It Takes Two to Tango

That’s right, I feel another analogy coming on. Remember back in High School how excited we’d get when it was time for the school dance? We spent hours getting ready, danced in front of the mirror and dreamt of that certain someone asking us to dance.

Now some of us were Go-Getters and had no hesitation in grabbing a partner to dance. Others were referred to as "Posers" (and you know who you are) who stood against the wall with their arms crossed, waiting for someone to ask.

Bartering is the same. Some people have no reservations on contacting as many people as possible. They don’t get discouraged if their offer is declined because they know there are many other opportunities.

Then there are those that get excited at the notion of bartering and usually do a lot of browsing. They probably even come across a few deals that sound interesting but for one reason or another, they decide to wait.

Now of course this doesn’t apply to people who are completely new to bartering. Their browsing is more of a learning process until their ready to start.

What we need to remember is that the most important part of bartering is communication. It doesn’t work if you’re waiting around for someone to make the move. Granted, bartering may not be for everyone but when I come across someone saying, “Bartering didn’t work for me,” I tend to wonder if they were a Poser.

What I’d like to ask them is this. Did you make your offer attractive or did you supply minimal information? Unless you’re in a niche market, you’re probably competing with many others offering the same service. What made your offer stand out?

If given the option, did you add photos to your listing? Curiosity makes more people view listings with photos, than without.

Did you check in often and if so, did you contact anyone? You could be passing up a great deal. Some people are open to many trade offers, what’s the worst they can say? There’s more to bartering than just “signing up.” Offers won’t just fall onto your lap; you have to go get them. If there’s no effort made, then there’s no success.

If you’re a Go-Getter, than all the more power to you. If you’ve just come to the healthy conclusion that you may have poser like qualities, then don’t just stand there…bust a move.