Attention Trade Exchange Owners. . .It�s GROW OR GO!

The magic bullet for growth is sales, always has been and always will be...yet the industry�s overall growth is anemic. Why? Maybe it�s because we�re not providing on-going education about our unique way of doing business. Knowledge is always a pre-requisite to taking sustained action.

And for those newcomers, the lifeblood of an exchange, awareness of and understanding about the value of trading is even more important.

If you expect prospects to come aboard and your members to be more active traders, but you are perplexed when the results are less than you desire...there�s a good reason. You must continually educate and motivate every month--month after month after month!

Such action is necessary because, let�s face it, more cash business, not trade, is of paramount importance to your members. You must break through this �cash only� focus and redirect their thinking toward barter. Although most exchanges don�t see the importance of doing so, many industry leaders are taking action and so can you.

As the owner of your own operation, there is an easy and inexpensive solution for moving forward...look into using The Competitive Edge newsletter. It�s a camera-ready, 4-page, professionally written, informational marketing tool...available in PDF format as well as print. So regardless of how you reach your prospects and clients, you will have the necessary vehicle.

Written especially for you, the busy trade exchange owner, I am certain it will be the best investment you ever make.

For more information about The Competitive Edge, and how it can benefit you click here.

Thought Of The Week 

�When a customer complains, consider getting down on your knees to offer profuse gratitude because that person has just provided you with priceless advice � free of charge.� 

 �Oren Harari, in March issue of �Management Review�.

How To Build Your Networking Know-How 

When you get a business card, don't just file it. Write on it everything you know about the person � hobbies, interests, children � anything that might be helpful in later conversations with that person. It�s better than relying on your memory.

�X � Marks The Spot 

Do you have a few Generation X employees in your company? Are you wondering what types of trips they would prefer for an earned award? 

According to the Radnor (PA)-based The Collegiate Marketing Co., X-ers are most interested in fantasy places like Costa Rica and Fiji. They are also interested in active vacations � they would prefer to climb a mountain, go whitewater rafting or exploring, rather than just sitting on the beach. 

Check with your trade exchange for trips that fit these criteria.

3 Factors Determining Your Peak Performance State! 

If you read best-selling author Tony Robbins (Unlimited Power and Awaken the Giant Within), you'll learn that three things determine your energy or �peak performance� state. 

�      The clearer the positive focus you have on what you�re doing, the better chance for high performance. So the first factor that determines when you�re in this state is what you focus on. For a company it�s the visionary part of leadership...including your organization's mission, values, and visions of perfection. 

�      The second factor is your physiology (how you walk, breathe and act.) It�s important to recognize that actions � not words � are what matters. For energy to be maximized in your organization, what you�re focusing on must be translated into behavior. 

�      The third factor determining your �peak performance� state is your routine. How you go about doing something. What is done first, second and then third? A routine that matches with aligned physiology and focus is powerful in terms of individual performance. (Professional athletes are good examples of such physiology alignment.) 

In your organization it�s your company�s systems � policies, procedures and guidelines � that are important. In short, you must align your systems with your company�s visions and behavior.

Time Is Money, So It's Not Too Early To Think About. . . 

If your establishment is especially busy prior to Christmas, you'll want to notify and encourage your regular barter customers to schedule early appointments. 

Such a service not only shows respect for them and their business, but you�ll free-up time for any new customers during the hectic holidays. This, in turn, will enable you to enlarge your customer base and �grow sales.�

* * 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.