Crowdtap- What is it anyways?

Alot of people have asked me what Crowdtap is and how I get FREE stuff from places like Old Navy. In this post I will give you all the details about how it works and how to increase your chances to get free stuff too.

In their words:

"Crowdtap is the Influencer Marketing platform, enabling leading brands to easily identify, activate and manage their influential consumers for real-time insights and powerful online and offline peer-to-peer marketing."

What does this mean to us?  Lots of times Crowdtap members are the first to know about a new product coming out, we get to view trailers for movies before anyone else , and leave our input on new product names, package styling, and our overall opinions on the brand.

What I LOVE the most about Crowdtap:
◆ Unlike other sites, this one only requires a few minutes of my time
◆ They don't fill up my inbox with emails
◆ It is EASY!!

The perks:
◆ For everything you do you get points, which are redeemable for all kinds of different gift cards
◆ FREE stuff. Of course, my favorite is the Old Navy Style Council. All throughout the year they have sample and shares or parties, where they send coupons for you AND your friends  to get totally free items.
◆ Can donate to a charity of your choice using virtual points

A few people have signed up, and then ask me why they never get selected for any of the sample and shares or parties. When I first started with Crowdtap about a year ago, I was wondering the same thing. I wasn't getting chosen for anything , and wasn't getting alot of offers. After a few months I figured out why.  I was kind of forgetting about it, and didn't visit the site every day, and sometimes not at all during a week. I also wasn't checking my email regularly. When there' s a new discussion or sample and share  they will send an email to let you know, and you generally need to find that email and follow the link provided within 24 hours, because they only have so many open spots for each thing. You have to be active with the site to get the rewards.  I spend maybe 10 minutes a day , when I have quick hits and discussions.

 Here's a walk thru of the things I ALWAYS make sure to do when I log-in.

Check the Quick- Hits [polls]- Mine are empty today because they usually don't have any on weekends

The more quickhits you do, the more "actions " you will get, because the polls are to match you up with things that you may be interested in.

Next, I go to my actions. There I will see any new discussions, sample and shares, or parties that I can participate in

This section is really important, and you will have the opportunity to accept or decline the action. If you accept it, you need to complete it , or it will make you less likely to get more offers [especially the good ones] in the future. For everything you do, you get points, and a better chance for more offers.

Here is an example of how a party or sample and share action works :

For each action/party/sample&share you accept there will be discussions. It is very important to participate in these , and only take a few seconds. You get points for answering their questions, and for comments on others' posts .

They tell you what they want you to do during your sampling or party, and you fill out a report once you have completed it [which takes maybe 3 mins to do ] . The more detailed you are, the more points you get. They will always tell you a time frame you have to complete an action, as well as different things they may want you to do, and what to expect to get in your kit

 They also have missions for you to complete, which are usually so many quick hits, web shares , referrals and other things. Each time you complete a mission you get more points which helps you level up , which helps you to get more actions to participate in and closer to redeeming for gift cards. 

Another great thing is that you can donate your points to a charity of your choice . My chairty is the Susan G Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. If you want to keep your points for gift cards, that's ok. Everytime someone gives  a webshare that you do a thumbs up they will donate to your chosen charity on your behalf.

I was a member of Crowdtap for a few months before I started being active with it. A month into participating regularly I got my first sample and share from Old Navy., and my most recent one made my Third from them alone .Don't get discouraged, just get active and you will start getting accepted.

I hope you found this post to be informative, and if you have more questions, or I left something out don't hesitate to ask!  If you're not a member yet, and want to sign up you can do so HERE

I will be sharing my review on my Old Navy Beach Bum Party soon!

Misikko Beauty : My Dream Package

  I took cosmetology in high school and was so lucky to have access to everything wonderful that my skin, hair and nails needed -both from my teacher at school, and Mom . My mother always had the best skin care products, and made sure I had the best products to make me look and feel good.  I used to get up 2 hours early before school just to fix my hair and makeup [that way if I didn't like how it turned out I would have time to start all over again].  It's funny how I took having a good hairdryer w/ diffuser, face creams , lotions and makeup for granted. Naturally, a person doesn't HAVE to have the brands I grew up with [Estee Lauder, Clinique & Elizabeth Arden to name a few]to have beautiful skin or hair .  As life has gone on, and I have gotten older,  I have learned that brands can matter when it comes to beauty and the look of youth.  I'm not at a point in life where I can afford to buy those things much  anymore,no matter the fact that they would be "investments", as my mother would say. For years Mom has given me her sample sizes of Face Creams and Serums. After having two children I  have let myself go just a little more than I intended to.  I still fix my hair, put on makeup and use moisturizer, I just do it all a little cheaper than before, which I have found has made a HUGE difference . I am at that age in life [my 30's] where I feel like I can see every line and wrinkle and that I look older in general. I don't wear much makeup anymore except the L'Oreal Face Bronzer Mom gave me, because  Cover Girl isn't  making me look like Drew Barrymore, and makes my face feel icky. I have super naturally curly hair  that has been SCREAMING for a hair dryer with a diffuser attachment so that the frizz can go away and I can have the tame curls I had as a teenager.  My daughter is now the age I was when  my hair and makeup became so important to me.  She has naturally curly hair as well , even thicker than mine . The cheap hair dryers with diffusers [when I say cheap I mean 20-$30] don't do the trick and break or stop working  pretty quickly.
 I would love to be able to provide her with some good quality necessities she needs to help her look her best, and some to make me feel my best . After all, looking good is feeling good.

 After viewing their website at Misikko.com I think I have finally narrowed down the items I would LOVE to have.   

   First on  the list would be for my daughter and I to share so that we can actually blow dry /style our hair and keep the curls, just not the frizz :
 

T3 Tourmaline EvolutionHair Dryer/Designer Dryer    $194.99                                             

















     T3 Tourmaline - Diffuser II    $24.99


   For Mom because she always loved tanning, but due to health issues cannot get out in the sun or tanning bed.

Quick Tan Tanning Mist by Body Drench  $13.99

For us Both . If I could get something that gets rid of the frizz as well as this claims, she might stop damaging her hair by straightening it all the time and wear her beautiful curls

Liquid Keratin Hair Treatment                 $69.00

And finally, Just because I'm curious how well this works :

The Ultimate Model in a Bottle Gift Set  $34.99


All of these fantastic Goodies  bring my grand total to $337.96. 

The hair dryer and diffuser alone would make our day, the rest would make our year . Not only help this mom feel younger and prettier, but also help my daughter embrace her beauty with products that will truly make it shine , plus I would have a chance to give something to Mom to help make her feel good too.It would make me feel so good to be able to give my daughter some of the "royal beauty treatment" that my Mom gave me when I was her age, and it will help her learn how important good products are for your hair and skin , as well as boost her self confidence I do believe.

Thank You, Misiko Beauty for the chance to get my Dream Package for FREE

Misikko Beauty Dream Gift Package Giveaway

Misikko.com is the premiere online destination for professional beauty appliances, and right 


now they are giving THREE people a chance to get a dream package worth $350 of their 


choosing for FREE! How does it work? Go to their site
  
Misikko.com  and choose the items you would most LOVE to have , make sure the total is 


no more than  $350, write a blog post about what you want and how you will use the

products and then  leave a link to your post on their Facebook page . Must have entries

submitted by July 4th.


Working on my dream list now.. 

I WON! Did You?

 A few weeks ago I enetered the  NYC New York Color Fan Rewards Sweepstakes and I just got this email :

 I won a NYC New York  Big Bold Mascara.!! If you entered this sweepstakes, keep an eye on your inbox!  Let me know if you won too by commenting on or liking this post :)

Deal Alert: Beautiful Earrings

 I was just checking my email[s] sifting through all the newsletters from sites that I have signed up for  when I came across this Awesome deal :   Shadora.com sent me an email to take a quick feedback survey for an exclusive offer .

         These are gorgeous earrings for just $4.99  with FREE shipping [ Their shipping is always free! ].
 Check your emails if you sign up to them , if you don't and you want this deal leave me a comment and I will send you an email so that you can get it!
Like their Facebook Page HERE to see their deals and promotions

        

The Lesser Evil - Photo Contest

          Lesser Evil Snacks make quality all natural snacks that taste great and are healthy for you . They are the Lesser Evil Solution for snack time and want to know what it means to us to be Lesser Evil, by photo submission. The prize is :
        

Nikon Coolpix S8000 Digital Camera.

The world’s slimmest 10x zoom camera with wide-angle capability. Nikon’s extra-low dispersion (ED) glass lens ensures crisp results whether you shoot still images or high-definition movie clips.

    Just submit your pic to them HERE and have a chance to win this camera. Entries are accepted until 06/20. Be sure to have your friends vote  on your picture . Here is the link for my entry if you would like to vote for it , and leave me a link to yours and I will vote to help you also!   My Entry

 

  Play- Doh is our Lesser Evil today . Every Day this summer we are going to introduce a toy or game  to this 9 year old video playing, tv watching hyperactive child,  that we played when we were kids  because those were the things that helped us exercise our imagination and our bodies [aka - get some of that energy out ] which sadly alot of kids truly do not know how to do, thanks to technology.

We Have Winners!

  Thank you to those who entered the giveaway! All the winners have been emailed

                                                           
a Rafflecopter giveaway