|
June 26, 2007
Written
by Bob Meyer, Editor of BarterNews
We
Want You To Know...When you sign up to receive the
FREE weekly Tuesday Report announcement your e-mail address
will never be sold, traded, or given to another party.
Please
Note: We receive e-mails from people who have signed up
for the Tuesday Report, and then tell us they’re not
receiving our weekly announcement. In most cases this is because
they’re blocking unwanted e-mails.
To
ensure that our weekly Tuesday Report e-mail announcement
reaches your mail box, we suggest you add
bmeyer@barternews.com
to your address book or safe sender list.
If you are a frequent visitor to our site we suggest
you hit the “refresh” button from time to time as we add information
to our site several times a week.
From the desk of Bob
Meyer...06/26/07
Brands
Matter
Intangible capital
doesn’t appear on company balance sheets, but it accounts
for one-third to one-half the stock market value of the
Fortune 500. One particularly important form of intangible
capital is brand equity.
Three Federal
Reserve economists estimated that by the late 1990s some
$250 billion of all corporate spending was devoted to
brand building. That’s about 2.5% of GDP spent trying to win
the attention and trust of consumers.
There’s A Message Here!
It used to be when
people got into financial trouble they would pay their
mortgage and let their credit cards slide. Not any more...at
least not for subprime borrowers.
A new study by
Experian, the Costa Mesa-based credit bureau and information
services company, shows that subprime borrowers are now
paying their credit cards first and getting behind on their
mortgages. This finding represents a significant departure
from conventional behavior.
Having little
invested and with prices dropping, their actions imply what
they think about the present real estate situation.
Current Global Listing Information...
BizXchange
PO Box 214560
Khalid Al Attar Bldg., #803
Sheikh Zayed Road
Dubai
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (UAE)
Ph: 971 4319 7992
Fax: 971 4329 5585
www.bizxtrading.com
All back issues of
"From the Desk...” can be accessed by
clicking
here.
(Please feel
free to forward our newsletter to your friends and
colleagues. We have a “box” at the end of the
newsletter for your convenience.
See you next week. . .) |
New Electronic Radio Rating System
Gaining Favor
Radio industry leader Clear Channel Communications has agreed to
use a new electronic rating system in the top 50 U.S. markets. The
electronic audience measurement system is aimed at replacing a
decades-old system of paper diaries.
Many broadcasters, including CBS Radio (number-two in the
national market), have already reached deals to use Arbitron’s
Portable People Meter, a pager-like device that detects audio codes
embedded in radio broadcasts.
People Meter ratings, while more expensive to produce than the
old paper diary method, provide far greater detail about radio
listening and don’t have to rely on the memory of listeners.
U.S. Advertising Spending Declines
Advertising spending in the U.S. slipped 0.3% in the first
quarter of 2007 to $34.9 billion, compared with the year earlier
quarter. Ad-tracking service TNS Media Intelligence notes that last
year’s first quarter was boosted by Winter Olympic Games-related
spending.
But even factoring out the temporary increase of that event, “the
core growth rates have slowed further from last year’s lack-luster
levels,” reported TNS CEO Steven Frederiks. Hardest hit were network
TV (down 7.2% to $6.1 billion) and national newspapers (down 5.3% to
$810 million). At the same time, internet display advertising jumped
16.7% to $2.7 billion.
TNS doesn’t track spending on some major categories of digital
advertising, including search and other unconventional marketing
areas, such as public relations and event marketing.
Mayors Urge More Marketing
Spending As U.S. Tourism Drops Off
Troubled by steep declines in international tourism, mayors
nationwide are urging the federal government to spend more money on
marketing the United States and to make the entry process friendlier
and faster.
Responding to a survey by Travel Business roundtable, mayors from
the country’s top travel destinations said tourism—a driving force
of the economy—needed to be a top priority.
The number of overseas visitors to the U.S. has dropped 17%
overall since its peak in 2000 and 20% in the top 15
cities...costing more than $100 billion in lost visitor spending
through 2005, according to the Commerce Department.
Tourism boosters blame lackluster marketing efforts. This year
the Commerce Department will spend $3.9 million on marketing to
foreign tourists. In comparison, Malaysia will spend $117.9 million.
As a result, tourism boosters believe that the U.S. is likely to
cede China in the next couple of years its position as the
third-most-visited international destination. France and Spain are
the top international tourism destinations.
Several factors are to blame, they say: America’s declining image
abroad, the difficulty and time it takes to get a visa and the
perception that U.S. ports of entry are unfriendly, understaffed,
and overzealous about security.
Of the mayors polled, 73% said that entry procedures and
treatment by U.S. immigration and customs officials reinforce
negative perceptions of the country, according to the survey results
released. Officials from the State Department said they agreed with
the mayors and travel industry, and have taken extra measures to
expedite visa processing.
Currently, visitors from 27 countries, mostly in Europe as well
as Japan, Australia and New Zealand, are not required to obtain
visas to travel to the U.S. However, visitors from other countries
must obtain them.
Community Currencies Keep Profits
Local
A walk down Main Street in this New England town of Stockbridge,
may well bring to mind the pictures of Norman Rockwell who lived
nearby and chronicled small-town American life in the mid-20th
Century.
So it seems fitting that the artist’s face adorns the 50
BerkShares note, one of five denominations in a currency adopted by
towns in western Massachusetts to support locally owned businesses
over national chains.
There are about 844,000 BerkShares in circulation, worth $759,600
at the fixed exchange rate of 1 BerkShare to 90-cents, according to
program organizers. The paper scrip is available in denominations of
one, five, 10, 20 and 50.
In their 10 months of circulation, they've become a regular
feature of the local economy. Businesses that accept BerkShares
treat them interchangeably with dollars: a $1 cup of coffee sells
for 1 BerkShare, a 10 percent discount for people paying in
BerkShares.
Named for the local Berkshire Hills, BerkShares are accepted in
about 280 cafes, coffee shops, grocery stores and other businesses
in Great Barrington and neighboring towns, including Stockbridge,
the town where Rockwell lived for a quarter century.
Great Barrington attracts weekend residents and tourists from the
New York area who help to support its wealth of organic farms, yoga
studios, cafes, and businesses like Allow Yourself to Be, which
offers services ranging from massage to “chakra balancing” and
Infinite Quest, which sells “past life regression therapy.”
The BerkShares program is one of about a dozen such efforts in the
nation. Local groups in California, Kansas, Michigan, New York,
Oregon, Pennsylvania, Vermont and Wisconsin run similar ones. One of
the oldest is Ithaca Hours, which went into circulation in 1991 in
Ithaca (NY).
U.S. law prevents states from issuing their own currency but
allows private groups to print paper scrip, though not coins,
according to Lewis Solomon, a professor of law at George Washington
University, who studies local currencies.
ANNOUNCEMENT !
Check out the new
BarterNews daily blog at
www.barternewsblog.com
for new contacts, strategies and techniques.
Here
Are Some Replies To BarterNews Blogs. . .
Matthew
Humphreys’ reply to
“Is ONLINE BARTER a
viable business model?”
Although barter
is as old as business itself in most countries, the barter exchange
concept in the USA is almost invisible to the masses. Until we see a
true synergy and cooperative effort over an extended period of time
in America, barter exchanges will continue to flounder in a sea of
inefficiency, making no noticeable impact.
The art of
barter generally requires a system and a system requires trained
people to assist the members or subscribers. Look at the current
trends relating to customer service. Most of us want to talk with
real people. I would bet that 95% of our population wants their hand
held and this is the main reason that on-line systems without barter
brokers don't work. There is a fraction of our known universe (5%)
that have the sophistication to trade on their own. To hit the
larger market and make an impact, you have to have customer service
people that we call brokers or trade directors.
Andrew
Pludek’s
reply to the same article.
I heartily agree
with Matthew’s comments above. We are not yet at a stage where trade
exchanges talk to each other properly never mind talking to the
general business market in any coherent shape or form as to provide
confidence to them that commercial barter works. Until all trade
exchanges accept each others trade dollars willingly in a united
effort free from politics aka NATE et al; then we are doomed to
flounder around picking up the edges of this fantastic potential
market.
Trade exchange
systems must still allow trade exchange owners direct contact with
each other to facilitate members requests and desires.
To read the story, click
below:
http://barternewsblog.com/2007/06/15/is-online-barter-a-viable-business-model/#more-350
Chris
Benton’s
reply to “Which is
BETTER, direct or indirect trading”
I think it all
depends on the situation. If you find someone to do a direct trade
with whom you benefit as much as they do with you then a direct
trade will work just fine. In most cases though the direct trade
doesn't work because it doesn't benefit both sides the same way.
Through a trade
exchange, it benefits both sides the same way because you use trade
dollars just like you would cash. So in my opinion if you find that
perfect trade then that is the best way to go (maybe 1% of the time
that will happen), otherwise through a trade exchange just makes
good business sense.
To read the story, click
below:
http://barternewsblog.com/2007/02/18/which-is-better-direct-or-indirect-trading/
Matthew
Humphreys’
reply to “Radio stations
are AGGRESSIVE traders...use them to drive more sales to
members!”
I completely
agree with Jack’s (Schacht) approach as long as you have his
integrity and business expertise.
The reason it
won't work for most barter exchanges is their total ignorance
relating to barter economics and the mismanagement of their own
currency. Without banking laws as they would relate to the barter
industry, we continue to see ridiculous decision making by trade
exchange owners. They buy what they want when they want it with
little to no regard for the economic value of their currency and how
that affects their membership. Like locusts, we see them pop-up all
around us as anyone can start a trade exchange.
If every barter
broker had to be bonded and insured, we would see a much more viable
barter system in America with a currency that members could count
on. Then, Jack’s media model and the correct management therein
would create a dynamic reality for every barter exchange in the
country.
To read the story, click
below:
http://barternewsblog.com/2007/06/17/barter-radio-stations-are-aggressive-traders/#more-352
There are over
400 articles posted on our blog.
Click here
www.barternewsblog.com.
Universal Law-Of-Reciprocity Key To Trade Exchange Success
Every trade
exchange owner in the world should not only be aware of the
law-of-reciprocity, but using it, in the operation of their
business.
Trade
exchange owners are invited to e-mail
bmeyer@barternews.com
for more information on how you can become “the exchange of choice”
in your area. When e-mailing Bob Meyer, put “Law of Reciprocity” in
the subject line.
Hotel
General Managers
Here’s
The Easiest $100,000 You’ll Ever
Bring To The Bottomline!
Collect
cash, as usual, from the guest accounts staying at your
facility that require the use of professional AV services.
And rather than shouldering your ongoing employee costs, or
your current vendor’s cash agreement for AV services,
here’s a much better alternative:
Work
with a proven national vendor (a sterling 25-year track
record) who will provide all of the AV services for your
hotel on a 100% TRADE BASIS! (Payment to be in the form of
hotel rooms and/or trade dollars.)
Your hotel’s annual AV billings must be a minimum of $200,000, and this
offer is available only in the continental United States.
For a
confidential introduction contact Bob Meyer via e-mail:
bmeyer@barternews.com.
(Please type in AV Services On Trade in the subject
line of your e-mail.)
Attention Trade Exchange Owners:
If your
member hotel(s) have a minimum of 10,000 sq. feet of meeting
space and annual billings of at least $200,000 for AV
services this is a great opportunity to earn substantial
cash service fees on the hundreds of thousands of trade
dollars your hotel member will be paying the vendor. Contact
Bob Meyer at the above e-mail. |
(Advertisement)
How To Get More Sales In
Hyper-Competitive
Restaurant Industry
Our street-smart restaurant
marketing report shows proven ways to rapidly boost your
restaurant’s sales & profits.
More-->
Our Web Site Has A Search Tool For You
Ever
wondered if a certain topic, person, or organization has been
written about on the Barternews.com web site? Now you can easily
find out, as we’ve added a search tool. It will quickly give you the
answer to your questions, in 3 easy steps that take about 12
seconds!
At the top
right of the page, just under where you sign up for the Tuesday
Report you will see a little Google box. It is where you can (1)
type in the name of a subject, company, or person. Then (2) click
the button www.barternews.com to search the site, followed by (3)
hitting the search button.
The Growth and Use of Secondary Capital (New Money) Creates
Unprecedented Wealth In Today’s New Age Of Possibility
There are
many forms of secondary capital—which can be defined as any
financial instrument that measures and communicates value in a
common language. Would you like to see and learn more about the many
forms of secondary capital?
We have 70
free, informative and inspiring, articles for you in our “Secondary
Capital Section.” Check it out...
www.barternews.com/secondary_capital.htm.
Get
New Money-Making Ideas And Valuable Contacts!
You can obtain
useful, informative ideas and contacts in every available back-issue
of BarterNews.
Every
barter company in the world is listed on our web site,
click through to our Global List
of Barter Companies.
Give
A Gift To A Friend Or Associate.
If you know someone who might benefit from this newsletter, feel
free to forward it to them! (See the “box” at the end of the
newsletter for the forwarding service.)
We welcome your
comments, questions, and observations.
©
Copyright BarterNews 2007. Redistribution of BarterNews
content expressly prohibited without the prior written permission of BarterNews.
|
