of course, is what business owners want. It’s one thing to impress a customer, but it’s an entirely different thing to encourage that customer to return. Customer loyalty is a huge part of any company’s success. And promo products have successfully encouraged customers to be loyal.

87% of participants kept a promotional item for longer than a year. Again, this speaks to the longevity of the promo gift’s advertising power. Are there any commercials that play on television for longer than a year? And, if so, what functions do they perform for their viewers? Promo gifts not only stay with their recipients, but serve them well. And, as you can imagine, they help customers to favour the companies who give them out.

56% of participants said their impression of the company improved after receiving a branded item. As we’ve asked many times before, who doesn’t like getting something for free? The mere gesture of a free gift is often enough to give a good impression of your business. Giving a little bit extra often has a big impact. And customers enjoy when businesses show them that their patronage is valued.

“The impact of these products on recipients is great,” reports Larson, “They can recall the specific type of product received and also remember the brand name or name of the company for a long period of time after receiving it. In fact, over 94% of those who participated in the research study said that they do not forget the advertiser or the product advertised.” Isn’t it time you order some promotional products to advertise your business?

Contact Synergy Marketing by calling 1-877-748-9884 today!

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24 Mar

Promo Gifts Proven To Outperform Radio And TV Ads

Posted in Promotional Products on 24.03.15 by John Meloche

Tv and radio mediasIn yesterday’s blog, we unveiled a number of telling statistics about promotional products and their effectiveness worldwide. With Europe-based studies confirming that business owners are as successful using them out there as business owners are using them, here in Canada, it stands to reason to suggest that promotional products are the best ways to advertise small to medium-sized businesses. The bottom line is that they work!

The PSI website, reveals that the German Promotional Product Association (GWW) had the market research institute, DIMA conduct a study in January 2012. Its objective was to examine the advertising impact of 28 different promotional products. The study, which drew its results from over 2,000 respondents, overwhelmingly found that promo gifts were, indeed, more successful than radio and TV advertisements in conveying positive brand messaging.

The main reason is because promo gifts can be used continually. While radio and TV commercials come and go within a matter of seconds, promotional products have staying power. Because they each perform a function, they do more than simply remind recipients of the company that gave the gift out. They continually inspire positive feelings about the company by offering a usefulness that can be depended upon time after time.

According to PSI, the results of the survey show that people tend to use their promo gifts quite frequently. “On average, they are used once daily, thus enabling one advertising contact opportunity every day,” reports the site, “The test participants also remembered promotional products which they already had for five years and longer. Such ‘Advertising Touchrates’ can hardly be found for classic advertising methods such as TV, print media and radio.”

It’s important to consider how memorable your advertising method is. While commercials may have lasting impression due to their entertainment value, they don’t always work to actually sell the product or service being advertised. Promo products, on the other hand, help for people to better recall the advertiser. This was another finding of the survey conducted by DIMA, according to the PSI website.

“Promotional products also came out ahead in the ‘recall’ segment,” it reads, “more than 50 per cent of the test participants could remember the brand or company name. Analyses of other advertising media only resulted in a brand recall rate of 28 per cent for TV (source: ARF) or 25 to 38 per cent for radio (source: RMS).” Consider, as well, the cost-effectiveness of using promo gifts as an advertising choice.

Producing radio and television commercials can be incredibly costly. This is why we are all so used to seeing such ads from major corporations versus small businesses. Patrick Politze is the Director of the GWW. He stated as much when he said that “the advertising impact study shed light on the fact that promotional products are among the most cost-efficient forms of advertising. If the promotional product is applied properly, it is far superior to other forms of advertising with regard to central impact indicators such as recall, likeability or image transfer.”

It’s time to get in on the action! As mentioned, Synergy Marketing has a wide array of promotional products to choose from. Pens, key chains, knives, tools, flashlights, water bottles and so much more are all available. We’re especially proud of our new line of promo gifts. Be sure to ask one of our friendly and knowledgeable sales reps about them. Order the promotional product of your choice by calling us at 1-877-748-9884 today!

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23 Mar

Statistics Show Promo Gifts Are Loved Worldwide

Posted in Promotional Products on 23.03.15 by John Meloche

Global success conceptFor decades, business owners from all over Canada have been reaping the benefits of using promotional products to advertise their businesses. But this excellent advertising phenomenon is, in no way, just a Canadian thing. As Impression Europe explains, “promotional products are part of daily life. They are powerful because they are long lasting, cost effective and they work, both as forms of communication and as useable, necessary tools.”

The site notes that promo gifts have worked wonders for European businesses, as a poll conducted by the German Promotional Product Association (also known as GWW) indicates that promo gifts have greater effectiveness than traditional modes of advertising. In a study of 2000 respondents, 90% confirmed that they were the owners of promotional products. Half of them admitted to using these products at least once a day!

“By comparison this brand recall reduces to 38% for radio & 28% for TV, which indicates that recall of these advertising mediums is not as effective,” says GWW. Impression Europe goes on to reveal the findings of other important surveys that speak to the advertising strength of promotional products. Promotional Products Association International (also known as PPAI) discovered some very interesting information through studies of its own.

According to PPAI, “83% of respondents like receiving a product with an advertising message.” This speaks to the initial reason that a business owner should consider handing out promotional gifts to his or her customers. Quite simply, they make people happy. Who doesn’t like getting something for free? The mere gesture of handing someone a free and useful gift is bound to gain favour for your brand.

“48% would like to receive promotional products more often,” found the PPAI global survey. Evidently, people aren’t opposed to continually getting things for free. This is why, at Synergy Marketing, we make sure to offer a wide array of sensationally useful promo gifts. Naturally, you don’t have to just select one to give out. Your customers will appreciate the various gifts that you make available over time.

Another finding from the PPAI survey was that “on average 91% had promotional products in their kitchen.” At Synergy Marketing, we have found that kitchen-based promo gifts are wildly popular. Our newly-added Allegro™ Crystal Wine Stopper is an especially elegant way to impress your favourite customers. Our collection of knife sets has also been known to be among our most highly sought-after high-end promo gifts.

PPAI also found that 74% of their respondents keep their promo gifts in the work place while 55% keep them in the bedroom. The bottom line? “People keep promotional products everywhere,” insists Impression Europe. And why wouldn’t they? Because promo gifts are so useful, they can practically be used anywhere. This gives your company some very serious promotional power!

Not only do your gifts advertise to your recipients, but they spread awareness about your company to all those who come into contact with your recipients. As mentioned, Synergy Marketing offers a wide variety of promo gifts to choose from. If you’re a business owner looking to grow his or her client base, give us a call at 1-877-748-9884 to order the perfect promo gift to advertise your business today!

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20 Mar

3 Great Ideas For Promoting Your Website Offline

Posted in Synergy Suggestions on 20.03.15 by John Meloche

Website Address Bar - http and wwwAs you may already know, the Synergy Marketing website recently underwent a facelift. Our sleeker, cleaner-looking website now also showcases many of our brand new promotional products. We proudly unveiled both the new site and our new catalogue additions a few weeks ago. It’s important, these days, to communicate changes in your company through changes in the way your company is represented online.

Naturally, there are many ways to increase the number of visitors to your website by using online methods. For example, we took to our Facebook and Twitter accounts to tell people of the news about our new site. Of course, we blogged about the new changes as well. However, there are a number of other ways to promote the snazzy new website you come up with for your company. And many of them can be done offline. Here are three great ideas.

1. Put your URL on everything. You likely have tons of material that you can stamp your website address on. Letterheads and business cards are two of the most obvious ones. All forms of communication between your business and its customers, suppliers, partners and associates should include your URL. It is also a good idea to include it on any promotional products that bear your company name.

Entrepreneur.com agrees. “Include your URL on all promotional items you give away–coffee mugs, T-shirts, keychains and so on,” reads the website, “A daily reminder is a good way to get people to visit your site.” In addition, you may even want to include your web address on the uniform of your employees. If you own a company where uniforms are required, this is a great way for customers to learn how to locate you online.

2. Write a press release. While blogs will likely always be excellent ways to communicate your brand’s message online, there are still plenty of reasons to try to get the word out to the media. Your press releases should include newsworthy bits of information that is likely to be picked up by the magazines and newspapers you send them to. “By having it at their fingertips, they may be more likely to include it in articles they write about your company,” says Entrepreneur.com.

As you may have guessed, your press releases should include your company’s website address. You may even want to include information about the recent additions to your website or the fact that customers can buy directly from you online. Entrepreneur.com also reminds us not to forget to include your web address in your Yellow Pages ad. “That’s one place people see it every day,” the site insists.

3. Display it on your company vehicle. If you own a company vehicle, it’s a great place to display your company website. Your car or truck has the potential to be a moving billboard advertising your business. Especially if you are in the delivery business and know that your company vehicle does a lot of travelling, there is no reason to not have your website clearly displayed along its side.

“Be sure to put your URL on the side of any car or truck that’s out there delivering your products,” advises Entrepreneur.com. Advertising your website offline has everything to do with labelling the appropriate materials with the address. This is much the same concept used by Synergy Marketing when we advertise our promotional gifts. The more your business name, logo and website are out there, the better the chances you have of growing your brand.

Order your promo gifts by calling us at 1-877-748-9884 today!

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19 Mar

3 More Ways To Master The Customer-Rewarding Game

Posted in Synergy Suggestions on 19.03.15 by John Meloche

Group of female shoppersNo matter what type of business you own, you’re in the customer-rewarding business. That is, of course, if you’re interested in both retaining your customer base and growing it exponentially, you will make showing your gratitude a habit. It certainly doesn’t hurt to say “thank you”. And there are a number of ways that you can do it. As we pointed out in yesterday’s blog, there are some very important go-to methods of rewarding your customers for their support.

In today’s blog, we’ll continue our look at this concept. It’s one that we’ve tackled quite often on the Synergy Marketing Blog. And that’s because we know that being adept in the customer-rewarding business plays a huge role in the growth of any company. Showing your customers that their support is valued is bound to keep them loyal for many years to come. Here are some more ways to master the customer-rewarding game.

1. Keep in touch. It sounds like the simplest piece of advice in the world, doesn’t it? But how many business owners are keeping in touch with their clients? This is an especially important practice for those who own businesses where even the most loyal of customers don’t visit on a regular basis. Take, car repair, for example. In many cases, customers may only visit once or twice a year, depending on the needs of their vehicles.

Your clients may also move living locations. Does this mean you should lose them as customers? “Keep in touch as contacts move on,” recommends Angela Stringfellow on AmericanExpress.com, “Many people switch jobs several times over the course of their careers. If your primary contact at a client moves on to another company, keeping in touch with that person will allow you to continue to nurture that relationship.”

2. Use social media. The use of social networking platforms such as Facebook and Twitter is commonly heralded as a must in today’s business world. This tip has found its way on many a list of tips found on the Synergy Marketing Blog as a result. These days, it can be as easy as simply mentioning a customer via an online post or tweet to show the type of gratitude that will keep that person loyal.

In other cases, you may want to include social media in your rewards program ideas. “Customer loyalty programs began with simple punch cards you kept in your pocket, and now they’re evolving through something else in your pocket: the smart phone,” writes Ted Donnelly on Inc.com. He goes on to note that larger companies still tend to be “slightly nervous about using social media”, so it’s a great strategy for smaller businesses to employ.

3. Spread the word. The more your customers support you, the more you should do to reward them for it. Be sure to let people know that you’re in the customer-rewarding game. Naturally, you can use social media to communicate that you offer special deals and discounts to those who refer your business to others. And you can certainly use your own word-of-mouth promotional skills to speak to customers in your store about your willingness to thank them for their support.

“Other ways to inform customers about referral and rewards programs include e-mail marketing blasts with program details, having a static referral rewards page on your company Website to explain specifics and requirements and using social media to broadcast referral incentive opportunities to your followers,” offers Stringfellow. Not to mention, handing out those handy promo gifts is bound to generate quite a buzz!

Order yours today by calling Synergy Marketing at 1-877-748-9884!

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18 Mar

2 Of The Best Ways To Reward Supportive Customers

Posted in Synergy Suggestions on 18.03.15 by John Meloche

Low Rate Cash Back Rewards Offer Arrow Signs Best Credit Card DeWith all of this talk about rewarding your employees on the Synergy Marketing Blog lately, it reminds us that offering rewards is a fantastic way to grow your business. Not only do they drive up the energy among your staff members – contributing to a more productive workforce – but they serve to increase customer satisfaction as well. At Synergy Marketing, we know a thing or two about how customer rewards can increase business.

For many years, our amazingly useful and handy promotional gifts have helped Canadian business owners impress their customers. Quite often, the gifts are used as contest prizes in addition to simple gestures of thanks for continued support. No matter how you decide to use your promo gifts, they are known to improve your brand’s image. In many cases, the bettering of your brand image comes by way of word-of-mouth promotion.

People tend to tell others about their positive experiences. And it’s hard to argue that word-of-mouth promotion is the best type of advertising a company can get. Who better to deliver the good news about your brand than a satisfied customer? And who better to thank than the person who referred your brand to someone else? Arguably, these are the people that you should be thanking the most. Here are two of the best ways to reward your customers for their support.

1. Offer a loyalty program. The more a person supports your business, the more that person should be rewarded, right? After all, the happier that customer is, the more likely he or she is to not just keep coming back, but continually sing your praises. On Inc.com, Tim Donnelly writes that it’s important to come up with the right type of loyalty program. They shouldn’t always just be about discounts and freebies.

“The kind of program varies depending on your type of business, but experts say some general tips apply to everyone,” he writes, “They advise against limiting your rewards program to just discounts, because discounts don’t have a lasting impact on customers’ memories.” He suggests points programs, upgraded shipping and free items or services as a few examples of rewards you can offer your most loyal customers.

2. Offer reduced rates and credits for referrals. It is, however, hard to go wrong with discounts. If it’s one thing people love when spending their money – it’s saving as much of it as possible in the process! The customers who refer your business to others do deserve to be shown your gratitude. Offering them special discounts after they have referred your business is a great way to show how thankful you are.

“Who doesn’t like to get a great deal?” asks Angela Stringfellow on AmericanExpress.com, “If customers are happy with your services and can save a few bucks by telling a friend about your company, they’re likely to take you up on the offer.” Naturally, your show of gratitude will entice your already-loyal customer to keep coming back. And don’t think he or she won’t continue to tell others about how great your business is!

At Synergy Marketing, we also highly believe that your loyal customers deserve freebies. As mentioned, our excellent promotional gifts serve as some of the best company freebies that money can buy. It’s a sound investment for your business. Far less expensive than traditional modes of advertising, promo gifts are known for inspiring your customers to offer your company referrals. To place your order, simply call 1-877-748-9884 today!

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