1. Make a list of what you need–vinyl wrap for your company vehicles, free marketing, coaching, equipment, supplies, training, web site services, accounting, equipment repair.

2. Identify Potential Barter Partners.  Start with partners located within your market whose company is a comparable size to your own.  Research the prospective partner companies online or by asking around about the company.

3. Design your “Ask” by thinking through what both sides need and get from the Barter.  Be clear and honest about it for both sides.  Use language such as “win-win partnership” or “partnership that genuinely benefits both of us.”  Offer, “and you may have other benefits I haven’t thought of.”

4. Ask the Barter Partner.  Start by asking only one company in each service area at a time–don’t ask three accountants for instance, approach one and then wait for the resolution of this potential partnership before approaching another accountant.  Have your calculations done in advance, your service for my company is a $1500 value and therefore I would happy to provide monthly house cleaning of your home for 12 months, a $1560 value.

5. Be specific about the exact steps involved for both parties.  Be sure to identify steps involved, frequencies, support required, resources involved, expected results and remedy or resolution suggested in the event the partnership does not work out for one or both parties.

Don’t forget that you also have gift cards to use, as well as vouchers for free cleanings in addition to the service of house cleaning.

Some great resources online:

www.barterplanet.com

www.bizxchange.com

www.craigslist.org

www.u-exchange.com