Synergy Marketing Consultants is currently seeking job applicants to apply for our newly reopened sales positions. Interested candidates are encouraged to contact our hiring managers by dialing 1-416-398-5668. Now, to be honest, Synergy isn’t home to a conventional office. Unlike many offices, our working environment is a high-energy one. Are you ready to join our exciting team?

If so, be sure to come into our offices for your interview with a winning attitude. Of course, a positive go-get-‘em approach always helps. But there are a number of other factors that will help make for a great interview. Jeremy McCarthy is the CEO of VentureLoop – a company that works towards assisting people with their job searches online.

On About.com, McCarthy lists a number of tips to help job seekers land a new position. He reiterates a point that we have made in previous blogs about making a good first impression. After all, that’s what a job interview is, right? Making a good impression off the bat requires some preparation before the date of the actual interview.

Do Your Research. McCarthy advises job seekers to go online and find out as much information as you can about the company or companies that you are applying to. He writes that “companies are blown away when you can mention press releases, know their revenue numbers, quote statistics, know backgrounds of executives, etc.”

Think about it. What is something that you know will set you apart from other candidates? They may have an equal amount of experience and a similar educational background as you do. But if you show a genuine interest in the company that is interviewing you by showing that you’ve done your homework, you won’t be able to help but make an excellent first impression.

Rehearse Your Interview. Sure, you don’t know exactly what questions will be asked of you. But if you’ve done your research, then you should be able to enter your interview with a great sense of confidence. This is what hiring managers are looking for when they meet you. How well can you carry yourself? Do you appear confident and attentive?

Practicing in front of a mirror will help you to see what they see. Be sure to be aware of where you are looking and what you are doing with your hands. Be relaxed, but be professional. McCarthy also suggests doing a mock interview. “The more you practice, the more comfortable you are, and the less nervous you will be when the interview arrives,” he writes.

We’ll take a look at a few more of McCarthy’s tips in tomorrow’s blog.

Are you looking to take your career in a new direction? Are you interested in working in an upbeat, competitive environment that will present you with new challenges? Are you up to the task of entering an industry that will help you to help others? Okay, now let’s ask the real question. Do you like making money? If so, we’d love to hear from you!

A few weeks back, the Synergy Marketing Consultants Blog announced that our company was going on a hiring spree. And since then, we have been meeting with a lot of great candidates to fill our newly opened sales representative positions. And now…we’d like to meet some more! In our continued efforts to expand our sales staff, Synergy has decided to keep our hiring spree going.

Naturally, we are looking for the most qualified candidates to join our team. But what does that mean exactly? As we mentioned in previous blogs, we’d love to interview job seekers who have sales experience. But that isn’t the only criteria we are looking for. Even if you feel that your sales experience is limited, we encourage those with energetic and enthusiastic attitudes to give us a call.

Our working environment can be very boisterous at times. We currently employ a staff that is made up of talented sales people who enjoy speaking to business owners. They know that their jobs entail making money for others. And that’s what makes them money! Standing behind our amazing promotional products is certainly a key to their success.

Thankfully, the high quality of our promo gifts makes standing behind them quite easy. Our staff is well aware that when used correctly, our products help business owners to grow their reach and increase their sales. It’s a cost-effective marketing strategy that has been working for decades. So talking about these products can sometimes be quite exciting.

What’s so exciting about selling promo gifts, you ask? Well, think of it this way. The Synergy offices provide you with a working environment that allows you to be part of a team. The competitive nature of our sales staff presents an atmosphere that encourages everyone to succeed. Everyone supports everyone here. We believe that team unity is a key to our success.

In addition, our sales positions offer job candidates opportunities to decide how much money they make. Of course, our hiring managers will be able to fill you in on just how lucrative our positions can be for you. We are currently holding open interviews at our North York office. Give us a call at 1-416-398-5668 to speak to a hiring manager today!

In yesterday’s blog, we were hoping to provide a bit of inspiration to business owners who were waking up feeling a bit pessimistic about their work week. We implied that when you’re feeling down about working, that perhaps it’s due to feeling that your business is not growing. At Synergy Marketing Consultants, we offer a solution to those woes.

As you may or may not know already, promotional products have been very successfully helping businesses to promote themselves for decades. When a business owner attaches his or her company name to a promotional gift to give to his or her customers, it creates a very unique way of saying “thank you”.

These gifts work to provide a generous gesture to a customer that will – if nothing else – give a good impression about your store. In addition, the gift naturally serves as a reminder to your customer about your business so that it is kept in his or her mind. The beauty of a promo gift over a business card is that it is useful.

“That’s what makes our products ideal advertising tools,” commented one of our staff members this morning, “I’ve received a ton of business cards in my life. But I couldn’t tell you where any of them are right now. My promo gifts, on the other hand, I use practically every day. These reminders not only bring businesses to mind but they come in handy on a regular basis.”

“They have worked wonders for me,” mentioned one of our clients yesterday, “I have people coming into my store actually asking about the promo gifts because they saw my other clients with them. Of course, I’m only too happy to give them gifts – while showing them what else I have in my store. I find that promo gifts are great ways to get new customers.”

Yesterday we took a look at an article that noted that Canadian retailers are reportedly optimistic about the next twelve months. We’d like to add you to that list of retailers by giving you the option of using promo gifts to promote your business. Join our great client base of entrepreneurs who have discovered the wonders of this inexpensive advertising method for themselves.

Call up one of our experienced and friendly sales reps today at 1-877-748-9884 and discuss which promo gift would work best for your business. Choose from pens, mugs, flashlights, hats, sunglasses, key chains, knives and so much more. We even have an awesome new line of polyurethane gloves! It’s time to promote your business using a tried-and-true method of advertising that works. Talk to you soon!

It’s not always the easiest thing in the world to get up on a Monday morning feeling excited about the work week ahead. But then again, maybe that’s because not everyone feels that they are in successful positions. To launch your business into orbit – so to speak – you must first have a positive outlook. It may sound cliché, but it’s important to send positive energy into the atmosphere.

It’s a good thing that the Synergy Marketing Consultants Blog is here to do that for you today! This morning, we came across a QMI Agency article that revealed that a recent survey has found that a whopping 85 per cent of Canadian retailers feel that their financial outlooks for the next year are positive ones. Topping the list of happy retailers are those who sell apparel. 95 per cent expect a good year!

The survey, conducted by American Express Canada, also found that 94 per cent of fast food retailers and 85 per cent of gas retailers are predicting a positive next twelve months as well. Hopefully, such news will inspire business owners across the country to feel encouraged about the states of their businesses. At Synergy, we are very well aware of the concerns entrepreneurs have.

“You just never know when the economy will turn again,” commented one of our clients last week. His hesitancy to invest into his business stems from fears of a forthcoming recession. Even though Canada has greatly rebounded from the recession of a few years ago, he remains cautious about spending money, even if it is to promote his business.

Thankfully, our promo gifts don’t cost very much. They remain ideal ways for business owners to spread the word about their companies without spending an arm and a leg. “In my store,” mentioned our client, “my promo gifts go a long way. They let my customers know that they can depend on me. And I’m glad I don’t have worry about going broke by buying the gifts to promote my business!”

Speaking of not being worried, the QMI report notes that the Amex survey also found that 64 per cent of Canadian retailers are not worried about the state of their businesses over the next year. In fact, the only industries that reported having significant concerns were drug stores and pharmacies. 44 per cent of those from that industry answering the survey had a negative outlook for their fields.

Colin Temple is the vice president and general manager of merchant services for American Express Canada. He had this to say about the survey’s findings: “Retail – in all its forms – is often portrayed to be in crisis. What we’re seeing in this report is merchants are more optimistic than anyone might have imagined.”

Are you happy with your job? According to QMI Agency in a report released this past Wednesday, one third of Canadians would answer “yes” to that question. And although that may not sound like a lot – after all, that would mean that two thirds of Canadians are not happy with their jobs, right? – the survey findings indicate that “Canadians are some of the most satisfied employees in the world.”

QMI writes that the survey, conducted by The Randstad Workmonitor, found that Canadian employees are the most satisfied amongst the 14 non-European nations that took the poll. In fact, the only countries that reported higher levels of job satisfaction were Denmark, Luxembourg, Norway and Switzerland. These nations were tops when it came to workers reporting that they were “very satisfied” with their jobs.

The article points out, however, that when combining “very satisfied” responses with “satisfied” responses among Canadians, the percentage of those happy with their jobs jumps to 76 per cent. What was the highest contributing factor to our national happiness? QMI writes that 53 per cent of the 7,000 Canadians taking the online poll felt that job security was the most significant factor in keeping them satisfied with their employers.

Jan Hein Bax is the president of Randstad Canada. In a release about the survey, Hein Bax stated: “There are a number of reasons why Canadians have more on the job satisfaction than other markets. With our strong marketplace, employees often find they have more job security and flexibility than other countries, and better work environments.”

At Synergy Marketing Consultants, it’s important to us that our staff members are all satisfied with their jobs. This is why we offer opportunities to those with winning attitudes. You may have read about this in previous blogs that explained our intent to grow our current staff. With that being said, if you would like to take on a new challenge and find a job that can be very self-fulfilling, give us a call today!

Our staff is comprised of some of the most upbeat and energetic people that you could ever meet. Excited about the products they sell and always happy to communicate with others, our team enjoys helping businesses to grow. This is mainly due to the fact that they get a sense of satisfaction from knowing that they help themselves when they help others. Now that’s satisfying!

Contact one of our hiring managers today by dialing up 1-877-748-9884 and pressing #4. We look forward to meeting with you soon and hopefully adding you to our staff. It is our intent, of course, to have you join the many other Canadians who are “very satisfied” with their jobs. The opportunity to join our team awaits you. Let’s get you in for an interview right away!

This week, the theme of our blogs has been all about “rebranding”. Yesterday, we began discussing the ways in which companies can rebrand themselves with the help of a Gilles Bachet article from TheAge.com. He lists three key ways to communicate that your company has undergone a rebranding.

The first is the logo change. This, of course, is the most obvious way to tell your target market that things have been spruced up over at your business. But, it’s not the only change that should take place – it’s only the first step. We ended yesterday’s blog by mentioning that the behaviour of the people in your business also needs to change.

According to Bachet, communication is key. That means that each and every member of your staff needs to be kept informed about the rebranding process. If they are going to be like the Toronto Blue Jays and wear new uniforms, perhaps they should also be informed about the new direction of the business as well.

Does this entail having a new attitude? Will there be new services and features of your business that they will need to learn? Have you updated your customer service regimen? What added bonuses are there to working with your company going forward? Your staff should be well versed on how to answer these questions.

External Communications. Writes Bachet, “depending on the business, a rebranding exercise can involve a brand change covering all or single brand touchpoints including signage, fleet livery, IT solutions, interiors and clothing.” How else are you going to communicate that your company has undergone a rebranding?

Be prepared to do some heavy promoting. As we’ve mentioned many times in the past, this doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg – so don’t get alarmed! Hopefully, you will have created an emailing list that you can utilize to communicate that there is a new look and image associated with your company.

Naturally, after going through a rebranding, it would be wise to attach your new company logo to stationary and promotional gifts. As always, our awesome reps are standing by to discuss with you the ways in which the ideal promo gift can help your company reach a greater audience. Talk to you soon!

At some point or another, all companies require a new lease on life. As times change, so do the needs and tastes of customers. So, it’s important for your business to always be on top of these changes, and change along with them. Over the past couple of days, we have been blogging about the concept of “rebranding”.

And we’re not just talking about getting a new logo for your business either. Yes, a new physical representation is often a signifying feature of a company that has rebranded itself, but there is so much more to an image overhaul than a logo change. As Gilles Bachet writes on TheAge.com, “there is a lot more involved with implementing a new brand identity, rebrand or even a simple brand refresh than people first realize.”

He writes that when you are thinking of rebranding your company, there are three main things that business owners must consider. It is a combination of these three things that help to launch a successful rebranding. Without implementing them all, companies may fall short of their goals to grow their customer bases.

Changing The Symbol. The first, and most obvious change is the aforementioned logo change. As Bachet points out, “you will want a visual identity that is keeping with the corporate identity and promise of your brand.” The Toronto Blue Jays pulled this off with great success before the beginning of this year’s Major League Baseball season.

Their new logo is a revisiting of their original design with the head of the Blue Jay with a maple leaf prominently featured. The uniform has also returned to its roots by having a blue, white and grey colour scheme and letter font reminiscent of the days when the team was winning back-to-back World Series championships.

“What is brilliant about the uniform changes,” mentioned one of our great Synergy reps, “is that they are not only going to ensure greater sales of Blue Jays merchandise. What they have done is created a renewed love for the city’s baseball team. By revisiting the past, the new logo and uniforms will bring back fond memories for fans. It was a great idea.”

The Behaviour of the People in the Business. This is the second thing that must change during a rebranding. To reiterate, a physical change is only the first step when looking to present a new image of your business to the public. We will go over this point in greater detail in tomorrow’s blog.

Yesterday, the Synergy Marketing Consultants Blog visited the concept of rebranding. And as NBA player Metta World Peace is surely well aware, it takes a lot more than a name change to create a new vision of yourself within the public eye. In many cases, businesses need to go through a rebranding stage in order to be successful.

On TheAge.com, Gilles Bachet writes that successful businesses need to rebrand for two main reasons. The first is to reposition the business and expand its market. The second reason is to retain the business’ market. At the end of the day, it’s all about having an image that ensures that your customer base is retained and that there is room for growth.

A refreshed image helps for your business to never be seen as stagnant. Having a positive public image often entails a renewed look and vision for your brand. This not only works towards retaining current customers but inspires new ones to visit your store. Remember, it’s not just about having a cosmetic makeover.

As Bachet points out, “to be effective, rebranding should be coupled with an evolution of the business operations to ensure that the change isn’t only skin deep.” But how can you tell that it’s time for your business to go through a rebranding stage? Bachet writes that changes in the market usually dictate when the time is right.

One of the best examples of this is the advent of the internet and online marketing. He points to Yellow Pages rebranding itself in such a way that it no longer represents itself as being a print only service. Today, Yellow Pages has adapted so that it is also a digital business in addition to a the widely-known large book of contacts.

A change in customer tastes is another good reason to think about rebranding. But how often does this take place? Bachet writes that the “seven year itch” is a good way to look at the changes that take place in the business world. Based on his research, a business will undergo a rebranding once every seven years.

This depends greatly on the type of industry you are in, by the way. Says Bachet, “For retailers, the average lifetime of an identity is more like five years, whereas for other sectors such as insurance, rebranding exercises are less regular.” In tomorrow’s blog, we’ll take a look at a few of the main ways that a company can rebrand itself.

At Synergy Marketing Consultants, our awesome sales reps often get into conversations with their clients about the concept of “rebranding”. In many ways, businesses are required to go through a rebranding stage at least one time in their histories. It’s a way of keeping up with the times and ensuring that your customers know that you are a leader in your industry.

“It’s almost like having the chickenpox,” commented one of our clients recently, “It’s as if it’s supposed to happen to you at least once. That way, you know you are able to move on to a whole other level of success. It’s important to remember that you have to work every day to keep your company a top contender.”

For some companies, rebranding is required to overcome a bad perception. Some businesses choose to go through complete name changes in an effort to overcome previous bad impressions due to poor customer service. In some cases, individuals do this in order to recreate their self-images.

NBA forward, Ron Artest knows this all too well. Oops, we mean Metta World Peace. The renamed basketball star legally changed his given name before the start of the current NBA season in order to communicate that he was a changed man. As Ron Artest, World Peace was perhaps, best known for inducing a brawl that included scrapping with fans at an infamous 2004 NBA game between the Indiana Pacers and the Detroit Pistons.

And although the name change may have helped to eradicate some of the negative perceptions associated with his past, World Peace has gone and gotten himself into some hot water, once again. Now a member of the Los Angeles Lakers, he is facing a possible suspension thanks to an elbow he delivered to the head of Oklahoma City Thunder’s James Harden in a recent game.

As Ashante Infantry of The Toronto Star pointed out in her article covering the story, World Peace’s name change will do little to fend off negative criticism about the basketball star’s return to questionable behaviour. As she writes, “TV announcers reverted to World Peace’s former name and reputation as a brutal, erratic player” immediately after the elbow.

Infantry likened the name change and bad press-inviting incident to those of businesses who have followed a similar path. Robin Ritchie is a marketing professor at Sprott School of Business. He commented on the way that companies need to ensure that their images are truthful about their customer service regimens.

Said Ritchie: “Let’s not forget that companies fall short of their promises every day. The real test of a brand is not whether it fails you, but how it recovers from that failure. Does it apologize, promise to make things right, and then walk the talk? Research has shown that brands that respond well when they let us down generate more loyalty from their customers than brands that are never tested by crisis.”

The weekend is almost here! And for many people, that means getting some rest, and relaxation – followed by some serious partying! Then repeating the same thing over and over until the weekend is done. For business owners, however, partying is something that can still be seen as a business venture.

With the summer time rearing its head from around the corner, more people are thinking about spending their time outdoors. So when the weekend comes, expect there to be barbeques and other get-togethers that are sure to draw large crowds. As a business owner, there’s no reason that you shouldn’t get in on this action.

On the Pitney Bowes website, small business marketing expert, Jane Applegate writes that business owners should take advantage of open houses during the summer season. Perhaps, the most ideal way to take advantage of the weather for an entrepreneur, the open house concept allows you to connect face-to-face with prospective customers.

Create a committee. She notes that hosting an open house will not only be a very inviting way to establish a larger customer base but it will also foster team building activities amongst your staff members. It’s important to engage your team, says Applegate, by appointing a small committee to plan your open house. And your committee should be focused on a few key objectives.

Location, location, location! Firstly, it’s important to figure out where to host your event if it is not going to be in-store. Ideally, your store would be the perfect place to show your customers what your business is all about. But ensuring that you have a convenient location where you can set up decorations will be key.

Decide upon a budget. How much money you spend on your open house is an issue that shouldn’t be overlooked. Will you be serving refreshments? Will there be a theme? Will you need to buy party supplies? Will you have it catered? These and other questions need to be answered before you send out invitations.

Invite and excite. Speaking of invitations, who will be responsible for sending them out and who will keep track of the RSVPs? Perhaps, you can set up your invites online. No matter what, your invitations should connote an exciting experience that is not to be missed.

Provide promo gifts. Don’t forget that your open house will provide you with the perfect opportunity to hand out your promo gifts. Be sure to check out our website to locate the ideal promo gift for your invited guests. The weather is beautiful. Take advantage of it and make an upcoming weekend one that will boost your business!