Last year 872,591 shares of International Monetary Systems� outstanding common stock were repurchased into treasury. This represents approximately 11% of the outstanding company shares as of January 1, 2012. The average price per share of all repurchases was $2.03.

During the year:

• Income produced from operations was $378,345, compared to operating income of $515,675 in 2011.
   
• IMS had EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) of $1,894,123, compared to $2,170,984 the year prior.
   
• Cash flow from operations totaled approximately $1,410,000 compared to $1,467,000 the prior year.

Three IMS franchises were sold in 2012. While these territories are not yet making a material contribution to operating income, management is optimistic as to the future of the franchising program as a means of expanding the IMS footprint and enhancing profitability.

The company realized the operating efficiencies of integrating two additional markets, St. Louis (MO) and Peterborough (ONT), for the full year of 2012, adding approximately $270,000 to revenue.

Throughout the year, IMS continued to significantly improve its new TNT barter software, which allows for enhanced sales, operating, and reporting efficiencies.

For more information on IMS, click here.

Hundreds of valuable articles, techniques, and strategies are found in the following various barter categories:

�  Entrepreneur�s Corner,

�  Travel,

�  Media,

�  Trade Exchange,

�  Corporate Barter,

�  Offset & Countertrade,

�  Secondary Capital,

�  Real Estate,

�  Community Barter, and

�  Restaurant & Entertainment

(The Barter Categories are found on the horizontal bar at the top � 3^rd button from right.)

Regard New Vendors Pro-actively � Thru Your Barter Glasses

When companies come calling on you, get in the habit of responding differently to their solicitations by asking for reciprocity. If you desire their products or services, here�s the approach to use. Explain that your company would like to do business with them, if they in turn will consider working with you on a barter arrangement.

(Depending on the size of the vendor, you may want to be introduced to the sales manager, as the salesperson might not have the authority to make such a decision.)

If this is an entrepreneurial company, the sales-rep may be the owner. At the point when they show an interest in your suggestion, you�ll want to arrange a meeting where the two of you discuss the merits of barter with your trade exchange representative.

Bottom-line: In essence, by asking a simple question you�ve changed the dynamics of the relationship between a new vendor and your company. At the same time, you�ve expanded your reciprocal purchasing efforts.

Is Your Trade Exchange Missing Out On Valuable New Business?

If your barter company�s listing on BarterNews.com isn�t current, you are definitely missing out on new business. The web site BarterNews.com receives heavy traffic � with over 150,000 page-views every month. Entrepreneurs and corporate executives check the thousands of articles, the weekly �Tuesday Report,� and the �Contacts Section� of our site. They use the latter to find barter companies with which to do business.

Is your barter company�s listing up-to-date?

To keep your listing current is very easy. See the links below to (A) update any changes to your company�s listing, such as new location, phone number, web site or other information, and (B) if your company has not been listed.

Here�s how to get on board:

To make changes to your listing click here.

For new listings click here.

Some years ago the first ever White House Small Business Conference was hosted in Washington (DC), where 3,000 delegates from around the country met, debating and deliberating their major needs and concerns.

After a week of intense interaction and discussion, the delegates voted on their ten most important priorities as small business owners. Coming in at #1 was the need for more capital. The #2 priority was the need for marketing expertise and assistance.

Are you surprised at the second priority? Many small business owners are, because they just don�t place much importance on this part of their business � even though most experts contend that marketing, advertising, and promotion are absolutely necessary for a company to continually grow.

For most small companies (those with $10 million or less in annual sales) that means budgeting from 5% to 10% of their gross sales on this important aspect of their business. (Compare this to the world�s largest and most successful consumer goods manufacturer, Proctor & Gamble, which spends 25% gross sales on marketing, promotion, and advertising efforts!)

So if you�re lagging a bit in this area of your business, refocus your efforts. Begin by considering these marketing efforts as an investment in your company, rather than just a costly outlay.