A Simple Practice That Boosts Your Bottom Line

It sounds simple, and it is. But it's a powerful way to stretch your cash, grow your trade network, and make barter an integral part of your daily business operations.

Here’s how it works:

Whenever a salesperson or vendor approaches your business offering a product or service you need, make it a standard part of the conversation to ask if they would be open to accepting trade dollars. Let them know your company participates in a barter network and prefers to do business with vendors who can also work within that system.

Explain it like this: “We use trade because it’s good business. Along with price, quality, service, and terms, we also consider a vendor’s willingness to accept trade as a factor in our purchasing decisions.”

Some will say yes. Some won’t. But every time you find a vendor who’s open to trade or willing to learn more, you expand your buying power and reduce your out-of-pocket expenses. And here’s the best part: when you refer a new business to IMS and they join, you earn a referral bonus. That means you not only gain a new vendor you can pay in trade dollars — you also get rewarded for helping grow the network.

When a vendor shows interest, connect them with your IMS broker, or pass along their information so that an IMS sales representative can reach out to complete the process of opening an account for them. Let your vendor know a purchase is ready to go as soon as they become a member. And if they deliver as promised, you can place repeat orders with no additional cash cost. Even if only a portion of your vendors say yes, the benefits add up quickly. You’ll save cash, gain new trade partners, and build stronger business relationships—all while earning bonuses along the way.

The bottom line? Don’t wait for vendors to offer barter—ask for it. Every time. It’s a small step that yields big rewards.