There’s a thorn in the side of every business owner, a bugbear – something that’s a constant reminder that your business is not quite there yet. It’s that “If only” niggle that prevents you from fully reaching your business potential or exceeding it!
For some, it’s the challenge of attracting new customers or filling those vacant time slots or empty seats. Others have excess or idle stock that’s taking up space and gathering dust. Many business owners want to expand their business, upgrade their systems, or purchase new equipment but lack the funds to make it happen.
Here are the four most common “If only” challenges faced by most businesses. How many can you relate to?
If only I could attract more customers… and keep them
Finding it a challenge to bring new customers through the door? Frustrated with having to continually spend money on advertising to attract new clients?
With over 10,000 cardholders in New Zealand, Bartercard guarantees to increase your customer base by between five and 15 per cent in your first 12 months. That’s a big claim, but they’ve been doing it continually for over 28 years. Do the math and work out what a difference five, ten or 15 per cent would make to your bottom line.
The beauty is, you get to decide just how much Bartercard business you want to take… and when. It’s like a tap you can turn on and off. During peak times, turn the tap off and in slow periods, turn it back on again. You remain in control of how much extra business you can handle.
Remember, Bartercard customers are ‘new’ customers on top of your existing ones. Bartercard customers are loyal and will keep coming back to spend their trade dollars with you. On top of that, if they’re happy with your products or services, they will refer cash-paying customers to your business. What a bonus!
If only I could move my excess stock or slow-moving items
Is idle or excess stock impacting your business? Do you find you’re having to discount to move stock?
Bartercard members are keen to spend their trade dollars. They would rather purchase your products at full price using trade dollars than spend their hard-earned cash with your competitor. This gives you a great advantage enabling you to sell off your excess or slow-moving stock and recoup the full retail price.
Using an alternative digital currency such as trade dollars through Bartercard also helps preserve your brand rather than potentially devaluing it through heavy discounting.
If only I didn’t have so many empty seats or vacant time slots
Do you have times of the day or week, or seasonally when your business could do with a boost? Are there vacant seats you’d like to fill or empty appointments in your diary?
With Bartercard, you can easily convert your downtime and spare capacity into new revenue. Very few businesses run at full capacity… or want to! But every business wants to fill some of those vacant spots when they appear. Use Bartercard to fill those quiet periods with new customers who are happy to use their trade dollars.
After all, you still have to pay your rent, electricity, and wages whether you have one customer a day or ten, so utilise the Bartercard network to help fill the gaps. Bartercard can even help advertise your vacancies to their network for you, at no cost!
If only I had the funds to put into growing my business
Are you wanting to expand but don’t have the cash to do so? Need new equipment but can’t afford it?
An advance on trade dollar sales can help! Bartercard offers its members a trade dollar advance so you can start making purchases straight away. This helps keep cash in your business as you use your trade dollars on products and services you would usually pay for with cash.
Depending on your type of business and trading and credit history you may be able to access a considerable advance in trade dollars. This can enable you to refurbish your premises, purchase new equipment, upgrade your computer systems, build a website, or advertise to attract new cash business.
Where would you improve your business if you could receive an advance today?
Don’t take our word for it
Here’s a testimonial from a member that demonstrates the power of Bartercard in your business.
“We have been a Bartercard member for 17 years. As owners of a food/confectionery manufacturing business, a gift basket business and a newly added café, Bartercard is and has been of substantial benefit to our business over those years. Rather than having to spend cash, we were able to utilise our trade dollars on a range of products and services which were usual cash spends. These included tradesmen for R&M, equipment packaging and packaging supplies, gift baskets and contents for gift baskets.
Recently we expanded by adding the café and Bartercard was a huge benefit in helping with the fit out. We utilised trade dollars to buy kitchen equipment, furniture, crockery, water cooler as well as other services such as our website, advertising, printing and products for sale in our café like gelato and high-end chocolates.
Over the years we have seen a steady increase in customer traffic with very little effort on our behalf. We put this down to being a Bartercard member and being exposed to a network we wouldn’t have had if we were just in a cash business. We make it work for us but being in this industry we haven’t found it difficult.
Bartercard has allowed not only the business to thrive, but it’s allowed us to grow. Our long-standing business has been a food and confectionery factory, manufacturing predominantly fudge and other associated products, with a small factory shop. The dream had been to grow the business into an integrated factory and café and retail shop with a higher profile, to increase our reach to a direct customer.
Without Bartercard, we would not have been able to achieve this. We opened the new premises a few months ago. With the advance on trade dollar sales, we were able to pay for a large amount of the expansion costs on Bartercard.
Thank you, Bartercard.”
Read more inspiring testimonials today and learn how Bartercard is benefiting real business owners.
