This is a guest post from longtime Freebies 4 Mom reader, Renee. Find out how she has been rewarded by filling out product surveys and help her win $1,000 by viewing her video of her cat enjoying new products. I’ve found product surveys rewarding as well, a year of free pasta & sauce from Barilla tops my list of most memorable survey rewards.
Filling out surveys is like eating chocolates from one of those variety chocolate boxes. Unless you know a little bit about the company issuing the survey (like how you can pick out the caramel chocolates because they are square with the little ribbon texture on top), you take a chance that the time you take to fill out that survey will not be compensated. My experience with surveys has been touch and go at times, but I have definitely picked out some dark chocolate caramels (which are my favorite chocolate) here and there. Emergen-C, for example, is a company that rewards their survey-takers immensely. In fact, even though I have been using it a few times a week for at least nine months, I’ve received, for free, more packets than I’ve purchased.
The company that I would like to highlight is Bergan Pet Products. I first purchased their Turbo Scratcher when I adopted my kitty in September of 2007. Inside of the Turbo Scratcher box, I found a little piece of paper that asked me to go to the Bergan web site to fill out a survey. I did, and they got my email through the survey. Every month or two until May 2008, I would receive a survey from them. Through these delightful surveys, I learned about the company, I saw what other products it made, and I was introduced to the people who work at the company through the pictures they provided. Filling out their surveys made me a part of their company because the way they approached me through the survey was genuine, meaningful, and friendly. By the time May came around, however, I noticed their surveys were getting longer and longer, and I started to wonder whether or not it was worth my time anymore.
The last survey they sent me was about a new cat toy they were trying to create and put out on the market. I saw lots of video about it and was asked a whole bunch of questions about how to improve it. A week or two after I sent in the survey, I received an email that thanked me for my time and told me that 200 people from the survey pool were being selected to receive these new cat toys. Since between 200 and 300 people do these surveys, I knew I had a huge chance to be selected, and I found out a week or two later that I was! After months and months of waiting, my kitty received her new Turbo Track last night, and she absolutely loves it.
To my surprise, I found a little paper in the Turbo Track box. It said, “Put your Turbo Track on YouTube! First One to 5,000 views wins $1,000.
Now, I’m still in college and am trying to pay off my debt before my husband and I start a family. I also love to spoil Venus, the Turbo Track recipient. With 1/200 chance of winning $1,000, my decision was easy. Before I went to sleep last night, my husband and I made our video and put it up on YouTube, where my crazy little Venus is showing just how cool the Turbo Track is. Here is the link: Venus’ new Bergan Turbo Track (If you take a look, my husband, Venus, and I thank you so very much!) At the time I write this, I am up to 173 views while there is at least one other video that has over 1,000.
To find opportunities like this, my best advice for all of you would be to search the packaging of any items you purchase and be open-minded when you are asked to fill out surveys because they may require time to blossom like this one did. The best opportunities I have gotten have come right to my email inbox or right in/on the packaging of the items I purchase. Companies that care most about your opinion, and are willing to give you something for it, will try very hard to seek you out. You don’t have to waste time tirelessly searching for great opportunities because the best ones find their way right to you.
May you find your favorite chocolates,
~Renee
They are available on Amazon.com and a few other sites are starting to offer them. Haven’t seen them in stores yet though.
I am wondering where I can get one of those for my cat Cookie? My daughter and I watched the whole video and loved it.
I received one of the turbo tracks too for completing the survey. My cat and kids love it greatly. I also think Bergan is a great company. They care what we as consumers think.
Final Result: The company is sending $500 to me as a personal thank you gift. A cheater still won the $1000, but they went out of their pocket to still let me know how much I’ve helped, and that is beyond huge. Tell your friends about this company, because it’s one of the best out there.
Thanks for everyone’s help! I’m not exactly sure who won, but a guy from Bergan called me and we had a great discussion. There appears to have been some cheating that is really obvious. I will be compensated, in some way, for all the work I put into this contest. I am just really happy right now because we talked about what being a consumer means, the powers that come with it, and the responsibilities inherent in being one. We talked about YouTube and my husband looked into it and sent the guy what he found. We understand each other perfectly, which is worth more to me than winning a contest. What a great company. From now on, we’re not buying our cat products from anywhere else.
Yeah! So many more views now!
You don’t have to watch the whole video…one click constitutes a view and it is automatically counted. Also, a view is counted everytime you view it. I thought it only counted the view if the ip address (computer) was different, but I check early on and it doesn’t seem to matter. I’d rather spread the word than click the video thousands of times, however, since that’s the point of the whole competition.
Is it just one click per person-it’s really cute, so good luck!
Cute video, but I think you might get more views if it were shorter. Most people are not interested in an almost 7-minute video of a cat playing with a new toy (my preschooler, however, LOVED it) :)Kim
That very same Emergen-C coupon took a very long time to get to me in the mail, so don’t give up hope. It’ll come eventually :)As far as Lolcats, as someone mentioned above, I tried looking at that, but what they do is accept videos from other people, reformat them, and put them on their own YouTube account to make them their property (but they do thank the original owner in the video). I’m still behind the leader in views, but things are going smoothly :) Thanks for the help, everyone!
I am frustrated with Emergen-C: I did a long survey back in August and they said the reward was a coupon for a free box. I LOVE the stuff, so I was really excited, but it never came. Grr.
Hi Renee, Thanks for sharing your story and video. I am not a “cat person” (I am allergic to them.), but I enjoyed both immensely! Good luck to you on winning the $$$!
Renee, You should try get your video posted on icanhascheezburger.com. Not everything is accepted, but its worth a try!Its kind of a cat-fanatic website, but it may help you get the # of hits you need, and quick!