Opinions for hire
By Michelle Warren • Bankrate.com

It's been two weeks since I signed up as a panel member with a consumer research online survey company, and thus far I've earned zero.

Thankfully, I didn't quit my day job to become a professional survey taker, and neither should you. While many reputable companies offer cash and prizes in exchange for your opinions, the road to riches is not paved with online surveys.

If you're in it for the money, be realistic, but if you thrive on the idea of shaping products, services and trends, joining an online survey panel, or two, can be rewarding.

Greenfield has been in the survey business since 1994 and has 1.7 million panel members around the globe. "We have people from all walks of life, every demographic group there is," says Cynthia Brockhoff, vice-president, investor relations, of Greenfield Online Inc. "The majority of people that sign up to do online surveys are doing it because they really want to give their opinions to marketers."

Panelists like being in the know; they love seeing movie trailers before everyone else, shaping products, critiquing advertising campaigns and sharing their opinions on just about every topic. There's a certain satisfaction in knowing they vetoed the jalapeno ice cream in favour of red chili when the winning product hits the shelves.

Show me the money
However, as gratifying as it is to have someone seek your opinion, flattery will only go so far and, as a result, most survey companies use cash and prizes to entice online panelists.

Most often participants qualify for draws. Both Ipsos i-Say and Greenfield, for example, enter new members into a $5,000 sweepstakes.

In addition, Ipsos operates a number of ongoing member contests, including the It's Your Lucky Day sweepstakes, which awards more than 50 prizes a day (in Canada and the U.S.) and The Choice is Yours monthly sweepstakes. According to Greenfield's website, the company has award more than $6 million to panel members in the U.S. and $23,000 to those in Canada.

Many companies, such as Lightspeed Research, founded in 2000, have points programs. For each survey answered, participants earn points, which can be redeemed for gift certificates, prizes (such as electronics, kitchen appliances or music downloads) and cash.

In other words, survey-taking offers a bit of fun and satisfaction, but it is not meant to be a steady form of income. Paid surveys are more the exception than the rule. "Sometimes we pay people a nominal amount -- $1 or $2 -- so they can make a little pocket change," says Brockhoff. The monthly take for those who complete a couple surveys a week is, on average, $20.

Survey evolution
The survey has been a marketing staple since the 1950s. First, it was people armed with clipboards stopping you in the street, but surveyors soon moved into shopping malls and began reaching out via the mail and telephone. Today, the business of surveying has moved online. It is estimated companies spend U.S.$43 million a year on consumer research and about 33 percent of research is done online.

It's more cost effective than traditional methods, says Vancouver-based Rhys Gibb, senior research manager of Ipsos Reid. The response rate is also much higher -- by 30 per cent to 40 per cent -- because you're not catching people off guard, adds Gibb: "With online you already have people who have agreed to take part in a survey."

The online arena allows companies to attain turnaround to questions on a national, provincial or even market by market basis. Participants share their opinions on everything from potential advertising campaigns to brands or services, market trends and political issues. Online surveys also enable companies to present images and ask people questions that take a bit of consideration. "It allows people to complete the survey when it's convenient for them," says Gibb.

It's estimated that 77 per cent of Canadians have access to the Internet and spend 1.6 billion hours a year online. As a result, nothing else compares when it comes to targeting virtually any respondent group regarding virtually any topic.

Joining a panel
A quick Internet query of online survey panels will start the ball rolling. Once you've settled on a panel to join, the sign up process is fairly straightforward, if not a bit cumbersome. If you're at all wary about giving out personal information, joining a survey panel isn't for you. Companies need a lot of personal details so they can study your profile and ensure they only send surveys that speak to your demographic.

A perusal of the top sites turned up questions about the following: name, gender, ethnicity, age, address, employment status, number of people in your household, health information (such as allergies or arthritis), the technology you own (computer, phones, DVD players etc.), the kind of products you use (face moisturizers, hair colouring, hairspray, etc.), if you're a smoker, how much alcohol you consume, your travel habits, gambling habits, pets, Internet usage, level of education, employment status, whether you own a home, mortgage payments, credit card use and investments.

While I found it a bit intrusive, Brockhoff points out reputable companies carefully protect the privacy of panel members. Personal information is never sold or passed on. Companies such as Greenfield, Ipsos Reid or Synovate, for example, are members of The Council of American Survey Research Organizations, which has strict rules governing members and privacy (Tip: Look for the Casro logo on the survey company's web site or search the membership directory on the Casro site).

Most survey panelists can expect to receive at least one survey invitation a month. My first survey -- about weather information and Internet use -- took only five minutes to complete. You can increase your chances of winning cash and prizes by: getting organized and setting up a separate email address to deal with all things survey-related, answering all surveys that come your way and ensuring your junk mail filter doesn't block e-mails from survey companies.

Going pro
Believe it or not, there are those who consider themselves professional survey takers. A number of websites promise great wealth to those who are willing to embrace a career in survey taking. One website offers tips to those starting out and provides a comprehensive list of companies that pay.

However, these "pros" are not the kind of people survey companies or their clients want on their panels, caution the experts. "We have checks and balances that eliminate these types of responses," says Brockhoff. For example, if a survey should take, on average 15 minutes, and someone does it in two, it's a good indicator it's a so-called professional who's all about getting done quickly, rather than considering their answers.

While the promise of cash and prizes is alluring, reputable companies don't promise riches in exchange for your opinion. As Lightspeed informs all interested parties, "Please keep in mind that our members are people who genuinely enjoy giving their opinion. If you're looking to quit your job and buy a tropical island with the money you earn by taking our surveys, we suggest you look elsewhere." And so do I.

Michelle Warren is a freelance writer in Toronto.