GoLocal Dallas

My name is David Gray and I am the Trade Coordinator for GoLocal Dallas! While I am still working on personally introducing myself to EVERYONE in the network, hopefully we will have time to meet in the very near future. My job is to promote local economic development through good old-fashioned barter. Think of me as your personal concierge: I’m here to help you find opportunities to barter for things you would normally acquire with “cash.”

The success of our group depends on good communication, so I intend to keep you in the loop on what’s happening around town. Ultimately, the goal is to drive new customers to your door that are also committed to rebuilding our local economy.

Read this email each week and GET INVOLVED for maximum impact!

The first of many Weekly Newsletter Updates!

Every Sunday night, I will send out a weekly newsletter to inform our Traders of the following:

• Upcoming Events
• Story or Trade of the Previous Week
• Featured Merchants of the Week
• New Merchant Additions
• Specials/Offers of Upcoming Week
• News from the AG Trading Post
• And more to come!

I welcome your comments and suggestions to improve this newsletter. Also, I will certainly need YOUR ideas for successful trade stories, specials and offers or even requests for Merchant advertisements!

Upcoming Events

• 2/17 – Survival Podcast Live! w/ Modern Survivalist Jack Spirko: 7pm @ the AG Trading Post

• 2/18 – Dallas Barter Mixer: 6:30pm @ the Egg & I

• 2/19 – Silver Buyer’s Club Lock-In: Contact Jarrod @ the AG Trading Post for more Details! Beat deflation and stock up on Trade credits!

• 2/6 – Weekly Radio Barter Hour: 9-11pm

• Daily P90X Workout: Mon-Fri mornings at 6:30am @ the AG Trading Post – NO COST

  Check here for the daily workout, what to bring and further information (shower located at the AG Post if needed)

• Mon-Fri – Lunch at the AG: Starting 2/15/10 – Available 11am-1pm @ the AG Trading Post

  Swing by and pick up a variety of Lunch Wraps, Salads and Drinks for you and your coworkers! All items will be available in Trade.

Specials & Offers of the Week

Valentine’s Day Special Event Weekend at Plano Adventure Kid’s Playcare:

2/12 – 2/14: This weekend, be sure to bring your kids in for a special Valentine’s Day kids party occuring every night, complete with fun, games and prizes! Though normally closed Sundays, AVKP will be open from 5 to 10pm so that you can enjoy a romantic night out.

Call Ashely for details.

Featured Merchants

1) The Egg & I

Welcome our latest addition to the restaurant lineup! The Egg & I features a delightful breakfast and lunch 7 days a week! Ryan Colarossi runs a perfect operation featuring friendly staff, great food and premium coffee. Located near Tollway and Arapaho.

Gift certificates for the Egg & I are available at the AG Trading Post!

2) Kira’s Kitch

Dining out on a regular basis is detrimental to your wallet and waist line! Kira’s Kitch designed 15 meals to keep your family happy and healthy in 2010. Each month we’ll list new “Feature Meals” as well as a weekly special. Back on the menu is our mouth watering Lasagna. Featuring locally raised Grass Fed Beef, this entree is one of our family favorites!

BEST DEAL – Sign up for weekly delivery and receive fresh healthy meals delivered right to your door each week. This special offer includes a vegetable side with each meal Free!

We look forward to helping you eat right without the hassle. Our Chefs customize each meal to fit your family’s individual needs. Have a picky eater? Let us know and we will do our best to accommodate!

3) Enchiladas Restaurants

Dine In or Cater the Best Tex-Mex and Mexican Food!

Since 1979, Enchilada’s Restaurants have been the destination for Dallas residents who crave true Tex-Mex. The fun atmosphere, huge margaritas, and great food have created a loyal following that has helped Enchilada’s expand from its original location to four locations.

A must try are the Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas and the strong Frozen Margaritas, voted BEST IN DALLAS by the Dallas Margarita Society.

Gift certificates for ALL 3 Enchiladas locations are available for Trade at the AG Trading Post!

HURRY! Offer expires March 12th, 2010!!!

4) Dr. Nancy McClellan – Chiropractor

Dr. Nancy is an experienced Chiropractor with over 20 years of practice. She specializes in Holistic Chiropractic services, Acupuncture services and Neuro-Emotional technique. Dr. Nancy is also very knowledgeable in Nutrition and can provide Healthy Lifestyle Coaching.

Swing by for a quick adjustment or a full hour of treatment payable in 100% Trade!

5) Adventure Kid’s Playcare Plano

One of GoLocal Dallas’s most loyal traders and active in the network for many months, Plano Adventure Kids Playcare is a unique drop-in child care and entertainment center for kids ages 6 weeks to 12 years old. Your kids can play, explore, and learn while in our safe and secure environment. You can enjoy shopping, dining, running errands, or just relax with peace of mind!

Check their listing or website for rates and more information!

New Merchant Additions & Requests

As this is the first newsletter, EVERYONE IS “NEW”! In following updates, this section will feature:

• All local Merchant additions since the last update
• Recommendations – Opportunities to prospect and invite your favorite Merchants, friend’s or family businesses to the GoLocal Dallas movement
• Want-Ads – Specific requests from our traders and Merchants for goods and/or services in Trade

Meanwhile at the Ag…

If you haven’t had a chance to swing by the AG Trading Post, you are missing out… The primary purpose of our General Store is to provide a cornerstone for our local trading community.

The Ag Trading Post is a great place to host a community event or meet and mingle with other Traders. Here, you can also find goods like:

• Local Grass-fed beef,
• Peanut brittle,
• Recycled glass,
• Honeys, jams, relishes,etc…

Let us know what hi-quality items to make available through the store that will replace your existing cash costs. Remember! Barter **IS** better!

The Ag Trading Post also serves as a Showroom for the Merchants of GoLocal Dallas! I implore every Merchant to come by, say hello and check out the Ag Post during the week and plan to drop off:

• Promotional Materials (brochures, stickers, menus, etc)
• Business Cards
• Signs or Banners
• Goods from your business – talk to Jarrod Atkinson about the opportunity of setting up your goods in the store on consignment!

Loose Ends and Looking Ahead:

GoLocal Dallas Website

GoLocal Dallas.org will serve as the hub for the DFW Marketplace and Trade Network. All the information from this and future newsletters will also be available on the website.

Also, be sure to check your listing to verify the contact information, description of goods/services available for Trade and the pricing/procedures for accepting Trade.

• Note: You have the option of claiming your Merchant record and adjusting it yourself, or having me maintain it for you. Please let me know what is most convenient for you or if you need help updating your listing.

Dallas Barter MeetUp Group

I encourage EVERYONE to join our Barter MeetUp group (here). Joining is free and will help keep you updated with upcoming events. This includes our monthly Barter Mixer – a great opportunity to meet, mingle and network with other Merchants and Traders across the metroplex. Our next one is being held at the Egg & I on February 18th and can be paid for in Trade! Contact me for more details…

My role as Trade Coordinator and what I need from YOU…

My job is to:

• drive new customers to your business
• help you replace cash costs with good old-fashioned trade (whether it be ITEX, MerchanTrade, doBarter, ValuCard, AOCS Silver, etc)
• rebuild the wealth of our local community

In order to be successful with my job, I need both Merchants and Traders to become more ENTHUSIASTIC and EXCITED about Trading!

Send me a list: With so many businesses getting creative, it’s easy to find places to barter. I maintain lists of people willing to trade all kinds of goods and services all across the country. If you could take a moment and make a list of your typical cash expenses (business and/or personal) and send it over to me, I will work diligently to find similar like kind and quality from vendors open to trade.

Barter is Here and Happening in a BIG Way!