of CONSUMER POWER - the Secret Golden

You Can and DO Make a Difference!

(or... How To Get What You Want)

by Scott Andrew Ley
scotty at secretsgolden dot com

We are consumers. I am a consumer and you are a consumer. Together, you and I use many, many products and services that have to do with eating, grooming, our work, our recreation, rest and relaxation... all the aspects of our daily lives.

(Yes, I know I mentioned this before. This is just a gentle reminder that this web page is very easy on your eyes! This is because I use a special color code -- hex #BBDDBB -- for the background color. In case you want to use this color as background for your personal computer screens, the decimal codes are 187,221,187. The resulting barely noticeable, lightgreen color is actually good for your eyes as you read. It's called Digitale, and it makes this a site for sore eyes! You'll see what I mean as we continue on.)

I myself love to watch movies. So I'm a good customer of places like NETFLIX and BLOCKBUSTER. Now, take NETFLIX for example. I am totally impressed with their website, with their services, their products and their customer service. And I'm most impressed by how easy it is to give them my OPINION about the films and television shows I've seen.

Most people don't realize just how much heavy weight their opinions can carry. In fact, you might actually be thinking right now, this moment, just how much of a naive idealist I am! That's a valid "opinion". And yet, I have PROOF regarding this SECRET GOLDEN! Here's one of the more recent examples in my life...

Not long ago, one of the larger makers of ice cream decided to take my two most favorite flavors off the shelves of all the stores in my area, off the market completely. This happens a lot to me, because many of my tastes are not what you might call "mainstream". If a lot of people don't consume a certain product, if only a few of us go out and buy it, then the product just might disappear from the stores faster than you or I can bat an eye!

Those business people who supply the things you and I consume are realists. They know that the majority of people "suffer in silence". Most of us just don't take the time to let them know what we really feel. So when one of us, just one of us, actually does take the time to share an opinion with them, they see this as not just one person's opinion, but also as the opinion of many others who didn't have or take the time to write to them with their opinions!

In some cases your one opinion is given the weight of hundreds, or even thousands of people who don't take the time to share their opinions. And this works equally well whether your opinion is favorable or... not so favorable. It works with businesses, with non-profit organizations, even with politicians!

And right now, it's ever so much easier, almost effortless, to share your opinions, because many of the companies we buy from have websites on the World Wide Web part of the Internet. Their web pages usually give you an easy Email way to let them know just exactly how you feel!

Believe it or not, this is what happened with my favorite ice cream maker... I went to their website and left them a tactful note about how I would like to see my favorite flavors back on the market again. I thanked them several times for the good work they do for me. And now, not just one, but BOTH of my favorite flavors are back in the stores again!

Neither you nor I are naive enough to think that this will work so well each and every time we use it. But the reason it CAN work, the very reason it DOES work and HAS worked for me many times, is because most people don't know about this secret golden. They just don't realize how powerful their opinions can be!

Your time is very important. And it only takes a little, tiny bit of time to share your opinion with the people who supply the things you consume. So even if your tastes are not totally in line with the mainstream (like mine are not) this golden secret is a tremendous and powerful way for you to get what you want!

Now, just a quick word or two about "paid online surveys". I don't know anybody who is making much money with these. There are, however, some legitimate companys out there that will pay you for your opinions. Most paid surveys are fairly long, and they don't pay much. I suppose that if you're willing to spend a lot of time on this over a period of several months, you might just see some financial returns from these surveys. It's all up to you, of course, so be smart, be wise and be SAVVY!