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Are you bartering like your life depends on it?

by TheBigBee
32 replies
Over the last few months I've taken ardent strides to do as much bartering as possible. I've been successful at re-positioning a few of those folks who engage with me for the purchase of goods and services, but who lack either the funds or willingness to pay me for such services.

I've been incorporating a "there is no such thing as a bad lead" mentality into my thinking and actions and it's been helping me to think outside the box so as to be able to extract value from those whom I may not have traded value with.

I am sure a lot of you are already doing this. However, I think in 2016 every single one of you should be bartering like your life depends on it (where possible). Here's why...

I have 100000% full faith and confidence that we will find ourselves in another recession in the next 12-18 months (if you asked me I'd say right around election time). Every single indicator is there. The foremost indicator is that we have experienced a recession either mild or severe in every single decade of modern history (history always repeats). Stocks are way over valued, oil is way too cheap, too many dollars in circulation, and we are 20 trillion in debt... All these things are set to correct themselves... they always do.

So, rather than to speak to a business owner who sees value in what you're offering and doesn't have the funds maybe you can trade him... here are some random ideas... Qualifier: I am not saying any of these are good ideas. Just random ones! lol
  1. "Ok, Mr. Restaurant Owner, how about you give me $X worth of food here that I can space out over a year in exchange for my help." Then you can turn right around and go door to door selling those 50% off coupons to the folks around the corner from him...
  2. "Ok, Mr. Business owner, I see you don't have the funds for a new web site. $1,000 may be a bit too much at this time, how about I become your merchant processing representative, that way the credit card company pays me so you don't have to?"
  3. "Ok Mr. Business owner, I understand you can't afford this service I am offering, but can you introduce me to 3 or 4 business owners who might find use? That way I can make it half price / cheaper for both of you."
  4. "Ok Mr. Business owner, I see you have a few extra spaces in your employee only parking lot and parking is pretty expensive around here. Do you mind if I just rented out those spots to a working mom or dad for cheaper than what they pay now and just pocket the cash in exchange for the service I am offering?

This is a simple thing I am doing to arm myself against what I see heading our way... "there's no such thing as a bad lead!"

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
#bartering #depends #life
  • Profile picture of the author Ravikumar
    Thanks TheBigBee for the ideas..

    I think the problem with us is we are thinking of only money out of our leads
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    • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
      I barter quite a lot. With my business clients, one of the best things about barter is that you can keep your price integrity. If they aren't willing (or able) to meet your price, you can barter whatever they sell. I limit the barter portion to half of my bill, and only for the up front charge. I still want the money to cover my costs, and generate a profit. The bartering is just gravy.

      When someone is selling me advertising, nearly everything I pay is in the form of barter.

      In that way, my real advertising cost may only be 10-30% of the rate card price, because I use barter at retail prices. Plus, I own a retail store. I can just put what I bartered in the store, or sell it online (which is what I usually do).
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      • Profile picture of the author eccj
        Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

        I barter quite a lot. With my business clients, one of the best things about barter is that you can keep your price integrity. If they aren't willing (or able) to meet your price, you can barter whatever they sell. I limit the barter portion to half of my bill, and only for the up front charge. I still want the money to cover my costs, and generate a profit. The bartering is just gravy.

        When someone is selling me advertising, nearly everything I pay is in the form of barter.

        In that way, my real advertising cost may only be 10-30% of the rate card price, because I use barter at retail prices. Plus, I own a retail store. I can just put what I bartered in the store, or sell it online (which is what I usually do).
        I read about this in one of your books. It's something that is interesting.

        What kind of things will a newspaper or other advertisers take? What's a good thing to barter with? I know you have the vacuum store but I'm sure you barter other things.
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        • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
          Originally Posted by eccj View Post

          I read about this in one of your books. It's something that is interesting.

          What kind of things will a newspaper or other advertisers take? What's a good thing to barter with? I know you have the vacuum store but I'm sure you barter other things.

          I simply write receipts that indicate the receipt is "good for $50 in.... by...."

          I've bought and bartered with hotel furniture, slatwall, store displays, guns, vacuum cleaners (of course), dental services, printing (from multiple printers), memberships to gyms, gift certificates, car washes, TVs, ceiling fans, air purifiers, and other stuff.

          The only thing that newspapers won't take is something that reads like an "Opportunity to make money". They want ads for buying and selling "stuff".

          Take a look in any free weekly paper. The ads you see? That's what they want.

          I did the local online marketing for a orthodontist. She paid me in a barter of $6,000 for full service braces. I had a customer who had a girl that needed braces. I traded the receipt for the $6,000 in braces for $3,000 and she bought a $1,600 vacuum from me, and financed it. She told me she couldn't buy the vacuum cleaner, because she was saving for her daughter's braces. I had the solution. It saved her about $1,500. Of course, I made out too.

          I once bought 200 or 300 (I can't remember now) nicely upholstered chairs from a hotel chain for $5 each. I still have maybe 15 that I use in my store, an used to use in my offices. The rest I sold in classified ads for $35 each.

          Barter is easier, because there is no money involved, unless it's agreed on. But I usually used it to make high profit sales possible, when they didn't have enough money.

          A cheap place to store the stuff you buy to trade is all you need. I also sold...maybe 500 rebuilt Rainbow vacuum cleaners, at $699 each.... strictly though classified ads. I could make a living, just doing that, if I wanted to.,

          Find out what's really popular. Look at full page newspaper ads. Run ads that you will buy them. Offer 10-15% of retail. Then run a classified ad, at the same time, selling them for 50-60% of retail. You'll almost certainly make sales. I always did.

          Most of everything I bartered with and sold, was offline, in classifieds, because they were local. And what I sold had to be delivered or picked up.
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          • Profile picture of the author JamesMetcalf
            This is a great thread and really opened my eyes to the possibilities of bartering.
            Claude, you are the bartering king!

            I know a guy who sold SEO to a local massage salon. They couldn't afford his offer, so he asked if they could give him free massages. They immediately accepted and he was getting massages three times a week for years.

            He had a serious health problem and the routine massage appointments ended up saving him from becoming addicted to painkillers. So in the end, his life was changed due to the deal that was made.

            Also, I'm with OP on the 12-18 month prediction of a recession. In fact, I bet my cowboy hat and my house cat on it...
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          • Profile picture of the author ceeczar
            Thank you, Claude Whitacre!

            Most of the stuff on barter isn't as practical as what you posted.

            I'm grateful
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  • Profile picture of the author Michael9
    Hi,
    why are biz owners so scared to pay for marketing in recession times and how to make it easier for them, except of barter?
    What about offering them 100 USD of my services for free under the condition they will reinvest the profit next month in my services again. They would make at least 200 next month and 400 overnext month. If they spend with me that 400 monthly for managing their marketing, and I would get 20 customers like this, it would be 96 000 yearly for the initial investment of 20 x 100 USD from my side and no investment at all from their side. Do you think it could work?
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  • Profile picture of the author gjabiz
    Glenn Osborn (a Warrior too) has written several articles on the subject.
    How Barter Got Dave 30%-50% of the Junk He Sells at his JunkYard - SOWPub Small Business Forums

    Some very interesting ideas in there.

    gjabiz

    PS Glenn's barter site is bannedbarter.com
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  • Profile picture of the author tryinhere
    Originally Posted by TheBigBee View Post

    I am sure a lot of you are already doing this. However, I think in 2016 every single one of you should be bartering like your life depends on it (where possible). Here's why...

    here are some random ideas... Qualifier: I am not saying any of these are good ideas. Just random ones! lol
    1. "Ok, Mr. Restaurant Owner, how about you give me worth of food here that I can space out over a year in exchange for my help." Then you can turn right around and go door to door selling those 50% off coupons to the folks around the corner from him...
    1. Glad you mentioned random above, but here now to get the sale I need to go out and spend more time hustling the streets to make my money, do I barter the voucher for a haircut ?

    2. "Ok, Mr. Business owner, I see you don't have the funds for a new web site. $1,000 may be a bit too much at this time, how about I become your merchant processing representative, that way the credit card company pays me so you don't have to?"
      3. A "business owner" can not afford 1K for a website, so how much money is running through their merchant account in that he does not have 1K / sounds like fishing the bottom of the barrel type and full of wasted time and problems / but may be wrong

    3. "Ok Mr. Business owner, I understand you can't afford this service I am offering, but can you introduce me to 3 or 4 business owners who might find use? That way I can make it half price / cheaper for both of you."
      4. Another "Business Owner" who can not afford anything, but probably wants the world shining out of his backside, then wants you to perform miracles and make the business happen, and the 4 people he spits out are probably not going to take you far bust cost you more time , problems and money


    4. "Ok Mr. Business owner, I see you have a few extra spaces in your employee only parking lot and parking is pretty expensive around here. Do you mind if I just rented out those spots to a working mom or dad for cheaper than what they pay now and just pocket the cash in exchange for the service I am offering?
    Now I need to become a car park attendant to make my money, again I am now spending more effort time just to try and make my money back.

    From every example, you can see there is no real life experience or it probably would not be suggested, In that yes there may be some options to barter, but if your bartering costs you even more time to make eve less money then it has to be a complete waste of time and money to even put it under your wing.

    Better of working where you are getting the deal done in a way that you can move forward not tie rocks to your self and hold yourself back.

    With this whole recession thing, do some research ad you will also find many people make their fortunes here and I doubt playing car park attendant in a recession where nobody can afford a petrol or a park anyway, new business owners are lining up bartering the cow, cat and dog for a web site and other variables is not a good position to place yourself.

    and below, yes there are bad leads, people wanting much more than is realistic, in product, time, money and many other things and just sometimes it is not profitable on many levels, and certainly I wont be bartering of my cash / time invested to then downgrade to play catchup for the sake of others with less drive in a game of barter wars

    This is a simple thing I am doing to arm myself against what I see heading our way... "there's no such thing as a bad lead!"
    So it is clear yes bartering can and does work, so no flame throwers, but just general gung ho lets go a bartering, hi ho, hi ho is not so cool for a lot of reasons.
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    | > Choosing to go off the grid for a while to focus on family, work and life in general. Have a great 2020 < |
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    • Profile picture of the author TheBigBee
      Originally Posted by tryinhere View Post



      With this whole recession thing, do some research ad you will also find many people make their fortunes here and I doubt playing car park attendant in a recession where nobody can afford a petrol or a park anyway, new business owners are lining up bartering the cow, cat and dog for a web site and other variables is not a good position to place yourself.
      .

      I wanted to address this point because I felt you were overly harsh in your criticism in what amounts to a brainstorm. So I won't bother addressing that other stuff.

      You're instructing me to do my research... What you fail to realize is that:
      1. Researching markets / economics is part and parcel to what I do in my everyday life.
      2. I've written a book regarding a niche specific financial product.
      3. I've been in Bloomberg Businessweek.
      4. I've received financing to start a FinTech business.
      5. I've invested in small business funding deals.
      6. I'm bullish on Bitcoin
      7. I'm bullish on Gold.
      8. Global currency devaluation will trigger insane global inflation. (You see China just today?)
      9. Recent Fed rate interest rate hike and subsequent rate hikes will trigger sell offs in the market. Rates were so low that corps bought up a bunch of their own stock, inflating stock prices - they will be corrected.
      10. The junk bond market is in a bubble, when that bursts the bond market as a whole collapses.

      I could go on, and on... As we speak I'm organizing materials to present to financial planners regarding my industry based on their interest...

      So it seems to me you were having a bad day / rough start to your year and you were looking for a way to "vent." No hard feelings. I've been there.

      It's great that you made your fortune during the last recession. I look forward to your very specific and productive thoughts on how folks here can replicate your success.

      I look forward to offering my own less random and very specific thoughts. You first!
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      • Profile picture of the author tryinhere
        Originally Posted by TheBigBee View Post

        I look forward to offering my own less random and very specific thoughts. You first!
        LOL my thoughts ? I am having great days, have better things to do than respond here / your bored.

        BG lets just clear up I mentioned that bartering can be good, but also mentioned there should be a common sense cut of line, and nothing personal against you, so I do not think I want to jump into the ring and play tit n tat crap today or any day, and I would hope the forum can be a place where peoples views can be aired without counter attacks or backlash just because oe view is different to others.

        You also have a great day.
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        | > Choosing to go off the grid for a while to focus on family, work and life in general. Have a great 2020 < |
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        • Profile picture of the author eccj
          Originally Posted by tryinhere View Post

          LOL my thoughts ? I am having great days, have better things to do than respond here / your bored.

          BG lets just clear up I mentioned that bartering can be good, but also mentioned there should be a common sense cut of line, and nothing personal against you, so I do not think I want to jump into the ring and play tit n tat crap today or any day, and I would hope the forum can be a place where peoples views can be aired without counter attacks or backlash just because oe view is different to others.

          You also have a great day.
          C'mon man.

          It was an interesting thread with some neat info. No reason to go dump on it.
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          • Profile picture of the author tryinhere
            Originally Posted by eccj View Post

            C'mon man.

            It was an interesting thread with some neat info. No reason to go dump on it.
            ? Not dumping on anything mate ? where did I do that, just gave an alternate view, guessing that is Ok.
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            | > Choosing to go off the grid for a while to focus on family, work and life in general. Have a great 2020 < |
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      • Profile picture of the author Key Seek
        Originally Posted by TheBigBee View Post

        I wanted to address this point because I felt you were overly harsh in your criticism in what amounts to a brainstorm. So I won't bother addressing that other stuff.

        You're instructing me to do my research... What you fail to realize is that:
        1. Researching markets / economics is part and parcel to what I do in my everyday life.
        2. I've written a book regarding a niche specific financial product.
        3. I've been in Bloomberg Businessweek.
        4. I've received financing to start a FinTech business.
        5. I've invested in small business funding deals.
        6. I'm bullish on Bitcoin
        7. I'm bullish on Gold.
        8. Global currency devaluation will trigger insane global inflation. (You see China just today?)
        9. Recent Fed rate interest rate hike and subsequent rate hikes will trigger sell offs in the market. Rates were so low that corps bought up a bunch of their own stock, inflating stock prices - they will be corrected.
        10. The junk bond market is in a bubble, when that bursts the bond market as a whole collapses.

        I could go on, and on... As we speak I'm organizing materials to present to financial planners regarding my industry based on their interest...

        So it seems to me you were having a bad day / rough start to your year and you were looking for a way to "vent." No hard feelings. I've been there.

        It's great that you made your fortune during the last recession. I look forward to your very specific and productive thoughts on how folks here can replicate your success.

        I look forward to offering my own less random and very specific thoughts. You first!

        You must Jamaican Remember the show In Living Color?


        Wayans playing Jamaicans: "So girl, tell me about your new boyfriend."


        Girl: "He is a doctor"


        Wayans: "Yah, that's one job, what else he do?"


        Girl, confused: "He is an Orthopedic Surgeon, he works 70 hours a week."


        Wayans: "What, only one job, he is a lazy bum. My sister, she is a doctor, a lawyer, a short order cook. She also delivers mail and makes sandwiches on the weekends for $8 an hour."


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    • Profile picture of the author Key Seek
      Originally Posted by tryinhere View Post

      Glad you mentioned random above, but here now to get the sale I need to go out and spend more time hustling the streets to make my money, do I barter the voucher for a haircut ?


      A "business owner" can not afford 1K for a website, so how much money is running through their merchant account in that he does not have 1K / sounds like fishing the bottom of the barrel type and full of wasted time and problems / but may be wrong.

      Another "Business Owner" who can not afford anything, but probably wants the world shining out of his backside, then wants you to perform miracles and make the business happen, and the 4 people he spits out are probably not going to take you far bust cost you more time , problems and money




      Now I need to become a car park attendant to make my money, again I am now spending more effort time just to try and make my money back.

      From every example, you can see there is no real life experience or it probably would not be suggested, In that yes there may be some options to barter, but if your bartering costs you even more time to make eve less money then it has to be a complete waste of time and money to even put it under your wing.

      Better of working where you are getting the deal done in a way that you can move forward not tie rocks to your self and hold yourself back.

      With this whole recession thing, do some research ad you will also find many people make their fortunes here and I doubt playing car park attendant in a recession where nobody can afford a petrol or a park anyway, new business owners are lining up bartering the cow, cat and dog for a web site and other variables is not a good position to place yourself.

      and below, yes there are bad leads, people wanting much more than is realistic, in product, time, money and many other things and just sometimes it is not profitable on many levels, and certainly I wont be bartering of my cash / time invested to then downgrade to play catchup for the sake of others with less drive in a game of barter wars


      So it is clear yes bartering can and does work, so no flame throwers, but just general gung ho lets go a bartering, hi ho, hi ho is not so cool for a lot of reasons.

      I agree.....and you forgot to mention that you will be going door to door to sell discount coupons for a diner.

      I do lots bartering, however it my service for their service, retail price for retail price.

      OP is most likely a workaholic. I relate, I am a workaholic, 6 hours a day

      I am not knocking on doors or holding parking spaces. Did that when I was 18.
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      • Profile picture of the author TheBigBee
        Originally Posted by Key Seek View Post

        I agree.....and you forgot to mention that you will be going door to door to sell discount coupons for a diner.

        I do lots bartering, however it my service for their service, retail price for retail price.
        This is precisely why 94 million people are unemployed and underemployed... Exactly why more businesses are closing than are opening (despite our "recovery")... It's exactly why someone from WF I've been acquainted with verbally attacked me over the phone yesterday for not giving him a free ride on my gravy train... It's this type of pessimism. This is type of pessimism is a bigger threat than any global challenge we face...

        You know Key, instead of placing those random ideas, I almost put in a case study that was very specific to me. I almost enumerated the steps to my having bartered my way into one million high quality business owner records at a net cost of $0 to me. But it would cost you 4 cents each. $40k.

        But, I felt like it would have been too self congratulatory and distasteful. The message would have been lost on folks...

        Replies like these make me wonder whether I should have gone with plan A, or not posted at all. Then when I think about not posting at all, I think of the PM's I've received and the value I am trading with people based on this thread, and your less than productive reply makes it all worth it.

        Besides, if you barter with a restaurant to get a bunch of free coupons in exchange for a presence on a 9x12, doesn't it make sense to sell the damned coupons using Constant Contact right there on the 9x12 itself? There's always a better way, I was just trying to sketch things out and leave it to guys like you to fill in the color.

        If you have any productive ideas, or ways to enhance the one above, let's continue this post. If not, I wish you all the best as the odds will not be tipping in your favor anytime soon...

        Oh and reading and studying stuff is not a job. It's called getting up in the morning, going to certain web sites, getting a better understanding to the financial world around you to inform your decisions...

        It's called taking yourself to your local university and researching so that you can be better prepared for the next recession than you were for the last which caught you completely off guard.
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        • Profile picture of the author kirbymarketingconcierge
          Appreciate your post.
          For all we know, the standard means of distribution could change and other forms of currency could become more frequent.
          Think bitcoin and the greater recession 2016,17,.....(post 2008's "great recession")
          And the dollar is not King.


          Big Bee sees the BIG PIcture.
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  • Profile picture of the author elisagrace
    Banned
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    • Profile picture of the author JMB Marketing Group
      Thanks to the Big Bee for creating this thread.

      He really tried to open your eyes up.

      However, not everyone saw it that way!

      So, I thought that it was .....

      Time to Interject with some new "old" juice into this RELEVANT thread!

      Hope you find some gold nuggets in here folks!

      http://www.warriorforum.com/offline-...u-kidding.html

      Happy Bartering All!

      JMB
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      • Profile picture of the author TrafficFlow
        This man is prophetic given today's stock market crash
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        • Profile picture of the author TheBigBee
          Originally Posted by TrafficFlow View Post

          This man is prophetic given today's stock market crash
          No crash per se... but a correction no doubt. Then... the bubbles start to burst:
          1. SUB PRIME auto loans are at an all time high. Sub Prime = shouldn't have been approved for an auto loan in the first place.
          2. Student loan debt is out of control. According to WSJ only 4 of the top 15 professions most actively hiring require college degrees. You've got enrollment up like crazy + rising tuitions and fees. Legions of college grads assume their positions as hostesses, wait staff, customer service agents, retail associates, and so on.
          3. I'm in a market that has expanded from $3 billion to $7 billion in about 2 years. It was at like $300 million in 2008 / 9. Market penetration was roughly 1% then. According to Bloomberg it's still at 1% now. I get the same commission I do for generating the lead as I did for getting the entire deal done... It's "set it and forget it."

          There's a lot going on in the world that they don't just "put on the news" every night. But, luckily, when it comes to economics and numbers you can always find the truth - either in the numbers, or behind the numbers...

          We've got this global game of "chicken" going on and that's propping driving oil prices down... Saudi's pumping out oil as if China's economy was still growing at 10%. They can cut production, but they choose not to. They want to "starve" out the competition including United States based "fracking" which incidentally is working, but proving to play in the banks' favor. The banks hold the loans, thus claim rights to most of these assets these fracking companies will have to liquidate as the Saudi's drive the fracking companies out...

          Anyway, it's very very risky what they're doing because they can ultimately render themselves broke (at this rate by 2020) as they can't make any money at $20-$30 a barrel. I would have to imagine oil will take a sharp turn in the other direction by late this year, thus driving up gas prices...

          I am no prophet, but I can talk about this stuff at length. I just refuse to be caught with my cold bare rear to the wind again like I was last time. I had to study "what happened?" "Where did all the money go?" "How did I end up here?" So I study...

          Anyway, prepare yourself because none of this stuff is sustainable. You have 94 million people under employed or unemployed and the President is touting 5% unemployment rate? Manufacturing has all but stalled, and wages haven't risen in years. Homes are sitting on the market longer than ever before, and the President says; "the economy is stronger than ever..."

          Take what I say with a grain of salt. Just remember... the information is out there and 2+2 is always 4.
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          • Profile picture of the author eccj
            Originally Posted by TheBigBee View Post

            [*]I'm in a market that has expanded from $3 billion to $7 billion in about 2 years. It was at like $300 million in 2008 / 9. Market penetration was roughly 1% then. According to Bloomberg it's still at 1% now. I get the same commission I do for generating the lead as I did for getting the entire deal done... It's "set it and forget it." [/LIST]
            Where is this money coming from? It's hard to believe how much business financing there is now. I hear ten radio commercials a day for it.
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            • Profile picture of the author TheBigBee
              Originally Posted by eccj View Post

              Where is this money coming from? It's hard to believe how much business financing there is now. I hear ten radio commercials a day for it.
              Institutional capital mostly. It's common for large brokers and established funders to get called by hedge funds begging for them to take money. It's also coming from private money. A lot of established brokers are working the "private" investor route to get their own deals funded at better rates for merchants.
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  • Profile picture of the author ChrisBa
    IMO.. this is where relationships and negotiation skills come in very handy..

    And there are obviously huge benefits to whose who master these skills.
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  • Profile picture of the author Karlb
    Bartering is awesome in so many ways. There was a TV show where two guys would take a simple item (usually under $100) and barter it on Craig's List. After four or so barters they'd end up with a car or something ridiculous. It might have been 'too good to be true' since it was a show but it showed the awesomeness of bartering.
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    • Profile picture of the author mojo1
      Originally Posted by Karlb View Post

      Bartering is awesome in so many ways. There was a TV show where two guys would take a simple item (usually under $100) and barter it on Craig's List. After four or so barters they'd end up with a car or something ridiculous. It might have been 'too good to be true' since it was a show but it showed the awesomeness of bartering.

      Yep, The Barter Kings show. This duo were the best at getting the most reluctant of folks to give in to a barter deal.

      It was quite the education in seeing their negotiating meetings unfold.
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  • Profile picture of the author Joe Stewart
    The OP simply posted a few different ways that he was bartering. I doubt that it was meant as a "blueprint" for anyone to follow verbatim. Not everyone thinks the same way or has the same skill set. The idea is to open your mind to the possibilities. Get creative. Don't just walk away from an opportunity - even if you have to swallow your pride from time to time.

    I was just reading through John Durham's telemarketing report again a few days ago and he reminded me of something very important. If someone offers me a small amount for my services - take it, because as long as I'm not taking a loss, and as long as it's not time consuming, I've just earned a new customer. Of course, some people will try to take advantage of you again and again. You cut those people loose. Others, on the other hand, will become long term customers. It can be a pain up front but can very well become profitable on the backend, sometimes for years.

    Regarding the recession, I've seen it coming for a long time. I've posted twice before about how I do business nationwide in a sub-niche of the construction industry and although there are still pockets of businesses that are staying busy, there are as many or more that are seriously hurting. That's especially true now that oil prices are so low. I have some customers that are 100% oil field dependent and they're screwed.

    I don't like to be negative, but I see this coming recession being really bad. Fortunately, for those of us who have experience in sales, advertising, have experience making money online, etc it shouldn't be as painful because we have the ability to be diverse and flexible. In addition, unlike most offline businesses, who rely heavily on local customers, the entire world is our marketplace. At least for those of us that are familiar with SEO, PPC, etc.

    I sincerely hope I'm wrong.
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    • Profile picture of the author knellovision
      My wife and I do marketing and stuff for local businesses when we're not busy being movie stars.

      ANd we have several bartering deals going on for marketing services.

      Haircuts, car repair,massage, chiropractic, and LOTS of good eats around town.

      It's fun.

      If only we could barter for the rent and electric bill, we'd be GOLD!

      David
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  • Profile picture of the author officeclones
    I've bartered for houses, buildings, cars, boats, etc... Bartering is no way a devaluation of ones service or product. In fact it creates the ultimate win/win scenario. Remember, cash is just a tool to help people without real wealth (those who decide what Gold is priced at today) have something easier to keep up with our trades. Great job OP TheBigBee

    “If I had my life to live over again, I would elect to be a trader of goods rather than a student of science. I think barter is a noble thing.”
    - Albert Einstein
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    • Profile picture of the author ewenmack
      Against the pessimism, here's a counter view that's positive.

      After I got a friend and his wife to watch this video,
      he said...

      "wanted to say thanks, [name removed] and I just finished watching the video.
      If this doesn't make you look forward to the future with optimism you need to see a doctor lol"


      Best,
      Ewen
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      • Profile picture of the author Oziboomer
        Originally Posted by ewenmack View Post

        Against the pessimism, here's a counter view that's positive.
        Not sure why it was posted here in its obscurity but very interesting never the less. Thanks Ewen.

        There were many great ideas for thought...I likes the disruption out near your periphery and covert.

        As for Barter it can work and has proven to work.

        The issue is always "Exchange of Value"

        That is why money was invented to transport the value from one place to another.

        In Oz and probably worldwide is the Barter card network.

        Although it suits plenty of business models when I tried their services reluctantly because a prospect wanted to do some significant business (that should have been warning enough) they wanted to do some barter.

        Not Barter as I might do with people I know but they wanted to cash out their Bartercard points, dollars, can't remember"

        Reluctantly I agreed.

        Big problem was later when trying to find things I could make use of and profit from.

        Eventually managed to get some optical services and glasses for the missus but the deal was way out of whack.

        I just wanted to turn what I'd traded into something other than points.

        I think Bartercard were charging like 9% on both entry and exit from any trade so every member had a "Barter" price and a regular price.

        In reality it was a bit like MLM there was a premium to be paid for supporting the network.

        Private arrangements = OK

        Formal systems like Bartercard maybe ok for time sellers but didn't suit my business.

        Best regards,

        Ozi
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  • Profile picture of the author sdentrepreneur
    I am a barter fool....I find places that I would spend money and then approach them to work on Barter/Trade. I have 2 bars/restaurants/2 pizza shops, acupuncturist, massage therapist and then for any event going on in San Diego, I get free VIP tickets in trade for promoting their event to my Social Media Following of over 100K+
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  • Profile picture of the author officeclones
    Barter is a fast path to wealth. Period. cash itself is bartering, as you have to exchange an item for another item. Its our faith in cash, that makes us more certain of the outcome. Just an easier way to keep up with trades. Props to all who have/continue to do great things with bartering. I think its best described as Creative Currency. Just my 2 cents, I've bartered for tons of things. anything from a New Tv to 200k Sqft buildings and all sorts in between.

    “If I had my life to live over again, I would elect to be a trader of goods rather than a student of science. I think barter is a noble thing.”
    - Albert Einstein
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