Written by Bob Meyer, Editor of BarterNews

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Morgan Beaumont Announces Rollout Program To Business Members Of Barter Exchanges

Morgan Beaumont, Inc., a premier provider of stored value and debit card solutions, announced an agreement with Bentley Commerce (OTCBB:BLYC) to roll out MBI’s proprietary load software on Verifone 3750 equipment, bundled with Bentley Trade Cards and Morgan Beaumont Debit Cards.

The goal over the next 12 months is for merchants in Bentley’s network of affiliated trade exchanges across the U.S. and Canada, representing approximately 50,000 businesses, to be set up to accept Bentley trade cards as well as cash services and sale of product.

Cliff Wildes, CEO of Morgan Beaumont (OTCBB:MBEU), stated, “Earlier this year MBI and Bentley Commerce (www.bentleycommerce.com) entered into an agreement to develop a trade card and debit card program for Bentley’s network of barter exchanges and affiliates.

“We designed the program to be used internationally at all members of exchanges affiliated with Bentley Commerce on POS terminals, allowing business members to conduct both trade and debit card transactions easily and quickly. We are excited to be supporting Bentley in the national roll out of this program.”

Bruce Kamm, CEO of Bentley Commerce, added, “We are pleased to announce the launch of this unique program to our exchanges and their merchant members. Our goal is to offer this program to the merchant members serviced by our affiliated exchanges that represent about 50,000 businesses, and have many of them online in 2005. MBI has assured us that they support this effort.”

MBI has a national network of stored value and debit card load stations located throughout the United States. To learn more about Morgan Beaumont please visit: www.morganbeaumont.com.

A Brief Look At The Next Exciting Issue Of BarterNews...

I.
Complete coverage of NATE’s 20th Anniversary Convention held in Las Vegas, which includes...

• The NATE survey taken at the convention. (You’ll be surprised at the statistics regarding the barter industry.)
  
• President Victor Castano’s address in which he covered the past, the present, and the future of NATE.

II.
A never-before-looked-at and reported perspective presented in, “Barter As Viewed From Both Sides!” In his own words, what does a 25-year barter industry veteran see when he becomes an outsider—a client? It’s quite a revelation from one who’s been on both sides of the desk...you’ll be amazed at the comments! (The valuable information shared could be just the message you need to turn your exchange into a top-notch money maker.)

III.
Our tax expert, David W. Tuttle, examines a little known tool that could provide you with an incredible assist in your business and personal affairs.

IV.
In-depth coverage of IRTA’s 25th Annual Congress in Cancun, which encompasses...

• The outcome of attendees’ two-day debate and deliberation en route to determining their top three concerns for the industry.
  
• The dramatic ideas presented by Paul Suplizio, IRTA’s first executive director, who served the industry for 16 years. His visionary message, which addresses the biggest challenge facing the barter industry, is not only an ambitious look into the future but portends a remarkable paradigm shift.

V.
You’ll find 22-pages of barter success stories in our People & Events section!

To advertise in this exciting issue, coming out in January, call Bob Meyer at (949) 831-9378. Make sure you don’t miss this extraordinary issue...order your subscription now. Click here to go to order form.

BarterNews issue #63 is now available... get your copy now! Orders are shipped within two business days. Click on Order Form.

(If you are not sure if your subscription has lapsed, e-mail your name, address, and zip code to bmeyer@barternews.com.)

America’s Greatest Cities Band Together In Marketing

Cooperating For Common Gain Is New Focus For U.S. Destinations

Seven cities have formed a marketing association with $750,000 in seed money from American Express, launching their first international marketing campaign.

Dubbed “America’s Greatest Cities,” the association brings together convention & visitor’s bureaus in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Seattle to target affluent U.S. and United Kingdom travelers.

An eight-page travel planner runs in Travel & Leisure and USA Today in the U.S., and The Sunday Times and Essentially American magazine in the U.K.. Direct mail to 25,000 Amex cardholders goes out this month. A second print flight is scheduled for May/June 2005.

The cities first collaborated last year (before formalizing their association) on a joint promotion with Kellogg Co. for its AAdvantage Miles loyalty marketing program: An “America’s Greatest Cities” sweeps awarded 140 trips to the cities, and put travel guides for those cities in 40 million cereal boxes. American Airlines and Marriott Hotels & Resorts also were part of the joint promotion.

Get New Money-Making Ideas And Valuable Contacts!

You can obtain useful, informative ideas and contacts in every available back-issue of BarterNews.

Trade Exchange Owners...
Build Rapport & Empathy With Your Client Base!!

The most powerful marketing tool in the barter industry, The Competitive Edge newsletter, is a monthly, ready to use, professional 4-page publication...no work is needed! Click here

From the BarterNews Archives...

Part 4: How To Use Radio To Increase Company Sales

Last week we looked at implementing a call-in commercial, using an ad lib fact sheet and image campaigns. Moving forward let’s look at hard sell and straight sell, as well as jingles.

Hard Sell. . .

The message you are trying to impart in a “hard sell” commercial had better be strong enough to override the hard feelings and irritation generated by them. Not only that, you’d best have a large budget to reach a broad enough audience to make up for the audience the commercial offends.

There is no doubt that some radio (and television) commercials are designed to irritate the listener or viewer into remembering the message. Some of these commercials make water-torture techniques seem welcome by comparison.

The questions that the advertiser must answer are: What kind of relationship would you like to establish with a potential client? Is this a “one shot” sale, and how do you want the client to “feel” about your store or business?

Keep It Simple. . .

One thing is for sure, no matter what approach you take, you should never overload the commercial with too much information. There is a temptation by many to treat a commercial like a newspaper ad...loading it with sale prices, addresses, phone numbers, and too much detail.

Don’t include more than one or two items. Don’t give too much detail. For example, instead of saying, “Microwave ovens, formerly $995, now just $895,” say, “Save $100 on microwave ovens, now just $895.”

Try to avoid giving a street address. Use “locations” not the actual address. For example, how many of you don’t know your high school street address, but know exactly how to get there? If possible say, “Jones Furniture on Main, across from the Clock Tower.” Or, “On Main at Central Street.”

It’s almost pointless to give a phone number unless it is very simple or spells out some word or phrase.

Straight Sell. . .

It can be very effective to just simply state your message and not go to the expense or effort of producing a humorour, hard sell, or visual image approach.

If you use this technique, tell your story in an open, straight forward and logical manner...but keep it simple. Be informative but don’t overload the message with too many ideas. For example:

Announcer: “Jones Resale is different from most any other store you know. For example, we are only open Friday through Sunday. Why? Because we found out that that’s when we sell the most. So why be open Monday through Thursday?

“Naturally we save money operating this way, so we can pass the savings on to you. That’s why you can save up to 40% on VCR recorders, TV sets, sewing machines and vacuum cleaners.

“For example, this weekend, Jones Resale has a GE mini-microwave for just $89, that’s $50 less than anyone else’s advertised price. Find out for yourself, check the papers for the prices elsewhere...then come to Jones Resale...but remember, you won’t find us open Monday through Thursday. Jones Resale, across from the Post Office on Main.”

Don’t overload it with too many specific examples.

Jingles. . .

Jingles work! Just ask Pepsi Cola. There are hundreds of thousands of people who can still sing a Pepsi jingle that dates back to when the product came in a eight ounce bottle and sold for a nickel!

(To be continued next week...)

Every barter company in the world is listed on our web site, click through to our Global List of Barter Companies.

Gift Cards Continue Popularity Growth

The National Retail Federation’s latest research indicates that more than 50-percent of the gift-receiving public would like to get a gift card this year, up almost 10-percent from two years ago. Both consumers and retailers have warmed to the advantages of these cards.

Stores find that recipients usually spend more than they have been given. For shoppers, the money on the card is like a pot of gold that makes it easier to buy something nicer than usual.

Nationally, the holiday-gift-card industry could reach $22 billion this year, which is a significant portion of the $220 billion that the retail federation is projecting for holiday sales.

In the retail barter industry, many trade exchange owners report that members are using gift certificates in the form of scrip (paper certificates) for family, friends and co-workers, as well as for teachers, clergy and baby-sitters.

Give A Gift To A Friend Or Associate. If you know someone who might benefit from this newsletter, feel free to forward it to them! (See the "box" at the end of the newsletter for the forwarding service.

Barter Fairs & Holiday Expo's. . .

November:

Continental Trade Exchange (Columbus, OH) Holiday Expo is scheduled for Tuesday, November 16 at The Hoop, 4185 E. 5th Avenue, from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. For more information call (740) 201-0201.

Continental Trade Exchange (Pleasanton, CA) Holiday Expo will take place Saturday, November 20 at the Crown Plaza Suites Hotel, 11950 Dublin Canyon Rd., from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information call (925) 516-5600.

BXI Nevada Holiday Trade Fair will be held Sunday, November 21 at the Speakeasy Convention Center, 200 E. 6th Street in Reno, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. For more information e-mail linda@bxinevada.com or phone (755) 829-2990.

BXI Georgia & Atlanta Holiday Trade Fair will be held Sunday, November 21 at the Olde Time Auction Center, 2143 Gee Mills Road in Conyer. For more information phone (912) 355-2555.

December:

New England Trade will hold their 8th Annual Barter Expo on Wednesday, December 1 at the Danversport Yacht Club at 6:00 p.m. For more information call (781) 388-9200.

The Barter Company’s Annual Trade Show will be held on Saturday, December 4 at the Cobb Galleria in Atlanta from 12 noon to 5 p.m.. Over 36,000 sq. feet will be dedicated to the trade show. For more information call (770) 591-4343.

The oldest and largest BXI fair is the Orange County Holiday Fair at the Costa Mesa Orange County Fairgrounds in Bldg. 10 (same location for 24 years). Scheduled for Sunday, December 5 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information call (714) 847-5477.

Continental Trade Exchange (Santa Rosa, CA) Holiday Expo will take place Sunday, December 5 at Santa Rosa Veterans’ Memorial Building, 1351 Maple Avenue, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information call (707) 585-7722.

Trade Atlanta, Premier Barter, and Barter For Less are cooperatively staging a Holiday Festival on Tuesday, December 7 in Gwinnett, Georgia, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information call (678) 793-9463.

BXI Savannah & BXI Georgia 2004 BXI Holiday Trade Fair will be held on Tuesday, December 7 at the Crosswinds Golf Club Clubhouse, 232 James B. Blackburn Drive, in Savannah from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Dinner will be served to all attendees. For more information call (912) 355-2555.

TradeAmericanCard 2004 Barter & Business Expo on Sunday, December 12 at The Grove of Anaheim, 2200 E. Katella Avenue, from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. For more information call (714) 532-1610.

BXI Northern California/Nevada’s Holiday Trade Fair will be held on Sunday, December 12 at the Clarion Hotel at the San Jose Airport, 12 noon to 4 p.m. For more information e-mail ron@bxinorcal.com or phone (650) 592-2929.

BXI Southern Arizona’s Tradefair is scheduled for December 12 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information call (520) 325-2929.

(Barter companies: Send your holiday trade fair information to: bmeyer@barternews.com.)

Here & There...

• Economist Ken Goldstein of The Conference Board says the federal budget deficit could be big enough to have an impact on the capital markets. “It’s going to be a lot more expensive for businesses to raise capital in a year’s time.”

  Goldstein also noted, “State and local governments are in much worse shape than they were 20 years ago. And with the baby boomers set to retire soon, the worst is still to come in terms of stress on the fiscal sector.”
  

• The biggest political donors in the recent political race were from the real estate industry. Realtors are desperate to block a Bush administration initiative to allow banks into real estate. According to a Wall Street Journal story, the real estate profession ponied-up $72.3 million which went straight to the coffers of federal candidates.
  

• Have you signed up to receive a summary via e-mail of the Tuesday Report every week? If not, go to the top of this issue (right hand corner) and sign up!
  

• California’s governor Arnold Schwarzenegger recently completed a 4-day trade mission in Japan where he promoted state tourism and agricultural products. Schwarzenegger traded on his “celebrity power,” to garner huge publicity for California at no out-of-pocket cost to the state.
  

• Only three airlines made a profit in the third quarter...JetBlue, Southwest, and Alaska Airlines.
  

• The National Retail Federation forecasts that the average U.S. consumer plans to spend $702 for the coming holidays, up 4.5% from last year. An estimated $220 billion will be spent across all retail channels including stores, catalogs, and e-commerce.