MDX Research

The History of Marketing Research

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early marketing researchIf you do a search in Google for the word “paid surveys” you will find some negative information regarding them. I think a lot of people talk poorly of paid surveys simply because they don’t understand where they came from. They think, there is no way someone would pay me for my opinions… this is far too good to be true. I think they might also talk poorly because they have had a bad experience with one of the companies who offer these surveys. Let’s face it, we all have bad experiences every day, I even had a bad experience today at Wal Mart, this doesn’t mean that Wal Mart is a scam, does it? If that were the case, every company, online or offline would be a scam. It just simply can’t be.

My goal in this post is to try and help everyone understand where paid surveys come from and why they are a legitimate way of making money on the internet.

I studied marketing research a lot when I was in college and it really has a fascinating story that all started in the late 1920’s. The idea of marketing research was developed by a man named Daniel Starch. During this time, advertising was just barely getting its start in the United States. The process of advertising back then was a lot different than it is today. At that time, copywriters would write what they thought an ad should be, publish the ad, and then they would hope that their readers would like the ad and then act upon the information provided.

A few years after advertising started, Daniel Starch came up with a theory… in order for advertising to be effective, it first had to be seen, read, believed, remembered, and then acted upon. Shortly after he developed this theory, he developed and launched the first marketing research company that would poll people in the streets. He would stop people and ask them if they read certain publications. If they did, he would then show them the magazine and asked the people if they remembered or recognized any of the ads found within them. After collecting this data, he then compared the number of people he interviewed with the circulation of the magazine to figure out how effective those ads really were. This was pretty much the birth of surveying also known as marketing research.

As the years past, many marketing research companies began to emerge. They would follow Daniel Starch’s example of polling people in the streets and over time, they worked to improve his techniques. Some time later, a man by the name of George Gallup developed a system that rivaled Starch’s system, it was called the aided recall. This system was different in such that is prompted people to recall the ads seen in publications without actually showing them the ads. This system went on to help measure the effectiveness of radio and television ads, not just ads in printed media.

In the late 1980’s, a Utahn named Ronald Lindorf founded what would grow to be the largest marketing research companies in the USA. This company was named Western Wats. What made Western Wats and grow at a rapid pace was the leveraging of current technology, the telephone, to conduct survey research. At this point there was no longer a need to go out on foot and interview people in the streets. Representatives in a call center, or in the beginning, Mr. Lindorf’s basement, can collect all of this data by simply making a telephone call. Because of this great efficiency, the number of surveys collected each year could help businesses really gain an understanding of their target market and ultimately improved the marketing research model again.

Over the last ten years, marketing research has taken yet another lengthy stride in terms of how data is collected. Yes, data like this is still collected via survey research, however, it is mostly collected via online surveys that are emailed to their recipients. Western Wats (renamed to Opinionology and recently merged with SSI) is now one of the largest marketing research firms in the world and collects a fair amount of their data via their online survey panel called Opinion Outpost (one of the companies we endorse at MDX Research).  Instead of their agents having to cold call individuals, anyone interested in participating in these surveys can sign up for free to receive them and freely share their opinion. This method of collecting data is much less intrusive and the quality of data collected is much higher since people can participate on their own schedule.

So the last question is, where do these companies get the money to pay for completed surveys. It is actually quite simple, Fortune 500 companies all over the world, pay these online marketing research firms to collect the data. In turn, these firms “spiff” their participants with a monetary incentive for a completed survey. Each survey is typically worth a few bucks up to $15 or so. I’ve even completed a survey worth $50. It took about two hours, but well worth it.

I hope this helps you understand how paid surveys came to be and why they are legitimate so you give them a chance. It will be very interesting to see what marketing research evolves into over the next 5-10 years. Whatever it ends up being, I’m positive that it will be easier to collect and there will be more paid survey opportunities than ever.

If you are interested in getting started with paid surveys, we recommend starting with the following companies: Opinion Outpost and Global Test Market. We also recommend signing up for our 100% free, ten step email training to help you learn how to maximize your earnings from paid surveys. You can sign up here.

Opinionology Merges With Survey Sampling International (SSI)

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opinionology ssi paid surveys

I’m not exactly sure where I’ve been over the last few months, but I was on LinkedIn last night and saw that a an acquaintance of mine who used to work for Opinionology (Opinion Outpost) now worked for Survey Sampling International (SSI). At first I wondered if he left Opinionology and went to work for a competitor, but upon further research, I found out that the two biggest marketing research organizations in the world actually joined forces to create the largest and most powerful marketing research company on this planet.

The companies received approval to merge in July 2011 and Opinionology merged into the SSI brand. Their goal was to create the most innovative and comprehensive marketing research organization by collecting survey data via phone interviews and online survey panels. They also have offices in every time zone so they can provide world class support to both their research clients and survey respondents 24/7.

For many survey takers, the question has been asked, what is going to happen to Opinion Outpost? As of right now, it will continue to run as Opinion Outpost, but under the brand SSI. They recently underwent a site redesign to make the look and feel more in line with the SSI brand, but nothing has changed other than increasing the number of paid survey opportunities as they are now able to tap into SSI’s client base.

If you have ever been thinking about joining Opinion Outpost, now is the time!

You can read the full press release of the Opinionology and SSI merger by clicking here.

Opinion Outpost Now Owned by Opinionology

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opinionology paid surveysWestern Wats, parent company of Opinion Outpost, one of our paid survey companies, has changed their name to Opinionology. Nothing different has changed within the organization, just the name.

Here is what David Haynes, Opinionology’s CEO, has said about the new name and why the change:

A NEW DAY IN SURVEY RESEARCH IS HERE.

I’m pleased to announce the launch of our new company name, Opinionology. This marks a significant milestone in the history of our company. It’s more than just a name change. In every part of our organization, we have improved the way we conduct survey research. From expanding our online panels worldwide to opening a service bureau in Canada to growing our operations in the Philippines, we’ve become more focused than ever on being the best place for researchers to go to gather opinions.

Why we have a new name?

We’ve been operating under the name Western Wats for over 20 years and the decision to change our name to Opinionology was not taken lightly. We’ve worked hard to build a brand that stood for hard work and a gritty determination to get the job done right the first time—every time. We’ve truly become the place our clients can turn to for “Data collection you can trust. Partners you can rely on.” Those aspects of our company will not change, but the name Western Wats no longer adequately describes who we have become. Back when we started, “Western” meant we were located in the Western U.S. and “Wats” stood for W.A.T.S. telephone lines (remember those?). Now we’re a worldwide company with operations and services that span the globe. We also collect more opinions online than via telephone. It’s time for a new name that better reflects who we are and that name is Opinionology.
What this means for you

For most, it will be business as usual. You’ll just hear, “Hello, welcome to Opinionology” when you contact us. But we’ve also used this rebranding as an opportunity to refocus ourselves and renew our commitment to this industry and our clients. Over time, you’ll start to notice some differences, like our “opinionologists” finding smarter methods of doing things or us leading the charge to become more socially responsible in the way we treat respondents to ensure we have a renewable resource for gathering opinions. You’ll see an uncompromising approach to ensure we deliver reliable, actionable data so you can get the deep insights you need. You’ll feel even better served as we implement 24/7 worldwide coverage over your research projects.

Please join me in celebrating how far we’ve grown over the last two decades. We have a strong vision for the future and this event marks the beginning of many great things to come.

Warmest regards,

David Haynes
CEO
Opinionology

Here is the official press release: https://www.opinionology.com/docs/whatsnew/press/Western_Wats_Is_Now_Opinionology.pdf

As always, Opinion Outpost is one of our highest recommended paid survey providers on the internet. We recommend that you take this opportunity to sign up with them right now and start making money today!

Calling All Hard Workers & Screw The Rest!

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I work in one of the most volatile, yet rewarding industries on the internet. I have people who hate me for running this website and I have people who love me. Just because I have people who hate me and send me disgusting emails each day, doesn’t mean I am going to take this site offline or back down. In fact, it only makes me want to promote this site even harder because I know it works and I know there are people out there who have success with paid surveys each and every day.

One thing that really pisses me off is when people call me and other websites in the marketing research / paid survey niche spammers and scammers.

I want to clear some things up before I really dive in to this post because it’s really going to get juicy.

To get started, MDX Research is a legitimate paid survey resource that I offer for free! Don’t you dare come to me, looking for help and guidance when it comes to making money online and then a month later send a nasty email to me telling me that I scammed you. Last time I checked, I am giving away my knowledge and expertise free of charge and the paid survey companies you signed up with never ask you for any money… so no… I didn’t scam you and you can go to hell.

Who you should be filing complaints with and blaming are those bastards who take your hard earned money, claiming to invest it for you and promising that you will receive 20% monthly dividends for years to come. While in the mean time, that guy you willingly gave your money to is off purchasing a boat or a new Range Rover and the story ends with you never seeing that money ever again.

You should also be blaming those internet marketing consulting companies like Thrive Learning Center and Prosper who help you and your 90 year old mother max out your credit cards to learn how to market a website and sell a product online and then really never give you any tools you need to succeed. Those are the true scammers and each and every one of them should be reported to the authorities for robbing you blind. Not me!

One thing I have learned from being in this industry for many years is that those who truly make good money online by taking paid surveys are those who are willing to work. We live in a time where everyone wants to get rich quick and doesn’t want to put in any effort to get it. Frankly, I think this is complete bull shit and unless you want to end up losing your home to foreclosure or even go bankrupt, you need to get off your ass and make things happen for you. One thing I can guarantee is, that if you have the mindset of “earning money should be easy”, you deserve to fail and lose everything you have worked for throughout your life. Sorry, but it’s true!

The thing that sets MDX Research apart from other paid survey websites is our experience. I spent many years working for one of the paid survey companies we promote, Opinion Outpost. While there, I did all that I could to learn the ins and outs of the marketing research industry and what they actually did for their clients and for those who took the surveys. I also spent many hours, many days in a row each month stuffing hundred of thousands of checks that were mailed out to our members. I even ran the stamp machine in the accounting office for several days in a row to seal and add postage to the envelopes that carried these checks to our members. If there is anyone out there who knows of the legitimacy of this business, it is me.

The reason I started this website is because I had experience and I knew that I could take what I had learned from my tenure at Opinion Outpost and build a website to help others learn how to dominate paid surveys. I also knew that with some hard work I could take on the big boys who have been established for a long time like Survey Club and Yellow Surveys and differentiate myself because I had one thing they didn’t… first hand experience!

One other thing that sets us apart from other paid survey resource websites is that each of my employees is a member and actively takes surveys from each paid survey site we promote on MDX Research. We stand by our recommendations because we make money from them each and every month. If at any time we feel that one of our sites is not performing, we kick it off our site never again to promote it to our visitors. This is why we provide value to our visitors, unlike our thousands of wannabe competitors out there.

So next time you want to cry foul play, you better take a good hard look at yourself. Did you really put forth the effort needed to make paid surveys work for you? Or did you sign up, click thru the first link and say… “this is way too much for for $3 or $5 bucks”. I’m sorry, but 15 minutes for $3 is great money for some struggling to make ends meet.

If you don’t think this is for you, great, please don’t sign up. I don’t want you to waste my time or the time of our paid survey partner sites. They don’t want you as a member… Even if you are an inactive member, you are still costing them money. If you do want to supplement your income or even make this your only income, I invite you to become an email subscriber of our newly revamped Ten Proven Ways To Make More Money With Paid Surveys. Here you will learn how to make the big bucks and leave all others in the dust when it comes to paid surveys.

Please drop your comments below. I would like to hear what everyone has to say.

Take Paid Surveys Online – Watch This Video About Legitimate Paid Surveys

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This is a great video created and sent out by our newest addition to our team Javier Vasquez.

We are very excited to add Javier to our team and happy that he is skilled in video creation and distribution. One really good thing that Javier made point of addressing in his video is the fact that paid surveys are definitely not a get rich quick scheme. They take time, but are worth every minute. Taking free paid surveys for market research companies like Opinion Outpost and Global Test Market is easy and free. Give your opinion and start making money online today!

Why Free Paid Survey Companies Are Legitimate!

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There is a lot of negativity around the principle of paid surveys and how they are scams.  These individuals and companies have no reason or evidence that this is a true statement.  I, however, have been there and done that and want to share with you some very personal and detailed information about legitimate free paid surveys and how they are a great way for anyone to make money on the internet!

I believe that 99% of the websites and individuals who are promoting paid survey companies have no idea if they are for real or not.  I, however, have had the opportunity to work for one of the paid survey companies that I represent.  Not only did I work for this company, but I had many opportunities to work with the other survey companies in the industry and know of their validity.

Four years ago, I was fortunate enough to be hired by a local marketing research firm in Orem, UT.  The name of this firm is Western Wats.  When I was hired, I, along with another individuals (who I will not name) were responsible for the launch and growth of a new paid survey panel called Opinion Outpost.  Honestly, we pretty much started from scratch!!  When I was first hired, I had never heard of online paid surveys before.  In fact, I was probably as skeptical as you are now about their legitimacy and validity.  I thought, first “who in their right mind would want to take surveys for cash”, second “who in their right mind would pay someone cash for taking surveys on the internet”?  Of course, being a new employee at the firm, I just did what I was told and didn’t think much about it again.

About three months into my employment, the lady in the accounting office who was in charge of printing checks for the survey takers came to my desk and dropped a stack of checks that I needed to seperate, put in enevelopes, stamp, and deliver to the post office.  I thought, “WOW, this is for real!  People actually make money doing this!!!”.  That night I went home and signed up with every survey company that I could so I could make as much money as possible.  The surveys started rolling in and so did the cold hard cash!

Shortly after I received my first check from one of the companies (if you think I can remember which company, you are insane, it was 4 years ago) I went to my boss to ask how we could afford to cut all those checks to those people.  I really didn’t know anything about marketing research, how it worked, and how people made money from it.  He taught me all about it that afternoon and I am going to share with you exactly what I learned.

Companies such as General Motors, Target, Sony, Apple, Blackberry, Fisher Price, and thousands of other companies need to learn how their current customers and others who are not their customers feel about their current products and possible future products that they might release.  This is called marketing research.  It is very obvious that we, as individuals, respect our own privacy and expect others to do so as well.  In the past, we have received so many telemarketing or survey research phone calls that we have become frusturated and flat out annoyed to the point where we just hang up or not even answer the phone at all.  From this was born the Do Not Call Registry which pretty much put every telemarketing company out of business.  Let me be clear, marketing researchers collecting data are not restricted from calling you for research purposes, however, the industry has suffered a huge blow because people think that any phone call from any company falls under the registry.

Because of this, marketing research companies needed to evolve and provide a way for their clients to still collect the data that they need, while making it worth while for the people taking the surveys.  They came up with a business plan of how they could provide value to both the client and the average person spending their time taking surveys.

So, they came up with a non-intrusive way of collecting market research data.  They have people sign up to make money by taking paid surveys.  These people volunteer their time for compensation.  The marketing research companies charge their clients extra money for this type of research so they can reasonably compensate their survey takers for their time and effort.  This is how you and I can make money by taking paid surveys!

Now that we have cleared up the legitimacy of Opinion Outpost, how about those other companies that MDX Research and hundreds of other survey sites represent?  Well, first off, we personally test every offer that we present to our users and make sure that they provide sufficient monetary value.  Also, toward the end of my employment with Opinion Outpost, we had many opportunities to work with other companies like Greenfield Online, Harris Poll, My Survey, Ipsos iSay and other marketing research companies.  If they could not collect enough data for their clients, they would have us fill the rest and provide compensation for our members.  This is a testimony to me and hopefully everyone reading this post that these paid surveys are legitimate and you can make money from them!

The last three months at Opinion Outpost was probably the most miserable months of my life!  I hardly got any work done because I was stuffing checks for our survey takers for 8 hours a day, about 3 or 4 days a week.  We literally sent out hundreds of thousands of checks a month to our survey panel members.  I have created a video that is currently on YouTube that talks about paid surveys and shows a couple of the checks that I have received.  This is legitimate, if you want to make money on the internet, this is an excellent way to do it!

I left this company about a year ago to pursue other opportunities including the launch of MDX Research.  I knew first hand that this was for real and wanted to share it with people like you, that is why I compiled our paid survey directory.  It has been very rewarding receiving countless emails from happy users of MDX Research.  It has also been very challenging trying to overcome all of the negativity and lies that are surfacing about this industry.

I want everyone to know that I appreciate you visiting our site and I highly encourage feedback and suggestions.  You can emails us with questions, feedback, or suggestions by clicking here.

You will probably also notice that our site has begun adding international paid surveys for individuals living outside the US.  We are also providing surveys for Hispanics and teens.  Over the next six months, you will also see a re-design of the website that will provide more information about each company, their contact information, and anything else that we think will make this a better experience for you.

I strongly encourage you to click here and sign up with the top ten paying survey companies on the internet today!  You will start getting surveys and start making money within a day’s time.

(Late) Happy Birthday To Opinion Outpost!

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Opinion Outpost turned three this year.  Opinion Outpost was taken online in early 2005, February to be exact.  During their first year of business, they barely reached 100,000 panel members who were actively taking surveys for them.  After three years of being in business, they have over 1,000,000 active panelists taking surveys on a daily basis!  That is a huge accomplishment for them and their company officers.

Opinion Outpost is one of our favorite survey panels because of the high number of surveys they send out on a daily basis.  We have found through our testing offers that Opinion Outpost is one of the highest paying survey companies, they get their checks to you quicker than any other company, and they have amazing customer service.  They even have a phone line you can call.  No one else does!

If you are looking to make money online with paid surveys, then you need to check out Opinion Outpost today!  You will be sorry if you pass them up!

Survey Inferno Welcome’s The Global Net Panel

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Say hello to the market research industry’s newest online survey panel, The Global Net Panel. The Global Net Panel is owned and operated by Globanet Interactive, Inc. and they are ready for you to start taking surveys and getting paid for doing it.

This is the perfect opportunity for anyone interested in free paid surveys to make a lot of money. Because they are such a new panel, they are going to have plenty of work or “surveys” for you to do. The fewer panel members that a company has, the more there are to go around. Once you reach a million panelists like Opinion Outpost or Global Test Market, you will start to receive fewer and fewer surveys.

Take some initiative today and go sign up to take surveys with Global Net Panel.  While you are at it, sign up for a few more of the other companies in our directories to maximize the number of survey you take on a daily basis and the amount of money you make!