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