ART OF TRADING FOR BUSINESSES

Today, Trade Directors are taking the ancient art of bartering to a new level that’s capitalizing on a tight credit market and turning excess inventory or underutilized time into income. It can also be a way to build brand awareness and business connections.
 

Small companies can do informal bartering on their own—trading menu-printing services for free Chinese take-out, for instance. But trade directors make the process easier and potentially more profitable.

Plumbers, lawyers, accountants, bakers, restaurant owners, landscapers and many other businesses register with an exchange such as Trade International Exchange (TIE) and agree to accept TIE dollars. Payment goes into their TIE account, and the businesses can use that currency to pay for other goods and services within the network.

As with any bank account, business owners can log in, check their balance and save their funds. Then they can check the directory of thousands of other businesses when they’re ready to spend it.

“If you’re paying cash for services—like printing, landscaping, payroll services—we can convert that to trade,” says Nicole Graham, Senior Trade Director of TIE, in the South Florida area.  “You’ll save your cash and and still get what you want or need.”

Trade is especially useful for small to medium-size businesses as a way to boost income and increase brand awareness.