What advice can you give to someone entering the field?

I have about fifty "financial services opinion surveys" that need to be completed by the end of the month if I'm to get this job. Where would you go to cold-approach and get decent prospects for the completion of these surveys?  I set up at the mall on Sunday for an hour or two in the evening, but didn't see much promise. Could anyone tell me how they would do the mall idea, in terms of pitch, how to approach people (should I yell at them as they pass to get their attention?), etc.