Better Barter Bison

When I got home the other day, sitting on my porch was huge white Styrofoam box the UPS guy dropped off. Before I even got to it, I could feel my excitement build: I was getting paid for some work I did - in bison.

One of my clients owns a bison farm up in Wisconsin. He is a really solid guy, and an emergency vet with a huge heart for critters. His sites needed some light work (a couple hours or so), so in exchange, I swapped him for some of the bison he processed.

He got some of the web advice and work he needed. I got summer sausages, buffalo bacon (smoked right on the farm!), and jerky - in addition to 2 beautiful T-bones. A great trade for me - meatastic in every way. I trust he feels it was a meaty trade as well.

Even nicer, is the added bonus that we both left the project feeling great, both totally willing to keep our relationship solid.

Go Ahead - Trade!
I have talked about it before in here, but bartering is a perk of this profession I have always enjoyed. The bison is just one of many examples -

I have used writing and web skills, or some SEO copywriting to get pizzas, desserts, outdoor lights on my home, massages, interior and exterior home repairs, tile work, landscaping, computer service, counseling, web development, paintings, tickets, dinners, and so much more. I am a complete whore with my verbs.

I look at it like this: bartering often helps businesspeople who genuinely want to get ahead, but lack the capital to afford me. That's OK - if I have less bison to buy, I am earning in a way that is fine by me. Paying me from their own pool means they are not really spending much, you know? Time for time.

Balance, Grasshopper, Balance
The bottom line is something I take very seriously. Money is what drives my stability and I focus very directly on growing my year-over-year annual earnings.

However, money means taxes, paperwork, tracking, bank accounts and all kinds of attention to things that don't really float my boat. By offering an alternative like bartering for some projects, I can reduce my headaches and still come out ahead.

Depending on the year and the cash flow, sometimes I tend to lean much more heavily toward barter - the beauty, is I do it when it feels right only. One harsh reality of corporate communications is that I get paid for things I believe in a lot less!

If you want to see what barter can do for you, ask. Many small business owners will love the idea. I have been denied tons of times, but I also have connected in many places where I wasn't really consciously looking for work.

The benefits are clear: You can stay busier during slow times, or do things where your heart and soul are treated with a little more respect. You can acquire things, services, or experiences that are meaningful to you. Many times, there can be serious tax advantages to consider as well.

I would talk about this more, but I have some bison to devour.

Year in Review - 2009 into 2010

At the end of last year, I listed the following ten things:

1. Schedule more time for my own stuff.
2. Keep the flow of projects steady, so one ends as another begins (reduce overlap).
3. Participate in more online discussions of interest.
4. Attend more conferences (try to hit 2 per year).
5. It's all about backlinks (today, anyway).
6. Bartering rocks.
7. Smaller businesses are typically more of a hassle, but can be extremely rewarding.
8. Communicating SEO in numbers is the best possible way to get more work.
9. Old clients can surprise you with new requests any time.
10. It's all about the relationships you make, maintain, and build upon.

I wanted to take a post to reflect, and see where it went.

1. Schedule more time for my own stuff. OK, I did start my new site. Am working new stuff - nothing scheduled yet, thank the Lord.
2. Keep the flow of projects steady, so one ends as another begins (reduce overlap). I actually did pretty well with this one...I hand-picked my clients well this past year. My projects were challenging and rewarding, and only rarely over whelming. There was a near melt-down in the early Fall, and the usual holiday hi jinks, but the year finished strong, and the projects speak for themselves.
3. Participate in more online discussions of interest. Yep, I am a forum nerd now. But only one, really...I have about a half dozen community voices I check on regularly, and learned to speak-up a little more in one.
4. Attend more conferences (try to hit 2 per year). Zero success here, beyond online training. Nothing beyond the cube.
5. It's all about backlinks (today, anyway). Duh.
6. Bartering rocks. Yep - did some great swaps again this year. Looking for more, always.
7. Smaller businesses are typically more of a hassle, but can be extremely rewarding. Duh again. Not sure what this frustration was all about, but OK.
8. Communicating SEO in numbers is the best possible way to get more work. Yeah, still believe this to be essentially true for cold calls, but I did more thru referrals in the last 12 months than otherwise.
9. Old clients can surprise you with new requests any time. Um, yeah. This year, I had almost an entirely new roster of clients. A couple long-termers, but most of my focus was on new people asking me new questions.
10. It's all about the relationships you make, maintain, and build upon. Duh.

So here, I will lob out more of the same to see what difference another year makes.

In 2009, the 10 things that made a difference in my business as an SEO freelance copywriter and will guide me into 2010:

1. Relationships uber alles.
2. Better clients, better company.
3. Fun is subjective.
4. Less coding - more writing.
5. Family time first.
6. Charge handsomely for every minute spent supporting someone else's dream.
7. Trust my own skills, and take the leap...again.
8. Borrowing brilliance is only a mistake when it lacks honesty. Building on it well is flattery.
9. Money is spoiling everything...collapse is certain.
10. High maintenance people are low paying investments. Mental health is non-negotiable.

That comes off more acidic than it feels. 2009 rocked. 2010 will be even better, I can feel it.