On a more domestic side we use office cleaners, stationary suppliers and printers to reduce our day to day overheads whilst restaurant and hotel offers have allowed us to entertain customers and accomodate staff when attending shows around the country.
Judith Granshaw
www.sasaki.co.uk
We spend our earned barter pounds on a variety of things which helps our business. From utilising couriers and printers which saves our cash, to team building events for our staff.
Last December we took all of our staff to a fantastic venue for our Christmas party. All courtesy
of Bartercard!
Jon White
Managing Director
http://www.anderson-sinclair.co.uk
During our membership we have managed to have the whole interior of the Hotel decorated on Barter, we have had two car repairs and damage sorted out, we have ongoing contracts for window cleaning, pest control and will soon be buying some beer on a continuous trading agreement., we have also stayed in The Miami Savoy Hotel which was a real treat. We now always look at the Bartercard web site if we need to buy anything. Amongst other items we have purchased two large commercial fridges, had our carpets cleaned and now have a 7 x 6 metre electric Awning as our smoking solution. I cannot list all other items as they are so varied and there are too many.
Michael W J Perry and A M Wason
Bankes Hotel, East Street, Corfe Castle, Dorset BH20 5ED
www.dorset-hotel.co.uk
Bartercard has quite literally been a lifeline, enabling us to buy things that we
wouldn't be able to consider and, at times, ensuring that we can buy the essentials that keep
us going. Whenever we need anything it is our first port of call - its amazing and I love the
fact that there is a real sense of community amongst the members.
I'm certain that going forward we will be using it even more - and I've actively been
encouraging suppliers that we want to work with to find out more information about
Bartercard!
We really appreciate all of your help, particularly encouraging members to donate to bibic.
Jess Winchester
Fundraising & Communications Manager
www.bibic.org.uk
Bartercard is committed to helping Small to Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) grow and achieve financial success by facilitating a trade exchange network that offers dynamic and effective ways of conducting business.
Monday 28 February 2011
"Bartercard is brilliant" Rick Timmis
Dear Gustav
You asked if I would be willing to write a few words about our experience with Bartercard, well I would be delighted to do that for you.
I first came across Bartercard whilst working as the technical director for Super Tramp Ltd, and I have to say that my experience with it was not that positive, I saw how the company managed to generate Sales with little to no effort, and watched as they quickly amassed a significant barter pound balance.
This seemed to me to be the wrong course of action and I was largely against the idea of Bartercard. I founded Abazander Ltd, and realised about 1 year after its inception that perhaps if handled differently this could be very useful in helping to develop sales for the company. I knew from previous experience that getting sales on barter would not be a problem.
When we first joined we had need of some design work to develop our brand and create the base line business stationary, so we used our barter credit balance of £3000 to get this work done, and that was very useful as we were cash poor at the time, and being able to suddenly transform £750 into £3000 made a lot of sense. Of course just as I anticipated the sales came in, because there is a sales team at Bartercard working on your behalf, so we quickly built up a positive balance having paid back the initial credit that we had used easily.
Sales continued to develop, and I realised that the barter model was going to work well for us, but to make it really take off we need to work harder at building relationships with suppliers. This is almost counter intuitive as in a traditional sterling model all of your focus is placed on selling to customers, not buying from suppliers. I quickly discovered the secret to success with bartercard is very very simple. Always work with your trade coordinator and build a strong relationship with them, that means speaking with them regularly and ensuring they know the things your looking to buy and what your sales needs are.
Be specific in identifying what it is you need, and then give that list to your coordinator and ask them to source potential suppliers for you. Don't just grab the directory and start ringing people, because if for some reason they're not taking trade right now they won't be looking for your business and you'll get disheartend in trying to place business.
We ran a massive launch event for the release of version 7 of our iSAM product, we spent £12,000 putting the event on, of which more than £10,000 was Trade. Bartercard is brilliant, and it should be part of every businesses strategy for growth.
Regards and Best Wishes
Rick Timmis
Abazander intelligent sales and marketing tools for small business.
http://www.abazander.com/
You asked if I would be willing to write a few words about our experience with Bartercard, well I would be delighted to do that for you.
I first came across Bartercard whilst working as the technical director for Super Tramp Ltd, and I have to say that my experience with it was not that positive, I saw how the company managed to generate Sales with little to no effort, and watched as they quickly amassed a significant barter pound balance.
This seemed to me to be the wrong course of action and I was largely against the idea of Bartercard. I founded Abazander Ltd, and realised about 1 year after its inception that perhaps if handled differently this could be very useful in helping to develop sales for the company. I knew from previous experience that getting sales on barter would not be a problem.
When we first joined we had need of some design work to develop our brand and create the base line business stationary, so we used our barter credit balance of £3000 to get this work done, and that was very useful as we were cash poor at the time, and being able to suddenly transform £750 into £3000 made a lot of sense. Of course just as I anticipated the sales came in, because there is a sales team at Bartercard working on your behalf, so we quickly built up a positive balance having paid back the initial credit that we had used easily.
Sales continued to develop, and I realised that the barter model was going to work well for us, but to make it really take off we need to work harder at building relationships with suppliers. This is almost counter intuitive as in a traditional sterling model all of your focus is placed on selling to customers, not buying from suppliers. I quickly discovered the secret to success with bartercard is very very simple. Always work with your trade coordinator and build a strong relationship with them, that means speaking with them regularly and ensuring they know the things your looking to buy and what your sales needs are.
Be specific in identifying what it is you need, and then give that list to your coordinator and ask them to source potential suppliers for you. Don't just grab the directory and start ringing people, because if for some reason they're not taking trade right now they won't be looking for your business and you'll get disheartend in trying to place business.
We ran a massive launch event for the release of version 7 of our iSAM product, we spent £12,000 putting the event on, of which more than £10,000 was Trade. Bartercard is brilliant, and it should be part of every businesses strategy for growth.
Regards and Best Wishes
Rick Timmis
Abazander intelligent sales and marketing tools for small business.
http://www.abazander.com/
Wednesday 19 January 2011
Happy New Year - Increase Sales Opportunities
Increase Sales Opportunities Bartercard is a global business-to-business Trade Exchange that delivers business owners with the opportunity to increase sales, and allowing them to pay for some of their business cash expenses with their own product & service. In every bartering country, the Bartercard Member Directory lists products and services available for bartering from a wide variety of bartering industries, including marketing-related services such as advertising, printing and promotion to office and building equipment, raw materials, retail products, real estate, travel and entertainment. Professional and trade services, covering accounting, legal and medical services, through to handymen and gardening services are also typically well represented.
How some members use bartercard
How some members use bartercard
We recently stayed at a Bartercard hotel for a conference and paid less on barter, than others guests were paying in cash.’
Jason Webster, Stonedale Gifts
'We pay our office rent on Bartercard, which is a real bonus. We get suits made on trade and source furniture for the office.'
John Pemberton, The Disc Directory
‘I feel Bartercard is a very "green" way to do business. It has certainly been great for bringing in new business and getting us in front of people we may never have otherwise met.’
Peter Muswell, Cityfringe
'I always look for ways to spend Barter pounds on the business and be creative! We intend to use Bartercard on international holidays in 2011.'
Ernie Perry, Ethos Imaging
‘Bartercard keeps us in touch with new potential clients and continually offer innovative ideas to generate income. Our Account Manager is there to help with absolutely everything.'
Claire, Clarify Training
‘I always think of Barter first. For my restaurants we buy coffee, candles, fire extinguishers from Morgan Fire and much more.’
Brendan, The Duke of York in Surbiton and Le Garrick in Central London
Wednesday 15 December 2010
Advertising in the fast lane
A great opportunity to advertise your products and services to a targeted audience; FQ Magazine is a digital magazine aimed at working and stay at home fathers as well as appealing to women/mothers.
With more parents spending time in front of the computer, it has become vital to broadcast and present over the internet. ‘Our readers are looking for exclusive interviews, advice, tips ideas and recommended products! Because of our unique target audience, we offer maximum exposure within a specific category.’ says Damion Queva, Managing Director of 3 Dimensional Media.
With more parents spending time in front of the computer, it has become vital to broadcast and present over the internet. ‘Our readers are looking for exclusive interviews, advice, tips ideas and recommended products! Because of our unique target audience, we offer maximum exposure within a specific category.’ says Damion Queva, Managing Director of 3 Dimensional Media.
The magazine boasts a national distribution throughout the UK and 250,000 reader subscribers, reaching a wealthy target market with young children. The 100 page publication includes exclusive celebrity interviews with sports stars, awards, fashion, finance, health and travel. Other topics include great ideas for fashion, health, fitness, motoring, days out, review on films and books targeted at young fathers.
Bartercard is a valuable source of income for us. We have been with Bartercard for seven years and we buy everything!!
Our courier is on Bartercard, enjoy corporate hospitality, flowers, packaging, advertising, car rental, computer hardware and hotels.’ says Damion.
Banners on the FQ website are noticed by thousands of visitors bi-monthly and soon due to become ipad and iphone compatible. So, advertising you take out will be traveling around on people’s iphones with them. ‘We reach many more people with a digital format, so they can dip in and out of the publication at work or at home; the Digital format also includes video and audio and hyperlinks direct to website shopping baskets or contact details or home pages.’ comments Damion.
Top ten dads and famous fathers...check out the website! www.fqmagazine.co.uk or www.fqmagazine.co.uk/magEzine to download the magazine for FREE. FQ reflects the lives and aspirations of men who have grown out of ‘lads mags’ and require a more sophisticated read.
Online supermarket for parents.
Supermarket, also affiliated with 3D Media, offers customers products such as prams, car seat, highchairs, baby monitors, cots, furniture and toys for children, gadgets, tools and lots more on Bartercard.
With top quality products and great new ranges, this site has it all on-line to make it more relaxing to choose from home. Products must be purchased from your trade coordinator or by calling Parents Supermarket directly and delivered in 24 hours.
Many items are available in limited stock today such as:
Baby Carriers
Baby Monitors
KUB cots
Flexibaths
Bottles
Sterilisers
Nappy Bins
Board Games.
Tuesday 7 December 2010
"I say spend, spend, spend on Bartercard. Look at how you will integrate barter into your cash flow"
As Bartercard businesses vary, attracting both accountants and personal trainers alike, a graphic design business needs to serve different companies with gusto, listening potential and especially... originality!
Debbi, Owner and Head of Design at Snap Marketing infuses these three traits into the business. Successful projects on Bartercard have been rolled out for Abbey Antiques, the Disc Directory, Sporting Affairs, Accounting for Business, Bartercard themselves, and currently Syn-Star group. But enough of the airy-fairy talk!
If you are spending money you should expect clear returns. ‘Companies should be looking at what they want as a return in revenue and spend 10 - 20% of what they expect to get back.’ comments Debbi, Creative Director. Not one to beat about the bush with marketing jargon, Snap get straight down to the nitty gritty - all that with a touch of humour of course!
Check out their website to put a smile back on your face: www.snap marketing.co.uk Snap offer innovative logo ideas and roll out marketing strategies which promise to be unique. Most agencies only specialise in either marketing or design, implying greater costs since they outsource. Snap’s in-house designers create the work that can then be rolled out to the public - all under one fun roof!‘Our clients are fairly widespread, from IT to restaurants. We take barter work because we can’t spend enough!’ comments Debbi. ‘We design a campaign around the image the business is trying to portray. No hap-hazard marketing activity, everything is collated and looks uniform. We also analyse whether the message of the company is the right one.’
Key Questions are:Why are we doing this?
What are we trying to achieve?
Who is our target audience?
With 20 years worth of experience in design and advertising, the Snap team understand what it takes to achieve results. ‘We will happily discuss business requirements, budgets and individual needs, to make sure the company is on the right path and we suggest ways of making them fly!’ comments Debbi. As a keen Bartercard members for the past 10 years, Snap’s motto seems to be spend more and get more in return.
"I say spend, spend, spend on Bartercard. Look at how you will integrate barter into your cash flow. We stay at the lovely Peacock Hotel a lot, go to cafes, use Print Concern. We use Bartercard for leisure and then place that money we would have spent on leisure, straight back into the business."
Snap Marketing
Contact: Debbi
Tel: 0118 945 5592
1091 Oxford Rd, Tilehurst
Reading Berkshire RG31 6YEwww.snap-marketing.co.uk
Debbi, Owner and Head of Design at Snap Marketing infuses these three traits into the business. Successful projects on Bartercard have been rolled out for Abbey Antiques, the Disc Directory, Sporting Affairs, Accounting for Business, Bartercard themselves, and currently Syn-Star group. But enough of the airy-fairy talk!
If you are spending money you should expect clear returns. ‘Companies should be looking at what they want as a return in revenue and spend 10 - 20% of what they expect to get back.’ comments Debbi, Creative Director. Not one to beat about the bush with marketing jargon, Snap get straight down to the nitty gritty - all that with a touch of humour of course!
Check out their website to put a smile back on your face: www.snap marketing.co.uk Snap offer innovative logo ideas and roll out marketing strategies which promise to be unique. Most agencies only specialise in either marketing or design, implying greater costs since they outsource. Snap’s in-house designers create the work that can then be rolled out to the public - all under one fun roof!‘Our clients are fairly widespread, from IT to restaurants. We take barter work because we can’t spend enough!’ comments Debbi. ‘We design a campaign around the image the business is trying to portray. No hap-hazard marketing activity, everything is collated and looks uniform. We also analyse whether the message of the company is the right one.’
Key Questions are:Why are we doing this?
What are we trying to achieve?
Who is our target audience?
With 20 years worth of experience in design and advertising, the Snap team understand what it takes to achieve results. ‘We will happily discuss business requirements, budgets and individual needs, to make sure the company is on the right path and we suggest ways of making them fly!’ comments Debbi. As a keen Bartercard members for the past 10 years, Snap’s motto seems to be spend more and get more in return.
"I say spend, spend, spend on Bartercard. Look at how you will integrate barter into your cash flow. We stay at the lovely Peacock Hotel a lot, go to cafes, use Print Concern. We use Bartercard for leisure and then place that money we would have spent on leisure, straight back into the business."
Snap Marketing
Contact: Debbi
Tel: 0118 945 5592
1091 Oxford Rd, Tilehurst
Reading Berkshire RG31 6YEwww.snap-marketing.co.uk
Thursday 11 November 2010
Toys and Clothes for Babies and Children
Its feels like Christmas every morning when Sarah Tubb enters her shop in Harris Arcade, Reading’s oldest shopping mall. She is greeted by a four foot giraffe and his colony of pals.
LifeLikeFriends is a child’s and adult’s wonderland of teddy bears, soft animals, wooden toys, baby clothes and lots more. So if you’re stuck for ideas this Christmas on what to offer the smaller members of the family – look no further. (And you’ll be pleased to know you can choose your favourites online if you can’t make it to the shop.)
LifeLikeFriends is a child’s and adult’s wonderland of teddy bears, soft animals, wooden toys, baby clothes and lots more. So if you’re stuck for ideas this Christmas on what to offer the smaller members of the family – look no further. (And you’ll be pleased to know you can choose your favourites online if you can’t make it to the shop.)
As well as amazing cuddly toys, LifeLikeFriends stock organic baby grows, helping endangered species. ‘We’ve really got lovely things! This year we’ve branched out into wooden toys and jigsaws which are great for children to hold and get the feel of natural materials. We have gifts, baby bibs, comfort blankets, and developmental toys.
We try and accommodate for all tastes; we have designer brands and also more reasonable items such as finger puppets and hand puppets for £3 - £5.’ says Sarah. Sarah previously worked as a bookkeeper, but the jump from figures to fury toys was not instantaneous. ‘I have always wanted to run my own business but never knew what it would be.
Even as a child I would grate different coloured soaps and sell them in empty Britvic bottles. After traveling around Australia for a year, I was uncertain what to do on my return. I noticed some really lifelike cuddly toys in a magazine and thought they were wonderful. After much brainstorming, I registered www.lifelikefriends.co.uk andm started the business from home. I created a website and eventually - opened a shop, when the concept was
proving popular!’ says Sarah. As well as getting my shop, Bartercard was another boost to promoting my business.
proving popular!’ says Sarah. As well as getting my shop, Bartercard was another boost to promoting my business.
I’ve had six good years with Bartercard. What I enjoy is sourcing products, but not necessarily in my area. With today’s ease of transport why restrict yourself to your region when you can source great personalized Christmas cards from anywhere in the country? I make Bartercard work for me. I’ve also purchased small items such as key rings and pencil sharpeners on Barter that I can sell.
‘I consult the E-Marketplace every few weeks and have picked up some great things there; furniture for our spare room, jewellery, a bass guitar and a few Xbox games for the rare occasions that I’m not working on my laptop in the evenings!’
Sarah has also bought clothing from Juliette’s Secret’s – even got stopped in the street to ask where she bought such an unusual skirt – and bought a new snowboarding jacket at one of the trade expos in Twickenham. So, what will be the best seller this Christmas? ‘Definitely our Meerkats.
Everyone wants them. The penguins are out and the Meerkats are in! We simply can’t get enough. And then there’s always our giant teddy bear.’…. so loveable it’s almost un’bearable!
To all Members: Sarah Tubb would love to find packaging, jiffy bags and boxes for her mailing services, a new laser printer and lots more ladies clothes. Please get in touch if your business can accommodate.
Wednesday 27 October 2010
COOKING UP A STORM
Planning her daughter’s wedding should have put Sue Baxter off event organising for good. Right in the middle of the summer floods, the catering crew drove across a field and their van got lodged a foot deep in the mud. Torrential rain came gushing through the marquee and in spite of everything, Sue was the only one to remain calm.
Yet she eagerly admits: “If I were not working in cook wear, I would love to be a wedding planner! In fact, you might soon find me in the Bartercard Directory doing just that!” Sue runs Berghoff UK Limited that produces an extensive range of domestic and catering cookware. “Anything that you can think of that you need in the kitchen environment, we have!”
From tables to glassware to stainless steel pots and pans, chef’s knives and knife blocks for the home. With over 2000 lines of kitchenware and 60 different stainless steel saucepan ranges, the company boasts one of the broadest supplies in Europe.
Their best selling product range are kitchen essentials. The ingenious non-stick fat free cooking range!
“If you want to fry an egg, pop the lid on and the condensation will set the top of the egg. It will slide off the pan as if you had put in butter.” The range costs from T£30 - T£100, but you will certainly save on the calories!”
Sue Baxter has been an active member of Bartercard for 5 years now. Her favorite current purchase is the use of the call centre on Bartercard, where they answer her calls when she is away. “I get so many things on trade, from my printing to my hotel accommodation, fabulous restaurants such as Da Vinci’s in Pool Harbour, Ocean Bay in Swanage, which we gain access to by boat.”
Having Trade Pounds for my daughter’s wedding was fantastic. “On trade we managed to get the marquee hire, a magician, a bouncy castle for the children, candy floss machines, helium pumped balloons in baby pink and ivory and catering. My Trade Co-ordinator was fantastic and helped me source all these items, saving me cash.”
I’ve organised so many exhibitions and conferences in my life, in fact I may be organising a friend’s wedding next year on our property. I have land at home and a small lake. For my daughter’s wedding, I had bulldozers and JCB’s remove 900 tones of rubble over 4 months, to level the land.
The wedding, covered by OK magazine was celebrated on the 31st July. Her daughter, Melissa Baxter, a famous photographic and lingerie model who has featured in Footballers Wives and Midsomer Murders, married Roger Johnson a footballer for Cardiff.
“The day was just awesome!”
Yet she eagerly admits: “If I were not working in cook wear, I would love to be a wedding planner! In fact, you might soon find me in the Bartercard Directory doing just that!” Sue runs Berghoff UK Limited that produces an extensive range of domestic and catering cookware. “Anything that you can think of that you need in the kitchen environment, we have!”
From tables to glassware to stainless steel pots and pans, chef’s knives and knife blocks for the home. With over 2000 lines of kitchenware and 60 different stainless steel saucepan ranges, the company boasts one of the broadest supplies in Europe.
Their best selling product range are kitchen essentials. The ingenious non-stick fat free cooking range!
“If you want to fry an egg, pop the lid on and the condensation will set the top of the egg. It will slide off the pan as if you had put in butter.” The range costs from T£30 - T£100, but you will certainly save on the calories!”
Sue Baxter has been an active member of Bartercard for 5 years now. Her favorite current purchase is the use of the call centre on Bartercard, where they answer her calls when she is away. “I get so many things on trade, from my printing to my hotel accommodation, fabulous restaurants such as Da Vinci’s in Pool Harbour, Ocean Bay in Swanage, which we gain access to by boat.”
Having Trade Pounds for my daughter’s wedding was fantastic. “On trade we managed to get the marquee hire, a magician, a bouncy castle for the children, candy floss machines, helium pumped balloons in baby pink and ivory and catering. My Trade Co-ordinator was fantastic and helped me source all these items, saving me cash.”
I’ve organised so many exhibitions and conferences in my life, in fact I may be organising a friend’s wedding next year on our property. I have land at home and a small lake. For my daughter’s wedding, I had bulldozers and JCB’s remove 900 tones of rubble over 4 months, to level the land.
The wedding, covered by OK magazine was celebrated on the 31st July. Her daughter, Melissa Baxter, a famous photographic and lingerie model who has featured in Footballers Wives and Midsomer Murders, married Roger Johnson a footballer for Cardiff.
“The day was just awesome!”
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