Do you Barter with local business? I just got FREE ...

by elitementor

Posted: 13 years ago 14 replies

OFFLINE MARKETING

So last month I sold a package to a local nail salon and also to a hibachi restaurant. They wanted to do 100% trade. Long story short after getting over the shock that the business owner's were so savvy and trying to negotiate a full trade ... I went over the benefits and how their business would gain and see a potential increase. I told each owner that I would reduce my cost by $100 and the other was $75 reduction.

I walked away still making a good profit on each job. AND I got 2 gift certificates
for Hibachi food (which I love!!) and manicure/pedicure svcs (which I pay for every month)!!

Have any of you Offline consultants traded or considered trading with local business?

#barter #business #free #local

garyfromdurham 13 years ago

Good job

I have managed to get a lovely fire and surround, with free fitting (value of £650) for my home and because of the marketing I do for the pizza restaurants I never have to pay for pizza again. No good for my diet though

Bartering is good...as long as you actually want and need the service as it doesn't pay the bills.

Gary
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Audrey Harvey 13 years ago

My friend has a web design and web hosting business not far from me. He has bartered for a lot of things, the latest was trading web design and hosting for a brand new road bike, helmet, shoes and gloves for his wife.
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- magman01 13 years ago
  
  Barter is the underground economy.
  
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sgcattent 13 years ago

I have actually had the opposite happen! Lol. I have wanted to Barter, pretty much so I could just take Girls to this place, and look like "The Man" When they come out, and say "No, No It's on the house" Lol. Well you get the point, anyway the restaurant insisted on paying cash! What do ya know. It was only a $149.00 Deal. And half of it came right back to them the next week. Win Win Win for them. Lol.
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Rob Richards 13 years ago

I love to barter with local clients. Chiropractic care (for a year), window cleaning, dental care, restaurants, sporting goods, financial planning...it's all good to me.

Anytime you can barter, it brings a business owner closer to closing a deal, imho.

Rob
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- bookchiq 13 years ago
  
  I've bartered for things in the past (skydiving and taekwondo lessons, among others) but my current policy is to avoid bartering. My engineer husband (who is also my bookkeeper) is much, much happier that way.
  
  His arguments:
  
  - Bartering is a pain for bookkeeping and tax reporting, because it technically needs to be reported as income, tax paid, etc. but doesn't actually provide any cash flow with which to pay. I'm not sure how difficult the accounting really is, but it's one more thing to worry about.
  
  - Because each person has an intimate understanding of the value of the product or service they're offering, but not the other person's, it's easy to subconsciously feel that you're being generous. Even though you agree on the exchange, a lot of people end up feeling like they're getting the short end of the stick.
  
  - Taking cash out of the equation can reduce perceived value. Studies show that people spend more with credit or tokens than cash, and it seems like bartering can have a similar effect; abstraction reduces our sensitivity to value. This also extends beyond the other person's perception; it can make you take yourself less seriously. It's fun to get "perks" but usually it's a better long-term strategy to put your time and effort into activities that generate cash you can invest in your business.
  
  I'll admit it: I still tend to want to barter when I see what seems like a good opportunity. It's fun and feels like getting a deal ("I'm getting $300 of ice cream for only a few hours of work!"). But knowing I have to clear it with my über-logical mister makes me think twice.
  
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GeorgeO7 13 years ago

I've done a number of deals that are cash + barter.

Website - $2400 + Herman Miller Aeron Office Chair (value $1100.00)
Website - $3200 + Sofa sectional (value $2600)
Website - $2200 + 2 Trek bikes (value $1200)

Internet Marketing Consulting for a Powersports business $10500 + use of a jet ski in the summer months - ATV in the Spring and Fall and snowmobile in the winter. (total time investment on my part - 68 hours)

These are just of few deals where barter + has worked well for me. My clients love it and so do I.
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Matrixguru 13 years ago

I would be interested to know if anyone does barter here for whatever, I do a lot of bartering I’m in two trade groups Bartercard & empire trade, I have done about $8,000 since Jan this year and always look for deals going, just got to think outside the Box
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marketingva 13 years ago

I used to barter but I hated it. Neither business had something that I needed on a regular basis (chiropractor and hypnotherapist) so I ended up with them owning me thousands of hours of services that I could never use in more than one lifetime. I stopped bartering with them at the end of the year.

Bonnie
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StrategicMarketingTN 13 years ago

I have bartered with my chiropractor for free regular care for 4 adults in my family. Both my mother and mother-in-law have been going regularly before this and now my husband and I are using the services. So I'm saving on our services and helping our family out at the same time. Works for us.

I wouldn't barter on services I don't use though. I mean, I wouldn't start using the service just because I can barter. I'd rather have cash. So if I regularly go to a certain restaurant once a month, I don't feel that being able to go there twice a week in exchange for my precious time is worth it for me. However, if I'm already paying someone for their services and it costs me money, I have no problem bartering it.
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GeorgeO7 13 years ago

I only barter for things I can use.

Hooked up a couple today:

$2400 in custom custom picture framing for a website.

$2800 custom engagement ring for a website.

$5200 total for providing 2 WP sites, each with Facebook integration and Google Places listings. Both are mom & pop brick and motar businesses about 100 feet away from each other on Main Street. Both clients would not otherwise be able to afford my services and both willingly jumped at the opportunity to trade goods and services.

Have you walked down Main Street lately?
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Kwin 13 years ago

I have been successful with bartering. If there is someone on the fence about your services and you can actually use theirs it comes in very handy. I got some dental work done in exchange for web services. Turned out to be a great deal for both of us.
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Adrian John 13 years ago

I plan on bartering too.The thing is that i'm living in Romania and it's harder i think.
Do you guys think there is way to barter my services with businesses in US?
I'm looking to get 1 xbox for my nephew if possible
I am willing to do whatever it take to close at least 1 bartering deal.
I got myself an handset and i plan to make some calls through google talk offering mobile sites and other services.
Is there someone that has little time to guide me?
I can do some work for you or something else, i don't have any money to pay for a coaching yet.
I hope someone can help me for the joy of my nephew I would really like to see the happiness when i bring him the xbox

Thanks
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peterbujok 13 years ago

Right now I'm working on a deal to get like $700 of fine wine from a wine distributor plus $200 every month after. Keep you updated on what happens. Also have a tailor who is paying me in italian suits hah. I think barter is awesome when you want to up your standard of living without having to pay cash for it. I wouldn't want to spend cash on luxury at the moment, but barter offers a way to have it all.

Thinking about heading to a local gun store to do some google places SEO for free guns and ammo lol.
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