How to Trade with Fellow Grouptrader Members

Head of Membership at Grouptrader, James Armitage, shares eight essential tips to help your trading on the network off to a flying start

Talking to people you don’t know can be a real mine field, particularly when you want to start trading with them.  It’s very easy to let that little doubting voice in the back of your head talk you out of great opportunities. ‘What if they don’t like me?’, ‘What if they don’t rate my business?’ or ‘What if they say no?’

So how do you go about trading with a Grouptrader member you don’t know? 

Well, hopefully the following mix of practical advice and pointers on etiquette, will go along way into making the whole process a great deal easier.

1. Research – decide on the company you want to talk to, read their Grouptrader directory listing, website and any social media links. This allows you to get a good grasp of what they are about and what they are want to achieve.
2. What's the deal – think about how your offering could link to their aims or how both your respective businesses could complement each other.
3. Communication – decide how you wish to contact them, such as, email, phone call, Grouptrader message or other social media links. My personal preference is an email, followed up by a phone call 48 hours afterwards.
4. Don't be rude – introduce yourself properly first. Nobody likes receiving communication that just starts preaching at you before it’s put into context, or the credibility of the source has been established.
5. Focus on building a relationship – don’t just blindly sell, sell, sell. Remember, people don’t like to feel like they are just being sold to, show that you actually want to build a lasting relationship that will benefit both of you. 
6. Meet face-to-face – if possible arrange to meet up for a coffee. Meeting face-to-face usually significantly strengthens trading relationships.
7. Deliver on promises – start your trading relationship on the right foot. Do what you said you would to the agreed timescales.
8. Give and get back – if you can help out another member without an excessive amount of cost or hassle to yourself, then do it. They will remember you for it and you never no who they know. What goes around comes around, be positive.

If you stick to this advice, you can’t go far wrong and remember what’s the worst they can say, no? If your not trading with them now and they still don’t trade with you after, what have you lost? I would suggest the 5 minute email and 10 minute phone call are worth the gamble to grow your business.

Let’s start trading together today!