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Put barter to work for your company! It's a simple, effective way to expand your business.
In
a service-oriented business: a masseuse, consultant or hairdresser may see that there is extra un-scheduled
time; perhaps a restaurant owner notices extra seats in a restaurant that
could be filled by patrons. Many business services like advertising,marketing,
printing, or even consulting are easy items to barter and can be scheduled
around cash-paying clientele.
In a goods-oriented business: retail
stores selling furniture, computers, clothes and jewelry may have
surplus inventory and, rather than take a loss and not sell it at
all, they can move this surplus in the barter market. This way they
can get market value for these excess items, increase their buying
power to generate new revenue, and they can also turn around and
purchase new inventory that meets new trends in the market allowing
them to stay competitive.
Example: Let's say you own a landscaping business and you need
a lawyer to help you incorporate. You'll look in the trade exchange directory
or call your trade broker to find a lawyer in your area. You'll contact the
lawyer directly to discuss your needs, just as you would if this were a
cash transaction.
So, now you're ready to hire the lawyer. What happens
next? You need a lawyer...but the lawyer probably doesn't need landscaping.
That's where the trade exchange comes in. You don't
trade directly with the lawyer. Instead, you pay for the transaction
with trade dollars. You may have earned your trade dollars by upgrading
the landscaping of a local restaurant...or by landscaping the home of
a local business owner.
Essentially, the trade exchange acts as a clearinghouse, keeping track of transactions
and helping you connect with businesses that have something you want, or those
that need your services. When you make a sale, you call for an authorization
to deposit the trade dollars into your trade account. Your trade account will
be charged a small cash service fee and will be immediately credited for the
amount of the sale.