Succeeding in business is all about two things: developing your skills, and learning how to market them. Contra dealing is a way for you to do both. In order to ensure that you thrive within the business world, you need to establish strong relationships, develop a level of trust within the industry, and you need to do this as quickly and efficiently as possible. Non-currency based deals can help this happen.
Networks
It isn’t what you know, it’s who you know – right? One of the bedrock principles of business success rests on the importance of forming a strong network of contacts. This is what establishes you as an industry figure, keeps you up to date with the latest news, and – most importantly – helps you gain leads for future work.
This becomes much easier with contra dealing. For a start, exchanging services instead of money makes it much simpler to develop a relationship, but that’s really just the start. Instead of charging someone money for a service, ask them to pass your name on to people who might need your help. You can essentially provide a service in exchange for being made part of someone’s existing business network.
References
Making yourself known is one thing, but making sure that people can trust your services is quite another. If you provide services instead of money, you’ll have an opportunity to impress another businessperson or company you might otherwise not have brushed shoulders with. You can then ask them for a high-quality reference in payment. That might not seem like a good deal in the short-term, but references mean bigger clients later on.
Online Credibility
Networks and references ultimately combine into one major advantage: a legitimate online presence. Having a strong network built up on a networking site like LinkedIn, as well as a string of references linked to your profile, lets potential clients and partners instantly recognise that you are credible.
Contra dealing is a great way to expand your business, both directly and indirectly. If you need to establish yourself quickly, there’s no better method.