Bartering for Free Advertising

The art of bartering goods and services is making a comeback - if it ever truly went away in the first place. In the past, most deals were made face to face. Today, the web is filled with sites designed  to facilitate the cash free-exchange of books, cars and even houses. In this post, I'll discuss two ways you can get your business noticed without having to spend any money.

Reciprocal Advertising
Simply but, symetrical reciprocity may defined as an even trade. "I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine". For example, John builds furniture and has a showroom. He displays some of Jane's hand-bound journals in his bookcases, and vise-versa. He also trades with Sue, who  makes stained glass lamps, and vise-versa. In this example, John has spent no money, but has essentially tripled his showroom exposure. He could also take a small commission on any books or lamps he sells, and of course, vise-versa. The key is to find complimentary, non-competitive arrangements. A picture framer displays and sells the work of a painter or photographer and vise versa.

You've likely also heard of reciprocal website linking, or trading links with another site. This is a complex topic, the discussion of which could fill an entire article or small book, so I'll simply say that it's usually a good idea, especially between friends who are not out to scam each other. I engage in reciprocal linking to and from my own site, but as a website designer, I know how to get the best side of the deal, or at least make it a fair exchange. I recommend keeping website linking between friends if you have not researched the topic fully - it's actually easier to lose website ranking than it is to gain ranking if you don't know what you are doing.


Bartering For Advertising
Bartering or simple trading may involve two or more items of equal or non-equal value. It can involve money, goods or services, and it's usually initiated by someone who wants what someone else has. It's the best deal you can make for what you want. Finding someone who needs what you can provide is a good way to start. A coffee house displays and sells the work of local painters. Joe the sculptor writes technique articles for Contemporary Sculpture magazine in exchange for ads in the magazine. Tracy exchanges marquetry instruction with a Rick, film maker, who creates a few videos for her website.

Finding Opportunites
Finding opportunities to barter is actually fairly easy. Walk around an arts district with your portfolio and talk to shop owners. Troll the web for sites on which you'd like to advertise and contact the site owners. Put a flyer on a bulletin board. Post on Facebook. Use caution if you use Craig's List, which has turned into a den of vice and a haunt for scammers of every variety.

The Flip Side
Trading is a great way to save money and get noticed. But there are a few associated pitfalls. Deals can sour - those videos Tracy traded for may turn out badly. Furniture in a friend's showroom can (and likely will) get damaged. In all cases, I strongly recommend creating a contract for any deal you make, clearly stating the terms. Even a saved email exchange will work in a pinch to jog a partner's memory.

So, what are you waiting for? Get out there and engage in some symmetrical reciprocity today!