Times are getting tougher with the economic downturn. The recent credit crunch is one of the most serious financial crisis in recent times, and that has gotten many people worried. Employees are worried about losing their jobs and not being able to meet their mortgage payments or meet their bills. Business owners are worried about nose-diving profits. Entrepreneurs are worried about not being able to raise the capital that they need for their start-ups. After all, banks have gotten a lot more cautious about who they lend their money to these days.

Fortunately, in times of crisis, there are still abundant opportunities available. For example, someone losing a job may be able to spend time upgrading his or her skills. The individual may even come upon a new opportunity that may help replenish the loss of income.

Online surveys.

Online surveys are regularly conducted by established companies and institutions. This is an opportunity for anyone who would like to make some extra money to get over the tough times ahead. An online survey may be conducted by a government agency to get opinions, or it may be conducted by a business to get consumer feedback. Such surveys are usually outsourced to professional survey companies who specialize in conducting surveys. These companies are also known as survey panels.

Getting to know survey panels.

There are many survey panels available online. When you join a survey panel, what actually happens is that you join their database of consumers. You will be required to reveal some personal information about yourself such as age, gender, and country of residence. When the opportunity arises, and your profile matches that of the survey requirements, you will be asked to complete a survey online.

Every survey will have its own rules and instructions. Be sure to be clear about the instructions before proceeding. You will be paid a sum of money, usually in the range of $20 to $80 for completing the survey. The amount depends on several factors such as the length of the survey and the number of participants. For example, if you belong to a high income group, you may be paid higher, since it’s more difficult to obtain opinions from people in that income group.

How to complete surveys.

Read all questions carefully and give honest answers. Some questions may be optional, so you may skip those if you like. If you fill in bogus responses for the survey, you may risk not getting paid. Usually, there is no time limit for completing a survey. A survey can take up an hour to four hours of your time. You can make a guess as to the amount of time required to complete a survey based on the number of questions.

Beware of scams.

This is unfortunate but some websites offer bogus survey sites that do not actually pay you. These are sites that you want to avoid. The best way to determine if a site is legitimate or not is to search for reviews on community sites. If reviews are positive, you may then wish to join as a member and earn some extra income.

Have you ever felt that you’ve had the perfect item to sell on eBay? Have you done your research and you know that others are selling the same thing with great success? Yet when you list the same item, you’re shocked when you don’t even get one bid. Why is that? You know it’s a hot item, and you’ve heard all the buzz, but now you’re stuck with an item no one will bid on. Often, even the hottest items won’t sell on eBay due to a saturated market. Digital cameras are very popular but how many cameras does the average person need? So what are you going to do? Don’t give up! This just might be the place where you need to do a little creative marketing.

First, remember that it’s always important to test market your product first. Buy a small number of the item you’re interested in selling on eBay. If those sell as you had hoped then you can buy more. Never buy in bulk until you know how well your product will do. You don’t want to end up with a garage full of electronic widgets that no one wants.

When selling on eBay run your test market on two or three different items at the same time as opposed to just a single item. This will save you time as you can simply continue with what works and discontinue what doesn’t.

Getting Creative

Try adding extra value to your items. Everybody loves the product that comes with a free gift. For example, if you’re selling blenders, try adding a set of free spatulas or 101 favorite blender recipes. If it’s an electronics product you might offer a free carrying case or set of headphones for an auto device. No matter how small the added value gift might be, never over look the power of the word “Free”.

Remember that selling on eBay is like any other business, whether on the web or a brick and mortar store. You must do your planning and market research, offer something unique, and pin point your target market. Actually writing out a business plan will give you a clear image of .you want to do as well as help you identify problems before they arise.

One of the most important things to remember when selling on eBay is to not get discouraged if your first test markets don’t work out. Even the top eBay sellers had to start someplace and you’d probably be surprised to learn that many of them weren’t successful in the beginning either. It’s a trial and error game and in the end persistence is what pays off.

Finally remember that everything old is new again and that timing can truly be everything. It’s amazing how something that isn’t selling well today can suddenly become tomorrow’s hot item. Take for instance sewing. While a number of years ago the interest in home sewing dwindled and home made clothing was not considered fashionable, today it is on the rise again. Due to a struggling economy and the desire to save money as well as sewing machines and patterns that can make anyone look like a couture seamstress, sewing is gaining in popularity again. The key to selling on eBay is to become aware of rising market trends. What’s the latest hot item with the stars in Hollywood? What’s new with the teen crowd? Read and research all the time and catch those trends and fads as they form and you might just find your next big item to sell on eBay.

OK – I have a pile of books that is growing beside my desk (and on my desk… and on my bookshelf) made up of books that I’ve either finished with or that I have multiple copies of.  

I’d like to do a bit of a giveaway today of a few of them and all you need to do is leave a comment saying which one you’d like.

Below I’m listing 5 6 books (I’ll link to them on Amazon so you can read more about them) and I’m asking you to nominate ONE (not more than one…. just one) that you’d like to be in the running for.

This Wednesday I’ll randomly choose a winner for each book, contact you to get your mailing details and pop them in the mail for you (I’ll pay for the shipping).

Here are the 5 books:

1. Yes: 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive
2. Search Engine Optimization: Your Visual Blueprint for effective Internet Marketing
3. Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success
4. Blog Blazers: 40 Top Bloggers Share their Secrets to Creating a High-Profile High-Traffic and High Profit Blog
5. Say Everything: How Blogging Began, What it’s Becoming and Why it Matters

Oh and for a little extra I’ll throw in a copy of ProBlogger the Book as a 6th Alternative.

Remember – you can only choose 1 – just use the name of the book in the comment – (this way I’ll know you’re getting a book you don’t have) so choose carefully!

Post from: Blog Tips at ProBlogger.

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