Do Surveys Really Pay?

That is the question on many an online visitor's mind; do surveys really pay? The answer to that question is a bit complicated. The short version of the answer is yes. The real answer to the question is that no, not entirely on their own, they don't. In order to make money, completing surveys, one really needs to look at it from an entrepreneurial viewpoint.

The Problem

If you were to find say, 5 to 6 survey companies, filled out their applications and received approval; you would then sit around waiting for surveys to come down the pipe that your "profile" fit. When you sign up with these survey companies you answer questions about your household members, your buying habits and the buying habits of your household.

Your answers become your profile. You will be selected to complete surveys based on your profile. Chances are you may wait a while for that first survey to appear in your inbox. More than likely, you will not be able to complete enough surveys to earn the kind of money you envisioned making.

At this point your answer to the question: Do surveys really pay? Becomes a resounding no! You do not give up though, because you have that entrepreneurial spirit, inside of you, so you do some searching and planning.

The Answer

Real survey companies are trying to satisfy a business need. What do they need? They need to collect data on who uses their products and to be successful; they need to really know their consumers. They want to be better at marketing their products and need consumer input about what products and services appeal to them, which ones they would be willing to buy and what does not appeal to them.

The smart business minded survey-taker would analyze this information and explore the many ways to give companies the data they need. There are many data collecting tools that fall under the “survey umbrella”. Tools like phone interview, focus groups and real-time survey discussions online. Online forums for work-at-home entrepreneurs are filled with discussions pertaining to how to work “doing surveys” as a business successfully.