Barter = Small Business networking

Small Business Barter Network

To grow your business you need to connect with others, trader barter or not, you need to get the world out and promote your business. How do most small business do that? They usually join small business networking groups such as Chambers of Commerce, BNI, and La Tip. No man is an island, we need each other to grow our small business and live a life of our dreams.

A few years ago I belonged to a small business networking group called La Tip. It’s basically the same as the bigger counter part, BNI (Business Network International), well I don’t know if it’s bigger–I think it is, based on what I have heard. Surprisingly, a lot of small business marketing people don’t know about these networking opportunities. The ITEX barter network is basically a similar opportunity to grow your business. Small business networking is nothing new to small business people, they have networked in their local communities to promote their business.You may have heard of groups like Chambers of commerce and Rotary? Each city has one, and these groups are a perfect system of referrals and business card & trade exchanges. BNI and La Tip maybe be a modern phenomenon, but small business networks have been around for a while. I am sure they have been congrating and bartering and trading for goods and services and growing their business via bartering items, either through discounts and trade exchanges, or just simply favors.

A professional smalll business barter network can actually help grow sales and promote your business. It all depends on which items you Barter, and how other small business owners can benefit from it. But almost anything can be a barter item, your product or services, it all depends on the size of the Barter Network. You have to have a large enough pool of Barter items to buy from. So that you are not stuck with trading for chickens for your doctor and medicinal services, and you happen to be a vegetarian. Yesterday I spoke with a Video production business owner in Seattle, when learning about the ITEX Barter Network, he was all exicted about Bartering. He asked if they needed a Video Production business to be part of the 22,000 small business Barter network. Are you kidding, why wouldn’t they, ofcourse I said. The cool thing is he can sell his Barter for services, buy selling his services, at ITEX Barter Network, anf get the ITEX barter dollars, which he use to buy things he needs either for his business or personal needs, just like real dollars, but they are Barter ITEX dollars. Enjoy David, and see you in the Barter Network!