Clackamas News Articles

A few years ago the web looked very different. There was little in the way of dynamic content, except a bit of Flash aniamtion, that most people steered clear of due to the drain on bandwidth. Back then, quality of design was a side issue.

In the early days, web design was so profitable for the few that mastered it, many more web designers sprung up and pretty soon, it was easy to enter the business if you knew where to download design templates and how to carry out minor modifications. There was little in the way of quality control.

You’re looking for a web designer because you want a professional look for your business to increase customers - therefore you need to avoid those designers who are still learning their craft. You have to make sure your designer can deliver the key aspects that are essential - a useful, appealing website that loads quickly. Visitors are very fickly - if your website doesn’t tick all the right boxes, they’ll leave your site in a matter of nanoseconds and be off to one of your competitors.

The same thing goes with usability - if they find it hard to find the things they are looking for, they will leave sooner than you think. Therefore, a professional web designer that understands your needs is almost imperative. Remember too that the cheapest quote can prove to be false economy.

There are some specific things you should look for when choosing for the perfect web designer for your business, and they are detailed below:

• Is your designer open minded? Your designer should listen to your opinions and requirements - after all you know your business better than anyone. He should be able to take what you know about your business and customers and fuse it with what he knows about web design. See if he listens well and and asks you the right questions, rather than blindly trying to impose a solution on you. The desired result is a fusion of ideas to produce a remarkable website, rather than a “cookie cutter” solution.
• Good and quick - It doesn’t matter how long the deadline is, you always want to make sure progress is being made towards completion. Ask him to complete the work in stages - and specify how long each stage will take him. Review each stage as you go, to make sure he is completing everything as you want it.
• Promoting Usability ? As mentioned before, you need a website that is useful, rather than glittery or flashy. You have to see if your web designer understands that need - if he can build a useful website that still looks good.

• Finding the perfect web designer is a difficult task but should not be totally impossible, if you follow the above. Review his portfolio to see if his past works are usable and well designed, ask questions and you shouldn’t go too far wrong. If anything arises that makes you feel uncomfortable, then walk away and find another one.

{The southern most region of Italy that streches right out into the Mediterranean Sea is the beautiful Calabria region}~Calabria is the southern most tip of Italy the region that stretches right down to the toe of the boot and right out into the Mediterranean Sea, property in Calabria is now growing in popularity.

Now Calabria is now a renown as an investment property hotspot for a number of reasons including the beautiful picturesque environments and currently low price real estate.

Here are a couple of the newest Calabri property investments  just launched

1.) Aeolian Point

Aeolian Point and its immediate environment have been described as - Amazing, Exclusive and Untouchable!

This superb development is made up from of just 6 apartments which seamlessly combine luxury with amazing natural beauty which equates a desirable and luxury living experience.

As an investment this development can capitalise on its outstanding position offering exceptional opportunities to receive high rental yields and capital growth.

Location - Tropea, Calabria

One of the most picturesque and ancient towns, Calabria has been voted the top holiday destination in Europe in 2008, offering both lifestyle & historical attractions.

Nearby are the thriving resorts of Scalea and Zambrone as well as the Aeolian Islands offering days of discovery mixed with the tranquil relaxation of the Mediterranean sea and coastline.

Aeolian Point Highlights

Secure and private development

Stunning sea view apartments

Clear views of Tropea and the Aeolian islands

Superior building specifications

Swimming Pool

Low density design

Air condition as standard

2.) Eden Villas & Apartments

An exclusive and luxurious development, overlooking one of the most dramatic and picturesque stretches of coast in Zambrone.

the development combines spaciousness and tranquillity with delightful Mediterranean touches.

The apartments and villas all benefit from luxurious designs with wrap around terraces and solariums as well as the practicalities of thermopane, double glazing and air con.

Location – Zambrone, Calabria

Zambrone is a stunning area of Calabria which still benefits from its 16th century features. Situated on one of the most breathtaking stretches of coast named the ‘Coast of the Gods’,

Eden Villas gazes over the crystal clear sea and sand as well as being close to the marina and beachfront where the centre of most activities offering seafood, rental boats and more.

Key Highlights

Stunning views overlooking Zambrone

Tailored for the international clientele

Gated and private community

Communal swimming pool

Private solarium and garden on each villa

Air conditioning including

The above two developments are prime examples of the luxury as standard properties available in Calabria which offer not only a superb holiday home but also excellent Calabria property investment opportunities.

With the global recession showing no apparent signs of slowing down soon travel agents are being forced to make their advertising work harder. Traditional high street travel agents are struggling as peoples holiday budgets dwindle and as increasingly Google et al increasingly is where holiday makers are researching and buying their holidays and flights. Because of this many travel agents increasingly are turning to their website and online marketing as an important way of generating new business.

Pay per click is fantastic for holiday and accommodation providers as the search engines are by far and away where most holiday/hotel bookings originate from.

Also as often the keywords are very niche.g. ‘holiday villa rental in nerja’ the conversion (lead/enquiry) rate can be very high and therefore cost per conversion low. Typical overseas holiday providers can expect usually expect to see a conversion rate of 3%-10% and cost per conversions of £4-£12. Pay per click enables advertisers to target specific locations and types of holidays based on their changing requirements. For example i October advertisers could spend 50% of budget on targeting, for example, Costa Brava villa holidays and 50% on Javea villa holidays and in June 30% Southern Spain 30% diving 40% Northern Spain. Similarly pay per click advertisers could promote last minute deals if they hadsurplus inventory or packages they may be looking to sell quickly. Also a pay per click campaign can be turned on or off, up or down to reflect seasonality.

Other key pay per click benefits to the holiday/travel industry include:

- Can target specific countries or regions

- Huge exposure on the most used search engines

- Clever reporting tools such as Google analytics and conversion tracking

- Helps capture potential customer data for other marketing methods i.e. mailshots

The most important Google pay per click advertising consideration to work on is the most influential variable affecting conversion (enquiry/sale) i.e. the website. Experience shows that online bookings are much less likely than sales via web based enquiries generated by a simple enquiry form and/or a holiday quote form or even a phone call or email. Therefore the site needs to be geared to make it very easy and likely for those enquiries to happen. Also if a strong call to action can be made applicable e.g. “fill in your details for free Spain holiday guide” (this can be an automated PDF or similar to keep costs down) it is a great way of capturing more potential buyers.

Can anybody tell me why I should take care of study Italian? That is a very a good question and a good reply will be to say “why not?” After all, it is a lovely language that is used not only in Italy but in different parts of Europe as well.

1. But the best reason will probably be for you to be able to {interact-make conversation easily} with the locals if ever they don’t understand English. This will make it easy for you to ask your way if you get lost, buy tickets, find the bus stop or read important notices that are posted.

2. The next reason believe it or not is all about politeness. You are a foreigner in their country and instead of them adjusting you should be the one to make the adjustments because they will surely do the same when they visit the US.

Living like an Italian is senseless without the knowledge of the Italian art and literature. Prominent writers like Dante Alighieri, Petrarch and Boccaccio are all Italian. Meanwhile, Italian artists include Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, and Michelangelo.

Some of the basic phrases you need to know include how to say good day, good afternoon or evening, goodbye, please, thank you, do you speak English, I don’t speak Italian, where is the bathroom and how much is this.

If you know that, the locals will be more than able to assist you despite you have limited knowledge to get more conversation with them.

But if you would like to strike a conversation with them, you have to learn other words and phrases. You can start out by buying a dictionary, listening to audio tapes and enrolling in a class. If you have a friend that can speak Italian, the better so he or she can correct any mistakes that you have made.

You can also check online for other learning resources. Be aware that while some ask you to pay a certain fee, others are willing to teach you for free.

3. Another good reason why you should learn Italian is to improve your language skill. If you apply for a job and it requires someone who speaks Italian fluently, your name will be in the final list of candidates for that position.

4. For those who want to pursue higher education, it is also be a credit point for you since some schools require you to speak at least a foreign language.

5. Learning Italian will let you appreciate more plays, books and other works that were written by Italian writers. Yes you may have read the English translation but it is nothing compared to reading or hearing it in the original version.

6. If ever you plan to work or decide to settle in Italy or somewhere in Europe, it will be easy for you to blend in with the people.

7. Learning Italian or any other language makes you understand their culture and who you are. This language skill will give you a better view of the world which helps shape your identity and makes you appreciate what you have.

8. Lastly, aside from the things, history and heritage that Italians should be proud of, Italians also provides much importance to their families. A strong and united family is very important for Italians. Families represent the moral strength of society. That is why family meals are longer than average meals in other culture. At home, water and wine are served with lunch and dinner. Children from age of 12 may begin to drink a small amount of wine with meals.

So why learn Italian? So you will be able to speak another language apart from English and have a greater understanding of other people and yourself Something you will find it help you more when applying for work, going back to school or simply while you are on vacation.

Please visit: http://1st-LearningItalian.com where you can get your FREE Report on “Beginner’s Guide to Learning Italian”, videos, resources, and discover more on Italian Verbs. Good Luck!

Normal 0

Despite the economic slowdown that was sweeping the globe, experts say that online retailing will survive this financial crisis .Based on the third instalment of “The State of Retailing Online 2008: Profitability, Economy & Multichannel Report” done by Forrester Research, 35 percent of online retailers surveyed said they expect their online businesses to perform better than expected in the next 12 months, while 33 percent expect their online businesses to perform as expected.

People are turning to the internet for shopping: this change within consumer behaviours from the recent economic setback causes this positive thinking.

PriceGrabber.com(R) studied the impact of a tough economy on holiday shopping in its latest Consumer Behaviour Report. Sixty one percent of consumers are going to make an effort in cutting back this holidays according to results. Ninety-seven percent of survey respondents expect to do some purchasing online this holiday season. Fifty five percent are going to buy their gifts online this year, increasing by ten percent from last year. Thirty-seven percent say that online shopping appeals to them because it is “easier to compare products and find the lowest price.” Twenty-four percent prefer the “convenience of shopping anytime and anywhere.”

Past results from Forrester Research shows that 81 percent of online retailers surveyed reported that their e-commerce businesses were profitable in 2007. Because of this, the internet marketing bug seems to be spreading to more businesses. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) survey, 70.3 percent of businesses today have a website.

Malcolm Pinkerton, Verdict’s senior retail analyst states “As the cost of broadband falls, consumers become more accustomed to internet shopping and retailers continue to enhance their online propositions. This channel will find itself extremely well placed to capitalize on falling consumer confidence and lower levels of disposable income currently affecting the retail market.”

This means more people are now able to utilize the internet as a means of shopping.Shopping online provides numerous advantages for shoppers, the foremost of which is convenience. Internet gives shoppers the ability to browse and compare product prices at any given time of the day, as online retail stores are open all the time, without leaving the comforts of their homes.It also gives the shoppers a chance to buy as much as they could without worrying how to transport them, as online retail stores provides delivery services. No more worrying over parking spaces, falling in line, or crowded shops.

In UK, a study reveals that one of the reasons of the increase of online shopping rate came from users in their 40s and 50s, having more trouble accessing built shopping centres because transport is usually not as readily available to them, are beginning to use the Internet for their own online shopping.

Despite the ongoing financial crisis, online retail stores’ sales continue to rise In fact, according to Ed Garrubbo, chairman of the Electronic Retailing Association, the  recession may actually contribute to e-commerce because cautious consumers are doing more research and comparison shopping via ecommerce websites before making a big purchase.

Have you ever had a dream you were flying high above the trees? Have you ever been in such an intense daydream that you thought you were rising out of your body, then up through the ceiling of your house, only to be suddenly jolted awake? You’ve reached a state called astral travel, where you can travel outside of your body to anywhere you want to go. It is your mind having fun while your body sleeps!

Astral travel and dreaming may get confusing for some individuals they are not the same. This of course, does not mean that every dream is an astral travel experience. Just after you fall asleep and you start to dream, this is when your mind begins sifting through those issues that are not resolved while you are awake. This nightly process of dreaming saves your sanity. Most often, many of these dreams go unremembered; unless you remember small fragments or pieces of your dreams once, you are awake.

Your experiences of astral projection are actually the dreams you can remember. It is a worthwhile investment to keep a dream journal to record your dreams. You can do this when you wake in the middle of the night as well as when you first wake up in the morning. Be sure to write down as much as you can remember of these dreams. Even if they do not make much sense to you, write them down anyway. Before long, they will make sense to you.

Just like those dream which you don’t remember so well, astral travel is beneficial to you. This is why it’s important to keep track of everything you can remember about these dreams. Since no two people have the same astral travel experiences, the benefits you’ll see will vary from person to person.

The primary benefits of writing down your astral projection experiences stem from an expansion of your spirituality. Through astral projection, you will become more aware of your surroundings and the inner workings of your soul. Once you truly know yourself, you will have an overall sense of well-being and peace. And because astral projection causes us to use parts of our brains that are seldom used, it will make you a sharper person enhancing memory and mental awareness.

Astral travel can also sharpen your psychic abilities and even make latent psychic abilities surface. Many who astral travel regularly say that it has increased their capacities for telepathy, precognition and sensing the presence of spirits.

Astral travel can do this for you because it makes use of previously untapped spiritual energies which you had not made an effort to develop.

There are just about as many skeptics and non-believers of astral projection and astral travel who report that they, themselves have developed an ability to see the aura of other people and the ability to read auras, when they never could do this before practicing astral projection.

Multitudes of individuals find a pure simplistic benefit by astral projection and astral travel, because it provides them with a newfound freedom they never considered before. It is possible to do anything or to go anywhere when you astral travel.

It is a wonder that astral projection isn’t practiced by more people. The truth is that most people are afraid or feel silly trying it out because they don’t feel they have the psychic sensitivity to do it. But everyone can use astral projection to their benefit, if only they give it a try.

It is likely that you’ve experienced some astral travel in your lifetime, as stated above, either through your remembered dreams or daydreams. You have flown out of your body before, whether you like it or not!

The best way to gain the benefits of astral projection is to simply allow these experiences to happen freely, and try to blend with these experiences and to gain some sort of control over them. Through this mental exercise, you will get stronger in mind and body.

There are many methods which you can learn using books and videos made by astral travel experts. It’s not hard at all to learn, despite what many may suppose. This is an ability you already possess – it’s up to you to develop it and make the most of it.

The time when you’re planning to go for your vacation, Rocky Point rental homes and condos will come into your mind. No matter you are in the hunt for condo, vacation rentals in Rocky Point in Mexico, or beach homes, you will come across many real estate selection choices.

Looking for the Vacation Rentals Service Providers:

The important thing you need to consider before going to Rocky Point Mexico is to learn about the vacation rentals affordable to you. Visit internet and you’ll come across valuable information for finding out property management services. Find out a fine rental company in Mexico that will give you luxurious accommodation at the best and convenient rate.

Online Booking Is Available for Getting Best Accommodation:

Rocky Point is such a vacation spot where you can have on rent almost everything starting from accommodation facilities to snorkels. It is advisable to make some arrangement and booking for your accommodation prior to your trip. Online booking facilities are also available now for Rocky Point rentals Mexico.

Internet is the medium by which you will discover easily rentals in Rocky Point that can suit your budget. Some offer regular discounts you can benefits from.

Where Will You Find the Comfy and Reasonable Accommodations?

If you are looking for affordable accommodation, you will surely come across many choice options. But one of the best matchless luxurious accommodations you’ll have reasonable priced is El Fin Del Mundo, which is not away from sandy beach of Las Conchas. What you could enjoy here is the beauty of the sunrise and sunset along with other beauty of nature.

It is situated on the pure seashores of the Sea of the Cortez where you’ll have the opportunity to see whales, sea lions, pelicans and the beautiful marine lives. The beautiful and clean weather with sunny days full of fun beach activities will make your trip and stating here more memorable.

Writing surveys is easy; or is it? The truth is that writing surveys is easy but writing surveys that will be effective is a little bit more difficult. The following twenty tips will help you write more effective surveys.

1. What is the survey’s purpose?

There are many reasons for conducting surveys and questionnaires. By phrasing the questions and structuring the answers surveys can be used in a multitude of ways and for a variety of reasons. When designing a survey do not lose sight of its purpose.

2. Title the survey

The title of the survey is an opportunity to instantly summarise a survey’s objective and encourage respondents to participate. Respondents need to invest time in completing the survey so encourage them that the investment they make will be worthwhile.

3. Keep the survey as short as possible

Every question that is asked should be asked for a reason. Minimize the questions providing you with ‘nice to know’ information and concentrate instead on the ‘need to know’ questions.

4. Use plain English, maintain consistency, avoid jargon and acronyms and don’t ask questions that may result in ambiguous answers

Care must be taken in wording a question. If a question is not clear then there is every chance that respondents may interpret the question differently to that intended by the publisher making any analysis of the data meaningless or at the very least misleading.

5. Avoid long questions

Where practical use concise sentences. Long questions can cause a respondent to lose concentration and can lead to a higher level of incidents where respondents abandon a survey.

6. Ask one question at a time

Avoid confusing the respondent with a question like ‘Do you like football and tennis?’

7. Don’t influence the answer

Do not load the question. ‘Should irresponsible shop keepers who sell alcohol to minors be prosecuted?’ is likely to have no value.

8. Ensure that the selected answer format allows the respondent to answer the question being asked

Allow the respondent to answer how they really feel or they may be inclined to abandon the survey. As a last resort consider the benefit of including a “Don’t know”, “Can’t say” or similar response option.

9. While you are compiling the survey consider, when the survey is complete, how the compiled data is going be analysed

If a question is asked that allows a free text open ended response appreciate that such information is likely to be difficult to score and/or summarised. Consider how answers can be grouped. For example “How long have you worked here?” - ‘less than 3 year’, ‘between 3 and 5 years’ and ‘more than 5′.

10. Try and ensure that the questionnaire flows

Group the questions into clear categories as this makes the task of completing the survey easier for the participants.

11. Target your respondents

You may want to target a specific group, in others a cross section. If you can’t control who responds to your survey consider including questions/answers that will allow you to filter out respondents who don’t fit your target profile.

12. Allow the respondent to expand on their answer or make comments

By allowing respondents to make additional comments you will increase their satisfaction level and the comments will also give valuable feedback on the specific questions and/or the survey as a whole. Remember though for a large sample collection it may be difficult to analyze free text open ended responses.

13. If you are conducting a confidential survey ensure that your pledge for confidentiality is upheld

If you have guaranteed the respondents that the survey is confidential ensure that the individual data is not to be shared with anyone and not used for any other purpose. Confidentiality must be maintained at all times and any identifying information destroyed once the survey has finished.

14. Weigh up the advantages and disadvantages of allowing respondents to be anonymous or identifiable

If your respondents are to be anonymous then appreciate that you will be unable to follow up or match “pre” or “post” surveys. There are advantages to allowing people to remain anonymous for example it would allow people to respond without possible peer pressure.

15. Give careful consideration to the best response format

Maintaining a consistency in the format used for responses is good practice. When creating your survey keep in mind that when analysing the data single selection radio buttons are easier to analyse than multiple selection check boxes. If a radio response format can be used do not use a check box format.

16. Give the respondent an estimate as to how much time the survey will take to complete

Respondent drop out can increase if the survey appears to be a stream of never ending questions. It is good practice to give an indication as to how long the survey is likely to take so the respondents can choose the best time to complete the survey.

17. Provide respondents with the survey end date

Encourage respondents to complete the survey as soon as possible but advise respondents as to the survey’s end date so that they have the opportunity to schedule the necessary time.

18. Test the survey

Before publishing a live survey publish a small pilot survey to check for questions that are ambiguous or confusing and to ensure that the survey is aesthetically pleasing.

19. Before publishing the survey proof read the survey carefully

Carefully check and then check again that the survey is grammatically correct and makes sense. If possible ask a colleague to check the survey before you publish, if you are unable to do this then take a break before checking again.

20. Thank the respondents

To complete surveys respondents need to invest their time and they should be thanked at the end of completing the survey or in a follow up letter. You may even want to consider an incentive such as a reward or entry into a prize draw.

For more information please visit Survey Galaxy

Customers are tough and demanding. They are extremely media aware and increasingly cynical and it is a clever marketeer who can get through to them. Online surveys reinvent the traditional format – bringing all the benefits of the Internet without the programming. Here are ten reasons why they may be the silver bullet marketeers’ need, complete with examples supplied by Martin Day, managing director of Survey Galaxy - one of a new breed of websites making online surveys quicker and cheaper

1. It’s cheap as buttons
Select the right survey website and creating surveys can be free of any charge and the cost to publish very reasonable.
Useful information derived from survey analysis can be reused and repackaged in other marketing and PR for use in press outlets making it a very efficient form of information gathering.

2. It’s very easy
Anyone can create, design and publish an online survey. Online surveys are quick and simple to create and design, no programming skills are required and when publishing completing the surveys is straight forward.

3. Invite the world
Promoting an online survey can be via email (with a link enclosed), through a link from a website or as a referenced by other forms of advertising. Anyone who has the link can be connected instantly to the survey, at a time that’s convenient to them, 24×7.

4. We’ve all got an opinion – and we like to give it
Customers do not often view surveys as spam and the majority welcome the opportunity to make their voice heard and a chance to have an impact on a brand. They provide a good method for broaching sensitive subjects with concerned employees; a survey asking a workforce on their opinion of change allows the key issues to be raised in a positive manner and encourages employee participation. Deliver a message to individuals and then have the feedback collated in a manageable form.

5. Get inside your respondent’s head
You can lead a customer to an advertisement but you can’t make them think. Surveys have the advantage of engaging each respondent, who thinks about the question before giving their response.

6. Beautiful relationships start here
It needn’t all end at the end of the survey – while you have their attention and are in the mood you can ask if they want to sign up for more information or a regular newsletter – making the most of the window when you have their interest.

7. Have you also seen….
Perhaps one of the strongest elements in a survey is the ability to make inspired or useful connections instantly to other areas. By embedding links within the survey to other websites that offer more detailed information you are able to reinforce the marketing message.

8. Subtle marketing
In the mind of the respondent a surveys can help associate a product with a number of positive attributes. By listing the features of a product and asking the respondent to say how important they are to them, regardless of their response, the respondent will associate the product with the features.

9. Not just marketing
A survey is an effective, quick and easy method to promote and gain acceptance for a difficult proposal; maybe a public body trying to gain acceptance and support for a particular scheme.
For example take a city trying to gain support from the general public for their bid to host a future Olympic Games. A survey can explain each benefit putting the respondent in a much better position to appreciate what the real advantages are that might just combat any negative headlines. As well as promoting the cause, useful feedback is gained that can be used to fine tune the overall marketing strategy.

10. Engage interest
Think laterally and a lively and imaginative approach to surveys can provide a ‘hook’ to engage respondents. The survey subject can be focused towards a particular group on a subject close to theirs hearts. The survey’s marketing message can take the form of a simple brand awareness message by stating that ‘the survey is being sponsored by brand name’, or by finding a link from the subject matter to the product – something that is surprisingly easy to do and that is highly effective.

Attract traffic by providing a Public Survey section as many people who enjoy completing crosswords and doing word puzzles enjoy completing surveys. Low cost and automated, having a public survey notice board as part of a website will help increase traffic and establish a loyal and returning following. Unlike forums there is no opportunity for people to disrupt the site by inappropriate remarks as survey results can be displayed in summary form enabling them to dispense with moderators and maintenance.

The majority of customers do not view surveys as spam and will welcome the opportunity to voice their opinion and have the chance to make an impact on a brand.

Many of the techniques and a few more are contained in the following Sample Marketing Survey.

Customers are tough and demanding. They are extremely media aware and increasingly cynical and it is a clever marketeer who can get under their skin. Online surveys reinvent the traditional format and offer a unique way of interaction – all the benefits of the internet without the programming. Here are ten reasons why they may be the silver bullet marketeers’ need, complete with examples supplied by Martin Day, managing director of Survey Galaxy - one of a new breed of websites making online surveys quicker and cheaper

1. It’s cheap
Select the right survey website and creating surveys can be free of any charge and the cost to publish excellent value for money.
Useful information harvested from surveys can be reused and repackaged in other marketing and PR for use in press outlets making it a very efficient form of information gathering.

2. It’s very easy
Anyone can create, design and publish an online survey. Create professional looking online surveys in a matter of minutes, no programming skills are required and when published the surveys are simple to complete.

3. Multiple deployment options
Once the survey is online it is a simple step to promote it the most popular methods being either through email (with a link enclosed) or via a link from a website. Once advised of the survey’s URL anyone can link can to the survey at a time that is convenient to them, 24×7.

4. Everyone has got an opinion – and likes to give it
Customers do not often view surveys as spam and the majority welcome the opportunity to make their voice heard and a chance to have an impact on a brand. They can be particularly good for broaching sensitive subjects with concerned employees; a survey asking a workforce on their opinion of change allows the key issues to be raised in a positive manner and encourages employee participation. Online surveys ensures that the message reaches each individual and the feedback is compiled in a manageable form.

5. Get inside your respondents heads
You can lead a customer to an advertisement but you can’t make them read it. Surveys engage the respondent, who think about the question before giving their response.

6. Seize the opportunity
It needn’t all end once a survey has been completed – while you have their attention you can ask if they want to sign up for more information or a regular newsletter – making the most of the window when you have their interest.

7. If you like this, you’ll love…
Maximise the interest of those responding to your survey by referencing related information. By embedding links within the survey to other websites that offer more detailed information you are able to reinforce the marketing message.

8. The soft sell
Use surveys to associate a product with its positive attributes. By listing a product’s features and then asking the respondent to score on how important they are, regardless of their response, the product will be associated with the feature.

9. Market, educate and gather market research
A survey is an effective, quick and easy method to help promote and gain acceptance for a difficult proposal; such as a public body trying to gain acceptance and support for a particular scheme.
For example take a city trying to gain support from the general public for their bid to host a future Olympic Games. A survey can explain each benefit putting the respondent in a much better position to appreciate what the real advantages are that might just combat any negative headlines. Your primary goal may be to promote a cause but you will automatically receive useful feedback that can then be used to fine tune the overall marketing strategy.

10. Fresh topics engage interest
Thinking laterally a lively and imaginative approach to surveys can provide the ‘hook’ to engage respondents. The survey subject can be focused towards a particular group on a subject close to theirs hearts. A survey’s marketing message can take the form of a simple brand awareness message by stating that the survey is being sponsored by brand name, or by finding a link from the subject matter to the product – something that is surprisingly easy and highly effective.

Discover the benefits of including in your website a Public Survey section as many people who enjoy completing crosswords and doing word puzzles enjoy completing surveys. Low cost and automated, having a public survey notice board as part of a website will help increase traffic and establish a loyal and returning following. No need for moderators as unlike discussion boards there is no opportunity for people to disrupt the site by inappropriate remarks as the survey results can be displayed in summary form.

Customers do not often view surveys as spam and the majority welcome the opportunity to make their voice heard and a chance to have an impact on a brand.

Many of the techniques and a few more are contained in the following Sample Marketing Survey.