BarterNews.com � World�s Largest Depository Of Barter Information

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.)

Factoring May Be Answer To Help Even-Out Your Cash Flow

Many businesses that have to pay bills, before customers pay their accounts, use factoring as a way to even-out the company�s cash flow.

Factoring is when a company sells its accounts receivables to a third party (called a factor) at a discount, for an instant cash payment.

This option is useful to some fast-growing companies which outstrip their liens of credit, or new businesses that can�t qualify for traditional financing, or those that want to pay their bills quickly to take advantage of discounts.

However factoring can be expensive. To begin with, you only get 75% to 90% of the value of your receivables. Then there is typically a 2% to 6% discount fee, plus if your receivable takes longer to pay that fee usually increases. Some factors will also tack on other charges, such as audit fees.

While factoring is certainly a possibility for some companies, it�s not the answer for everyone. Factors prefer working with firms that do at least $20,000 in monthly billings. Because a steady cash-flow stream is always desirable, it�s wise to spend some quality time with your trade broker to maximize the opportunities for paying as many of your bills on trade as possible.

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.

Cash-Flow & Getting Paid Are Growing Concerns For Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurial business owners anticipate more growth opportunities in the next six months, according to an American Express poll. But they also have concerns about their ability to handle any expansion. 

In its semi-annual survey, 56% of respondents indicated there would be possibilities to expand their businesses. And 41% said they had plans to increase investments, add new products or services, or move into alternative markets.

At the same time there was an increasing concern about managing cash-flow with 62% citing it as a priority.  Of those with cash-flow concerns, 35% said getting customers to pay their bills topped the list, while concerns about the ability to pay their own bills were cited by 26%. When it came to a cash-flow crunch, 30% of the owners with such worries said they would delay planned purchases.

Editor�s note: Concerns about one�s business are ongoing and ever-changing. But an effective action, which will solve some of the day-to-day concerns, is spending the time to focus on your barter efforts. The added purchases on trade will automatically increase cash-flow, enabling your company to continue moving forward.

According to Barry J. Moltz, author of You Need To Be A Little Crazy: The Truth About Starting And Growing Your Business, entrepreneurs spend far too much time early-on thinking �I want to build a brand.�

Moltz says he�s seen too many entrepreneurs affected with �analysis paralysis,� pondering for months on end what their brands will mean to consumers, only to enter the marketplace and find they need a new strategy.

What�s a better approach? Moltz says you must listen closely to your customers, because they will help you figure out your brand. �There are a lot of businesses that start out being one thing and end up being something else. Listen to the market, it will tell you what your branding should be.�