Sunday 24 November

Top Destinations

Don’t Pay for It… Trade for It!
Thursday, 15 August 2013 11:00

Welcome to our blog… This blog is for anyone interested in learning more about the barter industry, how to get involved in barter and how to succeed in any facet of barter that interests you.

You can trade what you have for what you want. You can start your own local small barter exchange. You can start an exchange for your community or Chamber of Commerce. You can serve your community and start a Complimentary Currency or  Time Dollar exchange. Or, you can start an online barter exchange and provide trading services to business members locally, across the nation or throughout the world.

The possibilities are limitless… It just requires some creative thinking and a paradigm shift to using alternative currency instead of cash.

 
VirtualBarter Stays Organized by Relying on Podio Rather Than Email
Friday, 02 August 2013 15:42

Before Podio, we were fragmented.

Post by Bruce Kamm

We were using Asana for project management, Huddle for collaboration, email for communication, Skype for quick answers and Salesforce for email campaigns. Now, we just use Podio for collaboration and CRM and Asana for software development projects. We are able to collaborate with not only each other but also our clients and outsourced consultants in the workspaces, where everyone can connect, view status updates and comment.

We were very disorganized before Podio, and it was a challenge to remember where our documents were. If we wanted to refer back to a discussion or attachment regarding a project, we would search our emails with the usual negative results. We weren’t able to task (to-do lists) very well until Podio. And assigning tasks to a specific team member was a challenge itself. Being able to look and see what specifically needs to be completed each day in list format within Podio is very helpful.

Burce and Lauren, of Virtual Barter, managing the logistics of a press release via Video Chat in Podio.

We use Podio to stay organized – to be in one place rather than relying on email.

We use a customized version of the CRM app to track leads, clients, projects, ideas, opportunities and meetings. We also have an intranet and a files library where we keep email templates. One of the best features is the calendar that syncs with my desktop calendar to remind me about appointments that originate in Podio so I don’t book conflicting meetings and calls.

We also invite our barter exchange clients and vendors to collaborate together on certain projects. Podio helps keep us on track. Each internal and external task is tracked in Podio, which makes daily activity run smoothly.

I can use apps to view, review and provide direction for issues.

While searching for platforms, we tried about six different SaaS tools including Work, Zoho, Teambox, Salesforce and Basecamp. We liked Podio the most for its simplicity, ease of use and intuitive UI, but we especially enjoyed  the ability to install and customize apps.

Collaborating in one place has helped better organize our staff.

Projects are completed on time. Tasks are assigned easily. Comment sections are very helpful. Uploaded documents and art in one place is a huge plus. Production workflow organizing is a breeze. Client contact information capture is great. However, my favorite aspect of all is providing my team with one place to collaborate and communicate on work.

Not on Podio yet? Sign up free here.

 
Short on Cash? Try Bartering
Thursday, 25 July 2013 13:55

In this cash-strapped economy, businesses should consider turning to a buying/selling system that is older than currency itself: bartering.

Barter is simply the exchange of goods or services for other goods or services. There’s no cash or credit involved. According toBarter News, barter activity through the 450 organized trade exchanges in the U.S. is growing 12% to 15% per year. This translates into millions of entrepreneurial business owners, multinational corporations, and even governments participating in bartering for goods and services such as media advertising, travel and entertainment, office products and equipment, printing and website development, remodeling and construction, healthcare services and more —without a single dollar being exchanged.

Bartering can improve cash flow, prevent debt and free up excess inventory (by moving goods in exchange for something you need in your business).

But before wheeling and dealing with bartering partners, there are steps to take to ensure a good bartering experience:

1. Exchange equal goods and services

  • Attach a monetary figure to your service/goods. What’s 10 hours of your consulting practice worth? If you charge $100/hour, seek out $1000 worth of services or product in your bartering arrangement. Remember it doesn’t necessarily have to add up to the penny.
  • Find a bartering partner. Sometimes these bartering opportunities will fall on your lap when you talk to your customer and find out that they may be in a tight cash squeeze, but do have valuable business skills or products to offer you for your product or services. Remember, most businesses won’t think of bartering unless you ask.
  • Put it in writing. As in any business deal, make sure that you have a contract outlining what is being exchanged and its cash value, to avoid misunderstandings later on.

2. Join a barter exchange

Seeking out the right bartering partners can be difficult and time consuming, particularly if you have niche products or services. Instead, you might want to consider a barter exchange group—a fee-based barter matchmaking service—to widen your potential bartering partners.

  • You can get more information about barter exchanges by visiting one of two non-profit organizations that promote bartering: theInternational Reciprocal Trade Association and the National Association of Trade Exchanges.
  • Understand how exchanges work. Barter exchanges work by “barter dollars” that are traded when one member barters with another member. Some exchanges offer a line of credit that can be used to “buy” items on the exchange. Low margin businesses may not want to join these exchanges since it does cost money (in fees, and/or commissions to the bartering network). One caveat about barter exchange groups: They are often for-profit, so make sure you get a referral from a business associate or contact the Better Business Bureau before you sign up.

3. Remember the tax implications.

  • Know the rules. The IRS tax website has specific rules for bartering. You must report the fair market value of the goods and services received in exchange for the goods and services provided in the year the exchange was made according to the IRS Web site.
  • Fill out the right forms. Barter arrangements should be reported on Form 1040, Schedule C, Profit or Loss from Business. This should be done even if the barter is done on an informal one-on-one basis or through a barter exchange company. Barter exchange companies are also required to issue a form (Form 1099-B, Proceeds from Broker and Barter Exchange Transactions) annually to clients, members and the IRS.