Easy Money From Online Surveys

Online surveys are a great way to make some extra money in your spare time. You are able to make quite a bit of money as there are now many market research companies that will pay you to do online surveys. These companies are making their money by selling the market research to large companies and they are sharing the profits with you and me.

Most if not all of the Fortune 500 companies survey their customers to get feedback on their products. They will also use surveys to get consumer feelings about new products that are still in development. Additionally, millions of other smaller companies conduct surveys for the same reasons. And many of the established online survey companies are simply divisions of larger corporations. It's no wonder they are paying out millions and millions of dollars to consumers for taking online surveys since it is so much cheaper and more focused than traditional advertising.

The market research companies that distribute the online surveys are trying to gauge your opinions and feelings of different products and services for their clients. By learning what their customers like and how they feel about products they are able to target existing and new products specifically for their current and future customers. Online surveys let companies find out where they are right, and wrong, about their products and change them to improve.

Market research companies know how valuable your opinion is to them and that is why they are willing to pay so well for your time and opinion. And they let you register with them for free because the more survey respondents they are able to get into their databases the more attractive they are to the companies looking for market information. Legitimate online survey sites won't ask you to pay to register with them, they are free to join.

Join as many online survey companies as possible. It is quick and easy to register with the online survey companies and joining at least 100 is good. I have joined over 300 online survey companies so far. By doing this you make sure you will never miss all the best paying survey opportunities. Also, create a separate email account for your surveys because you will get a lot of them everyday.

Check that email everyday for survey opportunities and make sure you respond. The online survey companies like to know that you are a reliable survey taker and will reward your diligence by sending you their best paying surveys.

All of this is great, but if you've ever tried to find out who the paying survey companies are by yourself you know that is is very time consuming. So membership sites have sprung up that act as middlemen. They offer you access to a list of paying survey companies for a fee of up to $79. Many people do this because they don't realize that it's not necessary to pay for a list of online survey companies.

There are other sites out there that say they will give you access to a list of paying online survey companies and all they want you to do is register with your name and email address. Well guess what? Even though registration is free you'll pay with your time since these companies will sell your email address. Then you'll find your inbox flooded with spam. Plus they don't even give you a complete listing, usually just a handful of the hundreds of online survey companies available.

There is an alternative to paying for this information either with money or your email address. You can keep looking until you find a site that gives you links to paying survey companies for free. Such a site won't ask you to pay for access to their list and they won't ask you to give up your email to register.

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Surveys are free to take and finding them should be free as well. Starting today you have access to the best free no strings attached online survey list available with over 300 companies and growing.
http://www.paid-survey-success.com

Who Put All These Trees in the Forest? Making Pre-show Promotion Stand Out!

There's a lot of pressure on marketing departments today: a tightening economy and increasingly competitive environment means that every promotional effort must generate a positive return. Every decision has to be viewed critically, and that includes the decision to participate in tradeshows.

Show participation must, for many exhibitors, generate a positive, demonstrable ROI if exhibiting is to remain a viable part of the marketing strategy. This means taking advantage of every opportunity to maximize the return on show participation: before, during, and after the show. Many exhibitors do a great job at the show, but lackluster or non-existent efforts prior to and after the event sabotage their efforts. For those marketing professionals who believe in the core value of exhibiting and the face-to-face relationship building that is part and parcel of exhibiting, this has placed renewed emphasis on the value of pre-show promotion.

Pre-show promotion is the single most valuable step any exhibitor can take to help drive traffic to the exhibit, up the percentage of high-value, qualified leads, and ensure a positive ROI. After all, to start and reinforce valuable business relationships, you have to have contact with the show attendees. They need a reason to visit your exhibit -- to pinpoint and find one booth out of the hundreds on the show floor. Pre-show marketing can provide that reason.

This isn't exactly news -- and although the vast majority of exhibitors aren't doing any pre-show promotion, those companies that are, have been steadily increasing their efforts. How can your pre-show promotion stand out in a crowded environment?

Here are three effective strategies to consider:

1. Smart E-Mail

E-mail is everywhere: almost everyone checks their e-mail several times a day. Yet few exhibitors are making use of this tool to promote their tradeshow participation. Mention any show specials you may be running, as well as events, classes, and seminars your organization is a part of. Use strategically timed e-mails to remind your clients and potential clients to visit your booth at the tradeshow. Mention any show specials you may be running, as well as events, classes, and seminars your organization is a part of.

Timing is crucial. You don't want to send your reminder emails too early, as they'll be overlooked. Sending e-mails too late isn't any better! Aim for three emails, one a month before the show, one a week before the show, and one a day or two before the show.

Don't forget the signature line on your regular, everyday business email. Altering it to include a mention of your tradeshow participation is a subtle yet effective way to promote the event.

2. Trade Journal Inserts

Any time you conduct a direct mail campaign, you do so in the knowledge that the vast majority of your efforts go unseen. The lion's share of direct mailings are never delivered, much less read. Considered 'junk mail', it winds up in the trash, where it doesn't do you or your prospective attendee any good.

Industry journals, on the other hand, are almost always delivered. They're also consistently read at a much higher rate than most direct mail efforts. Some savvy exhibitors have begun promoting their tradeshow participation with trade journal inserts. These small postcard-sized advertisements are tucked into the journals before they're mailed, highlighting your organization's upcoming show appearances. This isn't a common strategy yet, so you benefit from being unique and targeted. A very cost-effective strategy!

3. Lumpy Mail

Lumpy mail has a funny name, but it's a powerful pre-show promotional strategy. Sending a mailing that is literally lumpy -- an envelope containing something -- generates curiosity in the recipient. One exhibitor actually sent potential attendees a message in a plastic bottle -- and got a great response rate. Consider what 'lumps' you could send to your attendees!

One strategic use of the lumpy mail strategy involves including a premium item the prospective attendee has to bring to your booth to exchange for another, higher value item. A variation of this is to send an item that is useless on its own -- one glove, for example -- along with the message that the missing component -- the second glove -- can be picked up at your booth.

Written by Susan A. Friedmann,CSP, The Tradeshow Coach, Lake Placid, NY, internationally recognized expert working with companies to increase their profitability at tradeshows.
Author: "Riches in Niches: How to Make it BIG in a small Market" and "Meeting & Event Planning for Dummies." Claim your free copy of "Exhibiting Success" at http://www.thetradeshowcoach.com & http://www.richesinniches.com

Maximizing Your Price in a Soft Economy

Establishing maximum value for your price is never easy. In today's volatile economy, it's even more of a challenge. For most companies, costs are increasing, yet the ability to pass them along to the customer is fraught with numerous roadblocks. The customer's response to a price increase is rarely positive, with the usual line of objections that go along with it. In addition, there are the concerns that a competitor's price may undercut yours or that the customer may choose to go down a different path instead of buying from you at all. As big as these issues are, they pale in comparison to the number one roadblock to maximizing your price point: the confidence of the salesperson.

The main reason why companies do not capitalize on their potential revenue is because their salespeople do not have the confidence to ask for and receive the highest price point. If a salesperson is secure in what they are selling and in knowing how the customer will benefit from their products/services, then they will be confident in asking for and getting the desired price point. The problem is that many times the salesperson lacks confidence in at least one of these areas, resulting in their inability to make their sales quota.

To rectify this problem, it's important to examine how the salesperson first developed a lack of confidence in their ability to maximize their price points. Generally, it stems from a sale they perceived to be lost because their price had been too high. On the surface, their assumption probably appeared to be correct. However, in reality, it just seemed that way because the right price-value relationship had not been established. If the salesperson had executed a proper sales strategy that allowed both himself and the customer to see the product's/service's true value, this could have been avoided. It needs to be communicated that in a B to B environment, the benefits are to both the buyer and the business they're buying it for. In a B to C environment, the benefits are to both the buyer and to the person(s) who will actually use the product or service. When the salesperson and the customer understand this, it can help erase the uncertainty that the price may pose.

Let me give you two quick examples. If a person works for a mega-global company and is buying widgets, he'd have no problem spending a little on them if he knew he was buying them from a reputable company that has experience selling to other mega-global companies. In essence, the customer is looking for confidence and is willing to pay for it. In a B to C situation, because the customer doesn't want to look like a fool for their purchase, they want the salesperson to provide them with enough emotional benefit to allow them to convey to others that they made a great decision. In both situations, an inexperienced salesperson is going to lose the sale if they don't take the time to use questions that encourage the customer to fully express their needs. In general, new salespeople often lose the sale shortly after they've stated their price. Thus, it's only natural for them to believe that the price was the determining factor. However, when digging below the surface, the price was not what prevented them from closing the deal. Rather, they lost the sale because they didn't ask enough questions to fully establish the needs of the customer.

Top-performing salespeople ask questions that allow the customer to elaborate on their needs and then demonstrate their listening skills by asking appropriate open questions and probing deeper with great follow-up questions. They use the information that they learn to better explain how their product or service can be beneficial to the customer. In my 25 plus years of selling, I've learned that the customer's real needs, hurts, and wants don't often surface until you're demonstrated genuine interest in what their thoughts and goals are. Ironically, this means that you can throw out their initial comments, as it is rarely the need they are looking to fill. If you expect to base your price-value relationship on what you first hear, you'll never come close to achieving your maximum price point.

In summary, today's economy is full of opportunities for top performing salespeople to ask really good questions that get customers talking. This allows both the customer and the salesperson to see, feel, and understand what their true needs are. When the salesperson can experience this across multiple customers, they will begin to develop the assurance they need to be able to confidently convey the maximum price point their company expects them to receive.

Mark Hunter, "The Sales Hunter", is a sales expert who speaks to thousands each year on how to increase their sales profitability. For more information, to receive a free weekly email sales tip or to read his Sales Motivation Blog, visit http://www.TheSalesHunter.com.

Call-Killing Phrase

How often have you started a call to a friend, family member or business associate with the phrase, "How are you?" I'm willing to bet the answer is a lot. I know I say it frequently. It's commonly used as a greeting, as a "hello."

Because "How are you?" is so commonly used, how often have you started your introductory calls with this phrase? If you do use this phrase as an opening for your introductory call, please stop immediately. It's an introductory call-killer, and this is why:

1. If you ask this question, you must be prepared for the answer. What if your prospect answers, "I'm having a lousy day. My back hurts, I have a cold, I hate my job and my wife left me yesterday"? Do you really care? Is this the reason for your pho.ne call?

2. You lose control of the call. (This is probably the most important reason.) If your prospect does respond, "I'm having a lousy day. My back hurts, I have a cold, I hate my job and my wife left me yesterday," how are you going to get the call back on track?

3. It's a set up, a tip off to your prospect that you are making a s.ales call. It gives your prospect the opportunity to say, "I'm busy. What do you want?" (See number 2 above.)

Similar issues apply with the introductory call-killing phrases, "May I have a moment of your time?" and/or "Is this a good time to talk?"

With both of these phrases, you lose control of the call right at the beginning, before you've had a chance to say anything at all. If the prospect answers, "no," the call is over. These are also both tip off phrases. Friends, family and important business colleagues would probably not say, "May I have a moment of your time?" or "Is this a good time to talk?" Only someone making a s.ales call would use this language, and it's all too easy for your prospect to respond negatively.

I know that many of you reading this will argue, "Wendy, it's polite. It's polite to say, 'How are you?' as a greeting and it's polite to ask permission to speak." There are, however, many ways to greet a prospect - saying "hello" works just fine. It is also equally polite to simply introduce yourself and get to the point. This is not only polite, it's respectful of your prospect's time, it's more effective and it allows you to retain control of the conversation.

In order to be truly effective prospecting or selling by pho.ne, it is imperative to control the conversations you have with prospects. You want to set yourself up to have the best possible conversation that you can have with any given prospect. While it is true that not all prospects will respond badly to the above phrases, why take the chance? Why risk blowing a lead at the beginning of the call if something as simple as not starting out with, "How are you?" can totally eliminate that possibility?

Say hello. Introduce yourself. Get to the point and say what you have to say. Then ask for what you want. This is the formula for a successful introductory call. Save the "How are you?" question for those whose answers really interest you.

Wendy Weiss, "The Queen of Cold Calling," is a s.ales trainer, author and s.ales coach. Her recently released program, Cold Calling College, and/or her book, Cold Calling for Women, can be ordered by visiting http://www.wendyweiss.com. Contact her at wendy@wendyweiss.com. Get Wendy's free e-zine at http://www.wendyweiss.com.

Email Advertising

I thought it might be good to talk about a few of my likes and dislikes about email advertising. I have picked up a few good pointers over the years. Even though a lot of these may be known or said before they are worth repeating.After all the whole idea is get people to read your emails (not DELETE) in the hope that they will sign up or buy whatever you are promoting.

1) One of the first things you are going to want to do is make sure you don't go across in your email more than 65 characters a line. There are 2 reasons for this and the first is what is known as "eye fatigue". What this means is if the person reading has to go across too far to the right the reader loses interest. The second reason is some email clients have what is called line wrapping which means your message will come out all garbled if it is over 65 characters.

2) Next thing is avoid using all capitals. When a person uses all capitals on the internet it is considered shouting and nobody likes shouting all the time. Gilbert Godfrey shouts all the time and at first it is funny but then you come to expect it and eventually he's not funny anymore. So be creative. The odd CAPITALIZED word can add variety however, and can make a product or benefit stand out in your email.

3) The next thing after that is one of my personal pet peeves. I can't stand emails that are full of bad grammar.Bad spelling doesn't hurt your professional image it flat out DESTROYS it. It makes me think the guy on the other end can't be bothered to proof read his emails which in my mind makes him a bit of a no mind.

4) Another pertinent practice you are going to want to do on a regular basis is put your link to your site in your email no less than 3 times. You know the old saying "a picture is worth a thousand words". Chances are your website has all the interesting pictures or videos you'll need to capture your prospect's interest so make that the goal. Space them out evenly through your email and make sure they work by sending yourself one of your emails. Then CLICK on it to see if it works.I can't tell you how many people have sent me links that don't work.

5) For goodness sake don't be long winded. A little info..then your link..a little more info..then your link..well you get it. What I want to know is who are these people who babble on and on.yama yama.. yama.. bla.. bla..little do they know is I went to the kitchen to get a fork so I can stab MYSELF in the EYE rather than read anymore. Short and sweet or KISS (keep it simple stupid) is the KEY.

6) Sometimes we are tempted to use uncommon fonts or really loud colors in an attempt to dress up our email. I must confess I used to do this just because I liked the all the fun tools, colors, and smiley's in my email arsenal. All it did was make me look gimmicky and silly along with my program. Remember you are trying to build trust and integrity on the net. Using Ariel, Times New Roman, or Courier as a font style is professional looking enough.

7) When it comes to your subject line this is where you want to grab them. If you follow the rich jerk's advice he recommends you can even say something shocking like "YOUR UGLY" or "HEY STUPID" however, one must be careful here.Trial and error here with one's own personality will make you look unique (as compared to all those other emails)and will get people opening your emails.I do confess that I have clicked on "HEY UGLY" just out of curiosity. I don't know if I want to be in business with someone that obnoxious though. I guess it depends on whether you are building long term relationships or just looking for the fast sale.

8)You may want to tell the odd clean joke in your emails. Especially if you are loading then into an auto responder. You'll find people will look forward to your emails just because they can get a chuckle out of them.

So there you are. Hope you found this article on email advertising usefu