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July 6, 2010

Written by Bob Meyer, Editor of BarterNews

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From the desk of Bob Meyer... 07/06/2010

People With Money Are Happier, Poll Shows

The Gallup World Poll surveyed 136,000 people across 132 nations from 2005 to 2006 and it shows that income is more highly correlated to happiness than previously thought. Essentially, the study concluded that money is an object that many (or most) people desire and pursue during the majority of their waking hours. And they use their financial success as a measure of overall success and a reference for how �good� their lives are.

That doesn�t mean money makes everything better. The study found that income had less correlation to the more emotional enjoyment of life, which include things like laughing, joy, and connections to family and friends.

You Have 168 Hours ... Per Week

Want to get the most out of life? Author Laura Vanderkam, a thirty-something Manhattanite, says you must begin thinking like a company, leveraging your core competencies and exercising clarity of strategic intent to achieve greatness. She urges parents to engineer relaxed evenings and to spend high-impact time with kids.

She attempts, in her book 168 Hours, to guide us toward a better awareness of time and how to manage it. We have more time than we think: Subtract 56 weekly sleeping hours (eight a night) and 50 hours for work and you still have 62 unscheduled hours each week. Of that, she reveals that husbands and wives talk to each other a mere 12 minutes daily!

Americans Optimistic About Personal Finances In The Future

The Pew Research Center�s Social & Demographic Trends Project reports that nearly a third �32%� of 2,967 adults surveyed in May said they had lost their job at some point during the current recession, which began in December 2007. Those surveyed, however, were optimistic going forward, with 62% saying they think their personal finances will improve in the next year. 

Growth Of Emerging Economies Good For USA

The largest of the world�s emerging economies (Brazil, Russia, India and China) have advanced their global GDP (global domestic product) share to 15% from 7% since 1995. And their relative economic expansion has come at the expense of Europe and Japan � but not the Unites States.

Fifteen years ago, the U.S. accounted for 25% of global GDP. Today it�s still 25%. Europe�s share however, has fallen to 21% from 25%, while Japan�s has plummeted to 9% from 18%. What�s more, this emerging market prosperity is advantageous as the emerging economies� increasing domestic demand(s) translates into a larger market for U.S. goods and services.

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. . .)


IRTA International Convention Coming To Pennsylvania

The International Reciprocal Trade Association has announced details of its upcoming 31st annual international convention, with the timely theme of �Modern Barter, Leading the Way to Global Economic Recovery.� The event will be held October 28 through October 30, at Pittsburgh�s convenient downtown Hilton Hotel.

�We expect this convention to draw over 125 attendees representing more than 75 trade exchanges from all over the world,� offered IRTA Executive Director Ron Whitney. �We will feature nationally renowned and powerful speakers, with seminars on sales, modern brokering, social networking, media training, technology, community currency/time dollars and much more.�

�The �Modern Barter, Leading the Way to Global Economic Recovery� conference theme will provide an excellent opportunity for us as an industry to demonstrate to the business and financial communities how the process of Modern Trade and Barter is on the leading edge of global economic recovery,� stressed IRTA President David Wallach.  

Mike Krane, President of Greenapple Barter Services in Pittsburgh, asserted, �We are proud to be able to host this year�s IRTA convention and incredibly excited by the energy and buzz that has been created by the IRTA team. This will certainly be a convention that no one in the industry should miss.�

Prior to the convention, on Wednesday evening October 27, Greenapple Barter will be hosting their huge Trade Show at the Pittsburgh Convention Center. All IRTA convention attendee companies are invited to participate in this remarkable trading opportunity by taking a booth at the show, which will feature 150 vendors and 1,000 attendees.

For more info on the IRTA convention and registration go to www.irta.com, or e-mail Ron Whitney at ron@irta.com.


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.


How To Start & Grow Your Business With Little Money

The following succinct tips and suggestions will enable your endeavors to launch and grow a new business:

         Cash flow is most important as it�s your oxygen. If it stops flowing for more than a brief period of time you�re dead. Obviously you must focus on cash flow. Your profit, market share, or anything else is secondary. One key to success � be very realistic when projecting your revenues.

         Barter should play a role in your company�s operational efforts. Methodical planning and execution of your trading efforts will generate additional cash flow, as barter purchases are made for needed products and services.

         Postpone any and every purchase by sharing /bartering office space, supplies and equipment. The more time you have before making a purchase the more time to ascertain what the best deal is, as well as clarifying your needs. (And remember, technology purchases tend to drop over time.)

         Use credit for (as) cash, not capital expenditures. Borrow money only to manage short-term gaps in cash flow. Don�t borrow money for large expenditures. You may have to personally guarantee those loans, which is how entrepreneurs end up in personal bankruptcy rather than just closing the business and moving on.

         Sell direct and focus on building close relationships. Manage your growth, make your customers your top priority. (Happy customers can be your most effective advertising.) And don�t sell or promise what you can�t deliver. Additionally, focus on establishing relationships to support your growth before you need them.

         Remember what business you�re in, you�re not in the business of lending money � so don�t. Get a payment, even a partial, upfront whenever possible. Make it your policy and be clear about it upfront payments.

         Be prudent, don�t gamble what you can�t afford to lose. Betting the entire company on one opportunity is gambling.

         Don�t hire any paid employees until profits enable you to pay them. Consider finding people who will work for equity or at least a deferred salary.

* * 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.


         International visitors look for BARTER CONTACTS in our Global Barter Section. If YOUR exchange isn�t listed see the forms on the lower left of the page. (Click here.)

         Attention trade exchange owners...thousands of visitors every month visit our BARTER CONTACTS section on our web site where we have names & addresses of barter companies in the USA. If YOUR exchange isn�t listed, or the information is incorrect, you can correct the situation by using the forms to the lower left of the USA map. (Click here.) 

Click here www.barternewsblog.com.


 

Celebrities, Movie Stars & Entertainers Value Power Of Barter

Stars and celebrities increasingly are looking for barter arrangements that offer a bigger piece of the action. Here are some recent examples:

         Ashton Kutcher has bartered for a minority stake in Popchips (a healthy snack-food maker), in addition to being named the company�s �President of Pop Culture.�

         Lady Gaga has been named chief creative officer of Polaroid. She will be helping develop new products, in addition to her financial stake in the company.

         Sarah Jessica Parker is the new chief creative officer of fashion brand Halston (owned by Hilco).

         Ellen DeGeneres has a 15% stake in Halo Purely for Pets.

         Several years ago rap artist 50 Cents cashed in on a barter deal (making millions) that he struck with Energy Brands Inc., maker of the Glaceau line of waters, including VitaminWater. (The company was later sold to Coca-Cola Company.)


Money-Making Reports Available From BarterNews

Editor�s note:

The following is an update on Jack Schacht, the former trade exchange founder/owner of Illinois Trade Association (ITA). Known during his barter career for his creativity, Schacht once again has engaged his tireless energy and imagination by building a new instrument for the huge nonprofit community.

New E-Commerce Fundraising Program Triples Nonprofits' Earning Power

In the post-recession nonprofit world, donations are down while demand for services is up, and nonprofit organizations (NPOs) everywhere are avidly searching for new, more powerful fundraising vehicles.

Enter ShopAsYouGive.com, a new twist on e-commerce fundraising that � according to co-founders Jack Schacht and Jim Novak � pays nonprofit partners three to four times more commissions than traditional affiliate marketing programs.

Sure, there are already dozens of online malls that offer commissions to member NPOs. But these programs, by their own admission, deliver an average of just 3% of gross sales. (Don't let their �we pay up to 30% commissions� claim mislead you. The reality is that very few retailers in such programs pay at the highest levels.)

�The affiliate marketing model only takes you so far,� noted Schacht, Managing Partner, who built the largest independent U.S. barter exchange (ITA) in the 1980s. �We conducted mountains of research, and then collaborated with nonprofit professionals to develop an original business model.�

Instead of basing commissions on gross sales, Shop As You Give bases commissions on gross profits. A full 30% of gross profits, to be exact. The company, which cut aggressive deals with more than 100 top manufacturers, employs a 50-60% retail markup. NPO partners share 30% of that markup. Do the math, and it translates to 10-12% of gross sales, as opposed to the standard 3%. That�s a much better deal in any economy.

Shop As You Give not only was created with input from the nonprofit community, its advisory board is composed of nonprofit professionals. As a result, it boasts some unique twists and benefits that cater to NPOs.

For example, �Our nonprofit partners can request an additional donation at check-out, a benefit other programs can�t duplicate,� declared Leticia Villalon-Soler, who chairs the firm�s Nonprofit Advisory Board and is a professional fundraiser at a major university in the Northeast. �This can make a significant difference in earnings.�

And that�s just for starters. Other benefits with Shop As You Give include:

         Each nonprofit can essentially create its own online store, by branding web pages with the organization�s own logo.

         NPOs can easily eliminate categories or sub-categories of products that conflict with their mission.

         While the store is stocked with thousands of products � including apparel, jewelry, electronic items, and pet supplies � there�s a special emphasis on natural, organic and eco-friendly products, as well as items that are American made.

         Prices are competitive. Shop As You Give developed proprietary software that allows it to regularly compare its prices to those of other online retailers.

         Participating NPOs will receive ongoing promotions and discounts, which make it easy to publicize the program to supporters.

To participate in the program, nonprofits must be licensed 501(c) organizations, reported Novak, VP of Enrollment. The enrollment form is posted on www.ShopAsYouGive.com.

In the process of launching a 60-day beta test, the firm is enlisting the aid of 500 NPO test partners. Participating nonprofits will receive an extra 20% commission � for a total of 50% of gross profits � during the test period. The test will launch in late summer, with the official grand opening planned in time for the Christmas season. �We can�t wait to get started,� admitted Novak. �And, yes, we�re still accepting nonprofit test partners.�

For more info or to participate in the nonprofit beta test program e-mail j.novak@shopasyougive.com.


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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.


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