Bartercard Blog: Helpful Advice from a Bartercard Member

By: Bartercard Australia

If you are a business-owner or about to become one, you know that the process to make it successful will make you bleed from business registration to advertising, even down to the employees you’re hiring. It is an arduous task to manage and it can take a toll on someone’s health along the way.

Bernadette Lewis, when she was just starting Aunty Bea’s Designs in 2013, she had to work for long hours each week exhausting her every time. Not only that she had to establish herself she also had to pitch in clients to increase her income and buy more cotton fabrics for babies' and children’s wear that she sews and sells. But she found a way to make things a bit easier for her after some time. 

Although it was a little late when Bernadette came across Bartercard, the leading trade exchange company that only uses trade dollars, she instantly found it to be “a good idea” and decided to utilise the benefits to her advantage. After some time of learning how the company operates, the ins and outs of trading products and services with other businesses within the Bartercard network, she started recommending the company to her friends whenever she has accumulated good services from Bartercard.

In the course of the phone interview, Bernadette mentioned several things that could be helpful for other members knowing that members or not, there will always be skeptics of a certain company and she admits that there are ups and downs, however, it only depends on the person how to manage that.

I took a mental note of the things she mentioned and decided to come up with a list that worked for her as an active trader and a businesswoman from the Bartercard network. 

1.  Look for other things you can do for your business.

“If you are just starting, your business will always first involve cash. But if you can find time to research what others ways that would work for your business so you can save more income, find time to look for what it is. It is always important to have some money on the side all the time. Bartercard truly helps in this aspect.”

2.  Trade

“Always trade your dollars so you can gain what you want while saving your cash at the same time.”

3.      Watch your trade dollars

“One downside in having a lot of trade dollars is sometimes ended up having more and nothing to spend it on. Keep your trade dollars amount at bay.”

4.       Always check the marketplace

“Frequent in the marketplace. The Bartercard marketplace might not have all of the items you need but you will always see things you can spend your trade dollars on.”

5.      Explore Bartercard

“Bartercard promises a lot of benefits and they do deliver. Three things that I liked about Bartercard is first, Bartercard allows me to save. Second, Bartercard does bring in additional clients from within its network. My business is doing well, it’s booming, but I like how Bartercard is delivering me more work to do. I have around three or four regular clients that are from Bartercard. It’s lovely. Third, whenever you have the opportunity to get your business out there, use that opportunity. Sometimes your business won’t be recognized just by telling people to come by. Sometimes, you really have to go out there and get it.”

In December 2018, Bernadette was one of the Bartercard members who participated in the Christmas Shop Fest in Brisbane. She managed to sell more than 5, 000 of her sewn children’s clothing on Bartercard and she was elated on the sales development of her business.

6.      Always cooperate with your trade coordinator

“Sometimes, people don’t understand how something operates because either no one is telling them how it works or they don’t approach someone who knows how to make it work. It’s the same in Bartercard, like, at first, I couldn’t use it because I don’t know what to spend my trade dollars on. There was nothing that I could spend it on until I cooperated with my trade coordinator. He has really helped me a lot in terms of purchasing items from the marketplace that I never thought would be useful for me and to interact with a fellow trader. The trade coordinator is there, he’s always there to assist so if there is anything you need from Bartercard, always give your trade coordinator a call so you’ll know what to.”

7.      Before you spend in the cash economy, look first in Bartercard.

If you want to see and order some of Bernadette’s work, go to https://www.auntybeasdesigns.com/default.html.

To order for customized clothing for babies and kids, fill out a form in the Custom Order Request section at https://www.auntybeasdesigns.com/default.html. 

If you’re now considering to become a member, have a free consultation at www.bartercard.com.au.