Back in the summer of 2002 I was asked to help defend against a bill being brought up at a Long Island, New York town’s council meeting. The bill, if passed, would ban the release of five or more balloons into the atmosphere by anyone in this township. The fine for releasing five or more balloons could be as high as $500! The fine could be levied on the person who releases the balloons and/or the person who sold the balloons (even if the seller did not do the releasing!).

Spearheaded by Marty Greenstein of Enchanted Parties in Ronkonkoma, New York, the day of the council meeting brought about ten balloon professionals together, A representative from The Balloon Council (TBC) also came to our aid loaded with facts and figures to help educate the town council on the misinformation being spread by local politicians and by a representative of Greenpeace.

I learned a number of interesting things that afternoon on Long Island:

1. Come prepared to a meeting like this. Others will ask questions of you and you better be ready with a quick and balanced answer.
2. Speak clearly and calmly when in front of a meeting like this as it adds to your presence and authority on the subject matter.
3. Always find a way to put the opposition in YOUR shoes, as I did in my speech, by including politicians as our customers. Probably everyone sitting on that council has used balloons at events to forward their own political careers. It was then awfully hard to disagree with me or be against something you have used or enjoyed before.
4. “Facts” can be nothing more than well-dressed fiction.
5. We all agreed foil balloons should NEVER be released. Latex balloons released in the hundreds (not the thousands) seemed fair and reasonable to launch.

I also was reminded I am not a big fan of balloon launches because they DO pollute the atmosphere. However, and more importantly for our industry, releases PROMOTE balloons. Making people happy by releasing our product can only help endorse our product. After all, anything that can be done to help sell balloons is good for our business.

My biggest concern with regards to banning balloons is the connotation a “ban” puts on anything. A ban is a prohibition, exclusion, or an outlawing of something. To ban balloons is to forbid or disallow them. In the wonderful book Fahrenheit 451, books were banned, rounded up by firemen and burned. The status quo went along with that because the government said books were bad. If the government “bans” balloons, isn’t the implication that the product being banned is bad? Why would anyone want to sell a product that needs to be outlawed in some circles? Doesn’t that sound like a bad business to be in?

Some of our best customers will never spend a dime on a balloon. Speaking demographically, they are the most impressionable customer group we have. They want what we have and will often beg for or implore others to get them. They have occasions and affairs quite often where our balloons are needed. These “customers” of ours are a never-ending resource that helps feed this industry. Who is this highly motivated group? They are our children.

But most children are vulnerable to what may or may not be truly right and wrong. Tell a child something is bad and they believe it. Tell children they should not do something and, even if they do it anyway, they will know it is wrong. Tell a child balloons should not be released or mommy or daddy will get “arrested” and what does that child learn? Tell children balloons pollute the atmosphere and what do they proclaim? Enlighten a child with the supposed “facts” about balloons killing scores of animals and wildlife and what will that child think?

And therein lies my conviction to keep laws like this off the books. A ban of any kind is a great big negative in the minds of the buying public. Ban five balloons as a release and what’s next? No more tent or pool décor? No more street vending? No more arches over street fairs? No balloons at indoor events because five balloons might accidentally get away and get someone a big fat fine? It could happen.

So next time someone wants to ban anything, take a good long look at the “facts” of the matter before you render your opinion. What is fact and what is fiction can be easily switched. Sound convincing enough and your own opinion could easily become the whole truth and nothing but the truth in an instant.

New Year, new decade, new century, new millennium – New New New!! It’s not new, it’s the same old same old. The problems and the concerns are still there, the people and the bills are still there and hopefully your business is still there. After all the hype has gone, the parties are over and all this new stuff sets in, the reality of maintaining and growing your business will take real resolve to continue forward. How well you deal with these issues are what will really count in the coming years.

The word resolve is an interesting one. Resolve can mean many things – change, purpose, determination, solve, will, decision, intention and finally, resolution.

Change – Change is good, change is inevitable, as of course nothing stays the same. But as you chart a course and resolve to stick to your changes you must be ready for rough waters, problems in getting used to a new you or new idea. You must resolve to weather the storms of change if you have plotted a wise course.

Purpose – As you aim your business in new directions, or stay the course of proven success, does your plan have a real sense of purpose? Will your actions, using either new or old ideas, lead you in a logical step by step journey to continued success? To succeed, one’s aim most always be true. Propose to be the best and you might just be. A purposeful plan will lead you or help continue you on the road of greatness.

Determination – Being resolute in your plan for success will get you what you want. Being determined to achieve your goals, rather than just daydream about them, will help you be successful. Determination is the drive within you to be the best. Be determined to be the best you can be and the best of success will be yours.

Solve – Surely every business and every person on this planet has to solve problems each and every day. How we solve these problems makes a big difference in how we succeed or fail in our craft and in life. Are you solving your everyday problems correctly? Resolve to be wise, be careful and be quick to take care of all issues that cross your desk.

Will – Someone once told me a successful event I had planned from start to finish would not have come off if I had not been determined to make sure it would be successful. He thought I had practically willed this event to happen all by myself. I was flattered by what he said and had never really thought of this event (or any other for that matter) quite that way. Had I really made this event happen all by myself? Of course not. But what I had done is been determined and prepared to make this moment happen just as I had planned it. As a small business owner or manager, you too must have the will to make your plans and decisions solid foundations for auspicious business achievements.

Decision – The decisions you have made in the past, the one’s you are making today, and the plans you are conceiving for tomorrow all have consequences you must live with each and every day. Are your decisions being conceived and implemented with the utmost care?

Intention – How many times have you thought – well, my intentions were good? If you think that quite often, that might mean you aren’t succeeding enough, you just wanted to a whole lot! Don’t intend to do good, just do good. It may be easier said than done, but you must be resolved to be prosperous.

Resolution – The conclusion, whether successful or not is how your ideas and decisions evolve. Your designs for prosperity are measured by how successfully you plan and implement everything you do in your business every single day. If your intentions are good, proper decisions are made, purposeful changes are implemented and you are determined to be a success, you probably will meet or even exceed your expectations for success.

Don’t just make those idle New Year’s resolutions, have the resolve to break with tradition and MAKE all your dreams for success come true.

Fall is in the air, and it’s time to celebrate this wonderful season of homecomings! From the first school assembly of the year and all the way through prom, call Life O’ The Party for an unmatched inventory of everything you need to start your event off just right. You do the partying and Life O’ The Party will provide entertainers, centerpieces, DJs, and balloon displays to ensure everyone in Hackensack has an amazing time.

Their event planning staff guarantees the best possible service, and are comfortable planning any event, no matter the size! Life O’ The Party also delivers 24 hours a day, seven days a week in order to ensure your party items (balloons, centerpieces, et. al.) always arrive before the guests do. After all, there are so many things to keep in mind when throwing a party. Let Life O’ The Party worry about the décor, entertainment, and venue, and you can worry about the guests.

Since 1980, Life O’ The Party has been the area’s go-to spot for any type of get-together. From Bar or Bat Mitzvahs and Christenings to corporate events and school dances, Life O’ The Party is your one-stop shop for large-scale party and event planning. If necessary, they’ll work with suppliers to provide your events with the proper party accessories, but full-scale event planning is what they do best.

Don’t let fall get you down! Discover your back-to-school spirit with a unique event planned just for you by the area’s party experts. Call (201) 342-2121 and get the party started with Life O’ The Party today!

The National Retail Federation found respondents to its annual holiday spending survey plan to do over half (56 percent) of their shopping online.This represents a record high in the survey’s 13-year history, and likely sends shivers down the spines of brick-and-mortar retailers. Life O’ The Party does a fair amount of online sales with their eBay store (markz3130) and with their wholesale site www.260balloons.com.

Though the price war between online sites and traditional retailers seems like it would yield more options for finding bargains, there’s more going on behind the screen. According to Internet Retailer, 20-percent of prices change daily on competitive products sold online, with some of the most popular items fluctuating prices every few minutes. This practice is commonly referred to as “dynamic pricing,” and something consumers have had to deal with for quite some time. To ensure you don’t overpay online, follow these nine savvy shopping tips.

Track price drops effortlessly. Poach It is a free browser add-on that alerts you when prices on coveted goods go on sale, saving you both time and money. If you happen to get an alert about a price drop after you made a purchase, you may qualify for a price adjustment. Simply take a screenshot of the price drop and email the store’s customer service team with your information. Some sites may even honor price adjustments for reductions at a competitor.

Price-match for free shipping. Online retailers are often willing to match prices among their competition. This is especially helpful if the original site offering the better deal charges a delivery fee. In this case, find a retailer who offers free shipping both ways and ask if they can match the first price. If shopping online, open a live chat window and type your request to customer service; I used this method to score a big discount on a dress from Piperlime.

Don’t leave the coupon code box empty. If there’s a coupon code box, there’s likely a coupon out there somewhere. Run a quick search on Google with the retailer name and the term “coupon code,” or look for codes on your favorite deals site. For example, you can save an extra 10 percent on kids’ outerwear from Target with a code from CouponSherpa.com, while taking advantage of that new free shipping offer.

Register for the e-newsletter. The thought of another promotional email cluttering your inbox may not sound appealing, but by signing up you’ll likely receive a new customer coupon and get news on upcoming promotions. Set up a shopping account for these specific emails to avoid the promotional bombardment.

Never buy without comparing. Search engines like Pricegrabber and TheFind.com specialize in comparing prices on thousands of popular items across multiple online retailers. You can also download the Invisible Hand browser add-on, which pings you when an item you’re looking at costs less elsewhere. Finding the best price can be a time-consuming task without these helpful tools!

Call or chat with customer service. If you can’t find a coupon code or free shipping offer, give the online store a call. The customer service rep can often provide you with some type of savings like free shipping as a one-time courtesy. This strategy has worked for me multiple times: I scored free shipping on an order from Anthropologie by simply calling and asking for it, and InkGrabber provided a 20-percent discount upon chatting with their live service rep.

Abandon your online cart. This strategy doesn’t always work, but some retailers email you with a tempting coupon code if they notice you abandoned your online cart. Ballard Designs recently sent me a 15-percent off coupon “to help make [my] decision easier…” While this strategy is intended to help you complete an impulse buy, it can be helpful in scoring a discount on something you genuinely intend to purchase.

“Like” and follow. Many online sites offer exclusive promotions to their social media networks on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. I scored a 30-percent off coupon code for Heels.com on Twitter and received a 15-percent discount for a booking on Hotels.com for “liking” their page on Facebook. Ultimately, it pays to follow your favorite brands on social media as retailers find increasing value in engaging with their loyal customers.

Ship gifts directly. Shipping gifts you’ve purchased in-store through USPS, UPS or FedEx is an oft-overlooked expense that can put a strain on holiday budgets. It’s likely better to shop online and ship gifts directly to friends and family to avoid an extra delivery fee. Additionally, you can shop for gifts on Dec. 18, the date of this year’s Free Shipping Day, and have items sent directly to the recipient, avoiding holiday shipping costs altogether.

Feel free to share “Target’s Free Holiday Shipping & More Ways to Save Online” with your audience, giving proper attribution to the source.

By: Andrea Woroch is a nationally-recognized consumer and money-saving expert for Kinoli Inc., who helps consumers live on less without radically changing their lifestyles. From smart spending tips to personal finance advice, Andrea transforms everyday consumers into savvy shoppers. She has been featured among top news outlets such as Good Morning America, NBC’s Today, MSNBC, New York Times, Kiplinger Personal Finance, CNNMoney and many more. You can follow her on Twitter for daily savings advice and tips.

This Veterans Day, retailers and restaurants across the country are offering freebies and discounts to veterans, reservists, active and retired military. In some cases, these offers extend to military spouses and families, or represent store-wide savings in honor of those who serve or have served.

Coupon Sherpa compiled a comprehensive list of over 50 freebies and discounts for veterans and active military, some of which are highlighted below. You can also find Veterans Day coupons and promo codes for all patrons in the following list, and more at CouponSherpa.com.

Applebee’s
Veterans and active military can enjoy a free meal from a special Veteran’s Day menu featuring seven savory options.

Denny’s
From 5 a.m. to noon on Tuesday, veterans and active military can enjoy a free Build-Your-Own Grand Slam.

Macy’s
All customers can take an extra 20% off their orders through Nov. 11 with this promo code.

Crocs
Through Nov. 11, all customers can buy one, get one 50% off with coupon code SALUTE.

Restoration Hardware
All customers get 20% of their purchases through Nov. 11 with printable coupon.

LaMar’s Donuts
Veterans and active military can enjoy a free doughnut and 12 oz. coffee from LaMar’s Donuts.

Outback Steakhouse
On Tuesday, veterans and active military get a free Bloomin’ Onion appetizer and Coca-Cola beverage. From Nov. 12 through Dec. 31, active and retired military and their families can get 15-percent off their checks with valid military ID.

Harry & David

All customers can enjoy 25% off their online orders or in-store purchases through Nov. 11 with this coupon.

Starbucks
Participating locations of Starbucks will offer a free Tall (12 oz.) brewed coffee to veterans, active military and their spouses.

Kenneth Cole
Through Nov. 11, all customers can take $50 off their orders of $50 or more with coupon code VET14.

US National Parks
Everyone can enjoy a free visit to any national park on Nov. 11 in honor of Veterans Day.

Feel free to share these offers with your audience, giving proper attribution to the source.

CouponSherpa.com is the premier resource for online and in-store coupons, providing users with coupons that actually work and helping consumers save money and live more frugally. The Coupon Sherpa mobile app was the first-ever mobile app to the market in 2009, and is available for free from iOS and Google Play.

For the 12th consecutive year Life O’ The Party will be supplying party balloons for the world famous Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. This huge honor is a testament to the company’s expertise in balloons! In the past 11 years Life O’ The Party has made an impression with their incredible balloon decorations and displays. A spectacle this big needs the highest quality balloons and the most experienced party supplier, which is why Life O’ The Party continues to be chosen year after year.

The annual parade is a bigger event than you might think. For a whole month leading up to Thanksgiving, there are nine different events going on. Events have already begun and Life O’ The Party is already decorating for them.

First, the parade floats need to rehearse. They march around the Citi Field parking lot to practice. There is also the Macy’s Rollie Awards that takes place at Pier 40 in the city. Then, there’s inflation day! On the day before Thanksgiving, spectators are invited to the Museum of Natural History to watch parade floats be inflated for the next day’s festivities.

Finally, on Thanksgiving Day, Life O’ The Party places balloons at the starting line, along the parade route, and in Herald Square during the night and early morning hours before the parade begins. Plus, they also decorate Macy’s locations with custom branded balloons in the stores.

Don’t miss the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade this year, featuring balloons by Life O’ The Party. For your next big event, trust the party supplies experts for the best balloon decorations. For more information, visit them online or call (201) 342-2121.

In time for Black Friday, Americans can get ahead of their shopping experience

The holiday season is just around the corner.  Along with all the festive fun of cookie making, snowman building and house decorating comes the stress of family get-togethers, holiday parties and seasonal events.  Cindy Shanholtz, owner of Effortless Events in Chicago, has some tips that will make your holiday event memorable and your hosting duties a little bit easier:

Let There Be (Amber) Light – For a light that’s flattering to all your guests change out your regular bulbs for ones with an amber tint.  Everyone looks best in the softer glow of amber lighting.  When using candles, stick with votives that last longer than tea lights.

Rent A Coat Rack – “It sounds obvious but most at-home entertainers never do it,” says Shanholtz.  Rather than having your guests throw their coats on the bed or shove them in an already overstuffed closet, rent a coat rack and set it up near the front door.  It will add a touch of organization and professionalism to your event that your guests will really appreciate.

Have A House Cocktail – Choosing a house drink that can be pre-mixed and ready to serve is a great way to keep your costs in check.  Serve alongside beer and wine and there’s no need to have a full bar.  You’ll save by only needing to purchase certain ingredients and, if you hire a bar or wait staff, you’ll save on labor (no need for more than one bartender or server when guests can help themselves to a pre-made, pre-poured signature drink.)

Just Say No…To Classic Color Combos – Rather than going with the traditional red and green (Christmas) or blue and silver (Hanukkah) décor, opt for a more neutral palette.  Shades of white and cream or grey and mixed metallics are still festive but are a nice departure from the classic color combinations your guests will see at every other holiday event.  Still want a pop of color?  Go for emerald green, Pantone’s 2013 color of the year.  Mix it with subtler hues for a fun, fresh color scheme.

Start To Finish – To set a festive mood from the get go, make sure that guests are greeted with a welcome cocktail or glass of champagne as they arrive. At the end of the evening send guests home with a little treat such as hot chocolate or a mini dessert to go.  “An event should be about the experience from beginning to end and this is a nice way to book-end the night,” Shanholtz explains.

Leave It To The Experts – Many people think that event specialists and party planners are just for weddings and large scale events.  Not true, according to Shanholtz.  Cindy and her team regularly plan and execute small, intimate events ranging from birthdays and anniversaries to small dinner parties and in-home holiday events.  “Event professionals not only know how to get the best deals from caterers, florists and other vendors, but they also know which little details will make an event truly unforgettable,” she says.  “More and more people are hiring party planners to help with their annual holiday events – it’s our job to help you impress your guests while allowing the hosts to enjoy the event themselves.”

For more holiday party tips, high resolution images or to speak with Cindy Shanholtz about any other event-related topic, please contact me directly.  Cindy is also available for on-air interviews and demo segments upon request.

About Effortless Events: Founded by industry veteran Cindy Shanholtz, Effortless Events is one of Chicagoland’s most experienced and sought after event planning companies.   As a former corporate financial analyst, Shanholtz is as meticulous and organized as she is creative.  Over the years Effortless Events has produced hundreds of flawlessly-executed events ranging from fairy tale weddings and black tie fundraisers to corporate retreats and intimate dinner parties.  Effortless Events works with an impressive roster of caterers, florists, entertainers and other vendors – all of whom have been vetted by Cindy herself.  Shanholtz is a member of the International Special Events Society (ISES) and the Association of Bridal Consultants.  ­For more information please visit www.effortless-events.com or call (630) 416-5056.

PriceGrabber®, a leading distributed ecommerce platform and shopping site, just released additional results of its Winter Holiday Shopping Survey, revealing that 69 percent of consumers plan to shop at the same retailers as they did last year. When asked why, 70 percent said they would remain loyal to certain retailers because of good customer service. According to the survey, online retailers and discount stores continue to remain the most popular destinations for holiday shopping. When asked to select all the types of stores where consumers plan to shop for gifts, 75 percent chose online retailers and 68 percent said they would visit discount stores. Conducted on PriceGrabber.com from September 13 to 25, 2013, this survey includes responses from 2,887 U.S. online shopping consumers.

Infographic: http://pressroom.pricegrabber.com/?p=2908

Convenience is Key this Holiday Season

It can be the busiest time of the year, and shoppers are looking for convenience when choosing where to shop for gifts. Free shipping was the second reason consumers said they plan to return to their go-to retailers this year, at 62 percent. Fifty-five percent said they like the convenience of shopping online with an easy checkout process, and 40 percent will return to stores located in close proximity to their home.

“As shoppers are looking for convenience and excellent customer service, retailers are aiming to drive shoppers’ wallet share with strong incentives like free shipping, coupons and aggressive price cuts,” said James Brown, vice president of sales of PriceGrabber. “According to the survey, most consumers plan to research their holiday gift purchases in advance,” added Brown. “Retailers will need to communicate their deals to the online consumer before they start their shopping or they risk losing customers.”

‘Tis the Season for Apparel

Despite what may be on everyone’s holiday wish list, consumers can bet on receiving clothing again this year. When PriceGrabber respondents were asked to select the items they are most likely to purchase for a gift this season, clothing topped the list at 64 percent. Gift cards ranked second at 47 percent, while 37 percent opted for books, DVDs, or games. Good news for good boys and girls; of those surveyed, 35 percent of shoppers said they will be purchasing toys this holiday season. From 2012 to 2013, shoppers are aiming to maintain a similar budget as last year, with 54 percent of consumers indicating they plan to spend $500 or more this season. Shoppers plan to do their homework this year, with 88 percent saying they will research their holiday gift purchases in advance to find the best deals.

When Shoppers Think There will be the Best Deals

The official start of the holiday shopping season traditionally kicks off the day after Thanksgiving, otherwise known as Black Friday (November 29). According to the survey, 33 percent of survey respondents believe the best deals will be available after the Thanksgiving holiday. Twenty-eight percent believe the best deals will be specifically on Black Friday. Additionally, of those surveyed, 24 percent think the month of December will offer the best deals and 15 percent of shoppers felt that Cyber Monday (December 2) would yield the best bargains.

For holiday shopping on any budget, visit http://www.pricegrabber.com. Download the PriceGrabber mobile application for smart shopping on the go.

To view all of PriceGrabber’s 2013 holiday shopping press releases and infographics, visit:

About PriceGrabber®

PriceGrabber® is a leading distributed ecommerce platform and shopping site that connects millions of shoppers each month with thousands of merchants. We reach our consumer audience via desktop and mobile devices through a network of over 400 digital publisher partners as well as through our owned and operated web properties. Together with our distribution partners, we drive over $1 billion in annual sales for our retailer partners. PriceGrabber’s unique portfolio of business units, including the world’s premier location-based mobile fashion app Snapette, provides brands and retailers with unparalleled marketing and sales opportunities to millions of active, qualified and ready to buy shoppers on a monthly basis. PriceGrabber is a unit of CPL Holdings LLC and headquartered in Los Angeles,CA with operations across North America and in the United Kingdom. Visit us at http://www.pricegrabber.com.

SOASTA Follows Up with America a year after first “Christmas Creep” survey and finds even more Americans want stores to focus on “Cyber Monday” websites over decor

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. November 5, 2013 – SOASTA, the leader in cloud and mobile testing, today announced the findings of its 2013 Holiday Retail Readiness survey that discovered that even more Americans think stores should not put up Christmas decorations before Thanksgiving.  In a survey of 2,038 Americans 18 and older, in which data was weighted to be representative of the entire country, conducted online by Harris Interactive on behalf of SOASTA, discovered that 81% of American adults think stores should not play Christmas music before Thanksgiving – up from 78% of American adults when SOASTA conducted the survey last year.  77% of American adults think stores shouldn’t put up Christmas decorations before Thanksgiving – up from 76% last year.  Meanwhile, 78% of Americans feel stores should have a specific “Cyber Monday” website that can handle millions of people shopping for the holidays at once – up from 75% from last year.  And 75% of Americans feel that stores should have a dependable app(s) for smartphones that can easily handle mobile sales for the holidays – up from 73% last year.

“The results of our Holiday Retail Readiness Survey demonstrate a growing trend – that more and more Americans want retailers to focus on getting their websites and apps ready for the holiday rush instead of decorating for the holidays too early,” said Tom Lounibos, SOASTA CEO.  “When we first conducted this research last year on ‘Christmas Creep’ an overwhelming majority of Americans told us they want stores to focus on making sure their websites are ready for Cyber Monday and that their mobile apps are capable of handling the shopping demand.  After the last Holiday season those percentages have only increased.”

SOASTA’s 2013 Holiday Retails Readiness Survey shows that 86% of Americans plan to shop online for the holidays this year, with the Northeast ranking first (89%) followed by the Western states (86%), South (85%) and the Midwest (83%).  The top anticipated online shoppers are men between the ages of 18 – 44 (93%).  The demographics next most likely to be planning on online holiday shopping this year are women between the ages of 18 – 34 (89%) and men between ages 45 – 54 (89%).  Overall, online shopping for the holidays was overwhelmingly popular with women ages 35-44 (87%), 45-54 (83%) and 55+ (79%).  Online shopping was popular for men 45-54 (89%) and 55+ (81%).

The survey results come as SOASTA prepares many of the top online retailers today for the busy holiday season by providing a mobile test automation solution that ensures websites and mobile apps work as planned, while catering to hundreds of thousands of concurrent users.  For more information, please go to www.soasta.com

About SOASTA

SOASTA is the leader in cloud testing. Its web and mobile test automation and monitoring solutions, CloudTest, TouchTest and mPulse, enable developers, QA professionals and IT operations teams to test and monitor users with unprecedented speed, scale, precision and visibility. The innovative product set streamlines test creation, automates provisioning and execution, and analyzes real user behavior in real-time to deliver actionable intelligence, faster. With SOASTA, companies have confidence that their applications will perform as designed, delivering quality user experiences every time. SOASTA’s customers are many of today’s most successful brands including Avaya, American Girl, Bonobos, Backcountry.com, Chegg, Experian, Gilt Groupe, Hallmark, Intuit, Microsoft and Netflix. SOASTA is privately held and headquartered in Mountain View, Calif. For more information about SOASTA, please visit www.soasta.com.

Survey Methodology

This survey was conducted online within the United States between October 28^th and 30^th, 2013 among 2,038 adults (aged 18 and over) by Harris Interactive on behalf of SOASTA via its Quick Query omnibus product. The 2012 survey was conducted online between September 17-19, 2012 among 2,346 adults.Figures for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, region and household income were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was used to adjust for respondents’ propensity to be online.

All sample surveys and polls, whether or not they use probability sampling, are subject to multiple sources of error which are most often not possible to quantify or estimate, including sampling error, coverage error, error associated with nonresponse, error associated with question wording and response options, and post-survey weighting and adjustments. Therefore, Harris Interactive avoids the words “margin of error” as they are misleading. All that can be calculated are different possible sampling errors with different probabilities for pure, unweighted, random samples with 100% response rates. These are only theoretical because no published polls come close to this ideal.

Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who have agreed to participate in Harris Interactive surveys. The data have been weighted to reflect the composition of the adult population. Because the sample is based on those who agreed to participate in the Harris Interactive panel, no estimates of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.

# # #

SOASTA is a registered trademark of SOASTA, Inc.  All other trademarks are property of their respective owners. Other product or company names mentioned may be trademarks or trade names of their respective companies.

Press Contacts:

William McCormick                                                                Peter Galvin

Grayling Connecting Point                                                      SOASTA, Inc.

(415) 442-4023                                                                      (415) 269-7343

william.mccormick@grayling.com pgalvin@soasta.com