Dave asked me to talk about bartering. It’s an interesting concept in the digital age, especially when unemployment and underemployment are the rage. Bartering, the idea of sharing services for services or goods, is hundreds (thousands?) of years old, and yet, it’s every bit as useful today as it was in the past.
In a way, barter is what FLEMINGSTEELE did for me by creating the video for Human Business Works. In this case, they bartered their skill for my platform, such that the attention I bring them might likely turn into more business for them. No money exchanged hands but plenty of value came through. Sounds like barter to me.
How to Look at Barter for YOUR Business
What if you’re a really great content blogger and copywriter but you’re not so great at graphical design? What’s to stop you from offering your writing services to a designer in exchange for some touch-up work on your site design? The trick is to make sure that it’s equal. If you’re a great bookkeeper and financial person and your services are worth $2000, make sure that you’re not trying to parlay that against something worth $10,000, unless you’re ready to offer five months of that work to balance it out.
Another way to look at barter is in the
What Dave Did
Here’s what Dave Thackeray did with barter. His example is a good one, as it’s simple and to the point. But it also makes me think forward.
Barter or Strategic Partnership
I’m getting close to announcing a strategic partnership with a company shortly. What’s the difference between that and barter? Well, because I bring money to that company. I pay money to that company. And they are building things that will grow my company. A strategic partnership is what barter becomes when it grows up and formalizes. (Yes, there are some technical nitpickers who can disagree with me and be right, but it’s in the same neighborhood, agree?)
Look beyond your actual dollar value when thinking of how to grow your business. Look about ways that you can partner and/or barter with others to grow your capabilities. Look at how many ways you can develop more business, if only you complemented what you were doing with _____.
That’s where the gold is.
What do you think? Any examples?