Market Research Big Business
Every year, Big Business in the United States spends tons of money on market research and public opinion polling --- to the tune of $6.8 billion dollars in 2005 according to Inside Research, the bible of marketing research professionals. While on a global level, these numbers grow to $18.9 billion dollars, it is clear to see what a big part of the American business cycle market research has become. Companies want to know that they are directing their resources and efforts in a way that is going to pay off with the end users, their consumers. In 2005, the annual estimate of $6,780,000 was spent in the following ways (reported as a % of the total):
29.9% Market Measurement
21.6% Media Audience Research
8.8% Stakeholder Measurement
8.2% Market Modeling
7.1% New Product / Service Development
4.8% Usage & Attitude Studies
5.5% Advertising & Brand Tracking
3.4% Qualitative / Focus Groups
3.4% Advertising Pre-Testing
2.7% Business-to-Business Studies
0.9% Omnibus / Shared Cost Surveys
0.6% Opinion Research Polling
4.0% All Other
Signing up to take surveys is a great way to have a direct influence in this huge part of the business world. Major corporations want to are want to hear your attitudes and opinions of a variety of issues, especially thoughts about any products or services they have in the works. Your honest feedback can help the executives involved in the product development or advertising divisions of business make improvements that make sense economically and improve usability and name recognition.
If you have a couple hours to spare each week, join a free database of survey sites, such as Survey Adventure, surf the listings of trustworthy survey suites, and register for the projects that interest you. Most administrators of online surveys typically send invitations to participate in various paid online surveys through email and then you can accept and complete the work in your free time. Perks vary from company to company and job to job; most participants find that taking surveys online is an easy and fun way to make extra income.
Survey Spotlight: NPD Online Research Group
When we ask people who take surveys who their favorite online survey provider is, very often we get “NPD Online Research Group” as a response. This large market research company has been around since 1967 and over the years has gained a very trustworthy reputation. As a member of their noted panel, your opinions will be valued and used to help improve products, services, websites and more. And, of course, the perks at NPD Online Research Group make it worth your while!
One of the first perks you’ll be exposed to after signing up for this safe, confidential survey site is the opportunity to win $1,000 just for registering. Someone always wins these sweepstakes; why not give it a chance to be you. Residents of the United States also will be enrolled in the SweepLand program which is designed strictly for NPD Online Research panelists. For each paid survey completes, participants are rewarded with one entry into the sweepstake of choice – trips, electronics, and other exciting merchandise. Additionally, for each online paid survey finished participants are in the running for another $1,000. Panelists living outside the US also receive great rewards including a daily draw for $100, monthly draw for $1,000 and quarterly draw for $5,000. Regardless of where you live, increase your odds by taking more surveys.
Referring friends is another way to make money at this survey provider. Via the web site, you can send emails to family, friends and co-workers who you think may be interested in taking free surveys online. Embedded in your emails are unique URLs that let NPD Research Online track back those who join so that you will get all the credit. For each person you get to officially join and complete the member profile, you will be entered into a drawing to win $1,000.
Each day when you log onto this great choice in survey sites, check out the fun and interactive polls designed for your entertainment and information. The “Quiz Whiz” offers topical-based trivia for your enjoyment. Questions are usually very timely, for example, yesterday’s question was about Oscar history, fitting since the Academy Awards are this weekend. The “Click and Pick” section, also featured on the front page, is a fun way to see how your opinions, interests and activities stack up against others across the world. After answering a short multiple choice poll on the daily topic, you’ll get to see the poll results immediately after hitting submit.
Help Others Through Online Surveys
Have you been sitting behind the computer screen gratuitously surfing the internet, chatting mindlessly with people you don’t know or staying up around the clock playing mindless games? Make a positive change in your life and put your valuable free time to a better use by taking paid online surveys. You still get to log your “screen time” from the comfiest spot in your house, but instead of squandering your hours on activities that don’t “give back” you can take surveys online and help yourself and others at the same time.
Yes, taking paid surveys does net you a little extra spending cash that can always come in handy, whether you are just trying to pay the gas bill or want to save up for that designer purse you’ve had your eye on for months. But more importantly than an ends to a means for your needs and desires, taking cash survey helps in a “bigger picture” way. Each time you participate in paid surveys and share your personal opinions, you are providing manufacturers and service providers with insightful information aids in product development and marketing. When products and services are designed to better serve the needs of target markets above and beyond your self, everyone wins.
In addition to a few bucks, you’ll gain the intrinsic satisfaction of knowing that you’ve given back to the world in general. For example, it has been widely reported that air bag in automobiles were, in large part, developed in response to meeting consumer’s demands for improved safety. After asking car owner’s a number of questions through paid surveys and focus groups, car manufacters were able to distill down the data and infer that improved safety was a major concern. Similar improvements in safety have been implemented as a result of feedback obtained through online surveys on behalf of many industries including food service, healthcare, air travel, children’s toys and more. Check out Survey Adventure and sign up to start taking free surveys that could make a big impact on the future of products and services that you buy for your family – and others buy for their families! You’ll feel great knowing you’ve done your part in the process, plus making extra cash is a great perk!
The 3 C’s – Benefits Of Online Surveys
Raise your hand if you want to make money in your spare time from home! Okay, now put your hand down, because you’ll need to get busy behind your laptop signing up for paid online surveys. All you need is a computer with internet access and you’ll be well on your way to earning decent cash just by sharing your opinions with the industry execs who have the actual power to make change. As if this promise of easy money isn’t enticing enough, read on for more reasons to get started in this lucrative, part-time field of survey taking.
Cash: Okay, we already said it, but it’s worth saying again! Taking paid surveys is an easy way to earn some extra money and we know that is an important issue for many in these tough economic times. Whether you are looking to supplement your income from another job or are looking to add you share to the family budget, taking surveys can be a great way to earn the dough needed to meet your financial goals. Earning potential varies greatly some surveys offer a couple dollars for a few minutes of your time while other market research activities can pay much more – often up to $50 for longer online surveys, $100 for phone interviews, and $200 for in-person focus groups.
Comfort: Taking online surveys keeps you in your comfort zone – your couch or favorite office chair. If you feel like working in your PJs one day, no one will even know! Once you take paid surveys online, you’ll quickly agree there is nothing more satisfying that earning money without breaking a sweat.
Control: When you sign up for paid surveys, you are in complete charge of your schedule; if you want to work in the morning so you can head to the park in the afternoon – that’s up to you. Or, if you have a day job, say up your surveys and complete them at night after you’ve had dinner and time with your family. Plus, you can cherry pick what surveys you’d like to participate in; if you don’t have an interest or an opinion on a certain topic, then just pass!
A Close Up On Focus Groups
If you are new to the world marketing research, you may have run across the term “focus group” when signing up for various paid surveys and research projects. The term “focus group” is one of those industry-specific phrases that, quite simply, means a group of consumers who are brought together to chat about various products and services. When you sign up to participate in a focus group, the meeting could be conducted in person at market research facility or online through a chat function – even through a Tweetdeck on Twitter!
There are certain things you can expect from focus groups that are a bit different that online surveys. First, if you participate in an in-person focus group, you will be hosted in a conference room like setting, often with snacks and drinks for your consideration. You can expect to be grouped with 6 to 12 other participants (or more or less depending on the project) and moderated by a professional hired to keep the event on task. The moderator will ask specific questions and the conversation will organically develop on its own; your answers will spur on comments from other participants and so on – lots of conversation is the goal of the day, so don’t be shy! Online focus groups follow a similar moderated format, only you are typing in your answers for others to see and respond to – and the snacks come out of your own fridge!
Often, at the conclusion of the focus group, you may be asked to take surveys about the product, service or event in general; this is part of the overall focus group experience. Because focus groups require more time and effort (and revolve around the client’s schedule, not yours), they generally pay quite well. Depending on the project and client company, you can expect to make anywhere from $25 to $200+ for participating in a focus group.
If The Shoe Fits . . . Say So!
Product testing is a great way to get to try out new footwear long before it’s made available for sale to the general population. Shoe manufacturers have been known to mail out shoes for customers to evaluate and report back their findings. As a shoe tester, you’ll typically be sent a pair of shoes under development in your size to test out hands on, errr. . . feet on! Shoe designers are trying to find out how well the shoes perform and are perceived by the future consumer; expect to wear your test shoes during your daily sports and leisure activities and complete online surveys about your experience and impressions.
If you are into athletics or just having your feet look good, a coveted product tester spot to have is for Nike. This leader in the athletic apparel industry works with people like you to insure that their shoes perform better, wear longer and fit more comfortably that the competition. Nike prides itself on innovation and meeting or exceeding the consumer’s expectations and this is where product testing becomes vital to their success. With insights from everyday athletes, Nike continues to make the right shoe for every sport and inspire people to “Just Do It”.
If you are interested in Nike Product Testing, check out their site and complete the online registration. Even your children can participate as there are categories for “under 13 years” in addition to “adults”. Nike does have strict rules about confidentiality and asks that you do not wear the shoes to places like fun runs, sports games and other visibly public areas. Despite this requirement, you are required to wear the shoes as much as possible during your testing period and complete a usage log (like a paid survey) that records your activity, terrain, comments and more. Upon completion, you send the shoes back in the same box for wear and tear evaluation at the Nike testing facility.
Nike isn’t the only company that has shoe testing programs, however, other brands are usually found on a word-of-mouth basis. For example, I am a regular runner and one day walked into my local specialty running shoe store and the owner asked me if I wanted to test out a brand new pair of racing flats (to keep!) and fill out a short survey about how they worked for me. So, if you like taking surveys, testing out new products and enjoy a particular sport, you definitely have what it takes to be a shoe tester
Save For Spring Break With Online Surveys
By the end of February, university kids on campuses everywhere are starting to plan their raucous and rowdy pilgrimages to beaches and ski resorts across the country. Unless you were born with a trust fund or have an amazingly well-paying college job, funding this boondoggle from the books may be a little bit more than your budget can handle. One easy way young adults are making a little cold, hard cash in between coursework is by participating in online surveys and online focus groups. Visit a website such as Survey Adventure to peruse the hundreds and hundreds of online survey providers that have been researched and organized for your convenience.
Once you register for the survey sites that suit your style, just start checking your email daily for new invitations to share your opinion on a vast range of topics. Most college kids think that they don’t wield a lot of power in the consumer marketplace – so NOT true! The 18 to 25 year old student demographic is a very important subset of the population that leading brands actively pursue. Not only are you a key consumers for soft drinks, entertainment and certain types of clothing, you are also the future professionals and movers-and-shakers of tomorrow with hopefully plenty of discretionary income down the road. Building brand loyalty now, means you’ll be spending money with the company for a lifetime.
Take a break from the books (you deserve the rest) and take surveys online on the topics that interest you; there are even survey sites that are targeted specifically to the younger generation. Online surveys are fun and interesting and can be done anywhere you please, such as your laptop or even wireless handheld device. Just think; if you save just $100 per month for the entire year from online surveys, you’ll have a Spring Break travel fund that is sure to make your friends green with envy. So envious, in fact, that you’ll be able to recruit them to take surveys along with you and be rewarded with the perk of referral bonuses!
Understanding Online Survey Screeners
If you are new to taking surveys online, you may be a little confused about the process. Even more so if you have started taking what you think is a full-fledged online survey, online to be declined a few questions later with a “we’re sorry, you do not match our criteria” – or something like that! Typically, marketing companies, corporations and even academic institutions that solicit people for answers to paid surveys are not looking for responses from the general population. Instead, they want to gather information on a specific set or “demographic” of individuals. These demographics of which I speak are quantitative data that is easily measurable and “hard” such age, educational level, residence, number of children and more.
More often than not, companies conducting online surveys will send out “screeners” to their members as a quick way to find out who meets the minimum required criteria of their study. For example, an energy drink company may be looking for men ages 18 – 34 while a wrinkle cream company may be recruiting women ages 35 plus. What a newbie to online surveys sometimes doesn’t realize is that taking the “screener” is the prelude to the actual full-blown paid survey, not the paid survey itself. The screener is like a little mini-survey; if you pass, you’ll be invited to participate in the longer paid market research project. As a token of appreciation, many survey administrators will enter people who don’t qualify (and thus won’t typically get paid) into periodic sweepstakes for cash and other prizes.
While taking “screeners” may seem like a waste of your time, it definitely isn’t. Even if you do not qualify for a particular paid survey, it does put the survey site on notice that you are an active, interested member ready to receive more online survey invitations. My biggest beef with screeners is when companies have extraordinarily lengthy screeners and then tell you “no thanks” at the end – almost like they’ve tricked you out of the information needed and now don’t have to payout. Most well-intentioned screeners should be comprised of just a handful of questions, taking only a minute or two, and then promptly notify you of your status to take the online survey.
Survey Spotlight: CashCrate
There are hundreds and hundreds of paid surveys out there! In our opinion, the deeper understanding you have about a specific online survey site gives you the ability to make the best decision for you and enter the “making money from home” process with realistic expectations and with your eyes wide open. This week, we’ll shine the survey spotlight on CashCrate and share everything we know! Popular with folks who like to take surveys in their spare time, this web site has been around for a while and has a decent reputation. At CashCrate, there are basically four ways to earn money; completing offers, taking daily online surveys, shopping through a “click through” link, and referrals.
Offers: The primary way to earn money at CashCrate is to sign up for various offers; some are completely no-strings attached and some require you to sign up for a credit card or other service. Attached to these offers are also online surveys that will pay you upon completion. In order to participate you must install a toolbar on your desktop that will track your offer, description, payout and cost.
Daily Surveys: CashCrate also allows members to complete two surveys per day and pays $0.80 per survey at the time of this writing. The surveys are fairly easy to take and I like to complete them while you are multi-tasking with my favorite television show. Over the course of the week, if you are able to rack up the funds from your two survey per day allotment, you’ll have some good pocket change. Often though, you might be screened out of particular survey because you don’t meet the demographic criteria.
Shopping: Shopping through affiliate links listed on CashCrate is another way to earn a little extra cash. Of course, purchasing items online to get a percent back only makes sense if you actually need that item! But, if you do regularly shop online, this is a good way to take advantage of your spending habits. Payouts range from merchant to merchant; for example, anywhere from 5% from iTunes to 20% from Flowers.com.
Referrals: Don’t overlook the referral program at CashCrate; the bucks can really start to add up exponentially. For each and every person you get to sign up, you get paid back at least 20% of their earnings and 10% of your referrals referrals! The more active referrals that you have (some members have over 500!), the larger your percent back – up to 30% for the first level commission and 20% for the second level commission along with other special incentives.