Heartbreak. Gut-wrenching, agonizing heartbreak. This is possibly the best way to describe the feelings of many a Toronto Maple Leafs-fan this morning, following a night when their beloved team was booted out of the NHL playoffs. The pain stems, as you may know, not so much from the loss at the hands of the Boston Bruins, but at the way the loss took place.

The Leafs seemingly had the game all locked up with a 4-1 lead with ten minutes left to go in the third period. Then disaster struck. A meltdown of epic proportions took place as the Bruins stormed back with three goals to tie it up – one of them taking place with just under a minute to go in the game. With the game going to overtime and the entire series on the line, the Leafs Nation feared the worst.

And then the worst was realized. 5-4 was the final score. The Boston Bruins celebrated. The Toronto Maple Leafs were sent home. “It was one of the worst chokes in sports history,” said one of our heartbroken reps this morning, “I was all ready to plan parties for watching round two games thinking we had it in the bag. A big time lesson was learned last night. It’s never over ’til it’s over.”

Not all Leafs fan are down on themselves this morning. There are many who are still very proud of their team’s accomplishments. “People forget how young this team is,” another rep commented, “No one even thought we’d make the playoffs, let alone the seventh game in a series against Boston. Don’t forget that the Leafs were down 3-1 in this series. It’s a miracle we even played last night.”

One thing is for sure. The young Maple Leafs gained quite a lot of experience from their series against Boston. And last night, one of the most important lessons in sports was learned. You can’t let your guard down for a second. You must fight until the bitter end in order to become a champion. There is hope, in Toronto, that such a lesson will carry this team towards a brighter future.

“This is how it is in any business,” said another Synergy team member, “You will always have your highs and lows. The key is to learn from the lows so that your successes can become greater and more frequent. Business owners who don’t learn from their mistakes end up going out of business.” Keeping this in mind, our sales reps always work diligently at getting their clients on the right advertising track.

Like the Maple Leafs, many business owners throughout Canada have slipped up and taken wrong turns before. Getting your company back on its feet takes a lot of hard work and perseverance. We imagine that a number of changes will be made in the Leafs organization. Are there changes that need to be made within your organization as well? Sometimes, it’s the smallest tweak that will help to turn things around.

Stay posted to the Synergy Marketing Blog this week as we tackle the topic of rebounding your business from tough times. No person and no business is immune from the harsh realities of life. As they say, “you can’t win them all”. So as we pick ourselves up from last night’s crushing Maple Leafs defeat, we look forward to helping your brand work towards its brighter future!

What do the Toronto Maple Leafs and Synergy Marketing have in common? We both exceed expectations. Well, to be specific. Synergy works diligently to help Canadian business owners like yourself boost their companies to new heights by going over and above the call of duty for their customers. Our promo gifts have worked wonders for decades, putting smiles on customers’ faces and making client bases grow.

The Leafs, of course, have made it to the ever-exciting seventh game of their first round NHL playoff series against the Boston Bruins. The series wraps up tonight in Boston, as the Leafs have come from a 3-1 series deficit by winning the last two games. For many hockey fans, the Leafs are lucky to have even made the playoffs. Considering that it has been nine years since their last playoff run, they have exceeded many expectations already.

But taking their first round series to Game 7 is a whole other thing. “Forget making it, I hope they win it!” one of our Synergy staff members excitedly stated this morning, “Sure, it’s great the Leafs are here, but I think they can take it. Their play over the past two games has been stellar, especially (their goalie, James) Reimer. The momentum is on the side of the Leafs. I can’t wait for tonight!”

There is a lot to be said about momentum. Some may think that it’s just a word to describe a rejuvenated sense of energy, but that energy can help a team go a very long way. It’s no different in business. Our many years of experience, here at Synergy, has taught us that when business owners go out of their way to “wow” their customers, the effects can be felt for years.

“When I started handing out my promotional key chains, I have found that I was creating a new impression for my company,” one of our clients shared last week, “It just seemed like my customers were happier. Many told me that they were appreciative of the gift and that it made them feel ‘cared for’. Using promo gifts to market my company has helped me to develop a whole new reputation. I love it.”

There’s no doubt that like many of our clients, the Toronto Maple Leafs are creating quite a new reputation for themselves. Gone are the days of assuming that the Leafs would be handed losses at every turn. They have become competitive in ways that even the biggest Leafs fans seem surprised by. Many eyes will be glued to tonight’s Game 7 battle which gets underway at 7 p.m.

“I’m so excited that they’ve made it this far,” another of our team members stated today, “It’s a big achievement already. Of course, I hope they win. And I think they have a great chance considering how things have been going lately. But I think the impression that they’ve made on the hockey world has definitely been a good one. The Leafs are now a team to be taken seriously.”

Another NHL playoff series will also be going to a Game 7 as the Washington Capitals and the New York Rangers will have to settle their score by taking their series as far as it can go. The winner of that game will take on the winner of the Leafs-Bruins match up tonight. We’re hoping, here at Synergy, that the Leafs will surpass expectations once again and make it into the next round.

We’d also like to help your company make a greater impression. Let’s take your brand to the next round! Call us up at 1-877-748-9884.

It’s a pretty exciting time all across Canada. A good chunk of our nation is all abuzz with the start of NHL playoff hockey. This is especially true on the east coast of the country as, for the first time in nine years, the Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators AND Synergy’s hometown-Toronto Maple Leafs have all made it to the post season. And the playoffs have certainly gotten off to quite the wild start!

Those first two teams mentioned have locked horns in the nastiest of ways. In their Game 3 confrontation last night in Ottawa, the Sens and the Habs combined for well over 200 penalty minutes as a entire line brawl (meaning everyone on the ice was involved in a scrap at the same time) broke out in the final period. By the end of the game, there were barely enough players on each team’s benches to make line changes.

Out of all of the chaos, however, a star was born. Playing for his home team, Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored his first NHL hat trick for the Ottawa Senators, who went on to win the game by a blowout 6-1 margin. What makes the story especially interesting is the fact that Pageau had only scored two goals in just nine games played for the Senators during the regular season.

As great a moment as the hat trick was for the NHL playoff picture, the excitement will shift to Toronto tonight as the Maple Leafs take to the ice for Game 3 against the Boston Bruins. Having won Game 2 by a score of 4-2 this past Saturday night, the series is now all tied up at one a piece. Tonight’s game, however, is a very special one for the city of Toronto.

It will mark the first time that NHL playoff hockey will be played in the city since 2004. And as has been proven for the first two games of the series, the city of Toronto is guaranteed to be electric when puck drops this evening. Although there are bound to be game-watching parties all over town, there is likely to be no more an exciting place than Maple Leaf Square.

The area located directly outside of the Air Canada Centre has become quite the haven for Leafs fans. They have gathered in droves to watch the first two games of the series on the big screen outside of the building. The game will be taking place inside, of course, and there is no doubt that the ACC will be rocking. But it may even be louder outside where there is bound to be a huge crowd.

“I was there for the past two games,” revealed one of the members of our Synergy sales team yesterday, “It was absolutely amazing. I don’t know what it is, but there is something very thrilling about uniting with complete strangers, giving them high-fives and cheering for every goal. It’s really exciting. Now with the Leafs playing at home, I’m sure it’ll be even more crazy.”

As it turns out, there will be even more members of Synergy’s staff enjoying the game at Maple Leaf Square tonight! Where will you be to take in all the action? It’s undoubtedly an exciting time for Canadian hockey fans. We suggest making the NHL playoffs a topic of conversation with your customers. You are more than likely to make a new friend and great impression.

Well, it’s official! The NHL Playoffs begin tomorrow night. And yes, the Toronto Maple Leafs will be a part of it. What comes as unbelievable news to Toronto-area hockey fans, the Leafs’ entry into the playoffs is the first time this has taken place in nine years. For Leafs fans everywhere, these were very long and dreadful years. Years when they were forced to watch other teams with less-enthusiastic fan bases vie for the Stanley Cup.

“It’s about time,” one our most excited reps, here at Synergy, commented, “And that’s stating the obvious. Toronto has arguably the most loyal and ravenous fan base of anyone in the NHL. Maybe in sports. For the Leafs to have taken this long to get back into the playoffs is ridiculous. But I don’t think anyone cares about the drought anymore. We’re in now, and that’s all that matters.”

For other fans, just making it into the playoffs isn’t enough. Anything short of a championship is a failure. However, with the Leafs not having won a Stanley Cup championship since 1967, it is unlikely that they will be playing in the finals this year. Or is it? As many a hockey fan will tell you, the NHL playoffs are an entirely different season altogether. And anything can happen.

“Look at last year,” reminded our team member, “The Los Angeles Kings were seeded eighth in the Western Conference and weren’t expected to do much (in the playoffs). The next thing you know, they start dominating and went on to win the whole thing. The Leafs are the East’s fifth seed. We could have done a lot worse. Now that we’re in, you never know!”

Perhaps, it is just sheer joy and excitement promoting this type of optimism in Toronto. But our rep can’t be completely out of his mind, can he? To be fair, the Leafs didn’t just squeak into the playoffs. Clinching the fifth spot in the Eastern Conference is certainly a great accomplishment for a team that was questionable to even make the post-season before the season started.

The shortened season, however, may be a considered a factor in placing luck on the side of the Leafs. It is not lost on any hockey fan that this year’s NHL season was shortened from the regular 82 to 48 games because of the lengthy lock out situation. Would the Leafs have made it into the playoffs if an entire season of hockey was played? Is this year’s season really all that remarkable?

“It doesn’t matter,” responded our Leafs enthusiast, “They played the same amount of games as any other team in the league this year. They deserve to be in as much as any other team that has made it. All that matters now is that they show up for the post-season and play the kind of hockey that got them in. Anything can happen now. All I can say is ‘Go Leafs Go’!”

The playoffs begin tomorrow night, however, the Leafs will kick off their first playoff game in nine years on Wednesday night when they go head to head with the Boston Bruins. It was thought that the rival Montreal Canadiens may open the first round against the Leafs, but after defeating Toronto this past Saturday (coupled with the Bruins losing their last regular season game to Ottawa), the Habs clinched their division and snagged the #2 spot in the East. Well, all we can say, here at Synergy, is…Go Leafs Go!

Toronto baseball fans got exactly what they were hoping for yesterday – their Blue Jays avoided a sweep at the hands of the hated New York Yankees. When the Major League Baseball season started at the beginning of this month, however, Toronto baseball fans were hoping for a lot more than its home team being able to avoid being swept. The Jays, thus far, have certainly underperformed.

“It’s been a bit frustrating,” one of Synergy’s Blue Jay-crazed staff members commented after yesterday’s 8-4 victory, “The team showed it can bounce back after being down, but honestly, there simply hasn’t been enough offence from our big bats so far this season. The heart of our order has to do a lot more to contribute. That’s what they get paid the big bucks for.”

The “heart of the order”, by the way, refers to the 3, 4 and 5 spots in the batting order. For the Blue Jays, those spots are generally held by the usually heavy-hitting Jose Bautista at 3 and Edwin Encarnacion at clean up. The 5th spot has seen some changes but is sometimes given to catcher J.P. Arencibia who has been swinging a hot bat lately.

“J.P. has like seven homers now,” commented our team member, “Jose and Edwin, on the other hand, really have to pick it up.” That much is true. As The Canadian Press pointed out after yesterday’s game, “Toronto first baseman Edwin Encarnacion went 0-for-4 with an RBI on his bobblehead giveaway day.” Evidently, better days at the plate are needed from this slugger in order for the Jays to win consistently.

After 19 games played, the much-heralded Toronto Blue Jays sit last in the American League East, five games behind the first place Boston Red Sox. Of course, it’s still very early in the season. And the Jays could literally change spots with the Sox by the end of the week. This week, they will be taking on two division rivals in the Baltimore Orioles and the New York Yankees once again.

“It’s time we start winning some series,” insisted another Synergy team member slash Jays fan, “We’ve won only one so far, tied another and lost the rest. That’s definitely no recipe for a championship. Especially when it comes to playing teams within the division, there’s no room for error. We need a big week this week. A sweep against the Orioles would be a nice start.”

Although the Jays are yet to sweep a series so far this year, they have also managed to avoid being swept thanks to yesterday’s win against the Yanks. Tonight, their series against Baltimore kicks off. The Orioles were a much-improved team last year, making it to the playoffs following a season when they finished dead last.

“If the Orioles could do it last year, we can do it this year,” said our first associate, “I still have faith in the Jays. It’s crazy how many so-called fans are already jumping off the bandwagon. The season isn’t even a month old yet! I’m sure they’ll be jumping back on soon. The Jays’ luck is bound to change.”

Earlier this week, our Vice President of Marketing, John Meloche announced that he and wife, Kathryn are expecting their first child! Due September 27, 2013, Baby Meloche has already created quite the stir around the Synergy offices. If you knew John like we know John, you’d know that his newborn will have quite the wild and crazy father to look up to. Sort of.

We kid. John, in fact, is one of the most passionate and energetic people we know. He’s one of the most significant reasons that Synergy Marketing is able to function in the way that it does. Without his leadership and motivational skills, our office would be an entirely different place. John is synonymous with passion. And we can only imagine that his little one will experience love in boatloads.

“John is going to be a dad? Oh boy!” joked one of the members of our staff upon hearing the news, “That kid is in for some fun times. Honestly, that’s great news. John and Kathryn make a great couple and it’s clear that they’re going to make great parents. I know being a parent can be tough. But I just hope that the baby will enough energy to keep up with his dad!”

Of course, we’d like to ask you to join us in congratulating John and Kathryn on the news of their new baby on-the-way. This coming September should be a very interesting time for the couple. They actually will be celebrating their third wedding anniversary on September 25th. So there is definitely a possibility that they could be celebrating the birth of their child on the very same day.

“That would be interesting,” commented another Synergy staff member, “John likes to party, so that might make for an interesting evening. But honestly, what could be a better anniversary gift though? In future, they’ll just have to have one party for both the kid’s birthday and their wedding anniversary on the same day. Saves them money. I’m sure John will like that.”

Knowing John, he’ll likely have a very creative way to celebrate both the birth of his child and his wedding anniversary this coming September. Three years ago, John explained his very elaborate approach to popping the question to his then-girlfriend Kathryn. Perhaps, proposing on Valentine’s Day wasn’t the most original of ideas. But not everyone proposes the way John did.

“The night before Valentine’s Day, I arranged 12 red and pink roses, a big teddy bear, chocolates, a card and a 32 inch widescreen television,” he explained, “Also, we had planned for the next evening to go to The David Duncan House for what tends to be a pretty amazing evening. I wanted to make her think it would be impossible for me to ALSO plan a proposal.”

After dessert (naturally…important things first), John made his move to one knee and asked Kathryn to marry him. They tied the knot a year later and now here they are, about to welcome their first child into the family. On behalf of the entire staff here at Synergy Marketing, we wish both John and Kathryn a very excited congratulations. We look forward to growing our family with you this fall!

Well, that wasn’t exactly the start that baseball fans in Toronto were hoping for. After many months of eager anticipation, fans of the Toronto Blue Jays were treated to a less-than-stellar opening home stand. Beginning the season with two three-game series at home, the Jays currently stand at a 2-4 record, having lost both series to the Cleveland Indians and Boston Red Sox respectively.

“I really wanted to sweep the Sox too,” commented one of the members of the Synergy team last night, “With (ex-Blue Jay manager and current Red Sox manager) John Farrell coming back to town, I was hoping we could have shown him the error of his ways. He really offended a lot of Blue Jay fans when he said managing the Red Sox was his ‘dream job’. Hopefully, we’ll get ‘em next time.”

The Jays looked especially bad yesterday. In their afternoon game to close out the series with the Sox, the home team got hammered 13-0. New Jays ace R.A. Dickey let up no less than five runs in the first inning before even recording an out. It was 8-0 by the time Blue Jays manager, John Gibbons gave him the hook for the returning David Bush. Bush didn’t fair much better.

“It was brutal,” commented another member of our team, “The Sox were hitting back-to-back homers as if it was batting practice. With all the hype surrounding the Jays this year, the opening series definitely did not live up to expectations. We didn’t just get beat, but we got beat pretty bad. The bats have definitely got to wake up and our starters have to get deeper in the games.”

So is it time to panic for Blue Jays fans? After only six games played in a 162-game season, Sportsnet commentator and former Blue Jays catcher, Gregg Zaun says absolutely not. In his post-game comments, Zaun reminded fans how early it is in the season. After the upcoming series on the road, the Jays can easily be back at .500 (an equal number of wins and losses), he said.

“No need to panic yet,” agreed our rep, “The season is very young and this is a new team. It’s going to take another month or two before they really start to gel. (Injured third baseman) Brett Lawrie hasn’t even played yet and (José) Bautista didn’t play the last few games. Once everyone is healthy and the team gets its groove going, we’ll be very hard to beat.”

Toronto Blue Jays fans sure hope so. They came out to the Rogers Centre in droves this past weekend, easily surpassing attendance numbers in excess of 40,000 people for each game. Sportsnet commentator and another former Blue Jays catcher, Buck Martinez made mention of how the attendance for the two opening series was much greater than last year’s first home stand.

“There’s still a lot of excitement in the air,” commented our team member, “Remember that it’s a long season. We’ve seen some really great play from newcomers like José Reyes. We also saw some fantastic pitching from J.A. Happ who wasn’t even expected to make the rotation during spring training. Strap yourselves in for an exciting season, the best is definitely yet to come!”

Tonight is the night! This is a night that Toronto baseball fans have been waiting for for months! With a long list of new players strengthening the team, the Toronto Blue Jays are poised to have their most competitive season since they last won the World Series 20 years ago. Opening the season at the Rogers Centre, the Jays take on the Cleveland Indians tonight.

“I can’t wait,” exclaimed one of our Synergy staff members, “It’s a whole new team. And one that many people are picking to go all the way. All I know is that I’ve never been more excited for a Jays season to start. Anyone who isn’t yet on the bandwagon better jump on now, because we’re in for a wild ride!”

Among the new players are tonight’s starting pitcher and last year’s National League Cy Young Award winner, R.A. Dickey. The knuckleballer has made quite the mark in Major League Baseball and is now a huge piece of the new Toronto Blue Jays roster. The new ace of the pitching staff, Dickey will have a lot riding on his shoulders.

“We’re expecting big things,” commented another excited Synergy rep, “There will honestly be a lot of pressure on him tonight. He’s one of the faces of the new franchise. He’s starting off a season that has so many fans having such high hopes. If we’re going to really compete, our pitchers have to be on top of their games. And Dickey’s gotta lead that charge!”

Along with Dickey, Mark Buehrle and Josh Johnson are now part of the Blue Jays pitching staff as well. Coming over in a trade with the Miami Marlins, these two pitchers will also be counted on to eat up innings and give the offense opportunities to put runs on the board. Like Dickey, these pitchers are also quite heralded.

“Buehrle has pitched a no-hitter and a perfect game in his career,” informed our excited rep, “Honestly, our pitching staff is no joke. If they all stay healthy, every opponent of the Blue Jays will be in for long nights. This team truly has the talent they need to do some major damage. How could you not be excited about our chances?”

All-star shortstop José Reyes, infielder Emilio Bonifacio and outfielder Melky Cabrera have also joined the Blue Jays this year. Combine them with sluggers José Bautista and Edwin Encarnación and you have one extremely powerful line up. The Toronto Blue Jays will definitely be a force to be reckoned with in 2013.

The Synergy Marketing Blog will certainly keep its eyes on the Jays’ season. We like to think that, like our city’s baseball team, we compete hard and act like winners. Doing your best to be the best is the way to get ahead no matter what game you’re playing. So with that said, “Let’s Go Blue Jays!” Here’s to your best season ever!

It feels like spring is truly in the air. This Easter long weekend brought some fairly mild weather to the city of Toronto, which is home to Synergy Marketing. But yesterday also marked the beginning of the Major League Baseball season. It all kicked off with one game. And the first game of the season was a first in more ways than one.

The Texas Rangers and Houston Astros began the 2013 MLB campaign in a showdown that marked the beginning of a brand new Texas state rivalry. It’s not that these teams have never faced each other before. But it was the first time that they played each other as members of the American League West.

The Houston Astros have made the move over to the A.L. from the National League’s Central Division to finally even out the number of teams present in each league. Previously, the American League was home to 14 teams, while the National League was made up of 16. Now, at 15 teams a piece, each league will experience some justly deserved evening out of the schedules.

What’s more is that the Texas state rivalry between the Rangers and the Astros will actually mean something. Playoff implications mean everything in professional sports. And with these two teams competing in the same division, it will create a lot more excitement down the road in the Lone Star State.

“I think it’s great for baseball,” commented one of our baseball-crazed staff members last night, “I never really understood why the two leagues were uneven to begin with. It also makes more sense for the two Texas teams to play each other more often. What’s cool is that with 15 teams per league, there will be an interleague game played all the time.”

Interleague play, by the way, represents any game that is played between an American League and National League team. Introduced in 1997, these games allowed for fans to see more teams and allowed teams to test themselves against new opponents. Considering this, it only makes sense for these games to take place more often. And now they will.

“They do it in other sports all the time,” explained our rep, “With the exception of this year’s NHL season (shortened due to a lockout and only featuring games played between conference rivals), other leagues allow all teams to play each other at some point. Now baseball has opened itself up to new possibilities. I love it!”

And just in case you were wondering, the Houston Astros defeated the Texas Rangers 8-2 in their American League debut. New possibilities indeed. Speaking of which, Toronto is getting set for the 2013 debut of their new look Toronto Blue Jays. The play their first game against the Cleveland Indians at Rogers Centre tomorrow night! Baseball is here!

Yesterday marked a very interesting and significant day in Canadian history. And because it has everything to do with money, we couldn’t help but dedicate a blog to this monumental occurrence. The Canadian penny has officially been retired by the Royal Canadian Mint. Yes, it’s official. Those little copper coins are done!

But how will this affect the everyday shopper who walks around carrying change? What if an item comes to $12.02 and you don’t have a credit card or debit card to pay with? According to The Canadian Press, “The Federal Government has issued guidelines urging store owners to start rounding prices up, or down, to the nearest nickel for cash transactions. Electronic purchases will still be billed to the nearest cent.”

For those that may feel that the phasing out of the Canadian penny is senseless, the reason was made public last year by Finance Minister Jim Flaherty. Apparently, the production cost of each penny costs more than its actual value. So, obviously the Royal Canadian Mint stands to lose money by continuing to produce the one cent coins.

Perhaps, there’s never been a better time to save your pennies than now. That is, of course, if you are sentimental about such artifacts of Canadian culture. But for those who are less concerned about sentiment, and more concerned about paying for their purchases using exact change, The Globe And Mail offers up some useful information for those who may have quite the penny stash.

To reiterate, the Federal government has asked all retailers to round their transactions either up or down to the nearest nickel. So quite interestingly, no purchase should come to a grand total amount of a number that cannot be divided evenly by five. This includes taking taxes into consideration. However, there may still be some companies who will continue to accept pennies.

If your favourite places to shop discontinue their acceptance of pennies, not to worry. The Globe notes that they will not lose their value. Banking institutions will accept your pennies that are properly rolled as a deposit into your bank account. Of course, you can always donate your pennies to charity. That gesture is always welcomed.

Remember, by the way, that the rounding to the nearest nickel rule applies only to cash transactions. If you use a credit or debit card to pay for your purchases, it may still come to totals that don’t consider the no-more-pennies stipulation. Naturally, the loss of pennies in circulation has no bearing on the charges you are required to pay using plastic.

So will you miss Canada’s one cent coin? “It seems a reasonable thing to do, but it also feels weird,” commented one of our clients yesterday, “Although I tend to not even like carrying change of any kind, I find myself almost feeling sorry for the penny. It is a part of Canadian culture after all. I’ll be sure to hold on to some for the memories.”