Skills Swaps: Save Money + Grow with Fellow Small Businesses
Skills swaps are one of my favourite ways of tapping into your tribe, saving money and taking care of yourself (and your business). So, let me back up a minute and explain what I mean…
A skills swap is where you trade skills with another entrepreneur, neither one of you spending money but both gaining the benefit of another person’s expertise. Essentially, think back to a bit of good old fashioned bartering… ‘your eggs, for my wool.’ As with everything in life, it works best with clear boundaries and expectations, especially when it comes to the time and money that you’re both willing to invest.
I’d start by thinking about what you have to trade. What is it your business does; what do you have to offer? Next, it’s good to determine how much time and money of your own you’d be willing to put into this. For example, if you’re a photographer, would you be willing to offer whatever the cost of a headshot is and offer up a couple of hours of your time for shooting and editing?
From there, your next step is to think about what your business needs and who may be able to provide that for you. That’s the person to arrange a swap with. Make sure you consider whether what you’re asking for is roughly a similar value to what you’re offering. It doesn’t need to be ‘to the penny’, of course, but it’s important that it feels like a roughly equal swap in terms of both time and money.
How do I find people to swap with?
Glad you asked! The first thing to consider is if there is anyone from within your existing tribe or network. Is there anyone you could reach out to and suggest this? I appreciate that may feel daunting, so perhaps ask a friend to read over the message / email first, or find a little way to treat yourself after sending the request.
If not, then this is where you head back to LinkedIn / Facebook, grab your ticket to a networking event and / or ask for a referral from those you do already know. Expanding your tribe may open up more opportunities for skills swaps in the future.
Isn’t this a blog about self-care?
It is indeed, but I promise this element of growing your business is an important part of taking care of yourself as well. One of the biggest stressors on small businesses is the financial challenges we face. Arranging a skills swap alleviates that pressure, as you don’t have to scrounge up a budget from somewhere – you just trade your time and talents for something you need.
This kind of authentic connection can also give our wellbeing a massive boost. Superficial interactions can sometimes feel like the standard… but with a skills swap, you have to show up as your full self and really get to know that other person. I run an annual Skills Swap event and have seen some beautiful partnerships come out of it. I also make it a rule that each participant has to leave a review somewhere to help shout out about their partner. Plus, each person commits to referring the person they swap with on to three other people so you both get to grow.
Ready to give it a go? Pause here and take the time to reach out to someone now…
MY ACTION PLAN:
-
What service, skill or product do you have to offer someone else in a skills swap?
-
How much time and financial value would you be willing to invest in a swap?
-
Have a think about if there’s anything you need in your business (E.g. a headshot)? Do you know anyone who offers that?
-
Reach out to them and suggest a skills swap OR take some time to find someone who fits the bill.
