If you’re not paying for it, you’re the product, as they say.
Klout’s a game of a website where you get ‘klout’ from your friends for being social on Twitter and Facebook etc, and get freebie ‘perks’ (most of mine were website access and stuff) that you then tell people about (because that’s what you were doing to get the klout in the first place, right?) and thus sell a product for them. I get it. I’m shilling. And they didn’t even ask me to do this, they were just hoping I would.
Now, my concerns about Klout’s mathematical formula aside, here’s how it works. Basically I log into Klout and I get 5 ‘points’ to give to people in various topics, ranging from “WordPress” to “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” and everything else you can think of. A friend of mine was influential in ‘Unicorns’ for a long time. That’s why I think of it like a game, by the way. It’s a click-to-win game with achievements. Finally, though, I started getting physical perks, and not just the virtual ones. I’ve declined a few perks (like test driving a Chevy Volt) because I had no interest in them. On the other hand, the ‘test a Windows Phone’ I missed out on, because it was ‘full.’ I also waited until people I knew and trusted had used this first. It doesn’t appear to be a scam, and while they have my name and address, they do not have any credit card info, nor my social. Basically they have the same info they would if they used a phone book, and I’m targeting their ads to me.
Before I go further, I received free samples of products. And per the Klout Perks Agreement, I need to disclose that (and link you to http://klout.com/corp/perks ) to keep it all on the up-and-up. Okay? Okay. Here:
I was given a free product or sample because I’m a Klout influencer. I was under no obligation to receive the sample or talk about this company. I get no additional benefits for talking about the product or company.
I got two things, SlimFast (with a ‘Wow!’ button) and Iced Coffee (in December, I know) from International Delight. After a phone call I verified that the coffee was kosher (it was unlabled). SlimFast has a nice OU Dairy on the label, which was great. I tossed them both in the fridge and went about my day.
The SlimFast came in a nice red box, tied in a bow, with paper doots filling the box as padding. The packaging was normal cardboard, though, and until I opened it to find my box in a box, I had no idea what it was or who it was from. On the other hand, the International Delight box said “Klout Perk” on the outside, so it was very obvious. However, due to the oddities of shipping, the inside was less pretty, and was styrofoam with a reusable icepack. Even in December, it’d gotten a little warm, so it went in the fridge.
I have to say, the fact that SlimFast sent me a clearly finished product was nice. I liked that it felt like a present, but more than that, I liked that I could see what it was. International Delights is a blank white milk carton. I know what it is, but even a proto label or a sticker saying something (better, saying ‘This is Klout baby!’) would be more appealing.
First I drank the SlimFast. I’ve had their shakes before, and I used to have a jar of the powder (double chocolate) at work. This had a little of the Splenda/fake sugar aftertaste, but wasn’t as bad as the old shakes. It was less gritty than the powder mix, but less creamy than the old shakes. Thinner. Certainly it worked, though, as I wasn’t very hungry for the rest of the day until we went out to dinner. And even there I ate less. I had another at lunch on the Monday after and felt fine.
In the meantime, I went to sign up for a perk to get ‘free’ business cards from Moo. First off, the cards are $6 for shipping and handling, but more importantly, the damn coupon didn’t work.
I have not yet tried the coffee, as it’s been really cold and I have to get into the right mind-set to drink cold things on a cold day.