10 Reasons To Survey Your Visitors, Subscribers And Customers!

1. You'll find out what type of content visitors want
to see at your web site. This will attract your visitors
to revisit and read the content.

2. You'll find out how to improve existing products
or services. This will attract new customers to buy
from your business.

3. You'll find out which products or services your
customers would like to see you sell in the future.
This will increase your back end product sales.

4. You'll find out how to improve your customer
service. This will cut down on customer complaints
and how to better resolve problems.

5. You'll find out how to improve your sales letters
or ads. This will increase your sales, traffic or ezine
subscribers.

6. You'll find out what kind of articles or interviews
they want to see in your free e-zine. This will raise
your e-zine's readership.

7. You'll find out how to design your web site to fit
your visitors needs and wants. This will increase
the time your visitors spend on your web site.

8. You'll find out what kind of non related products
or services your customers would buy. This will help
your business easily move into a different market.

9. You'll find out how to better price your products.
This will help you sell your products or services at
at a price that will pull the most orders.

10. You'll find out were your potential customers are
hanging out. This will inform you where to market
and promote your products.

Larry Dotson
Over 40,000 Free eBooks & Web Books when you
visit: http://www.ldpublishing.com As a bonus, Bob
Osgoodby publishes the free weekly "Your Business"
Newsletter - visit his web site to subscribe and place
a FREE Ad! http://adv-marketing.com/business

Can You Really Make Money with Online Surveys?

I am sure you have seen the "Paid Survey" sites that claim
to pay you for your opinion. Question is: Will they really
pay you for just taking simple surveys online?

Well, I did a little experiment. Actually, it was a pretty
big experiment. I researched several hundred of these
companies.

What did I find? You guessed it:

Most were scams.

They want your email address so they can spam you. Or they
require you to accumulate 10 million zillion points before
they pay you. Or they say they pay but don't.

But, as I was weeding out all the scams I would
occasionally come across a legitimate company. It didn't
happen very often, but out of the hundreds of companies I
researched, I found 68 good ones.

Now, let me tell you -- you are not going to get rich doing
surveys online. And, if anybody tells you that you can earn
"thousands" a month -- they are lying to you. (My best
month so far I earned $104.00)

But, on the other hand it's not very hard work either. Most
surveys are short. I did one this morning that took less
than 5 minutes. It only paid $4.00 but for 5 minutes work I
am not going to complain. Yesterday I did one that paid
$10.00. Two weeks ago I did a $25.00 one. And a couple of
months ago I had one that paid $50. It varies. And sometimes
there are very short screener surveys that don't
pay anything -- you have to take the screeners to see if
you qualify for the paid surveys.

All in all, it's not a bad way to earn a few extra bucks a
month.

James J. Jones is the publisher of the Paid Participation eLetter. You can subscribe at: http://www.getpaidnetwork.com/sub
Find out more about Paid Participation programs at: www.getpaidnetwork.com

Survey Says.! Telecommuting Ranks High On Job Seekers List

Its tough to find employment in todays job market, especially if a person lacks a formal education or has minimal work experience. Still, even without such background deficits, attempts to find home-based employment may be fruitless at best, financially and emotionally draining at worst.

According to the International Telework Association and Council (ITAC) of Washington, D.C., there are more than 19.6 million people who reportedly work from home (1999). The ITAC estimates that by 2010, there will be around forty million people working part- or full-time from their homes. (http://www.jala.com)

Sage Research, Inc. reported that companies will continue to initiate telecommuting programs. The use of remote workers will become a necessity as overhead costs continue to rise. (http://www.sageresearch.com/)

Yet, even though the trend of telecommuting (working from home) has steadily grown over the past two decades, it remains an untapped benefit for the majority of North Americas workforce. This makes many job seekers ask: Where are the companies that allow individuals to work from home? What does it take to land a home-based job?

With a bit of thorough research, this information can be found. Without proper research, however, there are plenty of unscrupulous people trying to make a lot of money from others need to find home-based work. Through tricky advertising they take millions of dollars from the very individuals who are trying to earn a living. These scammers, as they are commonly called, are all too aware of how desperately people want to earn a paycheck from their homes. And their target market grows by leaps and bounds every year.

Compared to the amount of misinformation out there, the amount of reliable information about working from home seems scarce. Thats why its important to search it out and take advantage of it when it becomes available.

To learn what it is like trying to find and actually land a telecommuting job, Telework Recruiting, Inc. surveyed dozens of people who frequent online E-mail groups that focus on telecommuting issues. The results of this survey will help give job seekers an understanding of whats involved in a search for a telecommuting position. These results should also help employers realize the value that having a telecommuting option has for so many candidates.

Although telecommuting is a work option that increases each year across North America, it is still not the norm. According to Telework Recruiting, Inc.s survey, the average length of time a job seeker spends searching for a position that allows telecommuting is two years. For individuals who want to start out with a new company as a teleworker, it can take longer than for those who try to persuade their current companies to allow them to telecommute full- or part-time.

The number-one reason survey respondents believe that it takes so long to find telecommuting work with a new company is that they simply cant find legitimate companies to work for. Their research usually takes them to companies offering bogus job opportunities or scams. These supposed hiring companies either want people to pay for information about the job or to file an application or, they want people to perform idiotic activities such as sending spam E-mail or posting advertisements all over the Internet.

The second reason is that they believe companies are afraid to trust them to perform their work from home. Despite numerous studies that indicate that teleworkers are actually more productive, it still seems to be a concern for employers that home-based employees will be sitting around watching television, rather than working.

The third top reason people feel they cant find work from home employment is there are simply too many people competing for the few telecommuting opportunities that are out there. This may be true, which only reinforces the point of how it is important for job seekers to invest in creating a top-notch resume and to continually hone their skills.

Other reasons attributed to the inability to find telecommuting opportunities include:

-- Lack of training or experience for the jobs they are seeking

-- Not being open to other types of work; that is, being too narrow in their job seeking focus

-- Not looking hard enough

-- Or not actually having a home situation conducive to telecommuting. (I.e. Having a child around that requires almost constant attention.)

For survey respondents who have been successful in finding and keeping telecommuting positions, we asked for their input on what were some factors related to their success. The number one reason they gave: Diligence. They believe they were successful mainly because they didnt give up looking. They researched everything. As one person put it: Leave no stone unturned.

Another top factor for their success was having a good employment track record. These days background checks are almost always performed. (The growing number of background checking services out there evidences this.) Maintaining exceptional references by previous employers is extremely important.

The third top factor for successfully finding work from home is being able to demonstrate how they could perform their jobs from home just as well or better than if they worked onsite. However, they didnt wait for an interview or meeting to start coming up with reasons why they felt their company should let them stay home. Each person came prepared with a proposal. A well thought-out proposal that would answer any questions or objections an employer might have. Bringing samples or examples of work already done from home was an added bonus to a proposal.

Other important elements to successfully finding work from home include:

-- Opening doors for themselves by starting out as volunteers.

-- Knowing how to network.

-- Having self-discipline and good management skills.

-- Having a supportive supervisor or manager.

Before starting any type of venture it is always helpful to be clear on what that venture is and to have a plan for that venture. Very often people decide they want to work from home (for various personal reasons), yet they arent sure what type of work they will do, or even if theyre suited for a telecommuting life. Our survey respondents offered some suggestions and ideas to look at before even beginning a job hunt. In order of their most common responses, these suggestions are listed below:

1) Be able to recognize a scam. If you plan to use the Internet at all for your job search, save yourself a lot of time and energy by knowing the different types of scams out there so you can bypass them altogether.

2) Locate sources of legitimate telecommuting opportunities. This, of course, is easier said than done. But it is possible.

3) Learn how to research a company. Dont just browse a companys web site. They wont tell you on their site if they have a problem paying their workers, or if this is a third attempt to start this company, or if the work they have for contractors is extremely inconsistent. Look at the company from other sources, such as the Better Business Bureau, Rip Off Reports.com, message boards that focus on the type of business that youre interested in, and even Google.com will have information about them.

4) Understand what are realistic earnings for each type of profession when performed as a telecommuter. Do not be surprised if as a counselor you made $30,000.00 at your local rehab center, but only make $10.00 as a home-based, telephonic counselor. (Approximately $19,000 a year.) Companies that use home workers know that you wont have the usual commuting costs and work expenses. Working from home is NOT a way to get rich quick.

5) If necessary, get resume assistance. If you think you have a great resume, look at resumes of other people and compare. Chances are you could use a resume expert to write one up for you. Remember: Your resume will be what determines whether or not you even get in the door to make a proposal for telecommuting.

6) Be sure you have an up-to-date home office. Up-to-date does not have to mean top of the line, super expensive. It means that you must have: a computer with at least WIN98, a fax machine, a printer, and usually high-speed Internet access. None of these things are luxuries anymore. They are basics. Also, part of having an up-to-date home office is actually having a workspace that is separate from the rest of the house. The dining room table will not do.

7) Know the realities of a telecommuting life. Some most common ones are: constant interruptions by children or non-work-related phone calls, and distractions of the home such as laundry or the lawn. For some teleworkers, they have to constantly struggle with family and friends to convince them that just because they are home, they are still at work and cannot be at everyones beck and call. Their time at the computer needs to be treated as work time, without interruptions.

8) Companies who hire telecommuters do so to save themselves overhead. Part of saving money is hiring independent contractors rather than employees. This eliminates the need to pay employment-related taxes such as unemployment and workers compensation. This means that you will be responsible for your own taxes. Learn what it means to be an independent contractor from the IRSs perspective.

9) Another part of a companys telecommuting plan is often not having to pay for benefits. Be prepared to fend for yourself when it comes to health insurance. If your husband or wife works outside the home and receives benefits, this makes things a bit easier. However, health insurance options are still something worth researching in the event you end up being responsible for obtaining healthcare for the family.

10) Finally, the life of a telecommuter can be a lonely and independent one compared to those who work in a companys office with all the hustle and bustle of fellow workers. Not only do you not have someone close by to share the latest jokes with, but you also do not have a conveniently located person around to bounce ideas off of or discuss work-related issues.

Taking all these things into consideration, as well as all the bumps that come with finding a telecommuting position, how important is working at home for our survey respondents? On a scale of one to ten (one being the lowest), almost every one said ten. Having their independence makes it all worthwhile. Being able to spend more time with their family instead of on the highways outweighed any downside of telecommuting. Having a personal life, even if it wasnt an exciting one, was of more value to them than any other benefit a company could give.

Pamela La Gioia is Founder and Administrator of Telework Recruiting, Inc. (http://www.teleworkrecruiting.com), a premier job-lead web site that provides thousands of job leads and job resources for the US, Canada, and the UK. She is currently writing a workbook on telecommuting, which offers step-by-step guidance on finding real home-based employment. Questions or comments are welcome and can be sent to Pamela at pam@teleworkrecruiting.com

Simple Survey Leads To Big Profits Online

Success online follows a simple formula...

"Ask and you shall _______."

Most people fill in the blank with "receive". Not only is it a well-known phrase from the Bible, but it's also a very powerful online marketing principle.

If you operate a business and want to sell massively more products and services quickly, the fastest way to do it is by simply asking your customers and prospects what they want... and then give it to them.

In the past, gathering critical research information through customer surveys represented a very time-consuming, expensive and labor-intensive process available only to large organizations.

However, with inexpensive online tools, even a one-person business can now quickly and easily conduct powerful surveys to discover exactly what customers want - and then give it to them.

Virtually any business can benefit from conducting a survey because the information you get is priceless for your planning purposes.

Do you know what your customers plan to purchase next? (If you did, you could be the one to sell it to them!)

Do you know why they've purchased from you in the past? (If they've bought once, they'll buy again for the same reason!)

Do you know what other products and services they have purchased from your competitors and why? (So you can be the one they buy from next...)

Knowing the answers to those three questions could literally transform your whole business plan (and wallet) overnight!

The sad fact is most business owners just *guess* what their customers want. Sure, they might make an educated guess based on past experience, but it's still just that -- a guess.

By conducting a survey you don't guess what people want - you *know* what people want!

When conducting a survey (online or offline) it's critical to remember these three points:

1. Keep your survey short and sweet.

People don't want to spend more than a couple of minutes answering your questions.

I personally try never to ask more than 6 questions and they are always "yes/no", multiple-choice questions that don't take much time.

Short questions also allow you to get instant "gut-level" reactions from people, which is helpful in figuring out what people will buy. People purchase on emotion, so a fast response will show you their true feelings on a subject since they don't have time to think about it.

2. Give people a "bribe" for taking the survey.

You will increase response rates by 1,500% (15 times) or more by offering people a reward in exchange for 2 minutes of their time to take your survey. With so many time constraints, giving people a "perk" for giving you some of their valuable time will make the difference between getting a dozen responses and getting several hundred.

3. Use simple, easy-to-understand questions.

When first surveying any group, you simply want to know what they like/dislike, will/won't buy in the future, have/haven't bought in the past.

As you get to know a group better, you can ask more detailed questions, but also make sure you offer better bribes if you expect people to take even more time answering your questions.

When choosing an online survey tool to help you administer your survey, make sure it meets the following criteria:

It should require no programming on your part. You want to just plug in your questions and have it generate all the code, etc. so you can copy and paste it into a web page and send it out.

It should automatically calculate all survey results for you in 'real-time' so you don't have to manually calculate responses. Do not get stuck doing "number crunching" because your survey tool doesn't automatically calculate results.

It should send a "thank you" letter to people taking your survey so you can send them a "gift" for participating.

Thanking people for participating goes a long way toward leaving them with a favorable impression of you, as well as setting the stage for both your next survey and your next sale.

For a free report on how to quickly and easily conduct your own simple surveys to increase business profits, go to http://www.ebookfire.com/survey.html. Though the report is aimed at a specific online audience (ebook publishers), the principles will help any business succeed using surveys.

Jim Edwards is a syndicated newspaper columnist and the co-author of an amazing new ebook that will teach you how to use fr^e articles to quickly drive thousands of targeted visitors to your website or affiliate links...

Simple "Traffic Machine" brings Thousands of NEW visitors to your website for weeks, even months... without spending a dime on advertising! ==> http://www.turnwordsintotraffic.com
 

How To Get Paid For Taking Online Surveys

Would you like to get paid for surveys? Could you use an extra
$300 to $1,000 a month? Did you know you can make good money
filling out online surveys sitting at home in your pajamas?

Did you know companies in the United States spend over $250
Billion Dollars a year trying to convice consumers to buy their
products? That money is spent on advertising as well as
research. If you would like to get paid for taking online
surveys and participating in focus groups or doing phone surveys
then you can make money at home.

Getting paid for surveys is not anything new. For years
companies asked people quesions in malls, on street corners or
by telephone solicitaion. This for the most part did not work
well. I don't know about you, but I walked down the other side
of the mall to avoid getting asked questions by a surveyor. I
never took the time to talk to them on the phone either. I can
remember filling out surveys and mailing them in for rebates or
some small amount of cash.

The internet has changed all of that. Now you can go online and
find surveys you are willing to participate at your leisure. The
nice thing about getting paid to complete surveys is you can do
them around your own schedule. Morning, noon or night there are
companies willing to pay you for your opinion.

Realistically you can expect to average $10-$15 per survey. You
won't get rich, but this can help you make some extra money and
can go up depending on the amount of time you ant to put into
it. If you are interested in making money at home doing surveys
then click the banner below.

There are a tremendous amount of online survey companies to
choose from and unfortunately many of them are only interested
in taking your money not helping you make money. For that reason
we are not going to give you a long list of survey companies,
but rather give you one that has a solid reputation for helping
people get started. Here's who I would suggest you start with
getting paid to take surveys online:

http://www.team-schuman.com/survey-scout.html

Whatever your reasons for needing more money getting paid for
surveys is a legitimate way to do it and thousands of people
around the world already are. Why not you?


Jeff Schuman is the owner of Team-Schuman.Com a make money company.
Team-Schuman.com contains the best of everything you need to
make money online. Their survey website has the Top Ways to get
paid taking surveys online. Get more free information here:
http://www.team-schuman.com/surveys.html

Designing Effective Surveys

Turtle" Parzek

Eileen Parzek for SOHO It Goes!, March 2003

As the web becomes more and more a part of both our personal and business lives, business people and marketing professionals have turned towards web surveys to do research, plan projects, get feedback and develop new products and services. The emergence of excellent web survey applications, complete with wizards to make creation fast and simple, templates to ensure attractive designs, and full suites of reports and statistical analysis, make this method of interacting with your customers very attractive and extremely cost effective. However, as with all computer applications, the old adage "garbage in, garbage out" applies to surveys as well - if you do not know how to design an effective survey, the results will leave much to be desired.

Introductions, first

Whether on the first page of the survey, or in the cover letter inviting people to respond, it is important that you introduce the theme and purpose of the survey. This establishes in advance what types of questions you will be asking and puts the audience in the right frame of mind for answering the survey. Additionally, it helps to tell them why they were chosen, to establish understanding and trust, and assure that their input will be confidential, and personal information will not be shared.

Organize Yourself

It is important that the questions you ask fit within the theme and purpose set down in the introduction. Create an outline, when you are first planning your survey, and then subgroup the questions into logical categories.

First think about what information you want to know, and develop your questions from that. Experiment with different groupings, until each question flows from the previous, in logical order.

Give careful thought to how much you need each question - the fewer the better, because people generally do not have the time or inclination to answer long questionnaires.

Respect your Respondents

Be careful not to use jargon and buzzwords, but also avoid being too simplistic by knowing your survey audience and finding the appropriate balance. Remember that the respondent is taking time out of busy day to help you. Tell them in the introduction approximately how long it might take to complete, and let them know, as they go, how far along they are.

Carefully Craft Questions

When surveys are delivered by phone, trained surveyors usually conduct them and the respondent can get clarification without being led towards a particular answer. With self-administered surveys on the web, every question must be completely clear and understandable. Keep each question as short as possible, without losing meaning, and avoid jargon unless you are sure your audience understands it.

Be careful to ask only one thing at a time. If you have to ask additional questions on the same topic, do it as separate questions to avoid getting muddled responses. Be aware of inserting your own biases and intentions into the question, and try to keep questions neutral so that a "right answer" is not evident. The idea is to get truthful answers which go straight to the heart of the subject, and the simplest variations in a question can make this happen, or not.

Know Your Type

We are all familiar with the most common types of survey question formats - text, check boxes, yes/no, range responses - but there is a real science to knowing which type to use with which question to get the best results. For example:

* When using multiple choice answers to jog the respondent's memory, will it create bias towards the available choices? Is that okay?

* It might seem easiest to use a Yes/No or True/False question, but be sure that these two answers are the only ones that a respondent might possibly want to use or they will be forced to choose, diluting the truth of their answer.

*When using ranges, for example "strongly agree" to "strongly disagree," how many choices are necessary? Five is typical - but is it possible that many users will be "lazy" and chose the middle, and neutral, position?

*Before giving using text fields, known also as "free form" fields, consider how you will summarize these responses.

As you develop the survey, think about the different types and picture the results that will come from using each type. With your audience in mind, determine which type would provide the most effective results for what you need to find out. You can further refine these decisions when you test the survey, as explained later.

Protect Against Non-Response

It is unavoidable that a percentage of those surveyed are non-responders. The best way to minimize this element in the survey results is to keep the survey short and to the point, follow a clear outline with stated goals, and accurately target who the survey recipients need to be.

Believe it or not, research states that a 10-15% response rate on any survey is considered a success.

Dangle a Carrot

Even with every precaution taken, creating surveys is never an exact science because there is little control over the human element. For whatever reason, you will often scratch your head wondering why people looked at the survey and dropped out, or just never even looked. A carefully executed survey can minimize this - and incentives can take it a step further. Do you have something you can give away, to encourage folks to take your survey? Providing a free item or bit of information, providing a free copy of the results, or some other lure can go a long way towards gathering results.

Fly a Pilot

When you, yourself, develop a survey, it is easy to overlook the elements that might stop your respondents from completing the survey and wording that might not be clear. Always be sure to test the survey on a few people prior to sending it out to your entire audience. This will also allow you to review the results and see if the questions asked and the way they were answered will result in effective results.

Cut it Off

Be sure to tell your respondents when the survey will be closed. Typically, most respondents will respond within 5 days of receipt and so unless you know for sure that a significant portion of your audience needs longer, a week is a fair amount of time. Do not send out the survey on Fridays or over weekends - we all know what we do with mail received on those days! Try Tuesday morning for optimal response, and expect to see approximately 50% of your responses in the first 24 hours.

It may seem like you need a dual degree in cognitive psychology and statistics to develop an effective survey. This not being true for most of us, these guidelines will provide a foundation to improve both the survey and the results of your efforts. There is no better way to find out what your customers want than to ask them, and if they are already online, web surveys are an ideal way to do it.

Eileen Parzek, better known on the web as "Turtle", is the owner of SOHO It Goes! supporting entrepreneurs and small business through design, communications and technology.

3 Serious Concerns About Hygiene in Public Restrooms Revealed in Survey

In a study by Kimberly-Clark Professional, 39% of survey
respondents feared picking up germs in a public restroom more
than any other place. Is there good reason for the fear or are
people overly concerned? Can you reduce the risks?

WHAT'S IN THERE - CAN IT HURT YOU?

Without getting too specific, there are many germs that can
thrive in restrooms. Bacteria live off of moisture and organic
food (or waste)- which can be plentiful in public restrooms.

Fears of contacting STD's (sexually transmitted diseases) from a
public washroom have more to do with the fear of the disease than
the likelihood of picking it up in a washroom. Many of these
bacteria and viruses do not live long enough outside the body to
be easily transmitted. However, some experts admit there is a
theoretical risk of herpes or crabs being contracted under
certain - but unlikely - conditions. Some public facilities
provide flushable toilet seat covers, antibacterial cleansers or
you can line the seat with toilet paper.

Of greater concern are salmonella and shigella bacteria which can
be transferred by contact with feces. The infected person can
transmit the bacteria on their hands which can then be
transferred to flushing handles, door handles and faucets.

RESTROOM HYGIENE - BATTLING BACTERIA

Foul odors, lack of supplies and puddles on the floors can all be
signs of improper maintenance.

Odor that comes from public washrooms can be caused by urine in
tile grouting. If the floors aren't properly cleaned daily (or
more) then the uric acid salts will not be removed with regular
cleansers. These salts provide a food source for bacteria whose
digestive processes give off the foul odor.

Products like MicroGuard (tm) from AllDura and even stainless
steel can reduce the maintenance required to keep bacteria growth
to a minimum.

A lack of supplies (toilet paper, hand drying towels or soap) can
also increase the unhygienic conditions of a restroom. Overly
crowded restrooms can suffer from a lack of supplies or a lack of
available sinks, soap dispensers or dryers.

PERSONAL HYGIENE - THE MAGIC WEAPON

It is the simple truth that hand washing will drastically cut the
chance for germ transference. A study done by Scott Papers found
that more than nine out of ten respondents claimed to wash their
hands when using public restrooms. However, only 67% were
actually observed doing so.

As manufacturers of paper products, including towels, the company
also states that drying hands thoroughly is imperative in
practicing proper hygiene. The moisture left on hands can still
carry bacteria. Because of this, air drying machines may not be
enough protection since many individuals do not use them long
enough to thoroughly dry their hands.

The knowledge that proper washing and drying can protect you from
even unsavory public restrooms is comforting. The fact that
public washrooms still need to provide the basics for good
hygiene, as well as good maintenance is something that needs
work. Carrying an antibacterial gel for emergency use is
recommended when visiting a public area.

The information contained in this article is for educational purposes
only and is not intended to medically diagnose, treat or cure any
disease. Consult a health care practitioner before beginning any
health care program.

Emily Clark is editor at Lifestyle Health News and Medical Health News where you can find the most up-to-date advice and information on topical health matters.
 

The Survey Feedback Process for Organizational Development and Change

THE PURPOSE OF SURVEY FEEDBACK:

In globally competitive environments, organizations are seeking information about obstacles to productivity and satisfaction in the workplace. Survey feedback is a tool that can provide this type of honest feedback to help leaders guide and direct their teams. Obstacles and gaps between the current status quo and the desired situations may or may not be directly apparent. In either case, it is vital to have a clear understanding of strategies for diagnosis and prevention of important organization problems. If all leaders and members alike are clear about the organizational development and change, strengths, weakness, strategies can be designed and implemented to support positive change. Survey feedback provides a participative approach and enables all members to become actively engaged in managing the work environment.

SURVEY PROCESS STEPS:

Step 1: Identify project plan and objectives
Step 2: Brief team leaders and employees about the process
Step 3: Administer survey
Step 4: Conduct interviews and focus groups
Step 5: Train leaders on facilitating team discussions
Step 6: Analyze the data and construct a report
Step 7: Provide feedback to leaders
Step 8: Team leaders conduct feedback action planning and meetings
Step 9: Leaders present reports on progress and results to Senior Management
Step 10: Follow-up by senior leadership to ensure progress and accountability

RESPONSIBILITY OF THE TEAM LEADER:

Once the data has been collected and observations have been clarified, it becomes the leaders responsibility to familiarize the team with the findings. Next the leader involves the team in outlining appropriate solutions and strategies that members can buy into and support over the long-haul. When leaders can facilitate collaborative teaming and become an organizational development and change agent, people in the team will contribute creative ideas to enhance their work environment.

It is important for leaders to not underestimate the time and facilitation skills needed to pass on the information and foster an action-oriented environment. The initial meetings and communication sessions are just the start of a development process, not a single event. If the survey feedback is to be effective, it must be implemented into a comprehensive strategy that includes goals, responsibilities, time frames, revisions, and reviews.

Prior to the action meetings, leaders need to gain a full understanding of the survey data and begin to structure a plan for the first meeting. Once the meeting begins, the leader should guide the groups evaluation of the results and development of solutions. Following the initial meeting, a summary should be documented and action plans circulated. Follow-up meetings are necessary to coordinate and evaluate changes and progress. Action plans are the means of fully utilizing the survey feedback, without it we simply have a snap shot of where the organization is, with no plan for positive change.

If the team feedback meeting is poorly handled, there will be low front-end commitment on the part of the team. Of course group dynamics will be unique in every situation, and the leader will need to consider this as the survey data is disseminated. Tailoring sessions to meet the group characteristics will provide for a more effective discussion. In any case, consider a few of these ideas:

Be optimistic and excited about the information and how it can be used to better the organization.
Verbally express positive points.
Ask for participation by all members and reinforce their openness and contributions.
Invite them to explore with you the areas that need improvement.
Be supportive and clear about action and follow-up plans.
Establish a clear commitment to utilize the survey feedback long-term and seek further feedback from the group.

Most importantly, help the group understand the purpose and mission of the survey feedback As a leader, feast on the opportunity of having clear data and truly listen and involve members in your organizational development and change endeavor.
QUESTIONS:
If you would like to speak with someone regarding organizational development and change please visit http://www.cmoe.com/organizational-development-and-change.htm.
Please do not hesitate to call us. We will be more than happy to share our experience with you in more detail. You can reach us at (801)569-3444.
 

Online Surveys: Scam or Pay Day?

 I recently read an article proclaiming all online survey databases to be scams.

I think many of these complaints betray the sad state of "get rich quickism" that pervades many people online.

The thinking goes "Bill Gates made billions with a computer, so I should just be able to turn mine on and get money to gush out."

I don't believe in luck, but "Good luck" if you believe that's really possible, nothing I say will make sense.

On the other hand, perhaps these facts will help you make REAL money through online surveys.

1) It's true, you'll never get rich doing online surveys. By rich I mean $100,000 or more per year. But really, only 1 ro 2% of the population reaches that income level doing ANYTHING. Some doctors don't even earn that much after expenses and malpractice insurance.

But many stay and home moms or dads don't NEED to earn that much.

Think of it this way mom... how much do you bring home from work?

How much do your have to pay to support your working habit? That is... extra child care costs, lunches out, gasoline, wardrobe expense, the extra cost of eating dinner out because you had to work late and couldn't cook.

And what's the emotional loss to your children or being raised by a stranger?

Unfortunately, many find that the actual profits from mom working outside the home (or working a second job if she's a single mom) are slim indeed.

So you don't NEED to earn a million bucks to replace that.

If you can earn $4 for a 10 minute survey, that's the equivalent of $24 per hour! From home, at your computer. (Or at work on a break...) Some earn much more per hour of course but let's be realistic.

If you really need to earn only $100 extra per week, that's 30 surveys or less. (I can already hear the next objection coming...)

2) But you can't get 30 surveys per week!

Oh really? How many survey firms did you register with? Did you know that one disabled woman who HAD to earn extra money in a low stress job earned (on average) $2,500 to $4,700 monthly? Just by surveys and focus groups?

It's true. She kept on registering with many, many survey firms until she reached the point where she was getting enough surveys every day to generate the income she needed.

That's where having the RIGHT database comes in ...if you join a database with 400+ survey firms listed, you'll more likely reach your goal.

3) But I can find them myself... why pay? I'm sure you can find them yourself. I looked for 6 months off and on to find a "get paid to drive" program. But the cost of my time even at minimum wage was more than the cost of the database. I did cheat though and get the list for free when I paid to join a survey database. If it will take you more than 7 hours to find 450 survey companies, I suggest you just pay $34.95 to join a real database.

The best ones give you "drive for free" and "mystery shopping" listings for free too!

4) By far the most complaints come from those who don't treat this (or anything) like a BUSINESS. If you work at this systematically and persistently. You can create a second income stream to improve your life and lifestyle.

Happy surveying.

For more information visit:

http://www.1sthowtoworkathome.com/Surveys

http://www.1sthowtoworkathome.com/CompareSurveys

Chuck Huckaby http://1stHowToWorkAtHome.com
It's your Demolish Debt and Escape the Rat Race Portal. There's so much information there, it's like getting a f r e e ebook on every page.

Maximize Your Online Survey Profits

One of the most common questions I get on this website is "Peter, how do I make the most money with these online survey opportunities?" There are a couple of extremely easy ways to add to your bottom line in the survey-taking world.

1) Apply to as many survey and market research sites as possible. When you join a Survey database, you will be given anywhere between 350 to 550 different survey companies. This may sound insane, but at some point, you will want to have had applied to ALL of them on the list. Don't try to knock them out all in one day, but go for 10-20 a day. The more survey companies you join, the more people who will want your opinion at some point and will come looking to pay you for it.

2) Decrease the amount of repetitive work that you have to do. When you're joining survey sites, they all ask basically the same information when first getting started. You don't need to put in the same info manually every time. Instead, use a tool like RoboForm. Using RoboForm you can fill in your information once, and when prompted on subsequent sites, fill in ALL your personal information with the press of a single button. This is a HUGE time saver. Saving time means having more time to fill out surveys for cash.

3) Many survey sites will offer you opportunities to complete sections that reflect your own personal information. There may be a section on your finances, what kind of car you drive, your travel habits, etc. Whenever you see these, FILL THEM OUT. This will give you access to surveys that the other 99% of the people who don't fill them out won't ever get to see.

4) Cash is good, but points aren't bad either. Many survey sites pay you in "points" and when you accumulate enough of them you get to use them to purchase items. Don't avoid the sites that pay in points. I don't know about you, but a $250 Wal-Mart gift certificate is as good as cash to me because it will definitely get used.

5) Don't avoid the drawings either. A lot of times, particularly on short surveys, market research companies will offer an entry into a cash drawing for your participation. There's no reason not to take the time to fill out a 3 minute survey for a chance to win $1,000 in addition to many other smaller cash prizes. Your chances of winning something are actually not bad because a LOT of people do not complete these surveys at all! They just wait until the cash surveys fill their box.

So basically the name of the game is to maximize your exposure. Join as many companies as possible, give them as much information about you as possible, and take as many surveys as possible. Those are some of the ways you can maximize your online survey profits! But you're not going to get anywhere if you haven't taken the first step. Click the link below to go back to the survey list page and get started!

Peter Dimas is the webmaster of http://www.surveysthatpaybest.com

 

Let Your Survey Write Your Business Plan

By Catherine Franz

Most entrepreneurs first write their business plan and then
develop their services or products. This causes them to
generate and fulfill a marketing plan that requires them to
swim upstream using the backstroke. To save the stress,
consider placing the business plan on hold until first
completing a few customer surveys. Okay, some of you are
saying, "Catherine, how can you do a survey before you know
who your market is?" Yes, this is one challenging double
edge sword, that is, if you're mindset is set there.

Over the years, I've found that everyone I've worked with
generally knew what he or she wanted to sell. I don't
believe you are any different. This is the perfect place to
start. You have a clean slate to write on. You might be at
a place of seeing it in nonspecific terms with measurable
doubts as well. That is okay, doubts will always be there,
thus, allow them to be your friend instead of a foe. Its
easy to start with a gender preference -- choosing either
women or men as having a higher purchasing balance for what
you are selling. If you don't have a majority gender in
mind, choose the one you feel most comfortable talking with
or asking questions to.

Lets dive in a little deeper, its time to start thinking
about your surveys and what to ask. Okay, don't fade out on
me now. Generally, when people think of surveys, they
visualize or experience the sensations of long drawn out
processes that cost more money then they can afford or time
that they don't have the patience for. Boy, do I remember
those days of thinking.

Lets play together on this concept of taking surveys before
writing your business plan. At least, allow the old
perceptions to sit outside your door until you've finished
reading this article and learning of a new possible
alternative perspective. The perspective that surveys come
first and don't need to be time-consuming, money-hungry,
must be done by professionals, mongrels.

Take the area you want to focus on, combine with your gender
preference, and begin there. For instance, if your area is
life coaching and you feel more comfortable with working
with women you have a starting point. This doesn't mean you
will never coach men, set those thoughts aside; they will
block your progress and keep you stuck.

From knowing just this basic information, you can now create
a few simple surveys in no time at all that don't require
any money. Even if you know more specifics about your
buyers, you might want to back it up to this point if you
are stuck in generating questions. To generate this survey
plan you don't need to know whether your focus is for a
product or service, or even if its for electronic,
telephone, or in-person delivery, at this time.

The first question you want to generate and ask is what your
gender wants to buy next. If asked in narrow terms, they
will answer. If asked too broadly, they will respond with
"don't know." If the latter, rewrite the question more
specifically, then ask again. Whenever I start, I sometimes
have to revamp my questions five or six times. Just an FYI,
to help you understand that even the experts refine as they
go. Surveying is an evolutionary process.

A second survey question is for people who have purchased
from you in the past. What are looking for next? What do
they want to accomplish in the next few months or whatever
future terms they desire to talk about?

If you don't have any customer history, then substitute.
Open the scope to what is the gender buying? What is the
cross between what you offer and what they want? What do
they want to do next (short-term) that falls within your
scope?

Continuing with the life coach illustration, what type of
women, what age areas, what type of self-development or
improvement topics are they purchasing now? What is the
regular step past this? What "new" hot topics in the
marketplace that meshes with your area? If you attend a
workshop, conference or seminar, examine the topic, and take
notes on the type of women attending. Record or ask their
age group. Ask a few to complete a survey while they are
there.

Ask one way, then another, and create a list of no more than
six multiple choice, yes or no, questions to ask. Then
continue to ask with whomever you meet, wherever you go.
Talk with the workshop leader or conference marketing people
and find out who they were targeting and why. If the event
is a match for you, collect copies of all their marketing
materials for language learning.

Ask friends, family members, or colleagues. Even if they
don't think these groups fit within your current focus.
Just remember not to stay off focus when doing so. If you
attend a coaching school, ask other coaches that do what you
want to do. What are their clients into, what are they
selling them or what ideas have their clients told them that
they are looking for?

Your survey method you use is up to you. To ease into it,
you will want to ask in the form most comfortable for you at
the time. However, caution, most everyone chooses written
form first in order to avoid any negative responses. In a
B2B survey, negative responses never occur. Everyone knows
why a survey is important. In B2C (business to consumers)
be careful not to cross the line of interrogation or too
personal. Ask politely, with respect, and share why you
want to know.

The number one rule of getting survey responses -- is
KISSing the questions -- "keep them short, simple and as
specific as you can at the time." Special note: Don't use
the contraction and in your sentences. The contraction
"and" creates a multiple question, stacks questions, which
confuses readers and listeners on what you really asking.

As you go through the experience of completing your surveys,
new clarity will flower. The gender equation gets more
specific, the age group narrows, and the rest unfold. One
industry category might begin to show you where there is
greater revenue generation. Allow the data to drive you
towards the right direction. Don't try to control or drive
it yourself. That struggle will cost you dearly.

If you're survey request is in the form of writing, you can
offer something in return for an exchange of their time.
Usually saved for longer surveys, you can create a reward
for short surveys too. Its its too early in your survey
process to know what prospects want, offer something
generic. Match the gift with the amount of time it takes
them to complete the survey. If this is the case, offer
something generic. Offer a $5 gift certificate from
Amazon.com. If local, ask you're favorite restaurant if you
can offer a discount coupon that they will honor. There is
some fr*ee portion to the amount donated on the restaurants
part because it increases their clientele list.

Its time to survey. Allow patience, time, and you will
want to schedule this as a regular routine in your business.
Next, plan your services and products to meet those needs
and then generate your business plan around them.
Catherine Franz, a Business Coach, specializes in writing,
marketing and product development. Newsletters and
additional articles: http://www.abundancecenter.com
blog: http://abundance.blogs.com
 

Why Great Companies Survey: Martian Logic!

 If an alien civilization from Mars was planning a friendly takeover of our planet they would seek to make sure they understood our way of life and our way of thought.

The only way they could accomplish their objective would be by asking questions which they could genuinely understand and then plan a strategy accordingly. Although this idea may seem outlandish, in my humble opinion, it is also what separates the great companies on our planet from the Wannabe's.

The greatest RISK in marketing lies in dealing with OPINION instead of fact. Stated another way, risk and the threat of loss is rooted in the idea that you think you already know the answer.

In my 25+ years in sales and marketing I have learned one very powerful truth that distinguishes the superstars from the amateurs. The great salespeople and marketers understand the power that lays within questions. The amateurs think they know all of the answers. Show me a great salesperson and I will show you an individual who knows and understand the power of questions. Show me a poor salesperson and I will show you an individual who has yet to understand that fact. Show me a great company and I will hypothesize that they have an incredible dialogue established with their customers.

How about you? Do you feel you know the answers to your customers most pressing problems, or are you genuinely in communication with them and listening to what they say?

I have seen salespeople blossom into superstars when they learned to ask questions. Likewise, I have seen companies turn from run of the mill endeavors to powerful marketing machines when they too learned to harvest the information from the questions which they ask. Questions are the only tools that permit us to genuinely understand problems our customers have. Questions are also the vehicles we use to establish our focus to resolve those problems. Stated another way, questions are a goldmine of valuable market information. The answers to the questions within surveys provide a roadmap for fulfilling our customers most pressing needs and desires.

We have a huge investment in what we have come to know. However, what we have come to know often has nothing to do with what we need to know to be successful. This is one of the key reasons why surveying of our customers is so important. A good survey will eliminate opinion and establish some factual evidence. Also, we are often so indoctrinated with what we think we know that we cannot see what "is" occurring. This is the main reason we survey.

There have been thousands and thousands of books written on the importance of surveying. I will attempt to summarize the best ones here with a one simple acronym which I created.

S Successfully

U Understanding

R Relevant

V Values

E Enhances

Y Yield

A survey gives us the opportunity to understand and take that understanding and apply it to creating a higher return on our investment. When we successfully understand our customers relevant values we can then create the solutions that will permit us to enhance our yield. A good survey allows us to be in communication with our marketplace.

The great companies have learned that customers will not tell you how you are doing unless you ask them. Asking your customers about what they like and want offers the best information to learn from mistakes and cultivate unique opportunities.

Great companies survey. Wannabes think they already know. Want to succeed in a big way, all you have to do is ASK... then shut up long enough to recognize that the answer that is coming at you has "GOLDMINE" written all over it!

Be careful what you agree with!

Harald Anderson is the co-founder of Artinspires.com a leading online gallery of Motivational Posters and Inspirational Posters. "When Art Inspires, Dreams Become Realities. His goal in life is to become the kind of person that his dog already thinks he is. http://www.artinspires.com

Why I'll Never Make Millions Of Dollars On The Internet...Adam Buhler Don't get me wrong, I make a decent living online. I have a passion for what I do, and my hard work has paid respectable dividends, both to me, and to my visitors.

The sad part is that what got me interested in making a living online just so happened to be the same empty promises, and the same "Get Rich Quick" hype countless crooked businesses and individuals use each and every day to lure in average, everyday people, looking for a legitimate way to earn a respectable living from the Internet.

These shady people make millions. I got lucky. Instead of "selling the farm" and dumping a boatload of money into the first deception I saw, I did a little homework. While a part of me wanted to reach for my wallet and become the next Internet success story, my common sense saved the day and urged me to explore my options first.

What happens to those who fall victim to these scams? The exact opposite of what they had hoped to accomplish. Instead of building a steady source of income, they use the funds that could have been directed at starting a legitimate business, and invest them into the false promises of Instant Internet Millions.

A lie, combined with something people want so badly, becomes a cruel and frighteningly powerful weapon.

I never was a good liar. Which brings me back to the reason I'm writing this article.

It doesn't matter that I publish a newsletter with information I've used to grow my business online, as well as listing legitimate resources that can be used to take some of the guesswork out of earning a living on the Internet.

I personally follow-up on every program submitted to my affiliate programs directory, by visiting the site personally, I can ensure that it holds value to my visitors. There is nothing more detrimental to your success online than recommending low value products and services.

I own a good percentage of the products I recommend myself. This helps me give a better description of a product's benefits, drastically reducing the number of lost affiliate commissions due to product returns from customers who had the impression they were buying a product beneficial to their business.

Bringing traffic to your web site is one of the largest challenges any Internet business will face. I experiment with what I know to work as well as what does not. Membership sites are a great way to reduce the amount of time spent on finding effective methods to grow your business. I belong to quite a few, yet I recommend only the three I feel offer a service that justifies the monthly fee.

By gaining membership to the good and the bad, I can avoid recommending a service that will jeopardize my credibility and eliminate future sales.

It's easy to offer your visitors a quality service and collect a check, but I place as much emphasis on pointing out programs that don't deliver the results they promise as well. It's important to keep your visitor's best interests in mind.

My web site has a list of the ten programs that have made me the most money on the Internet. This way, my visitors have an idea of what programs are capable of producing the best results. And if compatible with their business, maybe this will save them the time I spent searching for high-quality programs to promote.

I can't promise anyone success. What I can do is show them how I found mine.

For all of these reasons, I'll continue to make a good living on the Internet. These are also the painfully obvious reasons why I'll never make millions of dollars in the process.

My inability to exaggerate the benefits of my products, or sell my visitors a dream I couldn't possibly deliver, will ultimately keep my feet planted firmly on the ground. Right where I want them.

Adam Buhler is the owner of Affiliate Programs Directory: http://www.smokesoft.net. Adam is the author of the weekly newsletter "Affiliate Secrets". He is offering a free trial copy of what many are calling the "BIBLE" of selling on the net, "Make Your Site SELL!" for a limited time to new subscribers. Subscription details can be found at: http://www.smokesoft.net/newsletter.html.
adam@smokesoft.net