"I'll Trade You..." - The Art of Bartering"

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"I'll Trade You..." - The Art of Bartering

by Troy Hoecherl

So, you've found the perfect e-book or piece of software to help
your business "really take off." After reading only halfway
through the sales page, you are convinced that this is something
you simply 'must' have.

You eagerly scroll to the bottom of the page, looking for the
price, and...it turns out that it costs a little bit more than
your budget will allow. With a sigh of regret, you accept the
fact that you're "out of luck" - right?

Wrong!!!

The fact that you are unable to buy something doesn't necessari-
ly mean that it's beyond your reach. Have you considered barte-
ring?

Bartering is the oldest form of business. It involves getting
something which is valuable to you by trading something that is
of value to the other person - in this example, the webmaster of
the site with the 'must have' tool.

By using the barter system, I have obtained literally hundreds
of dollars' worth of valuable information and tools. Things
that I have traded for include e-books, software, and member-
ships to "members-only" websites.

The process is simple - when you come across some information or
a tool that you feel will benefit your business, send an e-mail
to the webmaster. Tell them what impressed you about their pro-
duct, and let them know that you are interested in getting it.
Close your letter by offering to provide your product or service
in exchange for theirs.

In addition to giving you access to valuable resources that you
wouldn't be able to afford otherwise, bartering can also be a
great way to promote your business.

When you find that a product or service has really helped you,
write the webmaster another e-mail. Tell them what you have
gained from their product/service - be specific. Sign the let-
ter with your name, the name of your website, and your URL. In-
clude a P.S., giving the webmaster permission to use your com-
ments as a testimonial.

Most webmasters will include your website name and URL along
with your name, when they post your testimonial on their own
site.

Many of the people that you trade with will be impressed enough
by your product or service that they will write you a testimo-
nial. Personal testimonials increase your credibility, making
people more likely to do business with you. The 'bottom line'
is that this will increase your sales!

Bartering is also a fantastic way of networking - building pro-
fitable relationships with other webmasters that you can do bus-
iness with again and again.

As you can see, this is a very easy-to-use form of promotion,
and a great way to get things that you couldn't afford, other-
wise. So, the next time you see a gizmo or gadget that you
"can't live without," give the webmaster your best cyber-smile
and say, "Wanna trade?"

Troy J Hoecherl

For more great tips, visit The Best of the Best
http://www.the-best-of-the-best.net

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