Featured Member: Alanna

Every two weeks on Smiley360 we showcase an excellent member for you to read about. Here’s Alanna!

Tell us about your family and where you live!
I am a single mother. I have 4 children but only one left at home. I have lived in many places but for the past 19 years I have lived in Murfreesboro, TN -right below Nashville.

What do you like about being a Smiley360 member?
I became a member of Smiley360 because I lost my job and wanted to do something with my unused time. I stayed a member of Smiley360 because I love trying new products, and I love to talk. So now I talk about new products for Smiley360.

What has been your favorite Smiley360 mission so far?
Hard to pick a favorite but if I have to pick a favorite I would say Zatarains. Our family loves Zatarains products and did not know about the frozen meals. I don’t think there is a mission I didn’t like. I hope to see more missions that involve all family members.

How do you share your experience when on a Smiley360 mission?
I mostly share with my family, my coupon friends, and my online yardsale friends.

What’s the one gadget you cannot live without?
I can’t live without my smartphone. I am harassed all the time about it. I washed and dried it once I was without it almost a week. Worst week ever! It can only be topped with an iPad 2 (a great mission idea wink wink!)

What product do you always have in your grocery store shopping cart?
Cereal- the answer to a teenager that is hungry 10 times a day. Oh and of course star crunch. And for me, coffee!

Posted in Featured Member | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Why Twitter?

With Twitter now entering its sixth year, even those living under the proverbial rock have probably heard about the popular social media site. But even with over one hundred million users, there are still some who wonder, “What’s the point?” For many, Facebook is king and there’s no need to add another profile to their social network. But if you haven’t jumped on the 140-character bandwagon, you’re missing out. For those of you reluctant to jump on board, here a just a few reasons why you should join in on the fun.

Find out sooner. By now we’re used to twenty-four hour news networks and hearing about world events way before the paper hits the printer. But now, even the news networks have fallen off the cutting edge of breaking news. Social media is the new tool of “you heard it first” and Twitter moves faster than any other network. From the unfortunate loss of Whitney Houston, to the Hudson River plane crash with a happy ending, big news stories are increasingly appearing on Twitter first.

Make a difference. Kony 2012. Trayvon Martin. The Arab Spring. All were brought to the attention of the world with the help of Twitter. Is there a cause you care about or an issue you believe needs attention? Twitter is the perfect forum to reach out and make your voice heard. These days, with a tweet you can change the world.

Be heard. At Smiley360, we’re all about having your opinion heard, and Twitter is a great way to make that happen. Everyone from celebrities, to brands, to the President hang out on Twitter and that makes it a great place to communicate with those who really matter. Have an idea for a new feature for your favorite product or service? Send them a Tweet and they might just take you up on it. Find your local representatives on Twitter and talk to them about what’s important to you. Tell your favorite author how much you loved their latest book.

Engage in your local community. Twitter isn’t just about online community. It’s also about real-life connections. Local businesses and services love to engage with their consumers on Twitter. Want to know where your favorite food truck is stationed today? Check out their Twitter feed. Find out about local events, sales, and specials at your favorite restaurants or shops. Twitter can help you become more involved in your local community.

Network. Network. Network! Whether you’re a small business owner, head of the PTA, or looking for a new job, Twitter can be a great networking tool. Follow companies you’d love to work for and experts in your field. Get in touch with people that share your favorite hobby. Learn what your customers really want and join up with fellow business owners to discover new ways to build your brand.

It’s fun and easy! If joining the fast-moving Twitterverse seems daunting, don’t be scared. It’s easy to get the hang of things and once you do, you’ll wonder why you didn’t start sooner. With so many interesting people to follow and interact with, Twitter is like a worldwide party. And with Twitter parties, Q & As, Tweetups, and other events exclusive to the 140 character social platform, there’s always something going on. And with its character limit, if you can send a text, you can Tweet.

Are you excited about jumping into the fun? Head over to twitter.com to sign up for a profile today and follow us @MySmiley360. Then stay tuned for the next installment of our three-part Twitter blog series: Your Twitter How-to.

Posted in Articles | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Featured Member: Meet Julie!

Every two weeks on Smiley360 we showcase an excellent member for you to read about. Meet Julie!

Tell us about your family and where you live!
I am a 30-something wife and mom of a little girl age 7. We currently live in Southern CA since 2001. I am originally from Brooklyn, NY and met my husband in Orlando, FL where we were married in 1998.

What do you like about being a Smiley360 member?
Being able to connect with brands, share my feedback with other members and express my views on products. Oh and I love that they are called “missions.” Very cool!

What has been your favorite Smiley360 mission so far?
The Pam Cooking Spray Mission. I had a blast trying to actually “stick” my foods to the pans! We ate a lot of cheesy goodness during that one.

How do you share your experience when on a Smiley360 mission?
I usually like creating a blog post where I can express thoughts, photos and links and then share on multiple social networking sites.

What’s the one gadget you cannot live without?
An alarm! I rely on that beep to let me know that it’s time to move on to the next task. I am a bit of a self mirco-manager.

What product do you always have in your grocery store shopping cart?
Chap-Stick. I can’t resist!

Posted in Featured Member | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

It’s Not Just for Women: Anti-Aging Secrets for Men

Women have long pursued the goal of looking youthful well into their twilight years. But just because you have a Y chromosome, doesn’t mean you have to let the years show. Whether you’re finding your first grays, counting hairs on your pillow, or warding off weight gain, we have the tips to keep you looking young and fresh for years to come.

Cut your Hair

When your hairline is receding or a sparse patch begins to develop, the last thing you probably want to do is crop what remaining hair you have. But no one will be fooled by a comb over and shaggy locks won’t do you any favors. In fact, a close-cropped do will actually camouflage bare spots by making your hair seem fuller overall. So take a deep breath and break out the buzzer, the result will be much more flattering than you expected.

Shave, Trim, and Groom

While the hair on your scalp may be saying adios, that’s no excuse to let it run wild in other areas. Though a goatee, mustache, beard, or the much-maligned soul patch might remind you of younger days; it actually makes you look older. Going for a clean-shaven look can make you look up to ten years younger than the facial fur. And the next time you’re shopping for razors, pick up a trimmer to keep budding ear and nose hair in check.

Maintain a Skincare Routine

You’ve always washed your face with plain old soap and haven’t used a cream on it since you got over your teenage acne, but that no-fuss routine may actually add years to your face. Dry skin looks dull, which can make you look tired, unhealthy, and old. We’re not saying you should dig into your sweetie’s collection of creams, lotions, and serums, but a basic moisturizer with SPF will keep your skin looking healthy and prevent sun damage. L’Oreal, Neutrogena, and Nivea all make great products specifically designed for men, without any flowery fragrances.

Whiten Teeth

Your skin isn’t the only part of your face that could use a boost as you age. Years of coffee, tea, wine, smoking, and your favorite soda can take a toll, leaving your teeth not-so-pearly white. An over-the-counter whitener like Crest or Rembrandt will brighten up your smile without the hefty price tag of an in-office treatment, and whitening toothpaste will give you more gradual results.

Eat Right, Exercise, and Get 8 Hours of Sleep

It’s the same advice you’ve been getting for years to keep your waistline trim, stave off disease, and remain active enough to play ball with your grandchildren. Maybe you’re even sick of hearing it. But honestly, nothing says “I’m in the prime of my life” more than running a marathon, or at least running for the bus. A healthy diet, regular exercise, and getting at least seven to eight hours of shut-eye every night will do more to keep you looking and feeling young than anything else.

Follow these tips and you’ll be proud to blow out the candles on your next birthday cake. And don’t forget, when it’s time to cover up grays, look no farther than Just for Men. With their wide range of colors, you’re sure to find a shade that matches your natural hue. Their new Autostop product leaves no room for error, with its brush-in, no-mix formula that stops at just the right shade, so it looks as natural as the hair you were born with. Check out this link (http://justformen.com/autostop/) to get your $3 off coupon today.

Posted in Articles | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Looking to grow your blog?

Learn how the author of SweepTight.com got her start and five tips for starting your own blog!

Hello!  I am Jennifer, the owner/editor of SweepTight.com.  I am a 30-something year old, recently married woman living with my hubby and white German Shepherd dog, Hilo.  We live in a south suburb of Chicago and are excited to start our family.

I am often asked how in the world I got the idea to create my blog.  In all honesty it was actually somewhat of an accident…

You see, I used to be an avid sweepstaker – meaning that I would enter sweepstakes as a hobby.  Friends and family would constantly inquire about this hobby when they would see my winnings.  I was looking for a way to share my sweepstaking adventures and figured a blog would be a great way.  Soon after exploring the blogosphere a little closer, I noticed that a lot of these bloggers were hosting their own giveaways.  Hmm… I was extremely intrigued.  Being a lover of all things related to freebies and sweepstakes, this felt like a true calling!

Growing Sweep Tight has been an experience to say the least.  It has been exciting, exhausting, testing, humbling and extremely educational.  Having no website, blog, or any sort of web development background, it took (and still takes) a ton of patience, research and networking to get where I am today.

Websites like Smiley360 played a major role in getting me started on doing product reviews and giveaways.  I absolutely love to review new products, and hosting giveaways is a lot of work, but also a blast!  It’s so much fun to email the winners and know that you played a role in possibly making someone’s day.

My top five tips to anyone who is thinking about starting their own blog would be the following:

 1. Try to decide exactly what you would like to blog about.  I find myself all over the place sometimes and often regret not have a specific niche.

 2. Network!  This is huge.  Networking with other bloggers has been the most rewarding and helpful experience for me.  The majority of them are eager to help because we all had to start somewhere!  There are lots of forums and Facebook groups that can be valuable support systems.

 3. Join sites like Smiley360, who will help you get some rewarding opportunities.

 4. Pay attention to the terms of service on all social media sites and know the rules well.  Especially if you are hosting giveaways, you can risk losing your accounts if you break the rules!  The same goes for learning the ropes with Google, like using no-follow links on compensated posts.  Failing to do so can jeopardize your page rank.  I know this from learning the hard way!

 5. Be organized.  This is a challenge, and I am not even sure if I have any tips!  Find a system that works for you and stick with it.  You definitely do not want to drop the ball on any commitments.  Write down important dates so you don’t miss out or let anyone down.

Sweep Tight has taken some twists and turns along the way, but one constant will always be the reviews and giveaways.  I now have a team of reviewers to offer even more of a variety of products.  Looking forward, I just want to continue to grow and enjoy the exciting possibilities!

Dont’ forget to visit Jennifer’s blog Sweep Tight and say hello.

Posted in Guest Post | 8 Comments

#PartyWithEversave Smiley360 Twitter Party!

Smiley360 is hosting a Twitter Party on Wednesday, April 25th at 9pm ET and we want to see you there!

Come party with us and other Smiley360 members and get a chance to win prizes every 10 minutes! During the party we’ll be talking about saving money and our featured mission, Eversave! (and you don’t have to be on the Eversave mission to party and win!)

If you don’t know what Smiley360 is, we are a community of people who love brands. Members receive products for free in exchange for sharing their opinions online. It’s free to sign up!

We’ve got some great prizes to give away to some lucky party-goers!

• A two-piece carry-on travel luggage in blue
• 2 SAK Artist Circle Hanging Cosmetic Bags
• 3 $100 Visa Gift cards
• 5 Reusable Shopping Tote Bags available in an assortment of colors and fold-able into an assortment of animals!

Party Details:
• Date and Time: 9pm ET on 4/25/2012
• Duration: 1 hour
• Hosted by @MySmiley360 and moderated by Community team members @IshCan & @smiley360joe
• Hashtag: Take part by using #PartyWithEversave in all your tweets
• Taking place on Tweetgrid. Click here to join.

RSVP! Invite your friends! You can click here to tweet and confirm your attendance. (One person will win the first $100 gift card for tweeting!)

Don’t know what a Twitter party is? It’s a virtual get-together of Smiley360 members on Twitter! Our members always ask us about ways to meet each other – and now you can!

If you’re the kind of person who is always prepared, you can think of how you would answer the first party question!

Q1: How important is it to save money for you and your family?

If you’ve never used TweetGrid before, don’t worry because it’s really simple! Click the image below for a handy how-to:

On the TweetGrid, your screen will have three columns:
1. All the tweets using the party hashtag #PartyWithEversave
2. All tweets from @MySmiley360 -the party host who will be asking the questions
3. All tweets by you and to you

First make sure you’re logged in to your Twitter account. Then, when you click on the party link, log in to TweetGrid (you’ll have to authorize the app). Enter your Twitter username in the box above the third column, then click ‘Search’ to bring up your tweets. Above all three columns is the box where you write your tweets, and enter #PartyWithEversave into the hashtag box.

You can also search for #PartyWithEversave on Twitter!

Do you have any questions? Ask us on Twitter @MySmiley360 or by email to member.support@smiley360.com.

See you at the party!!
-The Smiley360 Community Team

Posted in Twitter Party | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 23 Comments

Featured Member: Carla

Every two weeks on Smiley360 we showcase an excellent member for you to read about. Meet Carla!

Tell us about your family and where you live!

I’m a loving mother of three beautiful children and married to the best husband a wife could ask for. We always try to do a lot of family activities, like going to the park, watching movies together and having a family game night. I was born and raised in Ohio, a very pleasant state to live in.

What do you like about being a Smiley360 member?

I love being a member of Smiley 360, for I get to try and learn about new products that I have never tried before and get to share what I think about these products with friends, family and neighbors. It makes me feels special to be part of Smiley 360. I’m proud to be a part of this group of members. They are helpful and the staff is very helpful and quick to answer any questions that I have. I just love learning new things and with Smiley 360 this is where this happens.

What has been your favorite Smiley360 mission so far?

This is hard for they have all been great! I would have to pick the New Pam Cooking Spray, for I was sent the greatest gifts with this mission. The dish was so beautiful and I needed one – what a plus. I was so surprised when I heard that Pam had been improved, for I always thought it was very good, but when I redeemed my free coupon and used it, I was just amazed. It made cleaning dishes a breeze and made baking food more enjoyable, for nothing stuck to the dish I used. So it was great to tell everyone about this and I still use it and plan to keep using the new improved Pam.

How do you share your experience when on a Smiley360 mission?

I use the sharing tools for Facebook and Twitter to spread the good news about a mission I’m on. I tell my friends, family and neighbors in person and report back about it using the Face2Face tool. I want to start blogging about them too. I thought about opening an account with YouTube and share this way also. When I get my next mission I will use these new ideas to share with.

What’s the one gadget you cannot live without?

The one gadget I could not live without would have to be my computer. That is how I found Smiley 360!! I also use it to shop, email friends, play games, watch TV, and use a calendar to keep up with my to do list of chores.

What product do you always have in your grocery store shopping cart?

That would have to be salad!

Posted in Featured Member | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Featured Member: Kathryn

We’re starting something new at Smiley360. Every two weeks we showcase an excellent  member for you to read about. Here’s Kathryn!

Tell us about your family and where you live!

I’m a stay-at-home mom in West Jordan, Utah. I’ve been married to my wonderful husband for almost 7 years now, and have a beautiful 7-month old baby girl! Before I had my baby, I was an elementary school teacher for 6 years. This has been quite a change!

What do you like about being a Smiley360 member?

I love being a Smiley360 member because it gives me a chance to try new things, and then to help get the word out about them if it’s something I really love.

What has been your favorite Smiley360 mission so far?
My favorite mission was the Durex mission. So naughty, and so fun! That party was pretty darned memorable!

How do you share your experience when on a Smiley360 mission?
First I always tell my husband what I’m up to. Then I usually chat with my mom and sister. If it’s something I love, I’ll put up a glowing Facebook post. I might even have a party to share the product!

What’s the one gadget you cannot live without?
My new iPad, which I got for Christmas. I didn’t even know I wanted one, but now I don’t know what I’d do without it! I use it to easily check all my email accounts, take surveys, play games (I admit, Angry Birds is pretty fun!), listen to music, Google things on a whim… I even use the Baby Flash Cards app to practice animal sounds with my baby girl, which she thinks is pretty hilarious.

What product do you always have in your grocery store shopping cart?
I’m a vegetarian, so most of my cart is fresh produce every week. Some of my favorite splurges are Tillamook yogurt (which makes me feel a little virtuous and healthy) and Cheetos (which makes me feel pretty naughty and unhealthy!) I also always get Silk soymilk–it makes great protein smoothies!

Posted in Featured Member | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

#SaveYourClothes Smiley360 Twitter party!

Smiley360 is hosting its first Twitter Party on Wednesday, March 14th at 9pm EST and we want to see you there!

We’ll be getting to know our members (you!) and giving away big prizes every 15 minutes! During the party we’ll be talking about who you are and where you’re from, finding out what brands you love and sharing your funny laundry stories for our featured mission – Woolite Complete!

If you don’t know what Smiley360 is, we are a community of people who love brands. Members receive products for free in exchange for sharing their opinions online. It’s free to sign up!

We’ve got some great prizes to give away to some lucky party-goers!

•       4 $100 Amazon gift cards
•       7 random participants will win 1 of 7 t-shirts in the colors of the rainbow. Woolite is GREAT in preserving the colors of your favorite t-shirt. The colors we’re giving away are yellow, orange, red, purple, light blue, dark blue, green. Just tell us your t-shirt size!

Details:
•       Happening: 9pm EST on 3/14/2012
•       Duration: 1 hour
•       Hosted by @MySmiley360 and moderated by Community team member @oconghd
•       Hashtag: Take part by using #SaveYourClothes in all your tweets
•       Taking place on Tweetgrid. Click here to join.

Feel free to invite your friends. You can click here to tweet and confirm your attendance! (One tweeter will win the first $100 gift card for confirming!) [The twitter party is now over, but stay tuned for a new party soon!]

Don’t know what a Twitter party is? It’s a virtual get-together of Smiley360 members on Twitter! Our members always ask us about ways to meet each other – and now you can!

If you’ve never used TweetGrid before, don’t worry because it’s really simple! Click the image below for a handy how-to:

On the TweetGrid, your screen will have three columns:
1. All the tweets using the party hashtag #SaveYourClothes
2. All tweets from @MySmiley360 -the party hosts who will be asking the questions
3. All tweets by you and to you

First make sure you’re logged in to your Twitter account. Then, when you click on the party link, log in to TweetGrid (you’ll have to authorize the app). Enter your Twitter username (don’t forget the ‘@’ symbol!) in the box above the third column, then click ‘Search’ to bring up your tweets. Above all three columns is the box where you write your tweets, and enter #SaveyourClothes into the hashtag box.

You can also search for #SaveYourClothes on Twitter!

Do you have any questions? Ask us on Twitter @MySmiley360 or by email to member.support@smiley360.com.

See you at the party!
-The Smiley360 Community Team

Posted in Twitter Party | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 43 Comments

How to Earn Smiles

We’ve built the Smiley360 Sharing Tools to make it as easy as possible for you to complete your mission. The sharing tools on your mission page let you do all your sharing from one place, so you can seamlessly share all your opinions about the products we’ve sent you.

After our very popular article last month entitled “How to Write a Good Product Review”, a member named Melody requested that we write an article on how to earn all 50 Smiles for a mission.

More completed missions put you in better standing to receive future missions! Do you have trouble completing a mission? Read our guide on how to use each of the Sharing Tools to get all 50 Smiles and complete your mission.

On your mission page, you’ll see all the ways you can share.

Facebook & Twitter

The first tool is for Facebook & Twitter. Click “Share Now” to be brought to our Facebook app. Select the campaign you’ll be sharing, rate your product or experience between 1 and 10, add your own personal comments and click submit. You’ll also have the option to post to Twitter from the app.
The first time you use our Facebook app, you’ll have to authorize it to your profile.

Face2Face

The next tool is Face2Face. This allows you to earn Smiles for talking about your mission offline. Click “Report Now” to bring up the form for Face2Face sharing. Use the dropdown menu to put in how many people you talked to about the product. Then describe what happened. For example, you might tell us that you were out to lunch with 5 friends, told them that you’d just joined a new Smiley360 mission and couldn’t wait to receive your free sample in the mail. Finally, you can rate the response you received on a scale of 1 to 10.

ClickThru

Do you have a blog or website where you’d like to tell your readers about your new mission? With ClickThru, you can post a custom link to your website that will earn you Smiles every time a visitor to your site clicks on the link. To use this tool, click on “Click for Even More ways to Share”. Under “Share a link for up to 10 Smiles” you’ll see a custom link that you can either copy and paste to your website, or click “share” to automatically post it to one of the social sites listed.

Smiley360 Connect

Smiley360 Connect is a community just for Smiley members to share your thoughts on your favorite brands. Click on the Smiley360 Connect link under “Click for Even More ways to Share” to bring you to the Smiley360 Connect community. From there, you’ll find a link that takes you to the official Smiley360 Connect page for your mission. Click the “Add Your Review” button to bring up the comment form. You can rate the brand on a scale of 1 to 5 Smiles, add a photo, video, or link and write a review of the brand or one of its products. Make sure to follow the review guidelines listed and always share your honest opinion.

Bonus

For some missions, there might be extra tasks that will earn bonus Smiles. These tasks might include completing a post-mission survey, blogging about the mission, sharing certain experiences with the product, or completing an action specific to the product. Missions with bonus Smiles will always be explained with their own directions.

We hope this step-by-step guide will help you complete your Smiley360 missions.Let us know your favorite ways to share in the comments below.

Posted in newsletter | Tagged , , | 20 Comments