It’s something every business owner knows they need to do but very few put aside the time for it. Not surprisingly, it’s those who do that tend to be the most successful. Strategic planning is essential to the development and growth of your business. So why is it like pulling teeth to get business owners to sit down and focus on it? The answer is clear. You’re too busy working IN your business to take a step back and work ON your business. Strategy and planning is put on the backburner while you deal with more pressing issues.

You work hard for every dollar you earn in your business. The last thing you want is to waste it on hit-and-miss advertising or marketing campaigns. You need to make sure your investment in marketing is working for you and giving you the greatest possible return.

As you plan, measure and track your marketing efforts, you will learn what works (and doesn’t) for your business. Then you can focus your efforts on the right type of marketing to generate the best results. 

Aroha O’Brien is still floating on cloud 9 after celebrating her magical wedding to husband John, not just for the obvious reasons, but the fact that being a Bartercard employee, she benefitted from the vast network of members to help her plan her big day. Aroha has worked for Bartercard for 11 years as a Corporate Receptionist and more latterly as a Member Services Officer and assisting the Bartercard Directors. She and her husband-to-be planned their wedding in just seven months, and we caught up with Aroha on her return to work.

No matter how long you’ve been in your business or how smoothly you run it, you can be sure that at some point there will be challenges. That’s simply the nature of business. There are times when you’ll get off track, experience a downturn or hit a plateau. It doesn’t mean you have to stay there for long. Here are four tips on how you can revive your business with Bartercard and get back on the path to success.

Every business owner knows there just aren’t enough hours in the day. Working 50, 60 even 80 hours a week seems to have become the norm. Perhaps sometimes that’s what it takes, but maintaining such a strenuous pace over an extended period can take its toll.

Advances in technology have enabled us to extend our reach in both our business and personal lives. These advances have allowed businesses far more flexibility, empowering them to operate 24/7. Additionally, with social media and the likes of Skype and Zoom, it’s now much easier to stay in touch with friends, family and business colleagues around the world. In your business life, online solutions like the Bartercard mobile app can greatly expand your business network, helping you move old stock and increase profits.

Trade dollars can benefit your business in numerous ways. Beyond the simple concept of exchanging good and services, Bartercard takes the barter system a notch higher by employing technology to provide businesses access to an expansive network of like-minded businesses. This allows businesses to exchange services and increase business sales by up to 10% within the first 12 months of being a member. Together with the help of experienced Account Managers, Bartercard makes sure your business’ excess stock and downtime translate into increased sales.

Being a business owner requires being decisive when it comes to risk-taking, but going in it alone can be challenging without the help of a community around you. In a competitive industry where you’re up against both the big and small players, joining a supportive network is essential to thriving. Today, we explain why collaboration is essential for your business’ growth.

Businesses are always looking for more ways to get more customers. Without well-defined objectives and a well-planned marketing strategy, it can be a challenging task, to say the least. What business owners need to know is it all starts with defining your business goals, reviewing who you are as a brand, and what strategies are most suitable to employ when it comes to acquiring new customers and sustaining the ones you have. In short, businesses need to be open to improving their sales and marketing sector for their company to grow. There are no shortcuts when it comes to attracting, converting, and retaining customers. However, there are little ways to make your business more visible to potential customers.

No amount of money can buy customer loyalty. If a company’s product or service is good and trustworthy, customers will inevitably come back to support that brand. However, no matter how good a product or service may be, businesses still need to come up with effective customer loyalty strategies to build customers’ trust, improve customer interaction, increase engagement, and actively retain them after their first purchase. Today we look at reasons why a loyalty program is an effective strategy in retaining existing customers and gain new ones.