They’re baaack! Last year, our incredible hockey schedule pens were all the rage during the professional hockey season. Well, with this year’s season set to kick off on October 7th, there is no better time than the present to get in on the action early. It is well known that hockey is loved all throughout Canada. Here is your choice to cash in on the craze.

As mentioned, our hockey schedule pens were fantastically popular last season. The official 2010/2011 schedule for all six Canadian professional hockey teams is now available. That way, this season, none of your clients will miss a game of their favourite teams. The home and away schedules for Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa, Montreal and Toronto are now all at your fingertips…literally.

Our uniquely crafted pens feature a wrap-around banner that slides in and out of the barrel of the pen. Amazingly crafty and convenient, these pens are excellent gifts for customers, colleagues and employees of all ages. With your company name and phone number printed on the barrel, it will make the perfect promotional item for your business well into next year.

Perhaps, the greatest feature about these pens is their incredibly low price of just $1.79 each. It will be hard to find a promo item at a lower cost that will be as warmly received as the hockey schedule pen. Of course, pens are widely used on a daily basis. With a pen as handy and useful as this one, you can be sure that your company will be on the minds of each of their recipients for many months.

Click HERE to place your order for these awesome pens today. You’ll notice that our website includes an upload link allowing you to provide us with your company logo. Synergy will be able to then process your order so that your pens arrive within two to three weeks. This hockey season, be sure to get as many people as possible with hockey schedule pens in their hands.

Naturally, you will want them to have the ones that include your company name and logo. Act fast as these are among our most popular items during this time of year. Since the beginning of the hockey season is a little over a month away, we figured we’d let you take advantage early so that you are well equipped with this excellent promo gift in time for the first puck drop.

Rush shipping is also available. In case it wasn’t already evident, we are pretty excited about our hockey schedule pens. We, ourselves, have printed up a number of pens bearing the Synergy logo as we know that they are always very popular items. Very easy to carry around, many of our reps often bring a bunch with them to hockey games.

What better place is there to give out a hockey schedule pen? No matter where you give them out, you can be sure that these pens will be greatly appreciated. Canada is known for its love of hockey. So, as a result, the love for hockey schedule pens is growing rapidly!

In many of our past blogs, we have championed the cause of using social networking websites to help promote your business. Heck, we just started doing the exact same thing ourselves! Always ones to practice what we preach, we invite you to now follow Synergy Marketing Consultants on Twitter, as well as check out our Facebook profile.

These very popular ways of keeping in touch are only growing in their worldwide reach. Today, the QMI Agency reports that the Facebook fan page is one trend that is rapidly gaining in popularity as spam sent through the site is becoming a great source of income generation for small business owners everywhere.

Says the report, “A new study from an Internet-based collective of Internet security professionals has found that Facebook spam is more successful than e-mail spam, and more lucrative, too.” This comes mainly due to the simplicity of being able to “like” a page simply by clicking on a “like” button.

According to the study: “Social networking spammers don’t need to dupe very many people in order to be rewarded for their efforts. Many of the surveys lead to SMS subscriptions (particularly outside of the U.S.) and there’s good money to be made. And because the conversion rates are better than e-mail spam, you can be certain that it won’t be going away any time soon.”

QMI reveals that the study took a look at traffic on spam pages to see how many people “liked” it. One story about a Happy Meal gone wrong at McDonald’s received over 32,000 clicks. The story, although generating quite a buzz, is nowhere near the most popular on the site, however.

Some pages gets hundreds of thousands of clicks almost instantly. The downside to this type of spamming, however, is that many who “like” a story or page dislike having to fill out accompanying surveys. Many are beginning to see the spam, as just that. So as the QMI report says, “while initial clicks and ‘likes’ are through the roof, relatively few – sometimes mere dozens – of clicks appeared on the content being teased in the headline.”

According to the study, “That’s good news. Examination of the data demonstrates that fewer and fewer people actually continue on to ‘step 3,’ which is filling out the survey. The vast majority of people bail out of the process after simply liking the page, or after sharing the link.”

Nevertheless, the important findings, as far as entrepreneurs are concerned is that money is still being made through the Facebook fan pages. We encourage you to visit and “like” the Synergy page with the promise that there is no survey for you to fill out.

In yesterday’s blog, we informed you about an incredible never-done-before, never-to-be-done-again, one-of-a-kind Stag & Doe being held in honour of Synergy’s Vice President of Marketing, John Meloche and his bride-to-be, Kathryn. This is your last chance to get in on the action as you are invited to take part in an event to be remembered.

As the party’s website, KJStag.com informs us, the entire purpose behind the event is to bring together friends and family to support Kathryn and John in their upcoming nuptials. The couple will tie the knot on September 25th. Tonight’s event – a Hollywood ball in the making – will also serve as a fund raiser to help with the couple’s upcoming honeymoon.

The website also makes clear that the event will serve as an excellent meeting ground for executives and entrepreneurs of all kinds. Over 200 attendees are expected which will provide a perfect opportunity for you to mix and mingle with important decision makers from all over the Greater Toronto Area.

Kathryn and John’s Stag & Doe party promises to offer something for everyone. Guys and girls, old and young are encouraged to attend. There will be great music, food, drinks and games for all to enjoy. Think of it as an event that will allow you not only to have great fun but one where you will be offered the chance to increase your reach as a business owner.

This is “not your typical stag” the party’s website reminds us. It will be well worth the price of admission. For those who have not yet purchased their tickets for this incredible event, it will be just $80 at the door. You will be amazed by how much your admission cost will get you.

As we mentioned yesterday, Synergy Marketing Consultants has sponsored the event by supplying some unbelievable gifts that will be won by some very luck attendees. We are joined by a number of sponsors who will all be adding to the allure of tonight’s experience.

They include Rockwood Club, Electro Wheels, Resolution Telecom, Elegant Shots Photography, PC Everywhere, The David Duncan House, Rebel Networks and MeloTel.

A celebrity red carpet walk, paparazzi glamour shots, poker tournaments, live music and performances, raffles, delicious food and even a special drink known as “The Donkey Child” will all be part of Kathryn and John’s Stag & Doe. It is an event not to be missed if you are in the Toronto area. We would love to see you there.

For more information, check out www.KJStag.com.

By now, it is well known that Synergy’s Vice President of Marketing, John Meloche will be taking that life-changing walk down the aisle in just under one month. On September 25th, John will be marrying his longtime girlfriend, Kathryn. We haven’t yet been able to contact Kathryn to ask her what she could possibly be thinking.

Just joking there, John. In fact, Synergy Marketing Consultants happens to be one of many very proud sponsors of Kathryn and John’s Stag & Doe which takes place tomorrow night at a special location in Scarborough. And believe us, this stag has all the makings of a major Hollywood gala!

John has pulled out all the stops for this one. The Stag & Doe will be presented as a celebrity red carpet event. Complete with actual red carpet and velvet ropes, guests will be welcomed to take paparazzi glamour shots upon entrance into this illustrious event. Inside, guests will experience a night similar to one they would have in Las Vegas!

Poker tournaments that promise the best of prizes will be set up all over the venue. The finest cuisine and snacks will be offered throughout the night guaranteeing that no guest leaves hungry. Kathryn and John are promising that literally everyone will be leaving with something as there are over $10,000 in raffles on hand to be given away.

Synergy will be joining such great companies as Rockwood Club, Electro Wheels, Resolution Telecom, Elegant Shots Photography, Rebel Networks, The David Duncan House, PC Everywhere and MeloTel as sponsors. One of the amazing prizes that will be offered on behalf of Synergy is our incredible line of Torino Lamborghini pens.

Complete with genuine embedded crystals, these pens have been retailed at upwards of $900.00 each! And as awesome as these items are, they only represent a small fraction of the amount of sweet prizes that will be won tomorrow night. As if all of this weren’t enough, don’t forget that Kathryn and John’s Stag & Doe is going to be one wild party!

Tomorrow’s big bash will also feature a live performance by hip-hop recording artist, Dan-e-o. Both a friend of John’s and a well-respected veteran of Canada’s rap music scene, Dan-e-o is set to turn the already-outstanding party into a crazy concert. Of course, music will be played all night so the dancefloor will undoubtedly be packed.

It all goes down tomorrow night starting at 8 p.m. and you’re invited! For more information, go to www.KJStag.com.

When you go to a wedding or some other type of formal event, you dress to impress don’t you? Remember your high school prom? You wanted to look as sharp as possible, didn’t you? Looking your best and presenting the best possible image of yourself is the key to making good impressions.

Naturally, you would want to do the same thing for your business. How can you “dress your business” up? What can you do to ensure that when consumers think of your company, they think of it as having great prestige. Our many blogs about branding have discussed how important it is to leave your client base with the feeling that your company is special.

In many ways, this is what our promo items are intended for. They are all about giving off the impression that you are a top-notch organization. Firstly, when a business owner shows that he or she is willing to go the extra mile to impress his or her customers, it is evident that the company means business. They are planning for continued success.

Secondly, an investment into one’s own business indicates that they are already successful. We don’t suppose that you have ever received a promo item from a company you were under the impression was not doing so well. That free gift you received was as good as the suit and bow tie you dressed up in for your last formal event.

Make your business look good. That’s the bottom line. Our staff is well aware that our clients have made themselves look great as a result of handing out their promo items. Today, one member of our team actually received a call from a client to thank her for sending him his latest order.

“They’re fantastic,” he remarked, “I just know that these will ‘wow’ my clients in a way they never expected.” It makes sense to want to achieve that “wow factor”. No different than when you get all dressed up for a big party. Think of your promo gifts as that extra dab of cologne you put on with the intention of attracting attention.

In all seriousness, your gift will always catch the attention of its recipient. Another team member recalled a promo gift he once received, noting the impact it had on him. “At first, I was surprised that the company even made flashlights…then I realized that they didn’t make the flashlights themselves, but were willing to have them made for their customers,” he remembers.

“I recall thinking that this company must be pretty special if they’re going to spring for flashlights for their customers. It was a really nice gesture to be given the gift and it’s one I haven’t forgotten in all these years.” Be unforgettable. Get your hands on some promo gifts and put them into the hands of your customers. You’re sure to look pretty sharp.

We have talked a lot about using the various social networking sites out there to promote your business in previous blogs. Well, Synergy Marketing Consultants is all about practicing what we preach. Now, with our sparkling new website having been launched, we are also officially launching our own pages on those sites we all know and love.

It seems like just about everyone is tweeting these days. For some people, their each and every move seems to be worth a tweet. So of course, those with a Twitter account may follow those individuals and be among the first know about it. We believe that Twitter can be used as an excellent promotional tool.

As such, we would like you to be among the first to follow Synergy on Twitter so that you can become aware of some of our sweetest deals and newest promotions. Be among the first to get your hands on our innovative promotional gifts as soon as they become available. Know everything that’s going on with Synergy by following us here:

Synergy On Twitter

And naturally, we’re not done there. Facebook, as we are sure you already know, is all the rage. These days, it is difficult to meet someone who does not have a Facebook account. For many people, this website is the first place they go to find out what is happening with their closest friends and relatives.

Of course, Facebook allows you to sift through countless pictures and communicate with people through a variety of message types. Synergy Marketing Consultants has just recently started up its own Facebook page and we would like to invite you to join our page. Log on and simply click on the “Like” button to begin keeping in touch.

As with Twitter, our Facebook page will be keeping you up to date with everything going on with Synergy. Feel free to send us your messages and give us your input on what features you would like to see on our website and even more importantly, what promotional items you feel may best benefit your business. Log on here:

Synergy On Facebook

We look forward to keeping in greater contact with you. As we have always stressed, online promotion is a growing trend that is one of the strongest and most cost-effective ways to promote your business. So naturally, we are looking to grow and expand our reach through such websites as Twitter and Facebook.

So help us grow. Follow us, like us and continue to work with us on getting your business needs met. We are confident that with this closer connection, you will find that our promo items and corporate gifts are extremely effective ways of growing your reach and increasing your customer base. So let’s help each other in reaching more people.

Have you ever sent an e-mail and immediately regretted it? Of course, we have all said things that we would probably like to take back. But when an e-mail is sent, you have officially put something in writing that has the potential of never being erased. What do you do in that situation? Usually, it begins with thinking of an excuse to get you out of the trouble you know is coming your way.

Today, Lesley Ciarula Taylor of The Toronto Star reports that Google Labs is working on a device that will save you the trouble. Imagine an “undo” button that can reverse your nasty e-mail so that it appears as if it was never written at all. Well, as Taylor writes, you need not imagine any longer as such a device may soon become a reality.

The new button is being tested for Gmail accounts, allowing users a 30 second window to stop an e-mail from being sent after pressing “send”. For those who have lambasted a friend, spouse or boss in the past, this new device will come as a life saver…perhaps, literally!

According to Taylor, the new “undo send” feature is one of over a dozen new features that the makers of Gmail are experimenting with. These features are already available in the “Settings” page of the Gmail Labs website that will allow Gmail users a chance to try them out.

As Taylor writes: “The feature, which could also be called the ‘second thoughts’ button, used to give you only five seconds to rewrite your personal history. Now you can tailor it to just how skittish you’re feeling each day.” Imagine having a similar device for your phone. We are sure that there are many “texters” out there who wish they could take back a nasty text or two.

It has not yet been determined if the new “undo” feature will be available on all Gmail accounts in the immediate future. In the meantime, we stress that you should take caution when composing your e-mails. You will want to be careful that your words do not get taken out of context because they were written in the heat of an angered moment.

As daily bloggers, we recommend the tried and true practice of proofreading everything that you release using online technology. Spelling and grammar mistakes aside – hey, we can’t all be perfect all the time – whatever you write should be as clear and professional as possible. Remember, the “undo” feature hasn’t been fully rolled out yet!

Mentions Taylor: “The new device comes on the heels of a ‘survey’ by one PR company for another PR company for 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment U.K. to promote the release of the DVD of the TV movie Going Postal, based on the book by British author Terry Pratchett.” It found that “one in five people have made an embarrassing email gaffe at work, and one in 20 were reprimanded or fired for that blunder.”

The weekend is here! For most people, this is their favourite time of the week. And if you live in the city of Toronto – where Synergy Marketing Consultants is headquartered – there is even more to do this weekend than last. As 680News.com reports, the 132nd edition of the Canadian National Exhibition has officially opened.

A highlight of every Toronto summer, the CNE is Canada’s largest fair. For most youngsters, it’s all about rides, games and junk food. For most adults, it is a place where there is an array of entertainment, music and exotic dishes to experience. And for just about everybody, it’s an awesome time.

Starting today and running until September 6th, the CNE generally brings in over a million visitors every year. 680News.com reports an expected 1.3 million visitors this summer. Included in this year’s events will be the 40th anniversary air show of the Snowbirds. This incredible aerial display is one of the top draws at the CNE on an annual basis.

Amber Swedgan, a spokesperson at North America Midway Entertainment talked to 680News about why the CNE is so spectacular. Said Swedgan: “It is such an international event, with not only our midway rides, featuring 60 rides, it’s the food, it’s the exhibits, it’s the shopping…it’s the people.”

With some of the buildings on the CNE grounds dedicated specifically to food, the annual fair provides one of the largest displays of international dishes anywhere. The sights and smells are so infectious, it is difficult to not want to try a little bit of everything. According to 680News.com, some of the newest treats this year include “fried butter balls, cinnamon rolls on a stick and deep fried mac and cheese.”

Needless to say, the new menu items are not for those who are on a diet. However, a walk around the CNE grounds will definitely provide you with a workout. There is so much to see and do, you won’t even notice how much walking you’ve done. Speaking of walking, if you’re in the downtown Toronto area, your best mode of transportation to the fair may just be your feet.

If you must commute, take the TTC, advises the Toronto police. Those driving on the Gardiner Expressway will have the Jameson Avenue exit closed, so Lakeshore Boulevard will have to be taken to get to the CNE. No matter how you get there though, you’re in for some fun.

You have 18 days to take advantage of “The Ex”, which the fair is also called. Live musical performances, roller coasters, games, food and more, the CNE is the place to be. A trip to the Canadian National Exhibition is always a good time. If you decide to check it out, we are sure you will agree.

In our cool new video on the home page of the Synergy Marketing Consultants website, you will notice that there are a number of important slogans that flash across the screen. These phrases are not just catchy tag lines used to promote our products, but instead they serve as important mission statements that we believe each business owner should live by.

Let’s break them down, shall we? The first is “Brand Your Name”. This blog has talked a lot about branding over the past few months about the importance of branding. Remembering that branding is not so much what your business is called but instead how your business makes its customers feel, we believe strongly that our promo products are key ingredients to making your client base think very highly of your company.

The next phrase is “Inspire Your Staff”. Providing incentives to your employees is an excellent way to boost company morale. This too, is a topic that has been popular on this blog. Making your staff feel valued and appreciated always goes a long way. It has been proven that incentives such as free gifts help boost production at offices all over the world.

Next up is “Reach Your Clients”. Utilizing promo gifts as a way of keeping contact with your customers is more than just putting smiles on their faces. This concept is based on the belief that offering your clients your promo items will keep them within reach for the long haul. You want your customers to not only remember you but to think of you fondly. You will, of course, want them to reach out to you the next time they are in need of a product or service you provide.

The video moves on to the “Drive Your Sales” slogan. Of course, at the end of the day, the entire point of your promo gift is to increase business for your company. A gift is a keeper. It is not a business card that often gets lost or a flyer that often gets tossed. Your promo gift is something that will have your company kept permanently on the mind of its recipient. Never be out of sight so that you are never out of mind.

“Retain Your Business” is the next motto. Why wouldn’t you want to do that? Repeat customers as the best kinds. Again, loyalty comes into play when you can develop a core customer base that trusts your brand. You want customers who are willing not only to use your services over and over again, but who will also recommend them to others.

As always, our awesome staff is more than happy to discuss getting the right promo items into your hands. Keep in mind that you want to get products that will best represent your company and that will most satisfy your client base. Your company name and number is just waiting to be printed on one of our fabulous items.

What would our new video be without our own company name and number? Call 877-748-9884 today to speak to one of our reps. You will be more than satisfied with the increased business, inspired staff and larger client base you receive as a result of handing out these incredible gifts. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Earlier this week, an associate in the Synergy offices made a comment about a colleague’s internet use. Noting this his friend visited numerous websites every day in addition to having several e-mail addresses, he made a very interesting comment. “Going online the way you do,” he said, “is like riding a motorcycle without a helmet.”

If you’re wondering, “how so?”, then you’ve asked the same question his colleague did. Internet use, in addition, to many other forms of technology comes with a price. Sometimes that price is a loss of privacy and the risk of having an account of yours hacked into. Our associate believes that we all should take measures to protect our privacy when we are using modern technology.

Today, The Toronto Star‘s business reporter, Madhavi Acharya-Tom Yew writes that a new survey confirms that privacy is a major concern among Canadians who utilize modern-day technologies as communication methods. The annual survey, conducted by KPMG International’s annual Consumers and Convergence, was released just earlier today.

Acharya-Tom Yew reports “that about two-thirds, or 63 per cent, of Canadians are concerned about privacy when using a mobile device. More than half, 58 per cent, are worried about security.” He goes on to note that the survey’s results are not much different than the findings of other polls taken across the world as it relates to people and their concerns with using communication devices like mobile phones.

Canadians have been found, however, to be especially cautious about handling financial matters over the phone. Such precautions speak to the concern that Canadians have about potential fraud that may occur due to the use of these technology sources. Says Acharya-Tom Yew: “Only 19 per cent of Canadians feel comfortable using their mobile phone for financial transactions, compared to 34 per cent of global respondents, the survey found.”

Furthermore, the survey found that only 8 per cent of Canadians make purchases using a mobile phone through a store’s website. Although that is twice the amount revealed in last year’s survey, it is far less than the 28 per cent of global consumers who make such purchases. As well, only15 per cent of Canadians do banking through a mobile device, compared to 45 per cent across the world.

Brendan Maher, the national industry leader of KPMG’s information, had this to say: “These consumer concerns over privacy and security are pivotal to the continued adoption of e-commerce and mobile commerce. Companies that implement robust policies and safeguards and provide for full disclosure of these measures are likely to reap the rewards through enhanced customer attraction and retention.”

Perhaps, going online to do banking is not much unlike riding a motorcycle without a helmet, after all. At least, most Canadians think so. It is always important to take measures to protect your privacy when using any new technology. Never revealing your passwords, for example, is a key technique that many people forget. The next time you go online, be sure to do your part in being safe.