For Those Who Are Interested. Trading & Bartering To Expand Your Business.

[ahoustondj]

I wanted to share this with you all as a means of expanding your business opportunities.

For years I have been involved in Trading/Bartering Organizations and it has worked out tremendously for me. I offer my DJ Service and Art Service/Products to members of a National Bartering System through Membership.
Here are some of the benefits:
When you Trade with a Member, you get Trading Dollars Placed into your Account which you can use to purchase Services or Products from another Member.
You can accept or turn down any offer for your business depending on your availability.
You can actually charge more Top Price for your Services. Meaning lets say you may have charged $800.oo for a particular Gig in cash, for Trade I would bump it up to $1,000.00 Trading Dollars. there is no need to give discounts. In some cases you can make it known that some items may have to be paid for in Cash. For example, if you have to rent a Generator, tent, additional Gear etc, then you can charge Cash for that part of the transaction.
You can also get Cash Business referrals from people who attend the Gig that you are doing on Trade.
You are the "Go To Guy" when it comes to your service for that Organization.
As with everything else there are small monthly fees, someone has to be paid to run the Organization.
Your network will be greatly expanded for Venues such as Hotels, Restaurants, Photographers etc and other professionals in the Industry.

I am not selling anything. If anyone is interested, please message me privately. What I will do is personally recommend you to the Organization in your area and someone in your area will contact you so your questions, concerns etc can be answered.

Back in the 90s I was an avid Trader. I got things like a Brand New Transmission for my vehicle, paid for with Trading Dollars I had accumulated. I also got referrals to do Gigs from people who were not in the Organization and they paid cash.
Message me if you are interested and I'll elaborate further.

 

[ittigger]

Sounds interesting - to some degree.

 

[ahoustondj]

Sounds interesting - to some degree.

Trust me, I have experienced no negatives in all the years that I have been a Trading member. In June, I took my Bose AWM & Mic to one of the meetings and was paid Trading Dollars for that service. I am doing a Christmas Party and Trade Fair for them on December 3rd, a Monday night, that won't interfere with my regularly scheduled Gigs.

 

[ittigger]

For those that will pursue this. Some good things to think about (from http://www.ncoa.org/get-involved/fu...2-sources-articles/source-6-trade-barter.html)

How to Select a Barter Exchange Association

• Read the fine print.
  Make sure you’re dealing with a legitimate exchange association before committing to membership. Look for associations that have joined the International Reciprocal Trade Association or the National Association of Trade Exchanges, which require members to abide by a strict code of ethics and standards.
• Ask for details.
  Find out how long the exchange association has been in business, the number and type of members, the volume of transactions it handles, fee structures, special deals such as membership drives, available inventory, dispute resolution services, customer service support, and whether the association will barter with other associations.
• Get a rating.
  Investigate the association’s rating with the Better Business Bureau.
• Match your needs.
  Make sure the association has what you need. Create a list of wanted products or services. Identify 10 that you normally purchase with cash. Show this list to the association and ask them to tell you whether they’re available.
• Request references.
  Also ask for a membership list to determine if there are enough businesses with whom you can exchange services or products.
• Examine what you have to offer.
  Determine if your nonprofit has any assets, such as rental space or care management services, that you can use in transactions. If you’re already overextended in time or available resources, the transaction fees may not justify joining the association. Not all nonprofits and businesses are suitable for a barter exchange association.
• Understand the fee structure.
  Ask the exchange to review any costs associated with membership and transactions. Not all exchanges charge the same. Some waive fees or offer discounts to nonprofits.
• Determine the anticipated demand for your product or service.
  Be prepared for either frequent or infrequent requests from exchange members. If the exchange does not believe there will be reasonable demand for your product or service, think twice about joining.

 

[Audio One]

I've done 3 barter deals this year with one to go. So far, I've always known the person I'm trading my services with and just dealt with them individually. Never used an exchange but I like the idea.

 

[Papa Deuce]

I've done 3 barter deals this year with one to go. So far, I've always known the person I'm trading my services with and just dealt with them individually. Never used an exchange but I like the idea.

Much the same for me, and I have posted my barters here. My best barter was 2 bubble parties for a YMCA family membership, or 1 wedding for having a big chunk of my house painted. And this year I did a sweet 16 in exchange for opening / closing my pool.

 

[ahoustondj]

The one to one Trading is the best however in the organization one person may get your services but you may want the services of another. You can also go to resorts, Hotels, Ski Trips etc with your Trading Dollars.

 

[DjDennis]

pass here - no thanks

 

[Ausumm]

In radio, we trade stuff all the time.
It's a great way for many people to get what they want, without cash getting in the way.
Some would think you are selling yourself short, not getting paid with actual money...
I would disagree.
I used to trade my services providing music for my daughters' dance recitals, in exchange for money off of their tuition at the school.
A few hours of my time, and less money from my checking account.

Nice post, Canute.

 

[ahoustondj]

In radio, we trade stuff all the time.
It's a great way for many people to get what they want, without cash getting in the way.
Some would think you are selling yourself short, not getting paid with actual money...
I would disagree.
I used to trade my services providing music for my daughters' dance recitals, in exchange for money off of their tuition at the school.
A few hours of my time, and less money from my checking account.

Nice post, Canute.

Actually Mike, sometimes I think I benefit more with Trading Dollars. I charge more for my services when it is on trade. I use those same acquired Trading Dollars to purchase items for which I would have normally paid cash.

 

[Ausumm]

Completely understand.
How do you think we convince clients to trade for advertising?
We offer them more ads (per dollar) than the value of what they are trading...
and we use our highest spot rate.
A definite WIN-WIN in my book!