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Taking Surveys and Making Money

published Saturday, July 24th, 2010 at 9:13 am by

You may see ads to complete surveys on the web all the time and I bet most of you ignore them right? Well actually they are an alternative source of making money and or getting free products to evaluate. Other survey sites offer you chances to win money and or prizes.

I myself have joined a handful of them. Here are some of the perks I have earned or received to evaluate. I have gotten free full size samples from lotions to cleaners to analyze. A huge supply of cleansing soap cloths. Videos to watch. Drinks to try out. Money, money and more money.

I get offers to go to survey seminars near my home, each day can last from 1/2 hour – 2 hours. I went to a seminar once that was for 2 days at 2 hours per day and was paid $200. That is $50 an hour. I wouldn’t mind getting those kinds all the time. It was also actually fun and I met alot of nice people from my area.

I even listed my child to do some surveys. He mostly just gets asked about kids cereal, candy and cartoons. He has the opportunity to earn money and prizes. He also just received some videos that as of yet are unreleased to the public to watch and he got paid to to it. He was thrilled. He is 7 years old. He has $47 saved already.

Do you know you can also be a mystery shopper and evaluate stores in your area. You usually get paid $10+ each time just to shop like normal. I am not totally thrilled with that one though some of you may enjoy it.

I’ve earned hundreds and hundreds of dollars just in the past year doing things like this and enjoyed free products. I won’t give you specifics on the products because you are sworn to secrecy when doing these product surveys (and they mean it) to protect the companies from their competitors but I can tell you a few places to look . Usually it just takes up a few minutes of your time for each survey.

Here are some of the places you can go to make money or get prizes for surveys.

American Consumer Opinion

http://24hourebiz.com/cgi-bin/track/tracker.cgi?Opinion

Pinecone Research (my favorite/$5 per survey)

http://www.pineconeresearch.com/

KidzEyes.com (for children)

http://www.kidzeyes.com

My Survey / NFO

http://24hourebiz.com/cgi-bin/track/tracker.cgi?MySurvey

Survey Site

http://24hourebiz.com/cgi-bin/track/tracker.cgi?SurveySite

SurveySavvy

http://24hourebiz.com/cgi-bin/track/tracker.cgi?Savvy

IT Professionals get the Big Bucks for Surveys

http://www.surveysavvy.com/join/panel/?email_id=support@surveymania.com&client_id=8&panel_id=1

Become a Mystery Shopper for FREE.

http://www.secretshops.com/html/applyonline.html

You have probably seen sites wanted to charge you for this info but here it is for FREE.

Ok so now you have all the info you need go out there and join the sites, have some fun and earn money while your doing it. I especially reccomend KidzEyes.com if you have kids. My little guy (7 years old) gets so excited whenever he gets a survey (parents are notified in an email the same time as your children). He is already planning what he will buy when he gets enough money. He has received from 50 cents to 5 dollars for each survey. They actually give you points that add up to money. You can keep it in there to add up or remove it in $10 increments. Its up to you.

Have fun with these I know I do and they really aren’t a waste of time. Depending on your answers you can be asked to do a further study and make some serious money. Your personal information is always kept confidential.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Carrie Holmes author of Tips n Tricks News at:

http://homebasedbusinessmarketing.com

Total web freebies: http://123freebiz.com

http://www.secretshops.com/html/applyonline.html

You have probably seen sites wanted to charge you for this info but here it is for FREE.

Ok so now you have all the info you need go out there and join the sites, have some fun and earn money while your doing it. I especially reccomend KidzEyes.com if you have kids. My little guy (7 years old)gets so excited whenever he gets a survey (parents are notified in an email the same time as your children) He is already planning what he will buy when he gets enough money. He has received from 50 cents to 5 dollars for each survey. They actually give you points that add up to money. You can keep it in there to add up or remove it in $10 increments. Its up to you.

Have fun with these I know I do and they really aren’t a waste of time. Depending on your answers you can be asked to do a further study and make some serious money. Your personalinformation is always kept confidential.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Carrie Holmes author of Tips n Tricks News at:

http://24hourebiz.com and of HBBM at:

http://homebasedbusinessmarketing.com

Total web freebies: http://123freebiz.com

…

Posted in Guest Writers | 4 Comments »

Seven Steps For Creating Successful Marketing

published Friday, July 23rd, 2010 at 8:47 am by

1. Find the inherent drama within your offering.

After all, you plan to make money by selling a product or a service or both. The reasons people will want to buy from you should give you a clue as to the inherent drama in your product or service. Something about your offering must be inherently interesting or you wouldn’t be putting it up for sale. In Mother Nature breakfast cereal, it is the high concentration of vitamins and minerals.

2. Translate that inherent drama into a meaningful benefit.

Always remember that people buy benefits, not features. People do not buy shampoo; people buy great-looking or clean or manageable hair. People do not buy cars; people buy speed, status, style, economy, performance, and power. Mothers of young kids do not buy cereal; they buy nutrition, though many buy anything at all they can get their kids to eat — anything. So find the major benefit of your offering and write it down. It should come directly from the inherently dramatic feature. And even though you have four or five benefits, stick with one or two-three at most.

3. State your benefits as believably as possible.

There is a world of difference between honesty and believability. You can be 100 percent honest (as you should be) and people still may not believe you. You must go beyond honesty, beyond the barrier that advertising has erected by its tendency toward exaggeration, and state your benefit in such a way that it will be accepted beyond doubt. The company producing Mother Nature breakfast cereal might say, “A bowl of Mother Nature breakfast cereal provides your child with almost as many vitamins as a multi-vitamin pill.” This statement begins with the inherent drama, turns it into a benefit, and is worded believably. The word almost lends believability.

4. Get people’s attention.

People do not pay attention to advertising. They pay attention only to things that interest them. And sometimes they find those things in advertising. So you’ve just got to interest them. And while you’re at it, be sure you interest them in your product or service, not just your advertising. I’m sure you’re familiar with advertising that you remember for a product you do not remember. Many advertisers are guilty of creating advertising that’s more interesting than whatever it is they are advertising. But you can prevent yourself from falling into that trap by memorizing this line: Forget the ad, is the product or service interesting? The Mother Nature company might put their point across by showing a picture of two hands breaking open a multivitamin capsule from which pour flakes that fall into an appetizing-looking bowl of cereal.

5. Motivate your audience to do something.

Tell them to visit the store, as the Mother Nature company might do. Tell them to make a phone call, fill in a coupon, write for more information, ask for your product by name, take a test drive, or come in for a free demonstration. Don’t stop short. To make guerrilla marketing work, you must tell people exactly what you want them to do.

6. Be sure you are communicating clearly.

You may know what you’re talking about, but do your readers or listeners? Recognize that people aren’t really thinking about your business and that they’ll only give about half their attention to your ad- even when they are paying attention. Knock yourself out to make sure you are putting your message across. The Mother Nature company might show its ad to ten people and ask them what the main point is. If one person misunderstands, that means 10 percent of the audience will misunderstand. And if the ad goes out to 500,000 people, 50,000 will miss the main point. That’s unacceptable. One hundred percent of the audience should get the main point. The company might accomplish this by stating in a headline or subhead, “Giving your kids Mother Nature breakfast cereal is like giving your kids vitamins-only tastier.” Zero ambiguity is your goal.

7. Measure your finished advertisement, commercial, letter, or brochure against your creative strategy.

The strategy is your blueprint. If your ad fails to fulfill the strategy, it’s a lousy ad, no matter how much you love it. Scrap it and start again. All along, you should be using your creative strategy to guide you, to give you hints as to the content of your ad. If you don’t, you may end up being creative in a vacuum. And that’s not being creative at all. If your ad is in line with your strategy, you may then judge its other elements.

Jay Conrad Levinson is the creator of the Guerrilla Marketing series of books – the best selling series of business books in history. He is also responsible for some of the most successful ad campaigns in history, including *the* most successful in history: The Marlboro Man. Jay is responsible for countless small businesses becoming huge householdnames. Learn how he does this in his latest book:

“Guerrilla Marketing for the New Millennium”

Posted in Guest Writers | No Comments »

Website Builder

published Monday, July 12th, 2010 at 9:10 am by

Author: Len Thurmond

It was a morning like any other. Up by six, in the office by eight, awake by nine. Two pots of coffee and last nights pizza. Another great start to a perfect day.

My name’s Dirk Digglewad. (Yea I know, but it’s not my fault!)

I run a little known detective agency in Los Angeles. ‘Little known’ are the key words here. I don’t want to say that business is slow, but I just paid last months rent and my landlord was ecstatic, cause now, I’m only a month behind.

My office is in the back of a little garage, in the worst part of town, or I’m sure, I’d have been kicked out by now. I don’t think anyone else would want it. Most days, I get more rats than customers! (Worst part is, I’m happy to see ‘em. Gives me someone to talk to.)

My specialty is missing persons, and you’d think, that in a town like this, business would be good. Truth is, I get lots of calls, but somehow they never seem to show up for their appointments. (Maybe it’s the neighborhood, ya think?)

I really am good at what I do. I have over a ninety percent success rate, but it’s hard gettin’ the clients to believe me, once they’ve been to my office. Trouble is, I just can’t afford better. Heck, I can’t afford this!

Well, I’d been sittin’ there all day, waitin’ for people to not show up, and it was gettin’ on towards five, so I decided to shut it down a little early and went to my favorite Gin Mill, intent on drownin’ my sorrows, one more time. (See, I like to look and feel my best each morning while I wait for people to not show).

“What’s up Dirk”, it was Bobby, the bartender, and one of my only friends. I run a tab with Bobby, that rivals my rent, but he doesn’t seem to mind. He knows I am good for it.

“Lookin’ a little down in the dumps, Dirk”, he said as he got me another Boiler Maker. “What’s givin’ ya the Blues today, Bud.”

“Just don’t think I’m gonna make it, Bobby.” I said, as I dropped that shot glass to the bottom of that frothy grave. “We both know I could track down a polar bear in a snowstorm. Heck, with that fancy new computer and all the programs I got, most times, I don’t even have to leave my office, but I just can’t get any one to believe me. Haven’t had a new client in over two weeks.”

“It’s that dump you work out of”, Bobby said, as he meticulously wiped at the spills and grime on the polished, hardwood bar. “It’s time you dragged yourself into the 21st century, Dirk. You need to get yourself on the Internet and stop countin’ on the Yellow Pages and that tiny little ad in the paper that no one ever reads.”

“Yea, I know Bobby, You been preachin’ that same ole gospel at me for over a year now, ever since you got that Internet connection at your home. What good’s it done you, huh? You spend all your spare time ‘Surfin the Web’ and ignoring reality. Seems like a waste of time to me.”

“Think so, huh?”, said Bobby as a huge grin split his face like a size forty butt in an old pair of size thirty-six jeans. “Well feast your eyes on this, my sarcastic and broke friend!” Bobby reached into the pocket of his new, neatly pressed, dress shirt. “Just got this today.”, and he held up a check, with his name on it, for fourteen hundred and fifty five dollars. “And that’s just the beginning.” He stuffed the check back

into his pocket as I sat there with what must have been the most dumbfounded look since Granny first asked Mr. Drysdale to stay for ‘Road-kill Stew’.”Where did you get that!” I managed to say, through the envious drool that was suddenly leakin’ down my chin.

“From my website, Dirk. You may think I’ve been playin’ around all this time, but truth is, I’ve been readin’ and learnin’ about Internet Marketing. It’s taken me awhile, ’cause there’s a lot of information on that World Wide Web. Some of it’s good, but most of it’s garbage. I finally figured it out and now it’s startin’ to pay off.”

“Your website!” I sputtered, “How’d did you get a website. How’d you learn how to do all that stuff. Those guys speak a foreign language, even when they do it in English. No offense, Bobby, but you ain’t exactly a rocket scientist.”

I felt bad as soon as it had come out of my mouth, but it was the truth. Bobby is a good man, but with an IQ that had to exercise hard, just climb into triple digits, I just couldn’t see any way possible, that he could have done this all by himself!

“It’s called ‘The Newbie Club Website Builder’.” he said, as he puffed up his chest like a new father holdin’ his first born son up to the in-laws as if to say, “See, and you thought I couldn’t do it!”

“They’re a couple of guys who are writin’ all these books about computers and computer stuff in a way that even you and me could understand. They put it all down in what they call ‘Newbie Speak” and explain, step by step, everything you need to know and do, to build yourself a killer website that’ll sell your product.”

Then he looked me square in the face and said, “Now, Dirk, if you want to save your business and finally pay off that bar bill of yours, then get yourself back to that rat infested hole, you call an office, get online and go to this address.”, and then he took out a clean bar napkin and a pen from the same pocket that was holdin’ that gorgeous check, and wrote down this address, http://newbieclub.com/cgi-bin/sgx/d.cgi?builder-check_it_out.

“Bye the course, Dummy, and build yourself a website that’ll get you an ‘International’ business. You said it yourself, you do it all on your computer anyway. If you build your business on the web, you won’t even need that dump you call your office. You can do it all right out of your home.

Well, it may have been the check that convinced me, but I did as I was told. I bought the course and started reading.

It was all so easy. Why had those computer geeks made it look so hard for all those years. (Guess they needed the work.)

Those books walked me through the whole thing as I began to build a site. Every time I had a question, they answered it, and before I knew it, I had a website.

And not just any website, I had a great website!

Well, that was Six months ago, and now I have more business than I know what to do with. I won’t tell ya it was an overnight success, it’s taken a lot of hard work, ’cause I had a lot to learn, but if I’d started this thing a year earlier, when Bobby first started harpin’ at me, I’d be workin’ out of a nice house of my own now, instead of this crummy old apartment. Oh well, it won’t be long now, things are progressin’ just fine, and at least my rent is paid up. Now, I don’t get up till eight. Still don’t wake up till nine, but I’m already at my office and I can afford to eat a good breakfast instead of that cold pizza. (Now, if I could just find someone to cook it for me; but that’s another story.)

I learned that no matter what kind of business what you have, you can do better if it’s on the web, and you don’t have to pay some ‘Geek’ a King’s ransom to get there.

I also found out, much to my surprise, that I can make a nice little chunk of extra change by telling other people about it, which is why I’m writing this little story.

Take my advice. Whether you’re a complete ‘Newbie’, or an old hand at this Internet stuff, there’s a lot to be learned form ‘The Newbie Club’. They’ve got books and tutorials on just about everything you can think of, concerning the computer.

Stop suffering through the learning curve and go get yourself some real knowledge!

http://www.newbieclub.com?check_it_out…

Posted in Len Thurmond | 1 Comment »

Avoid These 5 Web Site Blunders

published Thursday, July 8th, 2010 at 2:31 pm by

Author: Alexandria Brown

The Web is intended to help people find information quickly and easily. So why do so many sites make it difficult for users to get what they need? As president of a copywriting firm that writes and edits dozens of online projects a year, I’ve come across several common blunders that prevent effective communication via the Web. Here are my top five:

BLUNDER #1: Hiding who you are and what you do.

It’s sad that many sites make it a challenge to figure out what they’re about. Yes, it may be cool to have a giant dancing logo on your home page, but don’t forget WHY your visitors are there: to learn what you can DO for them! Be sure your home page includes a *short overview* that clearly and concisely describes what you have to offer. It’s also a good idea to repeat your tagline or a short mission statement on *every page* of your site. Why? People can pop in and land on an inside page via a search engine/directory link that you may not be aware of. Make sure they know who your are right away.

BLUNDER #2: Writing for print.

Reading copy on a computer screen is different than reading printed text. We read online text more slowly, and we tend to scan rather than read because, visually, the words are harder to digest. Help your users find key words and concepts quickly by making your copy “scannable.” Instead of intro paragraphs, use subheads. Use shorter sentences, paragraphs, and pages. Use bulleted lists. And use hyperlinks to give readers more info if they want it.

BLUNDER #3: Writing too formally.

Online readers expect a personal, upbeat tone. If you write like a bureaucrat, you risk turning off many users. Think ACTIVE voice rather than passive. (For example, instead of saying “the computer must be turned on” say “turn on the computer.”) Write to your customers like you’d talk to them, and nix any industry jargon they may not understand. Interestingly, I occasionally see the opposite problem. For example, a respected law firm’s site shouldn’t shout excitedly at customers as in a sweepstakes offer. Ask yourself: “How do my customers want to be talked to?” and THAT’S your answer.

BLUNDER #4: Designing cryptic navigation.

Unfortunately, many sites don’t seem to be truly designed with the end user in mind. Consider why users are visiting your site, then turn those reasons into your main navigation choices. Try to limit them to 8 or less. Then, create sub-navigation within those choices. But if there’s an especially popular page on your site, why not put a special direct link from the home page? For example, on the home page of our site, we keep a direct link to our latest article or information about new awards we’ve won.

BLUNDER #5: Making it difficult to contact you or place an order.

I recently visited the Web site of an acclaimed furniture manufacturer, and I was ready to order one of their renowned ergonomic chairs. I clicked around, found the chair I wanted, and then quickly grew irate. Not only couldn’t I find where to order it online, I couldn’t even find their phone number to call and order one or find the nearest dealer! The results? One lost customer.

Put your phone number, an e-mail link, and a link to your order form (if you have one) on every page of your Web site. Don’t rely on your users having the patience to take a few extra steps. Make it as easy as possible, and they’ll be much more likely to follow through (and return)!

© 2000-2001 Alexandria Brown. All rights reserved. NOTE: You’re welcome to “reprint” this article online as long as it remains complete and unaltered, and you send me a copy or link to your reprint! Thanks.

**************************************************************

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alexandria Brown’s FREE biweekly e-zine gives “how-to” tips on writing compelling copy for Web sites, brochures, and e-zines. Learn how to ATTRACT NEW CLIENTS and strengthen your customer relationships! Subscribe today at http://www.akbwriting.com or via mailto:AKBMarCom-On@lists.webvalence.com

Posted in Food for Thought | No Comments »

Sell Your Brains Out

published Thursday, July 8th, 2010 at 2:27 pm by

Author: Len Thurmond

Every once in a while you find a “Program” that is such a blatant scam…

Ya just want ta go find the guy and shake him while screamin’ “WHAT WERE YOU THINKIN’”!

But then… we KNOW what he was thinking, huh (take the money and run!)

Today, I got an email promoting a “Program” (and I use the term very loosely) called “Sell Your Brains Out”.

It never ceases to amaze me the depths that some people will lower themselves to in order to make a buck!

“Sell Your Brains Out” is nothing more than a guy who wrote a slick website to take your money, and then tell you to do the same to others, “Start with your friends and family”, he says, “And then move on to your business acquaintances.”

“Don’t try to sell them anything”, he says, “Just tell them that they need to look at this site you found, and the site will do the selling for you!”

As it turns out, what this “Wonderful” new sales package consists of, is a three page website, and three very short pages at that.

The first page consists of a short statement, telling you that you can make money by signing up with free affiliate programs.

He then gives the links to ten such reseller programs. These are all well known programs that we have all looked into, if not joined already!

These programs are:

Instant Sales Letters

Top Ezine Ads

Make Your Site Sell

Internet Marketing Challenge

The Amazing Formula

Clickbank

Get Response

Ezine Marketing Machine

Internet Marketing Center

Directory of Ezines

All good programs, and all, already known to most of us!

The second page is a short page called “Places to Sell”

On this page of “Revelation”, he tells you not to waste your time with FFA pages and classifieds, but to advertise in Ezines and opt-in lists.

Duh! Wish I’d thought of that!

Then he gives you two ezine directories and one opt-in list to use for finding these sources.

On the third and final short page, he tells you that you need to use Autoresponders to better promote your products. He suggests ‘Getresponse’.

That’s it folks. For only $19.95 you too can receive this sage advice!

No sales copy. No how to write ads. No banners. No NOTHING!

To sweeten the deal, he is giving away two old and generic Ebooks, a free dial up service for life(which turns out to be one of the countless free ISPs that anyone can get by just going to the site and signing up), a directory of newspaper classifieds, and, my personal favorite…

“Start Your Own Affiliate Program For Less Than $50! Special Report” Which turns out to be his affiliate link to Clickbank.

This guy has done nothing more than join a few affiliate programs, and is now trying to charge you an extra $19.95 for the privilege of signing up under him!

The only saving grace about his “Program” is his guarantee.

“If you don’t at least BREAK EVEN after TODAY…I will refund 100% of your money TODAY!”

I’m quite sure he refunds A LOT of his sales, but unfortunately, there are all too many desperate Newbies out there, that will give him his fee and hang in there, hoping that they can promote this scam, as he is.

Even more unfortunately, it is usually the people who need the money the most, that fall for the schemes of these bloodsuckers!

There are far too many scams like this on the internet. The ease with which they can be created and marketed makes a fertile breeding ground for such parasites as this.

Too many wide eyed people enter the playing field with the expectations of instant success with no effort.

There are no free lunches in this life, Folks. Internet marketing is a profession and takes work. You MUST first spend the time to learn your new trade and then apply that knowledge diligently. There are very few shortcuts.

You can cut the learning curve some, by reading and following the advice of one of the few REAL “Gurus” out there, but you still have to learn, and then work!

Be careful! There are far too many Snakes in the grass to go frolicking in the fields of Internet Marketing.

WALK SOFTLY AND CARRY A BIG STICK!…

Posted in Len Thurmond | No Comments »