Synergy University: Facebook Promotions 101

This post is part of a series called Synergy University. Think of it like a 4 week course you take in school except that we will not be assigning homework or exams and we promise not to put you to sleep.  Follow our posts on Twitter with the hashtag  #SynergyUniversity!

Facebook recently started rolling out promoted posts.  If you are new to the social media game or want to encourage fans to participate in these promotions, we have compiled a few tips to help you get started.

Remember why people are on Facebook: Facebook has not become the go-to destination for online shopping.  A person will “like” your page because they had some interest or connection to your brand. Use your page to promote offers and discounts specific to people that are Facebook fans.

            ENGAGE!  If you want fans to engage with you, you have to be engaging.  Ask questions.  Ask people to “like” or “share” something if they agree or disagree.  A little bit of encouragement goes a long way.  Include links to outside sites such as blogs or a website to help drive traffic to one location.

  
   Analytics are important.  Track ad results to ensure that the money you spent is being used well.  With promoted posts, you can hover over the number of people reached to see further statistics.  If your promotion is doing well, consider expanding your reach with a higher amount on future promotions.

We want to know: Would you be encouraged to purchase something from a brand you trust through Facebook?

Use a Scientific Approach in Your Marketing

While there is no magic formula to advertising your business, if you want to be successful you must at least follow the science behind it. Consumer behavior is based on 4 components; communication (what you say and how you say it), identity (who the consumer is - you are what you buy), social status (among peers and potential mates), and overall well-being (why will this product make my life better). 

 

The effectiveness of most marketing campaigns roughly breaks down as follows. It's 20% about what your offering, 20% about how you say it, and 60% about who your saying it to. Of course you want an enticing offer, but not everyone thinks the same things are enticing, so before you design a promotion figure out who your trying to design it for. 

Make sure your data is accurate and up to date, take the time to clean your lists and confirm its quality. Finally, Make sure what your saying is well written for whoever your marketing too. An advertisement targeted at college kids should sound very different than one targeted at AARP members.

When you take a scientific approach to your advertising, you will undoubtedly see the results.


By: Will Pearlman

Are You Following the Rule of Thirds?

Whether you are designing a web page, setting up a photograph, or just looking out the window, the human eye operates the same. So to get the most out of your visual marketing strategy, it is best to apply what photographers call, "The Rule of Thirds."

The Rule of Thirds consists of dividing an image into 9 sections using two horizontal and two vertical lines. Then, essentially filling each of the 3 regions created with a different point of interest. Following this layout, you create a more visually stimulating image.

Everyone's eye takes in light the same way (unless you happen to be an owl). While we are viewing something we are drawn to a focal point between our peripheral vision. While it is not always noticeable, when images are designed without applying the rule of thirds, it can leave the viewer with a natural aversion to the graphic.

When designing your graphics for an advertisement make sure to apply the rule of thirds. The extra time spent in creatively laying out your marketing materials will pay off on the back end. When an image catches someone's eye it leaves a much longer impression. Furthermore, they are more likely to actually read your offer and positively associate with it. 

Interested in more information on Synergy and how we can help your business? Give us a call today at 714-824-3780 and speak with one of our friendly, knowledgable Sales Representatives who can answer all your questions.

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By: Will Pearlman

The Wonderful World of Analytics

Synergy Vx gives you personalized data from each prospect allowing you to custom tailor their experience to your business.

Find Your Best Markets!
See where your campaign is having success and where it is not
saving you resources, so you can concentrate on your "Hot Spots". 

Pick up new leads!
People will be able to share your offer with their friends through Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites. 

Watch in real time!
As people navigate through your site. You'll get their inquiry instantly, so you can respond quickly and knowledgably. 

Get higher conversion rate and increased ROI! 



An understanding of how your customers and prospects respond to your marketing is critical to improving your business. At Synergy Direct Response, we offer a wide range of data services to help you get the most out of your direct marketing campaign. To track your direct marketing campaign we offer Vx software.

With Synergy Vx you track your campaign in real time and get feedback direct from your prospects! Once your prospects fill out your offer, Vx organizes it into one neat package for you! 

People will appreciate your fast turn around time and well-informed sales team and you'll see the results in your conversion rates!

Design your campaign around specific qualifiers for your business as well! Add rules so that you send timely reminders or a personalized note for a geographical region or specific salesperson.

Vx also lets you track who landed on the PURL, but did not complete your offer. This way you can send them a follow up reminding them of your opporunity and remain engaged with your prospects.

 

Vx analytics gives you all the information you need, from the source of the lead to conversion rates and everything in between. All neatly organized and in terms you don't need to be a data expert to understand.

With Vx you can track anything and get the information and results you are looking for from your marketing campaign!

By: Will Pearlman

Die Cutting: Making Your Mailer Stand Out!

Die Cutting:

Making Your Mailer Stand Out!

Die-Cutting your mailer helps you stand out to your customers. For a mortgage company, make your postcard advertisement look like a house, if your in energy, make it a wind turbine or solar panel, whatever your industry and business, using die cutting for your direct marketing will increase your ROI and help you stand out to your customers!

At Synergy, our goal is to create a dynamic direct marketing campaign that is sure to generate leads for your business. Our die cutting service allows you to literally shape your mailer however you want to make sure your prospects notice! In addition, we offer other custom services, both creatively and strategically, so give us a call at 877-466-0635 or get a free quote online and let your customers know how much you care!

Back to School Means
Back to Business!

As the days begin to get shorter again and with the school year right around the corner, it's time to get back to the regular flow of business. As people return from the various summer activities re-energized, what are you doing to capture that energy to help your business grow? 

Here are a few tips from Synergy to help your business blossom as we head into the autumn months . . . 

1. Focus on 1 Product, Offer, or Service - Whatever your marketing and whatever your strategy, don't confuse your customers and prospects by sending them multiple promotional opportunities. 

Focus your campaign on one product or service
to avoid creating a nebulous haze for your prospects.

Your advertising is merely getting the conversation going, then when they contact your business, either online, via phone, or in-person, they will be exposed to your wide range of products. But keep it simple in your advertising otherwise you will lose their attention and lose a customer.

2. Track Your Campaign - With programs like Vx from Synergy, and countless other tools available, its easy to track your marketing campaign and gather information about your prospects, so make sure you do it. The more you know about your marketing the more successful you'll be, so don't be lazy about it, it'll pay off for you in the end!

You'll save money by only sending your advertising to people its relevant to and you'll get a high response rate because you can make a more specific appeal. 

3. Target Your Campaign - The old saying goes, "when your marketing to everyone, you market to no one." No campaign can appeal to every person, so find the niche that is best for your company and design your marketing around their needs. 

Modern Online Marketing On a Minimal Budget

A solid understanding of how often and how much your customers buy is important to the modern marketer. But the modern marketer must also look into why people make the purchases the way they do. Prospect marketing on the internet can be tricky, you want to target the right demographic without spending endless dollars flooding the web with ads - ads likely to get lost among the endless masses.

In 1970, it was estimated that the average American saw between 300 and 500 ads in a day. Today that number has increased 10 fold to 3,000 to 5,000 advertisements a day. I would even argue that 5,000 advertisements a day is a conservative estimate with smart phones and those video monitors that seem to be popping up everywhere. So finding a way for you to reach your customers and more importantly for them to easily find you on a tight budget can be tricky. Social media and pay-per-click advertising are great ways to make your presence known to potential clients, but the most effective internet promotions engage people away from their computers in addition to on them.

Why People Buy Things

Okay, so there isn't a clear cut answer for every decision people make (what with free will and all), but generally people are satisfying a want or desire when making a purchase. We do not shop based on our needs because, at least in America, most basic needs are met. Instead we make our purchases, even of essential items, based on our wants and aspirations. 

Modern Americans need laundry detergent (at least I like to think we all use it regularly), but some people will only buy Tide, or some other name brand. We all know those people that will never buy a store brand product. Why is that? Their desire to feel wealthy or the belief that because it costs more it must be better and I want the best, not the most functional. A placebo effect gives many of these people a greater satisfaction of their purchase. Even though the product is the same: Soap. For more about selling to needs check out: Marketing to Modern Americans: Selling Desire over Necessity

Social Media

Social media is a low-cost effective way to communicate with your current and potential clients, but you must stay active and persistent with it. Make sure you are active on a daily basis and are posting new content at least once a week. Also, diversify your content. Try to include some graphics, some articles, and videos if they are relevant or better yet; you can produce them. In addition, everyone has a twitter page and a blog, so make sure to link all your sites together, and re-post relevant articles from outside sources. The more you cross promote the quicker your following will grow.

Pay-per-click

A great way for small companies, companies with tight advertising budgets, or highly specialized industries to advertise is through pay-per-click ads. Many websites have great offers for this and Facebook is a prime example. You can select how much your willing to spend and only pay when someone actually clicks on your ad. 

You can spend as little as $15 a month or spend thousands. Even better, with Facebook and other social media sites, people volunteer information about themselves, so you can select specific demographics you want to show your ad to. Giving you the right exposure in the right places at the right price! Just remember, you pay for them to click on the ad, but you need to keep them on your site, so investing in the presentation quality and content on your site matters in addition to the advertising for it. 

Don't Only Use Internet Marketing Online

Coordinate a campaign that includes other mediums. Sending a direct mail piece that encourages someone to check out an offer online might not always get them to go to the site. But having seen your offer in their mailbox, they are much more likely to click on your Facebook ad or read your blog later. If you only plan on advertising online then make sure you have a wide variety of content that has some coordinated message. Giving your prospective customers a clear understand of how your business fulfills their wants by stimulating different emotions or senses through videos, images, music, and text. The more tangible your business becomes in their lives, the more satisfying your business will become!

Interested in More Information on Synergy Vx and how we can help your business? Give us a call today at 714-824-3780 and speak with one of our friendly, knowledgable Sales Representatives who can answer all your questions.

Interested in Reading More from Synergy? Sign Up For Our Newsletter By Clicking Here

By: Will Pearlman

Expanding your Social Media Beyond Just Facebook and Twitter

Social Media: Are You Walking in a Maze To Get Lost In?

Social Media Marketing is an important part of most businesses. An online presence broadens your customer base in ways traditional advertising cannot. However, with the seemingly endless number of social media sites, how do you know which ones are worth your time and which ones aren't?

We all know the standard: Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. These sites are essential for a social media campaign. Everyone is on them. If your not, your strange. Beyond the Big 3 though, which sites work for marketing your business, and which sites are a waste of your time? 

With So Many Social Media Sites,
Pick Only the Best Ones For Your Business

Much of determining this comes from what type of business you have and how you are looking to market it. Some sites, such as Digg and Reddit are great resources to create additional exposure for your blog and written content. Adding yourself to these sites will help you generate traffic, but they are not necessarily the best sites for visual information. If you are an art gallery and looking to display works, Pinterest and Dribbble (no that is not a typo, there are 3 'b's) are more likely to represent your brand better. With all the sites out there, do your homework before committing to a social media site which might not represent your brand in the most efficient way. 


The most important aspect of these minor social media sites is the additional exposure they give to your site, so make sure everything you post is linked. Additionally, make sure you update it regularly. The quickest way to loose your internet presence is to be inconsistent with your posts.

Social Media Content is Like Food!
People Want It Fresh! So Update Your Content Consistently

For blogs, make sure you have new content at least once a week. For sites like Facebook, make sure you post something new every few days if not more frequently. And for businesses, posting on Twitter daily is highly recommended.

Now all that seems like a lot of time spent on social media. But thankfully, you don't have to do it all alone. While there are thousands of social media sites out there, there are just about as many programs that help you manage your social media sites, like HootSuite just to name one. These sites allow you to post one message across some, one, or all of your social media pages. More importantly, using these sites you can schedule posts at specific times and dates, months in advance, if you choose.

Schedule Your Social Media
So You Don't Feel the Pressure
of Keeping Up With It Everyday!

Facebook and Twitter are excellent but overpopulated resources. In order for them to really help your company, you must explore other social media sites and build a network across multiple platforms. While we all live in the world of instant celebrity and viral videos, building a business presence through social media takes time and hard work, so be patient and persistent, and the followers will come.


By: Will Pearlman


Synergy can help you with all your marketing needs, get a FREE quote online or call us at 877-466-0635.

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Managing Your Social Media Presence(s)

Social media is taking over the world. Whether for business, or personal use, everyone needs to maintain an online presence. But with over 350 various networks in which to belong, it is all to easy to overwhelm yourself into abandoning the project all together. 

The first phase is to determine where you should be marketing. Besides what I like to call "The Big 2" (Facebook and Twitter), most social media sites are designed to serve a specific function. Pinterest is better for people looking to use photos and visuals. However, if your looking to post written text and links, Tumblr is designed for blogs. For most businesses though, you shouldn't try to expand into all of these sites, just find the 3 or 4 that work for you.

In my experience, the best bet is to do what you know, and do it well. Unlike marketing for a brand, which needs a consistent aggressive presence over a wide range of networks; maintaining a personal online presence can be much more lax. So pick your favorite network, or your favorite few networks, and make them most of them. "Pimp" out your profile with apps and add-ons, post (appropriate) pictures, and let others know whats up with you. The real secret to successful social media networking is that your profile is not about you. It is about what you have to share with your friends.

A rookie mistake for social media newbies is also to have your twitter feed (or Facebook Status') linked to auto post to other networks (ie, linked in). Tweets are for twitter only. If you post everyone of your tweets to every single social network you are on, you will make your audience crazy. Twitter is designed to have a live stream of constantly updated recent news and events. 50 tweets in a day won't bother anyone on twitter, but 50 Status updates, will leave you with no Facebook friends. So Remember, each network is unique, with its own unique purpose a separate audience. "Target" your posts to the network you are using. For example, twitter followers tend to respond to updates about "trends" or current events, while your friends on linked in would appreciate a relevant blog post, link, or article. 

By using each network as it is intended, you not only maximize your social presence, but you also eliminate the need for surplus accounts (and maybe save yourself some sanity... and time, you can spend interacting with human faces instead of computer monitors). 

Several programs exist to allow you to do this cheaply and effectively. The most widely used being Hoot Suite. Hoot Suite allows you to post on multiple sites at once or just one. You select which sites and what to post, and when to post it. Take advantage of these programs if you aren't already, it will make your social media life easier and more efficient!

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By: Will Pearlman

Building Customer Loyalty, The Easy Way!

Your customers and their needs
should always be at the center of
everything you do

What's better than earning someone's business? Why earning someone's loyalty of course! The ultimate sign that your business or product is successful is having lots of repeat business and word of mouth advertising from your customers. So how do you go from wanting it to having it?

Be the Best

Don't just say your the best, actually do it!

The first step is an easy one. Make your product or service the best it can be. Regardless  of price, if people don't like what your selling, it'll be hard to convince them to buy it again. Obviously do this within a workable model, (don't make toothpaste that costs $100 a tube, Duh!) but, whatever you can do to make your product the best do it. Don't cut corners!

Focus on the Customer & Hire Personality

Make it your number one priority to be the leader in customer service and not just when problems arise. Make your mark from the moment a potential customer contacts your business; whether online, over the phone, or in person, ensure they feel valued and express a willingness to met all their requests while creating a positive environment. 

The Old Saying, "Happy Employees, Make Happy Customers"
 or something like that

Be caring and willing to go the extra mile. It might sound  cliche, but we all know MOST businesses do NOT do this anymore. We all experience it everyday. So make your business stands out by setting the standard. With that said, hire your employees carefully. According to Jane Judd, Senior Manager of Customer Loyalty at Zappos.com, "You can train someone to answer calls, but you can’t train someone to be positive and happy. Hire the right people and the rest should fall into place."

Say Thanks

Everyone likes to feel appreciated!

Sending thank you cards is an important part of keeping your customers loyal. Depending on the type of business, a simple thanks for your order email might suffice. For some business, you might want to send a gift bag and a handwritten note. Figure out what is right for your business and also what is financially feasible. 

Create a Customer Loyalty Program

No matter what industry your in, loyalty programs work.
If for no other reason than it makes your customers FEEL valued

People like to feel like a part of something. So make a loyal customer rewards program, these work in many more settings than just your local sandwich shop. Offer your customers 10% off their next order just for being a loyal customer. If your a lawyer, maybe for new cases from old clients, you waive certain fees. Get creative if your in a service industry. In the long run, these little discounts shouldn't hurt your bottom line and they make your customers feel appreciated and part of the "in" crowd. People really do appreciate a simple gesture of gratitude. So give them one, it's easy!

Remember Important Dates

Ok, so your clients won't be as mad
as your wife for forgetting, but it is important
to extend a professional relationship
beyond business meetings

Ok, so its not realistic for most businesses to send every customer or client a birthday card. But the clients who have been with you the longest, or the largest accounts, do just a little more for you. So, make them feel special because, well, they are! The large accounts help you keep your doors open and clients who have been with you for a long time are usually your best recruiters! They obviously like you and your service so they are likely to send their friends your way! Send a holiday car
.d out to as many clients as you can, but remember personal events (birthdays, anniversaries, birth of children, etc . . .) help you stand alone at the top. 

Don't Hide Your Customer Service

Don't hide from customer interaction,
Embrace it in all its forms!

Nowadays, the business world has a generally poor reputation for customer service. On most websites the customer support line is hidden in the corner of a 'contact us' page that you can only get to via small print at the bottom of the site. Sure the sales number is in bold letters, but nothing about help and service. Don't hide your service! Make it a proud selling point. People like to know there is someone they can talk to about their problems who is knowledgable, but with that said, make sure your customer service staff is trained and selected to deliver!

Regardless of your product, service, industry, or business size, creating a loyal customer base is the foundation for the growth of your business, so take these steps to make your customers keep coming back to you!

Interested in more information on Synergy and how we can help your business? Give us a call today at 714-824-3780 and speak with one of our friendly, knowledgable Sales Representatives who can answer all your questions.

Interested in Reading More from Synergy? Sign Up For Our Newsletter By Clicking Here

By: Will Pearlman

Thank Your Customers, and They'll Thank You With Their Business!

Synergy Says: 
July 2012
________________________________________________________

Thank Your Customers, and They'll Thank You With Their Business!

Nowadays, people underestimate the value of a good thank you. Many of us might even be thrown off guard when someone does say thanks. However, no where is expressing appreciation more important than in business.

Saying Thanks is Important,
No Matter How Big or Small!

When someone elects to use your business, it is their way of saying thanks for being exactly what I am looking for. So don't shy away from thanking them in return.

If you accept the general principal that roughly 80% of yours business comes from 20% of your customers, then you know who you should be thanking. The large accounts help you keep your doors open and clients who have been with you for a long time are usually your best recruiters! They obviously like you and your service so they are likely to send their friends your way!

People Remember that You Remembered,
So Try to Remember!

Send a holiday card out to as many clients as you can, but remember that personal events (birthdays, anniversaries, birth of children, etc . . .) help you stand alone at the top. Of course every customer is valuable and deserves to be shown gratitude, but financially, it doesn't make sense to send personalized gifts to everyone. A simple thank you card will suffice for most clients. But, for bigger clients, try to get something they would enjoy; tickets to a sporting event, a gift bag, anything. If your unsure, don't worry, people always like free stuff.  

By expressing your appreciation to your customers, you will remain on their minds and they will continue to expand their business with you and share your company with their friends. Thanking your customers helps increase your word of mouth advertising, and even in todays digital age, word of mouth advertising still cannot be beat. 

Synergy can help you thank your clients with personalized thank you cards and interactive solutions for all your marketing needs! Get a FREE Quote or Call Us Today at 714-824-3780!

Interested in Reading More from Synergy? Sign Up For Our Newsletter By Clicking Here

By: Will Pearlman

The Marketing Superhero Says!

Advice for the Every-Marketer

7/16/2012

Combining Print and Social Media Marketing: Augmented Reality and Digital Watermarks

Modern Marketing has shifted to weighing heavily on social media and the internet. In part, because it is cheap and it can be effective, sometimes. As the marketplace dynamically changes on a weekly basis with the latest app, finding the latest ways to integrate your online and traditional marketing are the key to business success. Here are some of the latest ways using Augmented Reality and Digital Watermarks!

Aurasma

One of the coolest current technologies out there is an app called Aurasma. This app uses whats called, Augmented Reality Actions or Auras to display videos on a piece of mail through the app on your phone. Which video plays can even be coded by several criteria.

Aurasma Demo:

The Pros:
This type of technology is very cool and highly engaging. Aurasma is an app they would have to download for this to work so including this in an ad where you say something like, "watch this postcard come to life using Aurasma from the App store" could intrigue someone into checking your ad out, just out of curiousity, even if the offer doesn't catch their eye.


The Cons:
The one MAJOR con is that this technology is not widespread yet. Most people won't even pick up on the idea that the postcard can turn into a video through their smart phone. You definitely would have to explain how to use the feature on your advertisement. I listed this as a pro as well, but that depends on your demographic. If you are marketing to a tech-savy group, then this would be a great way to engage them. However, for the average person, this might be a little too advanced at least at the moment. Moreover, effective video content is not always the cheapest or easiest thing to produce, especially for small and local businesses.

Layar

Another great technology, especially for those who offer a variety of products, is called Layar. Layar allows you to add digital links and information on your phone when holding it over the mail piece. It operates in a similar manner to Aurasma using augmented reality.

Layar Demo:

The Pros: This is extremely valuable to anyone who would use a catalog. This would allow your customers to flip through a catalog and when they like a product, they can simply hold their phone over the catalog and place an order or find out more information. Allowing your customers to have the tangible catalog with the ease of digital media will make their experience interactive and more enjoyable. Layar also works well with regular mail pieces as well, allowing you to add digital content to any mailer.


The Cons: Similar to Aurasma, Layar is still new technology that most people are unfamiliar with. However, this app is much simpler to use and I would expect it to catch on much quicker than Aurasma.

Digimarc

The last app I'll talk about for now is Digimarc. Digimarc is similar to Layar in that it is a way to place digital media on a printed mailer. However Digimarc goes a little further by creating a watermark. Unlike layar, where the content is place above the mailer, Digimarc places it in the mailer. The app acts almost like a secret decorder ring from those sugary cereals we ate as kids.

Digimarc Demo:

The Pros: Digimarc is a good tool to catch people's attention on an ad: "Use the Digimarc app to decode a secret offer in this mailer!" It is also relatively easy to use and actually integrated into Pinterest. Digital watermarks are the future, because they do not require any visible mark, that means no QR code!


The Cons: Digimarc is a little more complicated to use and everything must be printed on the image. However, with digital watermarks, be careful if you make a "secret offer" you are not isolating those customers without smart phones or those who just don't use the app. Also, digital watermarks aren't quite as impressive or advanced as augmented reality, but it is currently more widely used.

Interested in more information on Synergy and how we can help your business grow? Give us a call today at 714-824-3780 and speak with one of our friendly and knowledgable Sales Representatives who can answer all your questions.

Interested in Reading More from Synergy? Sign Up For Our Newsletter By Clicking Here

By: Will Pearlman