Tag: online

Looking for an Online Business Loan? Read this Become.co Review Before You Do Anything Else

Become.co, once known as Lending Express, claims to help businesses get funding even when they have gotten denials elsewhere. But can they do what they say?

An All In Become.co Review

First as Lending Express, and now as Become, this is a company that claims to be able to help businesses get funding when they have not otherwise been able to do so.  What is their secret, and does it really work? We dug deep in order to find out.

Become.co Review: What is Become?

First things first. This is not a lender. Rather, they are more of a lender and borrower dating service.  They collect information from potential borrowers and send it to partner lenders. The lenders then decide whether or not they want to make a financing offer to the would-be borrower. The company spins it as lenders competing for the opportunity to fund the borrower’s business.  In some cases, this may well be how it turns out.

Find out why so many companies use our proven methods to get business loans.

Become.co Review: Types of Business Loans

The lenders that work with Become offer a broad range of lending products.  They include:

  • Startup business loans
  • Commercial vehicle loans
  • Asset based loans
  • SBA loans
  • Merchant cash advances
  • Lines of credit
  • Invoice financing
  • And unsecured business loans

Become.co Review: How Does it Work?

First, you fill out an application with Become.  Then, the company technology analyzes the application and matches you with the best lenders for your business from among their partners.

Application Process

  1. Select how much you need under “loan amount” and then “Get Loan Offer”’
  2. Fill out the information asked for, which includes time in business, industry, revenue etc.
  3. Select up to 3 different lenders.
  4. Then, you will have to connect your business’s checking account to be analyzed.
  5. After that, you wait for the offers to roll in.
  6. After reviewing offers, select the lender you wish to go with.
  7. Funds will be deposited into your business checking account.

The process takes about 15 minutes and involves a soft pull on your credit report.  It will not affect your credit.

Rates and Terms

Typically, the minimum amount available from partner lenders is $5,000.  The  maximum is up to $500,000.  Flexible repayment is available based on monthly turnover. Loan terms are from 3 to 36 months.

Also, repayments do not use “interest rates.”  Rather, you are given a payback amount, which is agreed on upfront. It is based on your business type and your loan term.

They claim this  structure is beneficial for your business cash flow, because you will know your total costs upfront.  While not untrue, it would be wise to calculate an effective interest rate for comparison purposes.  For example, if your loan amount is $5,000 and your repayment amount is $5,500, your effective interest rate is 10% over the life of the loan.

This is important information to know, so that you can make sure you are getting the best deal possible for your business.

Qualifying

Any business owner can apply.  If you do not qualify, you will still be assigned a dashboard explaining the reason why, along with tips to help you improve your chances. At a minimum, you should have an average revenue of $5,000 per month, ideally.  You also need to have been in business for at least 3 months if you are a U.S. business and at least 6 months if you are in Australia.

As for credit score, while it is important, some of their partners do not deny based on a low credit score.  Instead, their decision is based on the overall health of your business as determined by a number of factors. These may include revenue, time in businesses, average balance in business bank accounts, and more.

Clearly, the more of these factors you have in your favor, the better your chances are going to be for getting funding from Become.

Required Documents

You must have a business checking account.  Become will analyze the statements for the past 3 to 6 months. Other document requirements will be up to the lender you end up applying to.  Some examples of documents they may require include merchant statements, tax returns, and financing projections. It will never hurt to have a business plan.

Find out why so many companies use our proven methods to get business loans.

Become.co Review: How Are They Different?

Become uses technology and advanced algorithms to help match business borrowers to alternative lenders. The process is free, and unlike others, they do more than just match borrowers to lenders. They also function as a credit profiler.

Their proprietary technology renders a unique LendingScore™ for each business.  This is a financing profile that is intended to help the company improve funding possibilities, access new opportunities, and find the best funding solutions.

Find out why so many companies use our proven methods to get business loans.

Become.co Review: Reputation

They do not seem to have a  Better Business Bureau profile, at least not under the name Become. There is a company with the same name that uses the URL “Become.com.” Become.com appears to be an online shopping portal, wholly unrelated to Become. Co. Since both companies are in the state of California, this could be quite confusing.

They do, though, have a very good rating on Trustpilot. The rating is 4.8 stars.  There are over 500 reviews, and over 90% of them are excellent.

Become.co Review: Are They All That They Claim to Be?

It seems that they do a great job.  They have a lot of happy customers, and Trustpilot is a trusted review source. That said, it’s unfortunate that they chose a name that requires a .co URL.  This may make them hard for many to find when looking for small business loans.  Alos, the name “Become” doesn’t exactly reflect who they are or what they do, further complicating the ability of business owners to find them. It is a very generic word which most people would not relate to business funding.

Another potential area of concern is the fact that they want access to your business bank account. It sounds as if they want to access it electronically. Still, online lenders are doing this more and more these days.  Given the number of great reviews, it may not be an issue.  That is a decision you will have to make for yourself.

Is Become the End of the Road if You Do Not Qualify?

If you fill out an application with Become and you do not qualify for funding with any of their lenders, your dashboard will contain the reasons why and ideas to help you qualify in the future. This can be helpful in the long term. But, what if you need funding right now?

A business credit expert can help walk you through the process of building a business credit profile.  This is separate from your personal credit profile, and will open up new funding opportunities.  They can also analyze the current fundability of your business, and help you find ways to improve it.

In addition, they can help you find the funding you need right now with products like 401K financing and the Credit Line Hybrid.  Get a free consultation today.

The post Looking for an Online Business Loan? Read this Become.co Review Before You Do Anything Else appeared first on Credit Suite.

How to Start an Online Store

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Online shopping is hotter than it has ever been, and I don’t think it’s going to slow down. If you’re planning to start an online store, your timing couldn’t be better.

Yes, a lot of people are trying to get into ecommerce right now, but that shouldn’t stop you. Many of the most successful online stores were only founded a few years ago.

The sooner you take the initial step, the faster you can build your brand and grow your business.

In this post, I’ll give you a step-by-step guide that shows you how to start an online store. You can go from zero to your first sale with as few mistakes as possible.

Your 2-Minute Cheat Sheet

Want to skip the details and get a quick cheat sheet? Here you go.

You have to decide what you want to sell and how you’re going to get the products. And while you’re at it, you must also consider the product’s prices, your target audience, and whether or not there is an audience for your product.

After all, why would you want to sell a product nobody wants to buy?

You can choose a product that metaphorically “scratches your own itch.” Or you can also consider buying a product that already exists, improving it, and then doing a better job of marketing it. This is sometimes known as dropshipping.

I would personally recommend the second option for first-time entrepreneurs as it considerably lowers the risk out of selling.

If you agree, head over to Alibaba.com to find suppliers for your chosen product. While Alibaba is one of the more popular marketplaces, it doesn’t mean that there aren’t frauds on the platform.

To make sure you deal with genuine suppliers only, look for the Gold Supplier icon. This indicates that a particular supplier has signed up for a paid membership. Therefore, it’s less likely for any fraud to have the Gold Supplier icon on their profile.

If you decide to go forward with the supplier, make sure you order sample products to determine the quality you should expect. Don’t forget to discuss payment terms and other details so that you and the supplier are on the same page.

With the products in place, you’ll have to figure out a good name for your brand and check whether a domain name is available.

Buying a domain name is easy. Getting the domain name of your dreams can take more time.

Consider your domain name as a long-term investment, and try to come up with the best you can. Here are some strategies to use if the domain name you want is unavailable.

Next up, you have to set up your online store platform. Consider selling your products on either Shopify or Amazon—both are equally good.

Finally, work on optimizing your site by including targeted keywords in your product descriptions. This is an excellent way to drive more organic traffic to your website rather than partaking in more cumbersome marketing strategies.

If I’m honest, though, you’ll still need to look for other ways to promote your shop, such as on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter.

Okay, let’s run through each step in more detail. Feel free to skip ahead if you’ve completed the early steps:

  1. Figure Out Your Niche
  2. Source Products From Alibaba
  3. Pick a Name for Your Brand and Get a Domain
  4. Set up Your Online Store Platform
  5. Optimize Your Site

Step 1: Figure Out Your Niche

Since you’re going to set up an online store, you’ll need a product. The very first thing you should do is decide what you’re going to sell and who you’re selling it to. 

Many first-time entrepreneurs make the mistake of not putting enough thought into deciding their niche, which includes the product’s price, the audience to whom the product is aimed, and the market opportunity.

Don’t make this mistake. 

Always remember your product matters the most—both in terms of quality and relevance. You have two options here: you can either create something you need or source something from elsewhere, make it better, and then market it.

I’ll recommend choosing a niche that isn’t already dominated by a few brands. 

Let me explain this with the help of two scenarios.

  • Scenario 1: Your headphones stop working. You want to replace it, so what do you do?

You‘ll either place an order online from sites like Sony, Bose, or Beats. Or maybe visit the physical stores of these brands.

  • Scenario 2: You’ve moved into a new house when you realize that you want decorative lights for your bedroom.

You’ll likely Google “decorative lights for bedrooms“ or “buy decorative lights with free shipping.” 

Do you see the difference in your behavior?

Niches dominated by a few brands aren’t really profitable for first-timers. Trust me, customers don’t even think about alternatives as their brand loyalty kicks in almost immediately. 

Instead, it’s much better to stick with niches and products that don’t have a couple of specific brand names associated with them.

You can also use Amazon to check out the competitors in your niche. Try to identify common features that could help you improve your product.

For instance, you can have thick paper notebooks or reinforced steel for bottles. Basically, stuff that will help improve the quality of effectiveness of your products.

Next, you’ll need to work on sourcing the products.

Step 2: Source Products From Alibaba 

Alibaba.com is one of the most popular marketplaces when it comes to sourcing products. Many people in the ecommerce industry already use this site, so it makes perfect sense for you to source your products on this platform, too.

But how do you go about this? Let’s assume you want to sell steel bottles.

Search for “steel bottles.” You’ll now see a list of suppliers selling all kinds of steel bottles at different prices.

Next, you’ll have to contact a few of them to see whether they would be a good match for you. You first need to figure out your requirements before you get in touch with them. Otherwise, you’ll be wasting everyone’s time.

The way to distinguish genuine sellers from frauds is to look for the Gold Supplier mark. Gold Supplier is a paid membership for suppliers on Alibaba.com, which indicates that the business is serious about trading with other international companies. 

Take a look at this screenshot:

It shows that this particular supplier has been a Gold Supplier for three years. Since they have to pay for this recognition, you can be sure that they will be serious when negotiating with you.

You must discuss payment terms and minimums and other things so that every detail is explicitly clear to avoid misunderstandings in the future. I’d also recommend ordering sample products before you place a big order to get a better idea of what you’re going to get and the shipping times.

Step 3: Pick a Name for Your Brand and Get a Domain 

Now comes the exciting—and at times frustrating—part of starting an online store: Choosing an appropriate name.

Once you start looking for options, you’ll realize how the best names have already been trademarked and website domains already registered. 

It’s like hitting one dead end after another!

But don’t give in just yet, as finding a good name is an effort well worth the pain (and tears).

Here’s a quick checklist you should follow:

  • It should be easy to spell and concise – three words or shorter.
  • It should have a .com domain
  • It must reflect your chosen niche
  • It cannot be already trademarked by other people—the legal hassle is costly and very troubling.

Take my domain as an example. NeilPatel.com is short, concise, and reflects my brand. You do not have to use your name. That was just a choice that was right for me.

The good news is there’s an option for you to get a domain without having to pay the registration fee. Most web hosting services offer users a free domain—provided you choose a company that provides this feature like Bluehost or Wix.

I highly recommend this method, as you get free .com domains with full ownership that’ll make you look more professional and credible to your visitors. Plus, if you’re already going to purchase a web hosting plan, why not select an option that offers you a free domain?

Purchasing a web hosting plan, typically as a one, two, or three-year contract, is necessary. Think of the free domain as a bonus to your investment.

The next crucial step is setting up your ecommerce store on a platform that’s easy to use and offers good customer support. 

Step 4: Set up Your Online Store Platform

Shopify and Amazon are two of the most popular and user-friendly e-commerce sites.

You can also use WordPress + WooCommerce if you want. But that’s best for times when you already have a blog with a large audience. This way, you won’t have to put in an extra effort to drive traffic to your ecommerce store. 

Option #1 Setting Up Your Shopify Account

Shopify has over 218 million buyers from 175 countries. So you can imagine the number of people who trust this ecommerce site.

You can start the 14-day free trial to get a feel of Shopify’s features. If you decide to move forward with it, you’ll upgrade to the paid plan.

The first step is to enter a store name, which will also become the default URL to start your trial. For example, if you want your Shopify’s store name to be JoshBeans, your URL will be joshbeans.myshopify.com.

If you buy a custom domain (joshbeans.com), you’ll be able to get rid of the ‘myshopify’ part.

Complete further instructions as asked. Then you have your own Shopify account.

To customize your store further, visit the Shopify themes page and select an option that’s on-brand with what you sell.

What’s more, you can talk to a Shopify Expert if you need help with the technical aspects of setting up your store or find yourself stuck at a specific place.

Option #2 Setting Up an Amazon Account

 You also have the option to display your products on Amazon. 

Go to Amazon and scroll down to the bottom of the homepage. Select Sell on Amazon.

Sign up to become an Amazon seller. You can sign up as an individual seller or a professional seller. In my opinion, it would be better to become a professional seller if you’re in for the long haul.

After setting up and verifying your identity, you can start with listing your products. Before this, make sure you go through the details of the selling process on Amazon.

Then click on Inventory followed by Add a Product. This will open up Amazon‘s catalog, where you’ll have to search for the product you want to sell. 

You can also create a new product listing if you can’t find a suitable option. 

And that’s it! You can now start selling your product on Amazon.

Before you can start listing your products, make sure you have high-quality photos of them, preferably on a white background. Similar to this:

Step 5: Optimize Your Site

If you think customers will come to you just after you launch the website, we have news for you: Not going to happen.

Instead, you need to optimize your website to attract traffic through search engines by targeting SEO keywords in your product descriptions.

Write good copy for every listed product, taking care to mention their USPs and describing them explicitly. 

This will involve you focusing on two primary areas:

  • You have to target your product pages to specific terms that are typically searching for within the platform
  • Work on getting as many five-star reviews you can on your products as possible

The above two tips are instrumental in improving your search terms and reviews, enabling more people to see your products on the platform. This will translate into more sales and revenue for you, which is exactly what we want.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You now have your online store up and running. 

From figuring out what you want to sell and sourcing it to choosing a reliable ecommerce site to display your products, you are now an expert when it comes to launching an online store.

But don’t celebrate too hard—you have to next work on spreading the word about your store to get customers to purchase your product or service. When the money starts rolling in, I’ll be expecting a party.

Here’s wishing you all the luck!

BrickSeek: The Hidden Tool Online Consumers Use to Find Hidden Inventory Sales

Have you ever wanted a fast way to get the best deals in retail stores like Walmart, Home Depot, Target, and more?

Whether you’re just looking to save some money or you’re into retail arbitrage, the ability to easily check product inventory from the comfort of your home is something many people only dreamed about.

Until BrickSeek came along, that is.

What is BrickSeek, and how can it help you get the best deals on some of the most popular products?

What Is BrickSeek?

BrickSeek is an application that allows users to search for sales and clearance sales in retail shops in their area.

BrickSeek for consumers - logo

Launched in 2014, BrickSeek started as a website to help Lego enthusiasts find hard-to-find pieces—on and offline. The website quickly evolved into a massive platform that includes inventory information on just about every product stocked by retailers.

You can choose to use the web-based version or the mobile app as BrickSeek supports Android and iOS.

While BrickSeek doesn’t support all retail brands at the moment, they do have access to inventory for retailers like:

  • Target
  • Walmart
  • CVS
  • Home Depot
  • Macy’s
  • Lowes
  • Office Depot
  • Staples

BrickSeek uses product identification numbers like stock-keeping units (SKUs) and unique product codes (UPCs) to work its magic. With these, the software can find the best discount prices on specific products you want—for online and offline stores.

Besides showing you the best deals in your area, BrickSeek also shows the availability of all products stocked by most major retailers.

While you can use BrickSeek to browse store inventories, other features require you create a member account. Pricing starts at $9.99/month.

Why Should Consumers Use BrickSeek?

Now that you know what BrickSeek is, you’re probably wondering why you should even consider using the platform—especially the paid services.

There are two main reasons why you should use BrickSeek:

1. Saves Time (and Energy)

Tired of going from store to store looking for the best deal on products?

BrickSeek will take care of that for you with its inventory checker. With just a few clicks of a button, you can find out which stores offer the best deals. You can also learn whether they have the product in stock or not.

2. Saves Money

BrickSeek helps you save money by showing you the best deals on products. You also save money that you would have otherwise used to commute from one store to another.

Whether you’re a consumer or merchant, these two reasons are strong enough to make BrickSeek part of your tool kit.

How Does BrickSeek Work?

Thankfully, while it may seem like a daunting task to run through all the inventory of your favorite big box store, with BrickSeek, it isn’t. That’s because BrickSeek has a powerful inventory checker that digs into the inventory of the stores it supports.

From a user’s point of view, you have two options when it comes to using Brickseek to find deals:

1. Specific Search

To search for a specific product, you will need more information on the product than just its name. For best results, you’ll need metadata like the SKU, UPC, or model number of the product you’re looking for.

BrickSeek for consumers - using brickseek for specific search

BrickSeek also allows you to filter out products by zip code, so you get the deals closest to you.

Once you’ve entered the product information, click on the “Check Inventory” button. BrickSeek will then give you information on:

  • Local stores that have the product in stock.
  • Available prices and best deals on products.
  • Number of products in stock at each store.

Do note there may be some minor discrepancies in rare cases of miscounts or server lag after inventory has been updated.

2. Browsing for Products

Another way of using Brickseek is by simply browsing trending deals.

How Does BrickSeek for consumers Work - Browsing for Products

This function is particularly useful if you’re a small business that deals in retail arbitrage. You can use it to find products that are in the clearance section. BrickSeek allows you to search by trending deals (online and in-store) and by categories to make the search easier.

What Effect Do Tools Like BrickSeek Have on E-Commerce?

The world of e-commerce is rapidly evolving, all thanks to technological advances in the industry. There has never been a better time for entrepreneurs to start an e-commerce store as the setup has become easy and affordable.

However, one of the main challenges budding e-commerce store owners face is finding the right products to sell, at the right price.

That’s where tools like BrickSeek come in.

Whether you’re looking for stuff to sell on platforms like eBay, Amazon, or any other platform you use for e-commerce, tools like BrickSeek streamline the process of finding what to sell. You can easily compare prices without having to leave the comfort of your couch. As a result, you speed up the process and get the best deals. These are all benefits you can pass on to your customers, giving you a competitive edge.

However, tools like BrickSeek are a double-edged sword. While they help e-commerce store owners find and sell more products, they also help savvy shoppers cut out the middleman. A simple visit to the BrickSeek website is all it takes for consumers looking for a great deal in-store or online.

BrickSeek Features

BrickSeek started as a simple platform for finding Lego pieces. However, the platform has evolved into a powerful tool you can use to search through massive product inventories to find specific products, the best deals, and the local stores that stock them. To help you do that, BrickSeek has several nifty features. Here are some of the most prominent ones:

Inventory Checker

The inventory checker is by far the most used feature on the BrickSeek website.

brickseek for consumers: inventory checker feature

As noted earlier, this allows you to browse through the inventory of the retail stores featured on the platform.

Recent Stock Changes

BrickSeek’s recent stock update feature shows inventory updates like availability and price. A significant advantage of this feature is it helps you compare prices in different stores and locations. If you’re a consumer, this enables you to get the best deals. If you use BrickSeek for business purposes, it helps you decide how to price the items you buy for resale.

Markdowns by Store

As the name suggests, this members-only feature shows you items that have been marked down in stores near you. The number of items displayed is dependent on your membership level.

Brickseek for consumers: markdown feature

When you access each store’s markdown deals page on BrickSeek, you’ll get information on each product that has been marked down. Apart from the product name and description, this information includes:

  • previous and newest detected prices
  • date and timestamp of the recent detection
  • the manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP)
  • a stock status indicator

This information is essential in helping you know whether the product that’s been marked down is worth investing in.

Online Stock Alert

Is the product you’re looking for out of stock?

This is where the online stock alert feature comes in handy.

The online stock alert feature is reserved for users who have created an account with BrickSeek. This handy feature sends notifications when out-of-stock or hard-to-find items are available in a store near you. When a product you’re looking for is out of stock, BrickSeek will ask if you want to be alerted when the product is in stock.

For those in the retail arbitrage business, the online stock alert feature is a massive time-saver as you won’t have to hunt for a product physically. It also gives you an advantage over your competitors as you get notified first when popular and in-demand products arrive in stock.

With features like these, BrickSeek is definitely a tool you must include in your tool stack as an e-commerce store owner, especially if retail arbitrage is your primary business model.

Three Alternatives to BrickSeek You Must Know

As excellent a tool as BrickSeek may be, it’s always a good idea to look around for some alternatives. That’s why I want to make that search easier for you by highlighting some of the most popular BrickSeek alternatives.

Let’s get to them, shall we?

Dealspotr

Dealspotr is one of the most popular BrickSeek alternatives and has been around since 2015. Dealspotr is a platform that finds coupon codes, discount sales, and promotions run by e-commerce stores listed in their store directory.

brickseek for consumers - Alternatives to BrickSeek You Must Know - Dealspotr

Besides their software that scours for deals, Dealspotr also has a large community of users who edit and verify the deals posted on the platform. This helps ensure all coupons and deals are current and legitimate. Another reason Dealspotr is so popular with users is that it rewards them for posting legitimate deals.

Slickdeals

Another great BrickSeek alternative is Slickdeals.

Alternatives to BrickSeek for consumers - Slickdeals

Slickdeals is touted as the most trusted deals platform on the internet as real people source all deals. The community of deal seekers that power the platform is obsessed with uncovering the greatest deals and savings opportunities online.

What sets Slickdeals apart from other platforms is the vibrant community designed to make you feel like part of a tribe of like-minded people. Everyone on the platform can share, confirm, and comment on deals to make sure everyone benefits. You can also sign up to receive notifications of deals in your favorite categories.

PriceGrabber

Getting the best deals means finding the lowest-priced products. That’s exactly what PriceGrabber does.

Alternatives to BrickSeek for consumers - PriceGrabber

PriceGrabber is a price-comparison site that allows you to compare prices on products in almost every category in retail. Whether you’re a merchant looking for inventory or a savvy shopper looking for a great deal, PriceGrabber is an excellent platform to turn to.

BrickSeek for Consumers Conclusion

With retail e-commerce sales at $4.9 billion last year alone, there’s no better time than now to hop on the e-commerce bandwagon. To catch up to players who have been in the game for long, you need an ace up your sleeve.

BrickSeek might just be that ace you need to make your first e-commerce sale and many more.

Leverage the platform to find the best deals around, and you’ll soon grow a thriving e-commerce business. BrickSeek will also help you personalize your inventory as you use it to find out what your customers are looking for.

Have you ever used BrickSeek or its alternatives in your e-commerce business?

How to Find a Mentor Online

Success in many areas of life depends on personal and professional development, and finding a mentor can help.

You can’t successfully take the journey to personal and professional development alone.

Mentorship simply means a relationship between you (the mentee) and a more experienced person (mentor) that benefits your growth.

How to Find a Mentor

Finding the right mentor is never an easy task. However, if you know how to go about it, you could connect with the one who can transform your life. Here are a few tips on how to find a mentor:

Know What You’re Looking for in a Mentor

The first step in finding a mentor is having a clear picture of what you’re looking for. A few qualities to look for in a mentor include:

  • relevant knowledge, expertise, and experience
  • enthusiasm to impart their knowledge
  • ability to give honest feedback
  • empathy
  • passion for the field/skills you want to grow in

There may be many people who can mentor you. However, not all of them can do so successfully. As with any other relationship type, find someone who understands and is willing to invest in you.

Join a Mentorship Platform

There are several mentorship platforms created to help connect mentees to mentors.

Examples of such platforms include:

MentorCruise

MentorCruise is one of the best mentorship platforms for those in tech, design, and business

One of its advantages is it’s a two-sided marketplace. Mentees can look for mentors and vice versa. Mentors set prices, usually $150 to $250 per month with a seven-day trial.

GrowthMentor

As the name suggests, GrowthMentor is a mentorship platform targeted at growth hackers.

GrowthMentor’s most significant selling point is the unlimited calls with mentors. You can also post help requests and have mentors reply to you. You get all this and more starting at $50 per month paid yearly.

Pelion

Pelion connects developers to experienced mentors in their fields of expertise.

Featuring mentors from top tech companies worldwide, it’s one of the best mentorship platforms for those in tech. Mentors set prices, usually starting at $300 per month.

Clarity

Clarity operates on a simple model where you browse through their community of experts and request a call with your mentor of choice. Unlike other platforms, you usually only work with a mentor briefly to solve an immediate problem.

Mentors set per-minute rates, as this method is done via a call rather than an ongoing mentorship setup.

Reach Out to Your Existing Network

One of the best ways of finding a mentor is to look within your existing network. Find some people in your network who have already achieved what you want to achieve. Make a list of those people, looking closely at each one to help you narrow your list.

Once you’ve established who will make for a suitable mentor, reach out to them, asking if they’d be willing to take you on as a mentee.

With this method, you don’t have to start a relationship from scratch or hope you and your mentor get along.

If you can’t think of someone you already know, though, reach out to other members of your network. They could potentially recommend a perfect match for you.

Go to Professional Networking Events

Professional networking events connect you to people in your exact industry who have the knowledge, skills, experience, and connections you need.

The key to finding a mentor at professional networking events is to attend as many events as possible. Observe experienced participants and take note of those who fit your desired mentor profile.

Find an Industry Meetup

Industry meetups are similar to professional networking events because they’re full of people in your field looking to learn more, but they’re not strictly about networking. Examples of industry meetups include:

  • conferences
  • networking and speaking events
  • trade shows

You can also consider attending informal meetups organized by players in your industry or created through online platforms like Meetup.

Attend Volunteer Events or Social Clubs

Volunteer events and social clubs let you meet new people and learn what’s important to them. While these may not necessarily be industry-specific, you never know who you may encounter—perhaps the person cleaning the kennel next to you at the animal rescue is an established person in your field!

Consistently attending volunteer events and social clubs could help you get to know the regulars. Doing this will help you see who will make a suitable mentor for you in a situation outside of work.

While this takes a lot of time on your part and may not work all the time, you could find yourself doing good for your community and having fun, if nothing else.

Use Social Media

Social media helps people worldwide and from all walks of life connect on an equal level.

That’s what makes it an excellent tool for finding mentors.

How to Find a Mentor - Use Social Media

Most social media platforms allow you to search using keywords and hashtags. These features make it easier to filter according to the specific criteria you’ve set for the type of mentor you need. You can then monitor your potential mentors’ activities to check for authenticity and engagement.

So which social media platforms are best for finding mentors?

The answer depends on which social media platforms are most popular in your industry. However, the platforms that are likely to help you find a mentor online are:

  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook (especially Facebook Groups)
  • Instagram
  • Reddit
  • GitHub

A word of advice: Never pitch your prospective mentor outright. To increase the chances of accepting you as a mentee, engage and interact with their posts first. You want them to know who you are and what you value.

4 Tips for Getting the Most of Your Mentorship

Finding the right mentor is only half of the mentorship equation. You must also know how to get the most out of your mentor/mentee relationship. Here are a few tips to help you do that:

1. Have a Goal for Your Mentorship

Sit down with your mentor to discuss what the outcome of the mentorship should be. Doing so will help both of you focus on what matters the most in the mentorship relationship. Without clear-cut goals, you won’t know whether you’re making progress or not.

2. Prepare for Your Sessions

Never attend a mentoring session without first preparing for it. Remember, these sessions are for your benefit, so you must put in the work to ensure you maximize the time your mentor is giving you. Before your meeting, you should:

  • Review the notes from your last meeting.
  • List down questions you want to ask.
  • Set goals for the upcoming meeting.

While it’s your mentor’s responsibility to impart knowledge, you should also play a role in driving the conversations.

3. Know How to Give Feedback

An essential aspect of your relationship with your mentor is the feedback process. While most feedback will come from them, there are several times when you’ll also be expected to provide feedback. Here are a few tips to help you do that:

  • Avoid vague statements—be specific.
  • Only give feedback when it’s solicited.
  • Be descriptive rather than evaluative.

You must also be honest with your feedback. Trying to sugar-coat feedback will only slow down the process. Don’t be rude, but be clear.

4. Learn to Take Constructive Criticism

Part of the growth process involves receiving criticism. Not all feedback you’ll get from your mentor will be positive. You must learn to accept and handle negative feedback well. It’s only when you are open and receptive to constructive criticism that you’ll get the most out of your relationship with your mentor.

Remember, though: Constructive criticism isn’t the same as destructive criticism. The former helps find solutions, while the latter only finds problems. Assume positive intent—maybe you and your mentor communicate differently, or one of you is simply having a bad day.

But, if you’re only finding problems and not solutions, seek a new mentor and kindly exit this relationship. There are plenty of mentors out there!

Why Should You Find a Mentor?

No matter where you are in your business or career, you could benefit from having a mentor.

You can have many mentors as long as their knowledge and experience don’t overlap too much. Each member of your group of mentors should bring something unique to the table.

A few reasons why you must consider finding a mentor include:

Expedite Your Progress

One of the most significant advantages of mentorship is it could speed up your progress toward a goal. Mentors help you avoid common mistakes many in your niche/industry make. They may also show you the right steps to take to get where you want to go. As a result, your progress could be faster.

Extend Your Network

Another reason to consider finding a mentor is it can help expand your professional network. A mentor who has been in the industry for a long time has likely made some valuable connections. Access to a mentor may grant you access to those connections.

Improve Your Professional Skills

One of the best ways to learn and improve a skill is to get someone to teach you. That’s precisely what mentors do. If you want to enhance your professional skills, mentorship may be the best way to go about it.

Widen Your View of Your Field, Niche, or Industry

A common frustration many face in business and on their career paths is hitting a plateau. This usually happens because of not seeing other alternatives and ways to grow. Thankfully, because a mentor can often see the bigger picture, they could advise you on continuing to move on an upward trajectory.

As you can see, mentorship has several benefits for both your personal and professional development.

Conclusion

Mentorship is an essential part of the success equation. Whether you want to master digital marketing, programming, or any other career discipline, the best way to develop yourself is through mentorship. No matter your field, industry, or even level of expertise, mentorship is one of the most effective ways to help you level up.

For that to happen, however, you must know how to find a mentor. Using the advice outlined above, you can improve the chances of finding the right mentor.

Have you ever gone through mentorship or mentored someone? What was the experience like?

Online Marketing Made Simple

Web Marketing Made Simple

When you initially get started on a net advertising endeavor, it’s flawlessly regular to be bewildered. There is so much to discover, so lots of various points you can do to market a service online, as well as so numerous “specialists” that declare they’ve obtained the “secret” to making cash online.

What’s the trick to net advertising as well as making cash online? There are lots of techniques for numerous kinds of net advertising and marketing strategies and also what jobs fantastic for one company, may not function at all for an additional.

Instead than attempting to “grasp the art” of net advertising and marketing, it is best to obtain a fast review of web advertising strategies, determine which one (or 2) you desire to attempt initially, obtain the understanding as well as ability you require to draw off the strategy, as well as see just how it functions. Naturally you require to do some research study to determine your target audience as well as produce an advertising and marketing strategy, yet your web marketing strategy does not need to be substantial and also does not need to be uncompromising from the first day. You can examine your statistics, see what is functioning and also what isn’t, as well as fine-tune your online marketing project as you accompany to reinforce it and also make it extra reliable.

When you begin in online marketing, it is excellent to have an understanding of different sorts of web marketing strategies, yet the key ones to focus on initially are internet search engine advertising and marketing and also pay-per-click online search engine advertising. Usually, over 80% of the web traffic that involves a site locates the internet site via the online search engine, so online search engine listings are crucial to online marketing.

Online search engine advertising and marketing is composed mainly of enhancing your internet site utilizing targeted key phrases, loading it with pertinent material, developing appropriate inbound web links, as well as sending the website to the internet search engine. With pay-per-click online search engine advertising and marketing, the procedure of web marketing via the online search engine is streamlined a little bit due to the fact that you bid on search phrases that will certainly give outcomes for your specific site and also your online search engine ranking is based mostly on your proposal as opposed to depending only on website optimization which can be rather tough.

As opposed to concentrating on a selection of online marketing strategies at the same time, you’ll locate it is a lot more efficient to go after online marketing choices one by one. After developing one method, you can go on to the following, continuously reinforcing your online marketing initiatives.

There are bunches of methods for numerous kinds of web advertising methods as well as what jobs wonderful for one service, could not function at all for an additional.

Instead than attempting to “grasp the art” of net advertising and marketing, it is best to obtain a fast introduction of web advertising methods, choose which one (or 2) you desire to attempt initially, acquire the understanding as well as ability you require to draw off the method, and also see just how it functions. Of program you require to do some study to determine your target market as well as develop an advertising and marketing strategy, however your net advertising and marketing strategy does not have to be comprehensive as well as does not have actually to be established in rock from day one.

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The Definitive Guide to Online Reputation Management

The Definitive Guide to Online Reputation Management

There are a lot of misconceptions about online reputation management. Some people think it’s just social media monitoring, while others believe it has something to do with public relations, and still others have no idea the impact it can have on sales.

In this guide, I’ll explain the role of online reputation management in today’s digital age, explain why it matters, and outline 10 tips for improving and protecting your brand’s online image.

Why Does Reputation Management Matter?

Just a few years ago, the internet was very different. Companies didn’t engage customers, they just sold (or tried to sell) to a passive audience People could not express their voice in a powerful way, and the overall communication landscape was very “top down.”

The situation has radically changed. Today, websites are no longer static brochures. User-generated content is a must. And regular interactions on social networks are vital to any business success.

No matter the size of your business, people are talking about you, including prospects, customers, clients, and their friends. They are tweeting about your latest product, leaving a comment on your blog, posting a Facebook update about their customer experience, and much more.

If you think you can skimp on reputation management, or if you think you can make it without taking into account people’s voices, opinions, and reviews, think again.

Today’s Brands Need to Be Transparent

One of the most important business commandments is “Be transparent.” Opening up to criticism and feedback seems beneficial for companies that embrace this new communication mode with their audience.

What does being “transparent” mean? Here are some examples:

  • allowing employees to talk about products and services publicly
  • establishing a 1-to-1 communication channel
  • asking for feedback
  • not hiding criticism, and addressing it publicly

Easier said than done! Most small and medium sized companies do not invest much on communication, and they struggle with this concept. As a result, their efforts usually are incorrect or inconsistent.

Being transparent is risky. But in the long run, not being transparent is riskier.

Online Reputation Management “Failures”

Being open does not come without a price. If you and your brand accept feedback, customer opinions, and so on, you also must be ready to face them promptly.

Consider these scenarios:

  1. What if your product/service sparks too much criticism?
  2. What if your employees are not social media savvy?
  3. What if your competitors take advantage of this?

These are just a few reasons you need to have a proper online reputation management plan in action before embarking on a transparency journey.

Here are three famous cases of reputation management failure in the digital era:

  • Dark Horse Café received a tweet criticizing their lack of electrical outlets for laptops. Their response was something like: “We are in the coffee business, not the office business. We have plenty of outlets to do what we need.” Needless to say, defensive/aggressive behavior doesn’t work in the online world. Many blogs reported the fact as a negative public relations case.
  • Nestlé received negative comments about their environmental practices a few years ago, and they did not address them. People started becoming aggressive and posted altered versions of the Nestlé logo, forcing the company to close its public page. Takeaway? Do not pretend people are not talking, and address criticism as soon as possible.
  • Amy’s Baking Company fought fire with fire against a one-star internet review. Their insults against the reviewer eventually were picked up by the local news. Negative attention is not good publicity.

The lesson here? Pay attention to your online reputation and respond–kindly–to poor reviews. Don’t let your ego get in the way of being professional. Remember, you aren’t just responding to the person who left a review, you are showing everyone else online who your brand is.

The Key to Online Reputation Management: Listen To What People Are Saying About Your Brand </p>

What are people saying about you? Good online reputation management is not just reacting well to what people say about you, your brand, or your products and services, but also about whether to react at all and, if so, when.

Sometimes a reaction is not necessary, and sometimes a reaction that is too late can cost you millions.

A proactive approach to the matter consists of monitoring your public reputation regularly, and not just when you come to know about a specific event to deal with.

How do you do this? By using social media monitoring tools that keep an ear on what people are saying about your brand.

Social media monitoring allows companies to gather public online content (from blog posts to tweets, from online reviews to Facebook updates), process it, and see whether something negative or positive is being said affecting their reputation.

Social media monitoring can be both DIY (Google Alert is an example of a free web monitoring tool accessible to anyone) and professional, depending on the size of the business involved.

Watch for Online Reputation Bombs

In the online reputation management scenario, companies should be aware of two types of harmful content. One is represented by complaints on social networks. They need to be addressed properly, but unless your company has serious problems, they do not pose a real challenge to your business.

The other is what I define as “online reputation bombs,” which affect your reputation and sales long term and can severely damage a business. They are very powerful because, unlike social network content, they are prominent in search engine results.

What if someone Googles your brand name and finds defamatory content? Let’s see what they are:

  • Negative Reviews: Review sites allow users to express their opinion on your brand. Did they like your service/product? Would they recommend it? Negative content can affect your sales, and addressing the criticism on the site may not be enough. Websites like Ripoff Report and Pissed Consumer provide the perfect platform for this kind of negative content.
  • Hate Sites: Some people go beyond simple negative reviews and create ad hoc websites with their opinions, some of them containing illegal content. So-called “hate sites” sometimes address companies and public figures with insults and false information. Needless to say, a search result like “The truth about NAMEOFYOURCOMPANY” or “NAME scam/rip off” will make your potential customers run away!
  • Negative Media Coverage: Phineas T. Barnum used to say “There’s no such thing as bad publicity.” That may be true for controversial public figures, but unfavorable TV, print, and online media coverage negatively impact companies and brands.

What do you do if your business is the victim of a smear campaign?

What To Do if Your Company is Subjected to an Online Reputation Smear Campaign

The first thing most companies wonder is “Can we call the cops?” I get it; being unfairly targeted feels illegal. But in most cases, online comments are not a legal matter.

Article 19 of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that:

“Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.”

Everyone has the right to express their voice about your brand. There are, however, certain boundaries that need to be respected. Some of the negative content online actually is illegal. Why?

  • It uses defamatory language
  • It reports false information
  • It is aimed at damaging the company’s reputation

How do you react to all of this? How do you defend yourself or your company from this kind of illegal behavior?

Depending on the scope of the problem, several paths can be pursued in order to restore your online reputation:

  • Aggressive SEO: Ranking on pages one or two of Google for your industry and brand name is one of the best ways to push down bad publicity. The first thing that you or your online reputation management company should do is devise a search marketing strategy that increases the ranking of positive content, owned by either you or third parties. The search engine game is too important to be ignored, and it is the first step in restoring your image.
  • Review Removal: Did a user claim something false about your company? Is that review clearly aimed at destroying your reputation rather than providing feedback? Does it contain improper language? Legal liaison and speed of reaction will make it possible to remove the negative review.
  • Online Investigations: In case of serious attacks on your brand image, it may be necessary to hire skilled online analysts to investigate untraceable threats and attackers via email tracing, data cross-indexing, and other information collection techniques. Cyber investigations are the definitive path to get to the bottom of the most difficult reputation management cases.

These strategies are only required in the most extreme cases. Most businesses can manage their online reputation by following these 10 tips.

10 Online Reputation Management Tips

Calling it “online reputation” really is redundant. Your online reputation is your reputation. In the digital era, nothing protects your brand from criticism. This is good from a freedom of speech perspective; bad if your company has been defamed and attacked.

To help you stay on top of your reputation, here are ten practical tips that sum up what we have covered in this guide. The world of brand reputation will change in the coming years, but following these simple tips will help you keep your name.

1. Become Well Respected

Trust is a perishable asset and it is hard to gain. Working to build respect work is more important than any other online reputation management commandment.

2. Be Radically Transparent

After years of hiding critics, McDonald’s publicly forced egg suppliers to raise hens’ living standards according to the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals request.

Being transparent about shows you care about your customers and are willing to make changes when things go wrong.

3. Monitor What People Say About Your Brand

In addition to all the reasons to monitor your online reputation, social media monitoring also can increase sales. These days, lots of people ask questions via Twitter and Facebook because they evaluate whether or not they should buy from you. Showing you are responsive makes your brand look reliable.

4. React Quickly and Politely

In case of a customer complaint via Twitter, for example, a prompt and simple “Thanks for making us aware of the problem. We are working on it and will get back to you as soon as possible.” is better than a late reply with more information.

5. Address Criticism

In 2009, Whole Foods CEO John Mackey wrote an op-ed on Obama healthcare reform, which caused a controversy among WF customers. Two days later, the company published a written statement recognizing there were “many opinions on this issue, including inside our own company” and invited people to share their opinion about the article and health care changes. They didn’t just ignore it and hope it would go away; they addressed the issue head-on.

Responding to negative feedback shows you care and are working hard to fix any issues.

6. Pay Attention to Your Google Results

First impressions count, and we do judge many books by their cover. If the words “scam” and “rip off” are associated with your brand, then that is something you should worry about.

A strong SEO strategy is your best defense against negative press, reviews, and false reports.

7. Learn From Your Detractors

Criticism can be the chance to learn more about your audience and craft a better message in the future. Motrin’s controversial “baby-wearing moms” commercial sparked a lot of criticism. It did not come from competitors or illegitimate attackers, but from people in Motrin’s target audience who felt offended by their promotional content.

If the online responses to your brand are legitimate, it might be time to reconsider your marketing strategy or responses.

8. Attack Your Illegitimate Attackers

Sometimes we simply have to fight illegal behavior. In 2009, Domino’s Pizza employees who posted disgusting videos of themselves playing with food were fired and arrested. Another example is people who post false information on the internet. Sometimes, if you don’t sue them, they might do it again.

9. Learn From Your Mistakes

Sony certainly learned a reputation management lesson back in 2005. The company placed copy protection (XCD) on its CDs which created computer vulnerabilities that malware could exploit. Instead of being upfront about their mistake, Sony stonewalled criticism and lost millions in class-action lawsuits.

If you’ve made a misstep, own up to it and take action to fix the issue.

10. Ask For Help If Necessary

If your online reputation management efforts are not enough to protect or restore your brand image, you have the choice to request help from a professional. Working with an online marketing company or reputation management firm may be your only resort.

Time needed: 5 minutes.

Here are 10 tips to protect your online reputation management

  1. Become Well Respected

    Building and maintaining trust in your business can protect you from online smear campaigns.

  2. Be Radically Transparent

    Share the good — and the bad– about your company to build trust.

  3. Monitor What People Say About Your Brand

    You can’t protect your reputation if you don’t know what people are saying.

  4.  React Quickly and Politely

    A prompt “Thanks for making us aware of the problem. We are working on it and will get back to you as soon as possible.” is better than a late reply with more information.

  5. Address Criticism

    Don’t ignore criticism, responding quickly shows you care about your customers.

  6. Pay Attention to Your Google Results

    If the words “scam” or “ripoff” are associated with your brand, it is time to take action. A strong SEO strategy can protect your brand by pushing down negative feedback.

  7. Learn From Your Detractors

    Criticism can be the chance to learn more about your audience and craft a better message in the future.

  8. . Attack Your Illegitimate Attacker

    Sometimes, if you don’t sue or push back against detractors, they might do it again.

  9. Learn From Your Mistakes

    If you’ve made a misstep, own up to it and take action to fix the issue.

  10. Ask For Help If Necessary

    If your online reputation management efforts are not enough to protect or restore your brand image, you have the choice to request help from a professional.

Conclusion

Managing your online reputation starts with listening to what your customers have to say and finding ways to connect with them. Replying to online criticism is crucial and building an SEO strategy is crucial, but it might not be enough to protect your brand from smear campaigns. In those cases, it might be time to get professional help.

What do you do to protect your online reputation?

10 Online Survey Creator Options to Use For Feedback

Every business wants to feel like its customers and employees are happy. After all, it’s human nature to want to be loved, right?

However, “making people happy” isn’t just a nice-to-have. Doing so has real-world business benefits.

For instance, did you know customers will pay up to a 16-percent price premium and display greater loyalty if a company delivers an excellent experience? Or 63 percent of companies say retaining talent is harder than hiring?

online survey creator employee retention

What’s the common denominator between those statistics? They both demonstrate the value of feedback surveys.

By surveying your workforce or customer base, you can identify the things that are making them unhappy and take action to set them right. This means no more losing customers or talent to your biggest rivals.

Why Should You Use an Online Survey Creator?

I’ve already touched on a couple reasons why you should be using online survey creators to assess customer and employee sentiment, but there are lots more.

5 Reasons to Send Customer Surveys

  1. Customers appreciate being given a platform for their opinions. According to Microsoft, 77 percent of customers say they look more favorably on brands that ask for and accept feedback.
  2. Online surveys help brands deliver better customer service. That’s important, because 73 percent of Americans say experiencing good customer service increases their chances of spending more money than planned, according to research from the International Council of Shopping Centers.
  3. Solving customers’ problems improves your retention. By surveying your customers, identifying the issues they’re facing, and overcoming them, you stand a better chance of keeping them.
  4. Improving retention is cheaper than chasing new customers. In fact, acquisition is estimated to cost anywhere between five and 25 times more than retaining existing customers. That’s another compelling reason to start surveying your customer base.
  5. Customer experience is the biggest focus for business leaders right now. That’s right, almost 46 percent of business leaders say CX is their top priority, ahead of product (34 percent) and pricing (21 percent). How can you improve your customer experience if you don’t understand how good (or bad) it is at the moment?

3 Reasons to Send Employee Surveys

  1. Most of your employees aren’t engaged. Worldwide, 59 percent of employees say they’re either disengaged or actively disengaged at work. Using an online survey creator can help you understand why that’s happening (and hopefully turn it around).
online survey creator employee engagement stats
  1. Companies with engaged employees perform better. According to Gallup, highly engaged business units see a 41 percent reduction in absenteeism and a 17 percent increase in productivity. What’s more, a separate Gallup survey shows engaged organizations generate up to 18 percent more revenue per employee.
  2. Employee engagement surveys help you improve processes like onboarding. After all, how can you deliver an effective onboarding program without gathering feedback from people who have recently experienced it? It’s certainly in your interest to get onboarding right, because 69 percent of employees say they’re more likely to stay with a company for three years if their onboarding experience was excellent.

Top 10 Online Survey Creators

Here are online survey creator tool options, including how they work and their main features.

#1: Qualtrics

How It Works

Increase your chances of asking the right question in the right way and at the right time by choosing up to eight question types and including 15 questions per survey. All surveys can be sent out via multiple channels, including email.

Main Features

Qualtrics’s ExpertReview feature helps you hone in on the right question types and survey formats by giving you real-time recommendations and letting you choose from a wide selection of expert-built survey templates.

online survey creator - qualtrics

Pros

  • Qualtrics Surveys accounts are free to set up, with no need to enter a credit card number.
  • Access over 20 template types, from demographic polls to employee suggestions.
  • Built-in reporting lets you keep up with responses as they come in.

Cons

  • Free accounts are limited to 100 responses and one active survey.
  • The level of detail and range of options can be overwhelming for newcomers.
  • With no “undo” functionality, editing surveys rely on finding the correct backup version.

#2: SoGoSurvey

How It Works

SoGoSurvey offers different options depending on the goal of your survey. For instance, customer experience surveys use APIs to automate feedback collection by hooking into your CRM, while responses are analyzed using natural language processing.

Main Features

Choose the plan that fits your needs. If you just need to send basic surveys, you don’t need to pay for functionality like auto-translation and advanced skip logic.

Pros

  • Tailored options for customer and employee experience surveys.
  • Add your own branding to the survey, thank you page, and more.
  • Access regular best practice webinars and free training to help you get the most from the product.

Cons

  • Comparatively expensive if you only need it for one or two months a year, with monthly prices starting at $199.
  • Some features, like word clouds, are only available at the Enterprise product tier.
  • In a similar vein, the free tier is very limited.

#3: SurveyMonkey

How It Works

SurveyMonkey is arguably the best-known online survey creator, and certainly one of the simplest to use. Set up an account for free and you can start building your first survey straight away.

Main Features

SurveyMonkey offers 15-question types, including multiple-choice, text box, and Net Promoter Score. Alternatively, choose from a catalog of more than 1,600 questions written by survey experts.

Pros

  • Free account option is extremely generous in its functionality.
  • Simple online interface is easy for anyone to pick up.
  • Buy responses from specific audiences based on attributes like location, gender, age, income, and employment status.

Cons

  • The simple layout isn’t necessarily the most professional-looking on the market.
  • Free plans are limited to viewing the first 40 responses received.
  • Harder to customize and personalize than some other options.

#4: Google Forms

How It Works

Know how to use Google Drive? Then you know how to use Google Forms. Just log into Drive, click to create a new form, then choose from a prebuilt template or start from scratch.

online survey creator - google forms

Main Features

In keeping with Google’s mobile-first ethos, Google Forms is responsive, making it easy to create surveys that look good and function smoothly on mobile devices.

Pros

  • Completely free for personal use.
  • If you already use Google Drive, you’ll be instantly familiar with how to use Google Forms.
  • Add collaborators to build Forms with you, just like in other Google Drive tools.

Cons

  • The simple interface can appear unprofessional, so it’s better for internal use.
  • Limited ability to change the layout or add graphics and other media.
  • Fewer question types available than some other platforms.

#5: Smartsheet

How It Works

Smartsheet is much more than a surveying tool. Rather, it’s a collaboration and work management platform that can be used to assign tasks, manage calendars, track progress, share documents, and much more. Surveys are just one part of the feature set.

Main Features

Forms can be created to gather survey responses, then shared via email or hyperlink, or embedded in dashboards or webpages.

Pros

  • Follows the basic setup of Microsoft Excel, making it simple to use.
  • Offers extensive automation and collaboration options.

Cons

  • Surveys are only a small part of Smartsheet’s functionality, so you might be paying for a lot of features you don’t need.
  • Users report some issues when importing and exporting from Excel.

#6: Client Heartbeat

How It Works

As the name suggests, Client Heartbeat is 100 percent geared toward measuring client satisfaction and improving retention. It’s a simple feedback tool that assesses happiness levels to identify unhappy customers.

Main Features

Choose from a list of prebuilt questions already being used by brands in your industry, allowing you to compare your scores against those of your biggest competitors.

online survey creator - client hearbeat

Pros

  • Live customer service dashboard can be accessed free of charge.
  • Interface is simple to use without any training.
  • Industry benchmarking adds context to your results.

Cons

  • Features are more limited than some of the other platforms on this list.
  • Specifically designed for customer satisfaction rather than employee engagement.
  • Limited functionality makes the pricing a little expensive.

#7: Zoho Survey

How It Works

Zoho Survey is a highly customizable online survey creator, with extensive options for tailoring surveys to fit your brand and house style, plus the ability to choose from more than 25 question types.

Main Features

Zoho offers multiple ways to send surveys, from the basics (like web links and email campaigns), to more advanced options like QR codes and private group access.

online survey creator - zoho survey

Pros

  • Free account level allows unlimited surveys with up to 10 questions and 100 responses per survey.
  • Surveys can be embedded in emails, making them easy to access.
  • Drag-and-drop interface makes it relatively simple to design complex surveys.

Cons

  • Interface is perhaps harder to grasp than more user-friendly tools like Google Forms.
  • Limited customization options, unless you upgrade to one of the paid product tiers.

#8: Qualaroo

How It Works

Qualaroo uses “Nudges” (a type of pop-up) to online survey creator customers when they’re on your website, rather than contact them down the line via email or some other channel.

Main Features

Unique calls to action can be created based on the language used by surveyed customers thanks to sentiment analysis powered by IBM Watson. For instance, angry responses might automatically generate a task for the customer success team to get in touch.

online survey creator - qualaroo

Pros

  • Qualaroo claims its native surveys are 10 times more valuable than email surveys.
  • Questions are asked when customers are on your site, making their feedback more timely.
  • No impact on page speed, so it doesn’t hamper user experience.

Cons

  • Pricing is based on tracked page views per month, which is more complex than other options.
  • No templates for employee engagement surveys at time of writing.
  • Best for micro-surveys of one or two questions.

#9: SurveyPlanet

How It Works

SurveyPlanet is a simple, affordable online survey creator with an extremely robust free tier offering all the functionality you need to build unlimited basic surveys.

Main Features

Unless you need advanced features like question branching (whereby users are asked different questions based on their previous responses), you’ll be just fine with the free version of SurveyPlanet.

Pros

  • Offers a huge amount of free functionality, including unlimited survey responses.
  • Simple pricing; if you want more features, there’s just one paid tier at $20 per month (or $180 per year).
  • Access dozens of prewritten surveys and a bunch of basic templates for free.

Cons

  • Branching (or skip logic) is only available for paid users.
  • Likewise, customization options are limited at the free account level.
  • Paid tier is less advanced than more expensive alternatives like SurveyMonkey.

#10: Typeform

How It Works

Typeforms are customizable online survey creator forms that can be embedded on your website, launched in an email, or shared via hyperlink. Responses can be synced to Google Sheets, and notifications can be sent to other tools like Slack, so it’s easy to see when a response has been received.

Main Features

Unlike a lot of the other tools in this list, Typeform is all about building stylish surveys. You can even add visual elements like images, videos, and GIFs to your forms.

online survey creator - typeform

Pros

  • Webpage forms are stylish, engaging, and fun to complete.
  • Access extensive templates on employee engagement, branding, customer satisfaction, and more.
  • Choose from 18 different question types.

Cons

  • The editor takes some getting used to.
  • Even the mid-tier package only offers 500 responses per month as standard, making it comparatively expensive to gather a lot of data.
  • Typeform branding can only be removed at the middle product tier.

Conclusion

Clearly, there are a lot of choices in the online survey creator market. Employee and customer satisfaction surveys are valuable, so if you’re not doing them now, pick a tool with a robust free tier and get going.

Once you’ve found an approach that works, feel free to switch things up by testing more advanced features, formats, and layouts.

What’s your favorite online survey creator? Think I’ve missed something? Let me know in the comments.