| In the past, we've, of course, had many | | | | to get something, but to lose interest once |
| occasions to make cash deals on our stained | | | | you've gotten your side of the deal. The |
| glass art and occasionally we've had a chance | | | | donkey who follows the carrot on a stick is a |
| to barter our stained glass art for goods and | | | | good example. As long as that carrot hangs |
| services. Over the course of years, we've had | | | | out there nearly within reach, the donkey |
| some barters and trades that worked out well, | | | | will keep moving, but as soon as the carrot |
| but many trades seemed to go sour.Most | | | | is gone, the donkey stops. We even lose some |
| started out with each party having the best | | | | of our enthusiasm for completing a project |
| of intentions to do right by the other, but | | | | when we've been paid, but we usually have |
| our experience's were that each time the | | | | plans and patterns that have been set in |
| trade or barter was made, our stained glass | | | | advance, so our part of a trade or a business |
| went right out at the start of the trade and | | | | transaction continues on whether there is a |
| then we usually got our part of the trade | | | | promise or a reward.This isn't the case with |
| after the fact. As a result, the folks we | | | | folks we've traded with. So we're fighting |
| traded with were always sure of what they | | | | two negatives if we don't get our part of the |
| were getting, but we never seemed to know | | | | trade up front. First we're dealing with |
| exactly what we would get, so we ended up | | | | something (an item or service) which is sight |
| getting disappointed most times.As we've | | | | unseen and we're fighting the other persons |
| entered into these non-cash deals, we've | | | | natural loss of enthusiasm for the trade |
| developed three simple rules or guidelines to | | | | because they've already gotten what they |
| help us avoid the bad deals, while leaving | | | | wanted.A good example of a positive barter |
| the door open for the good ones.Rule 1 : What | | | | was when we traded for some essential oil |
| To Trade ForWe've learned that if we're not | | | | diffusers for Christmas presents with a |
| careful, we could end up trading away all the | | | | client. We got about $400 worth of product in |
| work we could possibly do and leave ourselves | | | | trade for some work we did for them. Over the |
| with no more materials to make more glass | | | | course of the year, we were able to complete |
| pieces. So this first rule helps us to avoid | | | | their design and get their windows installed |
| trading away more than we can afford. As | | | | for them. Then at Christmas time the next |
| stained glass artists, we know that 10 to 20% | | | | year we traded for some essential oils for |
| of the retail price of a window is the cost | | | | the balance of what they owed us. This was a |
| of the materials that go into the window and | | | | good trade because it allowed us to save on |
| the rest of the price reflects the cost of | | | | the costs of Christmas presents for two years |
| our labor and some profit for the company. So | | | | and it got them a beautiful entryway which |
| we've adopted the policy that we never trade | | | | will give them years of enjoyment.A trade |
| away the cost of the window. We will make a | | | | which didn't go so well involved a custom |
| trade, but not at our own expense. So when we | | | | rocking chair built by a friends brother. The |
| make a deal, we agree that at least 10 or 20% | | | | trade went fairly smoothly except, we didn't |
| of the trade be in cash, to cover the cost of | | | | like the custom rocking chair once it was |
| materials. And we put the cash back into the | | | | completed. It was too high, and didn't rock |
| business for the purpose of purchasing | | | | right. It was beautiful and we gave it to my |
| replacement goods. This keeps us from losing | | | | sister and her husband. They loved it, he was |
| on the deal, in the event that what we trade | | | | taller and the rock of the chair was just |
| for ends up with little or no value to | | | | right for him. In this case, the deal went |
| us.Back when we first started doing windows, | | | | just as it should have, but we were just |
| we had a friend who wanted a specific design. | | | | trading for something sight unseen.Rule 3: |
| She drew a sketch of a very nice pattern | | | | Give More Than Expected, Lower Your Own |
| which was an amalgam of three different | | | | ExpectationsTo really get a deal to work in |
| designs she had seen. We agreed that the | | | | the favor of both parties, you've got to give |
| panel would be about a thousand dollars | | | | more than the other guy expects, always |
| (which was low for the amount of work) and we | | | | trying to make the deal better for them. And |
| started building the panel. Now, up to this | | | | you'll be less disappointed when you lower |
| point, the window was going to be a cash | | | | your own expectations. When I dealt with the |
| deal, very straight forward, very clean. But | | | | husband who traded construction parts to me, |
| once I had half the window cut out, her | | | | I learned that many times, the other guy |
| husband decided to get into the act and | | | | doesn't care if you get a good deal. This man |
| turned the deal into a trade. He was very | | | | was only interested in getting a good deal |
| aggressive in his negotiating skills and I | | | | for himself, and he did. But I never traded |
| was a wimp. He beat me down on price from | | | | stained glass with him again!A good barter |
| $1000 to $300. Why I ever agreed to that | | | | arrangement is one where both parties are |
| change still confuses me, but then he took | | | | concerned with the others feelings. When we |
| the cash away from the deal and made it a | | | | made a trade with an artist friend, some |
| trade for construction parts that he had | | | | large windows for a painting, the deal |
| lying around. The deal went from bad to | | | | changed several times. They agreed to pay for |
| worse! I was already committed to the window | | | | the materials and we would get two paintings, |
| since the glass was cut, so I allowed the | | | | based on the amount of time that it would |
| deal to go downhill. I ended up spending $300 | | | | take to build both of the art projects. She |
| on solder for the window (solder had | | | | later decided that two paintings was too much |
| temporarily jumped in price) and I got what | | | | so we agreed to get one and some design time |
| the husband valued as $300 worth of | | | | on glass projects. When it turned out that |
| construction parts. They really were pretty | | | | the completed painting couldn't be published |
| much worthless. But the deal taught me | | | | in the magazine we had thought it would be |
| several valuable lessons. The most important | | | | placed in, we felt that the ultimate value of |
| was rule one: Know What To Trade For. I had | | | | the painting was greatly diminished. So the |
| learned to spell out what the trade was to | | | | deal did continue to go downhill, to become |
| be, how much cash would be involved, and to | | | | less valuable to us, through no one's fault, |
| get a deposit or the entire balance of the | | | | just circumstances. But we had already |
| cash part of the deal before cutting any | | | | lowered our expectations and our friend had |
| glass.Another instance vividly illustrates | | | | become a greater friend and we have enjoyed |
| what NOT to trade for. We've learned that | | | | many hours doing art projects together.We |
| whenever someone comes to us for classes or | | | | have another friend, whom we build pieces for |
| to get a stained glass window built and they | | | | on a fairly regular basis. The trades never |
| start whining about cost, or acting "poor | | | | go well for us, she forgets that we have |
| mouth" and then they advance the idea of a | | | | credit with her and she wants more glass, we |
| trade, we ALWAYS lose on the deal.April was a | | | | will never get "even" but we've lowered our |
| good example of this type of bad deal. She | | | | expectations. We know her, know she "needs" |
| came and started to take classes. But she | | | | the pieces we trade with her and figure that |
| immediately began wondering if she could make | | | | the work we do for her is more a gift than a |
| payments instead of paying for class | | | | trade.If you can get to this point, where you |
| up-front. We agreed and then the next week, | | | | expect little in a trade, where it's more |
| she advanced the idea that maybe she could | | | | about opportunity, art and building beauty, |
| trade for half of the cost of tuition. We | | | | bartering might work out for you. If you find |
| asked what she had in mind and she told us | | | | yourself feeling ripped off, you should |
| about these beautiful candles she made. So we | | | | probably avoid trading your art and stick to |
| decided to allow the trade. She traded us two | | | | cash deals. Even they will occasionally go |
| candles which she felt were worth the $40 of | | | | south on you.Trading stained glass for |
| class she was trading for. I would have | | | | products and services has very often been a |
| valued them at $10 total, but we'd already | | | | way for others to obtain the glass that they |
| entered into the trade and felt committed. So | | | | want, when they really wouldn't have been |
| we allowed to let the trade stand. The | | | | able to afford it for cash. It has seldom |
| candles, while overvalued on her part, also | | | | been a good way for us to fill our bank |
| had another problem. They stunk! We couldn't | | | | account, but it has often been a way for us |
| be in the same room with them and we gave | | | | to develop relationships with others that |
| them away to someone who didn't find them | | | | have become dear to us and has become a way |
| offensive. That deal started out badly and we | | | | for our art to be seen by others. It very |
| allowed it to continue, not putting an end to | | | | often leads to other deals we would never |
| it when we began to feel taken advantage of. | | | | have imagined, providing us with sales in the |
| We've since found that all those type of | | | | most unlikely places. It's like that |
| deals have been bad for us, both in the trade | | | | scripture about casting thy bread upon the |
| itself and also in the bad feelings it | | | | waters and it will return to you ten fold. A |
| generates in us. It damages our faith and | | | | good trade is like that. It returns to us |
| trust in others when we get ripped off. A | | | | rewards we never would have imagined.David |
| footnote to this instance, when April quit | | | | Gomm started building stained glass windows |
| coming to class, she left owing us almost as | | | | professionally back in 1983 and has become an |
| much money as she had paid for her | | | | expert at many aspects of stained glass |
| classes.Rule 2: Get Your End FirstIt's human | | | | building, design and repair. |
| nature to be quite excited while you're about | | | | |