How to Get Free Stuff for Your Opinion

July 21, 2008 — -- Most people get a kick out of sharing their opinions about products and services, and just about everyone loves free stuff. A combo of the two -- no-cost rewards for your thoughts -- can feel like hitting the jackpot for many of us.

There are three simple categories to pursue when looking to interact with big brand marketers to tell them what you think -- and to be compensated with free stuff.

Click here for a list of legitimate Web sites to contact to get started.

Online market research firms allow anyone to register for free, complete a short personal and professional profile, and become eligible to respond to surveys. Survey topics are very diverse -- from spending habits and lifestyle choices to preferences on a wide range of current and developing products and services. Each time you complete a survey, you earn points. As the points accumulate, you can redeem them for prizes. The value of prizes typically starts at about $10 (books, CDs, DVDs) and goes up to a few hundred dollars (electronics and home appliances). One company, ZoomPanel, says it ships more than 120,000 reward prizes per year -- free stuff valued at more than $3 million annually.

Specialized marketing firms are hired by big brands to solicit feedback from a targeted demographic to assist with product development and promotion. In such cases, participants who meet a specific profile are invited to try the product or service for the purposes of providing that feedback.

For example, SheSpeaks, a marketing firm specializing in women, sent a $300 "Conception Kit" to 500 of its targeted members who indicated they were experiencing a challenge with fertility issues. The purpose: Allow them to review the kit and provide feedback to its manufacturer. Even though there is never any obligation to try the products or provide the requested feedback, most users are eager to share their experiences. In the process, SheSpeaks says 50 women have already credited the kit with contributing to their pregnancies, which become powerful testimonials among a community of like-minded women.

Tory Johnson is the Workplace Contributor on ABC's "Good Morning America," and the CEO of Women For Hire. Visit her online at www.womenforhire.com.