Top ten tips for making the perfect swop
Swopping skills, services and even hobbies is a great way to get something you need without having to pay for it in cash.
It may be something you’re used to doing quite naturally in your day to day life, especially if you attend business networking groups – Swopatrade takes this and rolls it out on a huge scale so that potential traders in a huge variety of industries and locations can be found in a matter of minutes.
The innovative creation of Swopatrade means businesses everywhere can now access services they may not have been able to afford otherwise, in exchange for a few hours of extra work that you can fit in when it suits you.
So, that all sounds great, but how do you go about making effective swops on a large platform like this? With that in mind, we’ve come up with our top ten tips to help you get the ball rolling on making the perfect swop.
- Sell yourself. It all starts with a good profile that really sells you and your business, or the services you have to offer. The more you put into your profile, the more you can build your reputation and get people interested in what you do. Getting this right from the outset can help you attract more swops – and therefore get more swops in return.
- Photos and videos. A picture (or video) can say a thousand words, so adding imagery to your profile can help you stand out from the crowd.
- What do you have to offer. Think about all the different services you have to offer and list them individually, that way you’re not limiting yourself.
- Check demand. Different services are most in demand at different times and it’s worth keeping an eye on these to see if you can tap into that demand. Popular services include personal trainers, language tutors, web developers, legal advisors, recruiters, nutritionists and cleaners.
- Know your worth. Before you add your swops and request swops from others, make sure you’ve really considered your worth. Swopping your trade could be easy – for example, you may have a set price or a set hourly rate, but it is something that needs to be quantified so you can ensure you’re trading something of similar value.
- Be specific. Once you make contact with someone to negotiate a particular swop, make sure you set out what you’re looking for and what you can offer in return clearly and in detail. This may include specifying number of hours of work, any preferred times or terms and conditions that need highlighting.
- Be professional. It may sound obvious, but Swopatrade is a business community in which you can build your reputation, so every contact or dealing you have with someone counts – even if you’re saying ‘thanks, but no thanks’ on occasion. It’s best to treat every contact as a business transaction and be courteous.
- Build trust. Successful swopping is all about trust, on both sides. It may help to email or call someone you may potentially be able to do business with to assist in building that mutual trust.
- Be reliable. It’s fine to decline a trade while you’re still negotiating, as long as you let the other person know in a timely fashion that it’s not for you. However, once you’ve made an agreement it’s important to stick to that and fulfil your end of the deal. If any problems arise, then keeping the lines of communication open can make all the difference to the success of your swop.
- Recommend, review and refer. Swopatrade is all about building a community of like-minded business people. This involves leaving reviews, recommending and referring the services of others. But don’t wait for someone to refer or review you – take the initiative and thank someone for a job well done, or recommend them to another person. It’s likely that people will then want to do the same for you.
Hopefully this article has given you a good starting point on how to take the first steps towards your perfect swop today, and you can also have a look at our frequently asked questions for more information.
Top 10 benefits of swopping
Swopatrade is an online community of professional people looking to swop their skills, services and hobbies with each other.
It’s something that many people may do naturally in their day-to-day lives – after all, the concept of bartering is probably as old as time itself – and it is common practice among members of business networking groups.
Swopatrade takes that concept to a whole new level, opening this up to a large online audience of professional people all looking to work together to mutual advantage, with swops being found in a matter of minutes.
There’s a reason the concept of bartering has stood the test of time and there are many benefits to getting involved in this new more modern format.
Here are our top 10 benefits to swopping:
1) Save money. There are many benefits of swopping services which you’ll read about in this article, but the absolute bottom line is that it’s a great way to save money. Although there may be the return investment of your time, by exchanging services you’ll be able to get something you need or want while protecting the bank balance and cashflow.
2) Start a business. Swopping is a great way to help start a business, especially if you haven’t got the funds needed for things like marketing services, financial advice, recruitment etc.
3) Grow your business. Trading services could help you to speed up plans for growth that may otherwise be on hold while you save money or secure the level of investment needed. For example, perhaps you want to get a website built, get a logo designed, or have some leaflets printed – these are all services you could potentially gain through Swopatrade in exchange for something you have to offer.
4) Boost your business. It’s not just about growth, it could be that you’re experiencing a quiet time and you’re not sure how to get out of it, or make ends meet in the meantime. If you have spare time on your hands, start trading services – you never know who you might meet or where it could lead.
5) A network of ‘go-to’ professionals. While traditional forms of networking can be great for business, it’s usually a real slow-burner. It can take several months to build relations and even find people who you can mutually trade with. Swopatrade brings a ready-made community of willing ‘swoppers’ to your fingertips. You’ll soon build a network of tried and tested people you can call upon when needed.
6) Free marketing. If you put the effort in, Swopatrade can be a great marketing tool. If you create a decent profile for yourself and offer a great service, the word will soon spread. You can reap the rewards of feedback, reviews and recommendations from fellow swoppers and this will quickly reach the online network.
7) Perks. It’s not just about business, you can use Swopatrade to take advantage of perks, such as personal training sessions, nutritional advice, gifts and more.
8) Can be done in your spare time. Depending on your skill, hobby or service, providing swops can be done as an aside in your spare time as and when you can fit it in. You could even use it to get those previously-mentioned lifestyle treats to indulge in on the days you’re not working.
9) New connections. The connections you make through Swopatrade could benefit your business for years to come. If you’re an electrician for example, there might be many occasions where you could pass work a plumber’s way and maybe vice versa. This could lead to a lasting new partnership.
10) It’s fun! In addition to all of the above, seeing what services or skills you can take advantage is really good fun, especially if it boosts your business or gives you extra little perks to enjoy.
If this sounds interesting, why not set up a profile and start browsing? You never know what you might find. For more information, you can also read our frequently asked questions at https://swopatrade.com/faqs/.
The History of Bartering
If you’ve ever swapped one of your toys with a friend in return for one of their toys, you have bartered. Bartering is trading services or goods with another person when there is no money involved. This type of exchange was relied upon by early civilisations. There are even cultures within modern society who still rely on this type of exchange. Bartering has been around for a very long time, however, it’s not necessarily something that an economy or society has relied solely on.
What is a Barter System?
A barter system is an old method of exchange, Swopatrade.com is a new method of exchange. This system has been used for centuries and long before money was invented. People exchanged services and goods for other services and goods in return. Today, bartering has made a comeback using techniques that are more sophisticated to aid in trading; for instance, the Internet. In ancient times, this system involved people in the same area, however today bartering is global. The value of bartering items can be negotiated with the other party. Bartering doesn’t involve money which is one of the advantages. You can buy items by exchanging an item you have but no longer want or need. Generally, trading in this manner is done through swap markets, Swopatrade.com being one!
History of Bartering
The history of bartering dates all the way back to 6000 BC. Introduced by Mesopotamia tribes, bartering was adopted by Phoenicians. Phoenicians bartered goods to those located in various other cities across oceans. Babylonian’s also developed an improved bartering system. Goods were exchanged for food, tea, weapons, and spices. At times, human skulls were used as well. Salt was another popular item exchanged. Salt was so valuable that Roman soldiers’ salaries were paid with it. In the Middle Ages, Europeans traveled around the globe to barter crafts and furs in exchange for silks and perfumes. Colonial Americans exchanged musket balls, deer skins, and wheat. When money was invented, bartering did not end, it become more organized.
Due to lack of money, bartering became popular in the 1930s during the Great Depression. It was used to obtain food and various other services. It was done through groups or between people who acted similar to banks. If any items were sold, the owner would receive credit and the buyer’s account would be debited.
Advantages of Bartering
There are great advantages to bartering. As mentioned earlier, you do not need money to barter. Another advantage is that there is flexibility in bartering. For instance, related services can be traded such as graphic design in exchange for printing. Or, items that are completely different can be traded such as gardening for IT support. Event homes can now be exchanged when people are traveling, which can save both parties money. For instance, if your parents have friends in another country and they need somewhere to stay while on a family holiday, their friends may trade their home for a week or so in exchange for your parents allowing them to use your home.
Another advantage of bartering is that you do not always have to part with material items. Instead, you can offer a service in exchange for an item. For instance, if your friend has a skateboard that you want and their bicycle needs work, if you are good at fixing things, you can offer to fix their bike in exchange for the skateboard. With bartering two parties can get something they want or need from each other without having to spend any money.
