01 Jun

4 Ways To Build Those All-Important Customer Relationships

Posted in Small Business Advertising, Synergy Suggestions on 01.06.15 by John Meloche

business team shaking handsSmall business owners don’t generally rely on big budget advertising in order to spread the word about their businesses. With television commercials, billboards, radio spots and print ads generally being pretty expensive, most entrepreneurs are forced to seek other means by which they can promote their brands. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, though. You may be surprised to know that small business owners have an advantage over larger corporations.

Then again, if you’re a reader of the Synergy Marketing Blog, you may not be all that surprised at all. Chances are that you know that small business owners have the ability to create and grow personal relationships with their customers. It’s the “personal interaction” factor that helps to differentiate most small businesses from their larger competitors. The advantage in making personal connections is that it endears customers to support your brand over others.

TV commercials and the like can’t do that. Small businesses grow and develop relationships at the ground level. “Relationships matter and good ones may be the most important things to your new business,” states Adam Fridman on Inc.com, “Go to meetings, meetups, panel discussions at colleges and universities, drop by your chamber of commerce or industry association. These events and opportunities are almost always free and the people there are usually as eager to meet you as you are to meet them.”

Here are four ways to build those all-important customer relationships:

1. Offer your expertise. People love working with businesses that are the “best” at what they do. When you impart your knowledge of your field onto others, it helps them to gain confidence in coming to you for solutions. On SBA.gov, Caron Beesley suggests that you showcase your expertise by writing blogs, hosting free workshops and sending out newsletters. “Being an expert in your field brings credibility, business and referrals. But you’ve got to work at it,” she writes.

2. Offer your help. At Synergy Marketing, we are large proponents for the “free giveaway”. But, as we’ve mentioned in many blogs before, what you give away doesn’t have to always be a material item. Offering your help can go a long way in growing your relationships with your customers. “Giving value is valuable,” says Fridman, “Everyone wants to help people who help them and being valuable is the best, fastest and most genuine way to get value in return.”

3. Be different. What separates you from your competition? What traits do you possess that will encourage customers to choose your brand over others? Beesley asks business owners to determine what makes them unique in order to strengthen the bonds they have with their clients. “What makes you different?” she asks, “Understanding and communicating this can really boost sales, and shift the focus away from price alone.”

4. Give something away for free. Is it any surprise that we would champion this point of view? For many years now, Synergy Marketing has been proving that when business owners give out free promotional gifts, it leads to stronger relationships with their customers. This often translates into referrals, increased sales and repeat business. But, as mentioned earlier, you don’t always have to give out material items.

“People love free stuff,” Fridman reminds us, “If you have a blog, offer free publicity. If you’re a consultant, offer a free initial review. Give away a free trial on your business software site. Meeting people, regardless of how or why they come to you, is an opportunity to build relationships. And giving away free things can, if done right, spark a good marketing and press opportunity.”

To get your hands on some great promotional gifts that you can hand out as free giveaways, call Synergy Marketing at 1-877-748-9884!

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27 May

3 Ways Giveaways Make For A Powerful Marketing Strategy

Posted in Promotional Products, Synergy Suggestions on 27.05.15 by John Meloche

Free - Green ButtonOver the past couple of days, the Synergy Marketing Blog has been focused on the concept of free giveaways as effective marketing strategies. It stands to reason that we would champion such an advertising practice considering that we offer Canadian business owners the best promotional products in the business! However, as our blogs have pointed out, promo gifts aren’t the only free giveaways that work effectively.

Businesses all over North America have been prospering for decades by offering their customer bases everything from free advice to free food. A friendly conversation at a summer barbeque has never hurt a business owner. And offering up something for free to your client base won’t hurt you either! “Offering a free give away can be a powerful and effective marketing strategy,” writes David Frey on FrugalMarketing.com.

Here are three ways giveaways make for a powerful marketing strategy:

1. They “hook” your audience in. If you’re truly confident in the high-quality of the products that you offer, you should have no problem allowing your customers to test them out. That way, they will have the opportunity to see for themselves just how great what you have to sell really is. Giving people the opportunity to try out your goods for free is a great way to “hook” them in to paying for them in the future.

Frey certainly believes in this philosophy. “Prospects who test your product or service risk-free might recognize its value and continue purchasing what you offer,” he writes, “Or even better, your prospect will get ‘hooked’ on your product or service and won’t be able to live without it.” If you don’t have enough of your product to give away, consider staging live demonstrations so you can show your customers the benefits of buying your products.

2. They help you to hold on to older customers. It is very often said that keeping your current customers is a lot easier than attracting new ones. It’s important to never forget those who have already shown support to your business. You certainly don’t want to lose them! Free giveaways help to keep your current audience engaged, believes Heather Holdorf. And she points out how promotional products can do the trick.

“How do you engage customers with shot glasses that have your company’s logo on them?” she asks on Yahoo.com, “The allure of giveaways often give customers an extra reason to visit you at an event. If you market free giveaways online, your brand might come across your customers’ paths when they least expect it and in turn spur a conversation that ends in additional business.” But there’s another important reason that giveaways are so effective in promoting your brand.

According to Frey, customers who receive free giveaways are a lot more likely to feel that they owe you something. Your kind gesture works as great encouragement to buy from you in order to return the favour. “This principle is called the ‘Law of Reciprocity,’ which simply states that people naturally feel an obligation to return favours as a way of expressing their thanks,” he explains.

As you are well aware, Synergy Marketing offers Canadian business owners the best promo products in the business! And how are we so confident that our gifts are the best? The combination of their high quality, low cost and excellent effectiveness has been helping companies all across Canada to grow for many years now. For more information, please don’t hesitate to call us at 1-877-748-9884!

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26 May

4 Benefits To Your Business Of Free Giveaways

Posted in Promotional Products, Synergy Suggestions on 26.05.15 by John Meloche

Free stickerFREE! It’s one of those words that is just bound to capture people’s attention. No matter how you slice it, the word “free” always comes with a positive connotation. If something is “sugar free”, it generally connotes healthy eating. If someone is “free from disease”, it clearly communicates that he or she is in good health. And when a product or service is provided for “free”, it usually makes for very happy customers!

Ryan Eisenacher agrees. “’Free’ has always been a very powerful word,” he writes on BrandingPersonality.com, “For businesses, ‘free’ can attract a lot of publicity.” He does warn, however, that offering free giveaways can “come with a price tag”. He cites a KFC promotion that was revealed on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” as a bad example. It was too successful, he reveals. The fried chicken brand ended up angering customers by running out of food!

Carefully executed, however, a free giveaway can be an excellent way to boost your business. At Synergy Marketing, we offer Canadian business owners the opportunity to give away free promotional gifts that bear their companies’ names and logos. Because promo gifts are so practical and useful, they go a long way in both pleasing customers and reminding them of where to shop. And because promo gifts are so long lasting, their advertising power is virtually endless!

“In terms of marketing, giveaways provide businesses with a low-cost solution for collecting leads, acquiring return customers, and generating product awareness,” writes Eisenacher, “Trade booths can gain a lot of attention with promotional items – you might even be surprised at the amount of instant brand awareness they can bring to the table (literally).” As we alluded to earlier, the benefits to free giveaways are many.

Here are four benefits to your business of free giveaways:

1. They provide good returns on investments. Some business owners assume that by giving away free gifts, money is automatically lost. Our clients have proven that the opposite is true. Not only are promo gifts incredibly affordable, but the return on the investment far outweighs the initial costs. “A giveaway can actually be a cheaper way to advertise than the traditional methods,” asserts Chelsea Segal on CoxBlue.com.

2. They help to boost brand reputation. Don’t assume that all free giveaways have to be physical items. Segal reminds us that giving away information can be just as valuable. It’s important to be recognized as an expert in your field in order to be regarded as a leader in your industry. Sharing your knowledge with customers can go a long way in building your brand’s reputation. “By giving people more knowledge of your product, you can impress them with your expertise and leave them intrigued, curious about what more your company has to offer,” says Segal.

3. They help to attract new customers. As mentioned before, the word “free” does a lot to turn heads. If you’re looking to expand your client base, you could do a lot worse than adopting a free giveaway marketing strategy to reel more people in. “Free giveaways are a great way to appeal to specific demographics where your brand has room for improvement,” writes Segal, “Giveaways are (also) a great way to sharpen your focus on the targets you really care about.”

4. They remind people of where to shop. We also mentioned before that free giveaways make for great reminders. “By reminding people what specialty products you have to offer, you can distinguish yourself from your competitors in the areas that matter most to you. Let your customers know what makes your brand unique,” notes Segal. And, at Synergy Marketing, we offer the best reminders around!

For more information about our wonderful promotional products, call us at 1-877-748-9884!

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25 May

How Free Giveaways Can Financially Benefit Your Business

Posted in Promotional Products on 25.05.15 by John Meloche

Oh Yeah Its FREE Red Shopping BagHow can giving away something for free earn you money? At Synergy Marketing, we answer that question each and every day. By providing Canadian business owners with the best promo products in the business, we demonstrate how certain acts of goodwill can turn into lucrative transactions. There are many reasons that promotional gifts work to adequately advertise businesses. One of them, quite simply, is that promo gifts are useful!

By handing out a promo gift that actually adds value to the life of the recipient, it shines a favourable light on your brand. It’s a good impression that’s not bound to dissipate anytime soon. This is especially true if your products and services are high quality and your customer service practices are top-notch. The act of giving something away for free draws customers in. Who doesn’t like getting something for free, right?

The key is to maintain the relationships that you spark with your free gift. And although Synergy Marketing champions the use of promotional products as advertising sources, they aren’t the only things that you can give away for free. Sharing your expertise and being giving of your time is an excellent way to grow your customer base. Not only will your tips and advice endear you to your clients, but they will encourage referrals from them as well.

After all, people love the idea of working with experts. It gives them confidence that they’ve made the right choice. On BusinessKnowHow.com, Janet Attard communicates this perspective. “Offer a free, no obligation consultation to people you think could use your services,” she suggests, “During such consultations offer some practical suggestions or ideas – and before you leave ask for an ‘order’ to implement the ideas.”

Giving something away for free also takes the pressure off of your customers. Most people know when they are being blatantly sold to. And, often, it rubs them the wrong way. When you offer a sample of what you have to offer, it puts the ball in their court. They have the freedom to choose whether or not they wish to buy without pressure. If your product is worthwhile, chances are that they will be back for more.

Susan Solovic of ConstantContact.com agrees that the act of giving something away for free can financially benefit your company. “If someone has the opportunity to experience your product or service, chances are they will want to purchase more,” she writes, “Don’t be afraid to give someone a free trial or a sample. In today’s economy, people are more comfortable purchasing something they have been able to experience first.”

“Get samples of your product or your work into as many hands as possible,” reiterates Attard. It’s important to remember, however, that your free products should serve to help your customer in his or her daily life. When you prove that your brand can solve a problem, your customers will be more likely to continue coming to you in order to have those problems solved. This is why promo gifts work so well at advertising small businesses.

Pens, key chains and water bottles – just to name a few examples – all solve problems. We all need something to write with, keep our keys together and drink water, don’t we? At some point or another, these items are sure to come in handy. If you haven’t yet tried the “giving something away for free” advertising model just yet, now would be a good time to try. To order the promotional product of your choice, call Synergy Marketing at 1-877-748-9884 today!

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26 May

Toronto Blue Jays Enjoying A Red Hot Streak!

Posted in News on 26.05.14 by John Meloche

Depositphotos_38268603_xsDon’t look now, but our hometown Toronto Blue Jays are in first place in the American League and are on one hot winning streak! You’ll have to forgive us for getting this exciting this early in the season. Considering the dismal end to last season (a dead last finish in our division), you can’t blame us for celebrating the recent success being had by our Jays.

As sports fans in the City of Toronto know all too well, before the beginning of the 2013 Major League Baseball season, many moves had been made to significantly improve the Blue Jays’ roster. Many even predicted our new look team would win the World Series. Of course, that was not to be. Not even close. A host of injuries coupled with underperformances by some big stars made for a bust of a season.

But as of yesterday’s 3-1 victory over the Oakland Athletics, the Jays managed to pull off their second sweep in a row. The reigning World Series Champion, Boston Red Sox fell in all three games played with the Blue Jays last week. Is this a sign of things to come? Will the Jays be able to hang on to their lead of the American League East? Will this season become the one we expected last year?

“It may be a little early to start planning any parades,” commented one of our Synergy staff members yesterday, “The recent winning streak is great. But let’s not forget that the Jays had an 11-game winning streak last year and that didn’t do much to save our season. What’s working in our favour is that the rest of the A.L. East isn’t playing so well. So if the Jays can keep up their winning ways, we’ll be in good shape.”

Well things are certainly in good shape right now in Blue Jay land. Yesterday’s afternoon game was a sellout at the Rogers Centre. The large crowd was encouraged, in part, by a free jersey giveaway. The first 20,000 fans received replica jerseys of either Jose Bautista or Edwin Encarnacion – two of the Jays’ biggest stars. See…we told you free giveaways work!

“Man, was it a fun day!” exclaimed our rep who took the game in live at the former SkyDome, “The place was packed, the sun was hot and the Jays did it again. There was a lot of energy in the building reminiscent of the days when we were playoff contenders, back in the early 90’s. I’m hoping that the Jays keep it up, because there’s nothing like putting a winner on the field to fill the seats.”

It certainly does help that the Jays are currently 29-22 and have a two game lead over the New York Yankees for top spot in their division. This is a place they have not held in five years. Expect the Synergy Marketing Blog to devote a bit of attention to the Blue Jays’ season as it did last year. Here’s hoping that this year’s blogs, however, will be filled with much happier news.

Tonight, the Blue Jays welcome their division rivals, the Tampa Bay Rays to the Rogers Centre to begin a three game series. It’s certainly a good time for our hometown heroes to keep up their winning ways as beating teams in the same division is the best way to secure a playoff spot. Yes it’s early. But we’re excited! And if you’re a Toronto sports fans, you should be too. Let’s go Blue Jays!

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11 Apr

Free Giveaways Astound And Amaze!

Posted in Promotional Products on 11.04.14 by John Meloche

Depositphotos_7220158_xsWho doesn’t like getting something for free? We all do. But that doesn’t mean people like giving things away for free. But here’s the thing. They should! Especially if you’re a business owner, the whole “give it away for free” thing can really work wonders for you. Many entrepreneurs only see the dollars and cents side of things when considering their marketing strategies.

And therefore, they see free giveaways as something that doesn’t make logical sense. “How am I supposed to make money that way?” some ask themselves. But, as we pointed out in yesterday’s blog, the entire concept of promotional products works heavily in a business owner’s favour. At Synergy Marketing, we’ve known this for many years as our products have helped to build countless relationships between businesses and their clients.

However, as Ideas4SmallBiz.com explains, freebies are excellent ways to promote your business whether they are promotional products or not. In yesterday’s blog, we outlined a few reasons listed by the site why giving away free stuff can work for your small business. Is there really something to the whole theory of “getting something for nothing”? Let’s review a few more reasons, shall we?

Customers are more forgiving when something is free. Is there a better way to overcome a disgruntled customer than to give him or her something for free? This works like a charm. Imagine waiting too long to be served at a restaurant. Then imagine getting a free round of drinks to make up for your long wait. Your freebies shouldn’t serve as excuses for poor service, says the website, but they are great ways to put smiles on faces where there were once frowns.

Positive Brand Association. According to Ideas4SmallBiz.com, “people love to get something for free, no strings attached. It makes them happy and brightens their day.” Quite simply, when you provide your customers with freebies now and again, they will automatically like your company more. Your gestures give the impression that your customers mean something to you. And, of course, they should!

Creates a buying habit. People are lot more likely to give your business a try if they have a sample of what you offer, says the site. If you provide positive experiences, your customers are bound to come back. What’s more is that they will be more likely to recommend your brand to others. The freebie you may have once thought of as a waste of your marketing money is actually a hook that can reel in a host of new customers!

In our many years of experience with providing Canadian business owners with promotional products, we’ve come to discover many interesting things about the “free giveaway” strategy. At the end of the day, it just makes people happy. And isn’t that what you’re in business to do? Of course, the plan is to make money. But the happier you make your customers, the more money you’re bound to make.

Promotional products work because they are functional. What you give out for free should be of some worth, of course. No one wants worthless garbage. And promo gifts couldn’t be more of the complete opposite of that. Useful and handy items that can be used again and again make the greatest promo gifts. Pens, key chains, water bottles, flashlights and so much more are available to you now. Call Synergy Marketing at 1-877-748-9884 to order today!

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