Barter: It's Not Just for Doctors Anymore

Time was, in the country, the local “doc” was as likely to get paid with a couple of chickens as a couple of dollars. Doctors these days won’t stand for that, of course, but while some people have moved completely away from barter and stayed there, others have embraced it wholeheartedly.

Today I worked on a barter deal with a web designer to do search engine optimization on my web site in exchange for some articles. I HATE doing SEO, and I LOVE writing articles. This person needs articles written and is good at SEO. It’s a good match.

Later in the day I put together a mailing designed to entice a massage therapist into bartering for my coaching services. I have a lot of pain in my back and shoulders, and a massage would do me good, but I really can’t afford monthly massages. If this works out, I will work an extra three hours a month in exchange for massages, hopefully every two weeks.

Barter isn’t for everyone or every situation, but it does have some advantages for the home-based business. You can usually get something you need, you can save your cash for other things, which you also need, and you get a “customer” who’s willing to give you referrals and testimonials.

How do you know if you should barter? If you have a skill or product people want, if you have the time or extra product to spare, and if you are willing to put in the effort looking for people to barter with, it might be a good idea for you.

Where do you find people to barter with? Check Google for barter directories and barter sites. Many Work at Home Mom sites have barter sections. If you don’t find what you’re looking for, go find someone who does or has what you need, and offer a barter deal. Sometimes they’ll go for it, sometimes not. My SEO deal came through a barter site. My massage therapy plan is strictly my own. But I’m betting out of 60 massage therapists in my city, one will be interested.

If you don’t have time or extra product, or if you’re uncomfortable trading your products or services for other people’s, then barter might not be right for you at this time. Keep it in mind for the future, though.

If you can get it, barter’s a good deal. You often get more than you could afford to buy or would put money into, and you expand your business as well.

About The Author

Angie Dixon helps small business owners get their acts together. She is a personal development coach specializing in helping people integrate their home and work lives so they feel less stretched and more balanced. Get her FREE EBOOK on balance at http://www.discoveringtruenorth.com. For questions or to discover how coaching can change your life, contact Angie at mailto:angie@discoveringtruenorth.com.

You are free to use this article in ezines, web sites and print publications. If you do use it, please send a quick email to mailto:angie@discoveringtruenorth.com. Thank you.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Angie_Dixon

Ex-Yankee Pitcher Pitches Barter As Powerful Business Tool

Mission Viejo, CA - June 14, 2005 - Bob Meyer, a former major league pitcher in the 1960s who signed four-consecutive major league contracts with the New York Yankees, is now the most visible spokesman for the worldwide commercial barter industry.

Meyer is the publisher of BarterNews, which he founded 25 years ago. The magazine reports on the many ways barter can be used to leverage one’s business, as well as up-to-date information on the happenings within the commercial barter industry.

“Barter is an underutilized and under appreciated business tool that virtually every business owner should be using, whether on a direct or indirect basis,” Meyer emphasized. “Globally, it is a $600 billion-a-year way of doing business that enables companies of every size to secure needed products and services. Barter is a proven business tool used by firms for marketing, financing, and purchasing efforts.

“Given today’s competitive marketplace, under capitalization by most startups, and the typical use of high-interest credit cards, anytime one’s product or service can be exchanged for a needed business expense it should be embraced,” he enthused. “And, it is easier than ever with some 800 trade companies, worldwide.”

BarterNews magazine reports on three areas of barter—the commercial trade exchange industry (business barter clubs), corporate barter (large multimillion dollar transactions), and countertrade (transactions between countries). Its readership is international in scope, encompassing six continents.

The magazine has an extensive web site with comprehensive information on the subject, a free weekly e-newsletter, “The Tuesday Report,” and hundreds of articles and contacts. For more information go to www.barternews.com.

About Bob Meyer: A former major league baseball player, Meyer signed the first of four consecutive major league contracts with the New York Yankees at age 21. After an 11-year professional baseball career he launched an import business, selling science-oriented products to schools throughout the U.S. and Canada. After numerous, profitable barter experiences Meyer sold his business and founded BarterNews in 1980. In addition to the magazine, he has authored a 532-page barter program for the business community and publishes a monthly newsletter for trade exchanges.

Acknowledgements for his contributions to the commercial barter industry are considerable. Most notable was his induction into the International Reciprocal Trade Association’s “Barter-Hall-of-Fame” in its charter year, September 1997. He was also the recipient of the first-ever “Lifetime Achievement Award” from the National Association of Trade Exchanges in September 2004.

Contact: Bob Meyer, phone (949) 831-0607 or e-mail to bmeyer@barternews.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_B._Meyer

Bartering And The Benefits Of Swapping

What is Barter

Barter is a type of trade that do not require any medium of exchange, in which goods and services are exchanged for other goods and/or services. It is a transaction where no money changes hands. Note that services can be exchanged for goods and vice versa. Bartering can be easily used in environment where a monetary system is not required.

Value of Swapping

Swapping is a bartering system in which participants in Internet communities trade items of comparable value on a trust basis. This type of bartering system is a good way to find and obtain items that interest you. Your unwanted item could be valuable to someone else so swapping is suitable for a win-win situation for both parties.

Why Swap

* Save money!

* Establish a fun relationship among the active swapping community.

* Create new business contacts and references when trading services and goods.

* Help the environment by avoiding the need to throw away your unwanted stuff in the dumpster. Reuse, Reuse, Reuse!

* Monetary system is not required to complete a swap transaction.

Where to Swap Online

The best way to find sites that offer bartering services is to use the Google or Yahoo search engine. Type something like "swap stuff" or "barter swap" in the search box and the first two pages should present a good list of sites for you to try out. Local swap meets are also good sources for obtaining recommended bartering sites. Be sure to avoid sites that require you to pay anything for listing your goods and services.

SwapTreasures http://www.swaptreasures.com is a swapping community focused in helping people swap just about anything via our online bartering service. Members can easily search for goods and services and submit requests to swap for free. Authors: Jeff Brown and John Blane.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Blane