Issue link: http://cp.revolio.com/i/15024
support technician likes to give his wife a gift card or products and, in exchange, he deducts the service or product dollar amount from his bill for labor. “Some hotels, airlines, art dealers, and automobile dealerships will entertain bartering with you through an independent barter program. These programs take a fee or require a membership fee,” Oskin says. Vipperman says to avoid any deal when a company that wants to barter does not reflect the same values as your company. BARTER FOR CLIENTS Experts agree that bartering, when done correctly, can increase the number of new clients who come to you. Dickey says she knows of a massage therapist/spa owner who barters with concierge and front desk personnel at local hotels to increase new client traffic. For every five customer referrals a hotel concierge sends over, the concierge receives a complimentary “automatic treatment,” such as an ion foot spa or far infrared therapy; in other words, a service that doesn’t require much or any hands-on time from a professional. To initiate the barter, the spa owner also offers a complimentary 30-minute to hour-long massage and sample sessions of the ion foot spa and far infrared services so the concierge can go back and tell hotel guests about the treatments. “If you barter on a regular basis and for large amounts, try to barter for smaller $25 to $50-value gift certificates,” Oskin says. “This will give you and your barter partner the opportunity to help each other with cross-marketing. For example, you can barter $500 at a time with a restaurant, while receiving 10 $50 gift certificates. These restaurant gift certificates can be used by you to enjoy yourself. Some can be used as staff and client incentives, contest rewards, or bonuses. You should give the restaurant owner 10 $50 skin care gift certificates, so they will in turn send you at least 10 of their best customers. The smaller the bartered gift certificates, the more opportunities you will have to be networked to potential new clients,” Oskin says. According to Reagan, the classic barter is when you offer a free service for a referral. “Word-of- mouth advertising is a gift, plus in this economy, it is critical,” she says. TRADE FOR ANYTHING Caballero likes to work with her competitors. She gets together with a group of spa owners who have similar revenue and barters with each one. “We each issue gift cards for a specific amount and we give them as incentives and education to staff,” Caballero says. “The latest one was for the top retailer in the esthetics department. After they receive the service, they need to return with a report on their experience, what they learned, and what ideas they have. This allows them to become clients and see things from a client’s perspective—from making the appointment to the service. It’s an eye-opener.” Reagan has done tons of bartering, she says. “I bartered my annual membership with the chamber of commerce,” she says. “In exchange for membership, the staff of the chamber (eight people) could have a discounted (30 percent off) facial or massage six times a year. This was great because I was still receiving income, plus eight new clients, and word-of-mouth advertising.” She says she also bartered for her drinking water system, public relations services, radio advertising, and with the local PBS television station. Vipperman has also bartered with a local radio station as well, and says it was her best experience. “The station owner, his wife, and family got free services in exchange for live broadcasting from my spa for a live auction from our location,” Vipperman says. “I promoted an evening of giving and had local businesses give items or services to be auctioned off. I did this during our slow period and we far exceeded our revenue at that time than we did during our busy season. And we had a ton of fun doing it.” Bartering can help businesses achieve goals, can expand a client base, and can be used to stimulate employees when done fairly. “Stay tuned to your energy and if you sense things that hint of unfairness, or your own feelings of martyrdom or victimhood come up, have another discussion with your barter mate,” Dickey says. “Maybe it’s time to move on or start paying each other for services in the future.” q Monica Schuloff Smith is a Miami-based freelance writer, editor, and industry consultant, and is the former editor in chief of Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa. She has authored hundreds of articles related to the skin care and spa industries. Smith is a member of the Florida Board of Cosmetology. She can be reached at monsmith@bellsouth.net. www.ascpskincare.com successful business handbook 43