* * ANNOUNCEMENT * *
25
Years Of BarterNews Issues Now In Digital Format
Welcome to the largest
repository of barter contacts, strategies, and barter techniques in
the world. All 64 issues of BarterNews now available in
digital format at
http://www.barternews-ezine.com.
TTi Announces Ever-Increasing Online Barter Activity
TeleTrade international reports the total on all worldwide platforms
servicing the independent barter industry has reached $15,941,251
this year. Total of all online activity since 1999, when TTi took
its technology online, now exceeds $578,749,885.
The eValues system for independent trade exchanges reflects nearly
$12 million in transaction volume during this period. EValues online
totals reached almost $318 million in activity since coming online
in 2000. The system offers members, their exchange owners and staff,
many options such as:
�
expanded opportunities for trading with 24/7 online access,
�
e-mail
broadcasting for new and hot trade opportunities,
�
a
comprehensive inventory control system for available goods and
services,
�
an
extensive customer service module,
�
real-time currency conversion,
�
an
unequaled accounting system that handles blended (part-cash,
part-trade) to full trade activity, and
�
automated credit-card and direct debit processing of monthly cash
fees.
TTi has its proprietary swipe card terminal technology program
available to all USA based exchanges, and can create a system for
local exchanges worldwide to have this capability. It has secured a
relationship with America�s fourth largest private merchant service
provider, giving participating merchants the guaranteed lowest
credit and debit processing rates in the United States.
From further information contact CEO Gary Lasater at 303.840.7172
ext.1, or e-mail
gary@teletrade.net.
$9 Billion Barter Deal
The Democratic
Republic of Congo is trading with a massive state-owned firm based
in Beijing, the China Railway Engineering Corporation (CREC).
They�re planning a new road which will be the first endeavor of the
biggest single deal China�s ever done in Africa, worth $9 billion.
Due to be
signed in Beijing shortly, it gives DR Congo $6 billion of
desperately needed infrastructure � about 2,400 miles of road, 2,000
miles of railway, 32 hospitals, 145 health centers, and two
universities.
In return,
China gets a slice of DR Congo�s precious natural resources to feed
its booming industries � 10 million tons of copper and 400,000 tons
of cobalt. It�s a barter deal, what the Chinese side loves to call
�win-win.� Not aid with strings attached, like Western powers have
given DR Congo over the years, but pure business.
Decades of
kleptocratic dictatorship and brutal civil war have brought DR Congo
to its knees. Most of its infrastructure barely functions. �We�ve
been mining for two centuries but people only see minerals going
out,� says deputy Mining Minister Victor Kasongo. �People talk about
roads, schools, water; yet they hardly see anything from the huge
assets.�
The Chinese
ambassador to DR Congo, Wu Zexian, is equally frank about his
country's agenda: �China needs many things. In this world China
cannot live closed off which is why we have adopted a politics of
openness towards the outside world. We must come to a co-operation
that benefits everyone.�
The deal was
clinched by finding a mine in Kolwezi that had enough proven
reserves to persuade the Chinese that it was financially safe for
them to begin disbursing about $3 billion, right away.
China�s
state-owned Exim Bank, which is financing this deal and many others
in Africa, is taking on a level of risk that few Western banks would
consider. It�ll take about three years, and another $3 billion or so
of investment, before the disused mine (formerly owned by the
Belgian Forrest Group) is up and running.
When
production begins, the Chinese companies signing the deal, CREC and
Sinohydro, will disburse a final $3 billion on roads, railways and
hospitals.
The idea is
that China will recoup its total investment within 10 years.
Thereafter the
joint venture (one third Congolese, two-thirds Chinese) continues to
exploit the mine. And yet, despite China�s pledge of openness, the
deal has still not been published...to the fury of human rights
groups.
Money-Making Reports Available From BarterNews
PR Agency Pursuing Specific Barter Relationships
CameronWeeks
Public Relations has announced that it is currently evaluating
technology companies for equity barters. Instead of being paid fully
in cash for its public relations services, CameronWeeks is willing
to take some of its fees in the form of equity. The agency is
interested in companies in the life sciences, which include biotech
and medical devices, health tech, software, IT, and green technology
industries.
In today�s
market, early-stage companies, whether bootstrapped or venture
funded, are challenged to bring their complex technologies to market
quickly and cost-effectively. Bartering for essential services
allows them to become more efficient with limited resources while
planning for long-term success. For those organizations seeking
funding, public relations services can also be utilized to develop
communications strategies for reaching potential investors.
�Public
relations should not be considered an afterthought for new companies
and technologies,� stressed Patti D. Hill, CEO/founder of
CameronWeeks Public Relations. �PR initiatives should be engaged
when a product reaches advanced alpha (stages), in order to build
strategic visibility without losing precious time. Companies that
don�t proactively tell their story will find themselves under radar,
and with many burgeoning technologies, first to market is critical.�
Continued
Hill, �Bartering for these essential services is an excellent way to
preserve capital and enable small or start-up companies to focus on
perfecting their technologies and growing their businesses.�
Bartering is
not only a complement to sophisticated marketplace economies but
also a means of survival in declining economies. According to the
U.S. Department of Commerce, bartering accounts for nearly 30% of
the world�s total business. In the United States alone, over 250,000
businesses actively use organized barter to supplement their
monetary transactions.
CameronWeeks
will utilize a strategic evaluation framework when selecting barter
companies that includes vetting the management team, market
opportunity, and the product/value proposition to its intended
audiences. The agency will also heavily consider the technology
differentiation or business model differentiation.
Art Business Is Important Even Though 97% Of Artists Have Other Jobs
Although most
artists do not consider themselves entrepreneurs, art is still a
business. And while most painters, photographers, or sculptors will
not see Picasso-size deals in their lifetime, they can still find
ways to boost sales of their work.
A main problem
is that most artists learn art, but not how to make a career out of
it. A young artist will have no idea about the business side of art.
None of the students at art school are encouraged to ask questions
about how to sell art. It isn�t even discussed. So although most
artists aren�t wired for accounting, they should take some business
classes.
Visibility has
always been crucial for artists to get their work out to buyers.
Today, with the Internet, resourceful artists can get their work
noticed by creating web sites or establishing a presence in online
communities. These serve as a virtual portfolio.
Off-line
matters, too. Keep abreast of the galleries and stores that might
carry your work and try to forge a relationship with those
gatekeepers. At the same time, experts suggest, do your homework.
Many dealers
say that artists walk in and say: �Will you show my art?� (And the
dealer only deals in abstraction while the artist is a realist
painter.)
Artists should
also know those they are dealing with, and keep rigorous records of
any transactions. Use Ronald Reagan�s thinking, �Trust, but verify.�
This includes never leaving artwork on consignment without getting
something in writing.
It's essential
to be professional and prepared at all times. In other words, always
have your r�sum�, artist statement, and bio updated and ready. Make
postcards for your shows, keep your work in prospective buyers� or
exhibitors� minds. Have business cards, a web site, and anticipate
what works and what does not.
Although it
may seem obvious, artists should be able to explain their work.
Writing about your art is very important, because it lets people
know what you do, who you are, and why you do it. A good impression
will go a long way.