Barter Your Way to Success – and to Further Professional Development
Before there was money, there was bartering – an exchange of skills, services, or products instead of using money.
During a recession, with less money in circulation, bartering can be a way to create an alternate economy, such as occurred during a recession in the early 1980s, when many bartering clubs sprung up. As club members, people could gain points for the skills, services or products they offered; then others could use the points they acquired for own skills, services, or products to buy the offerings from others. The clubs used various systems to make sure there was a balance between what people offered and what they could buy from others. Then, as the economy improved, the membership in these clubs declined as people joined the mainstream economy.
Given the loss of jobs today, this seems to be a good approach to renew, whether you organize or join a bartering system. Consider it a part of your professional development, too.
If you become an organizer, running a barter service is like running a new business. So bring to it the kind of approach you would to running any new business, including coordinating everyday operations and marketing and promoting the business. Plus you also need a minimal number of people with different skills in your local area, so members can offer a wide range of skills, products, and services for an exchange.
To participate in bartering, decide on what products, skills, or services you can offer in exchange with your own contacts or post whatever you are offering on one of the social media sites like Linked In. You can also tell people in your list of e-mail contacts what you are offering and what you want. Or join a bartering service to list your skills, services, and products and describe what you hope to gain in exchange – besides gaining money, this will also contribute to your professional development.
To determine what to list, think about what you have done in the past and list what you can offer that might be of interest to someone else. If you have a lot to offer, divide up your skills, services, or products by category and post them separately.
For more ideas on how to achieve what you want, you can see some chapters from my books Want It, See It, Get It (www.wantitseeitgetit.com).
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Gini Graham Scott, Ph.D. is the author of over 50 books and a seminar and workshop leader, specializing in work relationships and professional and personal development. Her latest books include Want It, See It, Get It and Enjoy! 101 Little Ways to Add Fun to Your Work Everyday, both from AMACOM.
More on Topics: Barter, Economy, Employment, Money, Professional Development, Unemployment, Work
Tags: Barter, Economy, Employment, Money, Professional Development, Unemployment, Work
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