[DASERVICES]

  Does anyone use the BNI group where local businesses come together
  with referrals, if so have you got much work from them. Went to a meeting
  on Thursday, very expensive to join.

   http://www.bni-europe.com/uk/index.htm

   Doug

[pjulk]

I went to a breakfast club run by business link i only did it the once and it led to nothing and i felt a bit out of place as most of the people well there was only half a dozen were people like accountants an arcitect and painter for galleries, and a mini cab driver can't remember what the others did.

Cant see getting much work from these.

Paul

[Trevor Knight]

I have also been to these meetings and really didn't like the whole set up.

1) Introduce yourself and your comapny
2) Pay £500 per year and £10 a week for your breakfast meeting.
3) Pass the names of people who you don't know onto your customers and vice versa.

The whole thing is a bit amature. I would never recommend someone who I have not known or seen their work to any of my customers.

I can think of many better ways to spend £1000 a year (breakfast included) than to line other peoples pockets with referrals.

Trev

[Paul Coleman]

Looks like I saved myself £500 then.
I was invited to join one of these BNI "chapters" a few weeks ago.  £500 to join I was told but you can attend three times before they want money from you so you can see if it is for you.  Anyway, I turned up bright and early (well early anyway     ), signed in, then I was asked for £8 for that session.  Nobody had informed me that £8 was necessary to get in.  Even though I had enough funds on me, I just turned around and walked away.  It wasn't the £8 - it was the deceit - even though it may have been unintentional.
Obviously I have very little to go on and may be wide of the mark but my gut feeling was that it was a cross between Amway and Masonry.  I want no part of multi-level, jobs for the boys stuff.
As stated I may have it totally wrong, but £500 up front for something that may be a washout is not for me.

[matt]

i know a stonemason who joined and he got "buckets of work out of them"

infact he says that 70% of his work comes from them

not really sure how much you would get being a window cleaner though (a few comercail jobs )

[Paul Coleman]

i know a stonemason who joined and he got "buckets of work out of them"

infact he says that 70% of his work comes from them

not really sure how much you would get being a window cleaner though (a few comercail jobs )

Well I was partly right about masonry then 

[matt]

i know a stonemason who joined and he got "buckets of work out of them"

infact he says that 70% of his work comes from them

not really sure how much you would get being a window cleaner though (a few comercail jobs )

Well I was partly right about masonry then 

its a stepping stone to the masons, as inside the year he joined the mason's

[supernova77]

I guy I used to work with when I was in IT setup his own small IT company and then joined BNI... It was the referrals from BNI that got his business off the ground!

Don't under-estimate the power of word of mouth marketing and referrals! Some of the people that go to the BNI meetings know other "decision makers" in other companies and can pass your details onto them.

I'm actually thinking of joining my local BNI chapter in order to grow my commercial side of the business. I'll let you know how it goes if I do.

Andy

[Paul Coleman]

Well I was partly right about masonry then 

its a stepping stone to the masons, as inside the year he joined the mason's

That seems interesting.  Maybe my perceptions weren't so c ockeyed after all.

[Trevor Knight]

I would be interested in your findings Andy.

When I went the only referrals I received were small houses that dind't cover the cost of breakfast.

Also, a point to note, If you don't go to breakfast EVERY WEEK you are told off like a naughty schoolboy!!!

best wishes,

Trev

[Majestic]

I have had a email from them today( a referal from one of our forum members ), I am going to be contacted next week about it . Anyone have any more info about them.

http://www.bnionline.co.uk/

[clean team]

you dont really gey much work from them and what you do get are little one offs no big contracts

[vwm]

i know a stonemason who joined and he got "buckets of work out of them"

infact he says that 70% of his work comes from them

not really sure how much you would get being a window cleaner though (a few comercail jobs )

its not what you know buts its who you know. yes some work can come your way but a mate of mine left as it became to polictal for his likeing and also expensive with all the get togethers ect and you were made to feel you had to go.  

[need a cleaner]

we have joined the BNI chapter in our area late FEB and so far not counting the 1off jobs we also got 3 comercial contracts worthing just over £6k a year, the first 1 or 2 months it seems like you are on the drip but once they start to know you and trust you and the quality of services you provide the referrals start to roll in.
Just as an example, we got contacted by a member of other chapter to do a 1of springclean at is loft, a week later we was quoting for the regular clean of is office and he is now passing our details together  with is own testemonial to 3 other people that are not happy with ther cleaners, and as for the WC side i pick up 3 jobs this week worthing £819 per year in  total and a conservatory clean next week

[Majestic]

What do you get for the £500 per year fee

[need a cleaner]

the thing with BNI is that not many cleaners actualy join, so the ones that do end up getting work from several other chapters aswell, on a 35milles radius of me we have 10 chapters and only 2CC 1DC and 1Contract cleaning services

[need a cleaner]

What do you get for the £500 per year fee

the same question/principle can be asked about yell.com or yellow pages, the difference is that all the other members activly keep ther eyes and ears open for all the possible referrals, how many times have been talking with clients or friends that they mention that they need this or the other, that is a refferal and its that way that works

obviously im not saying that it is 100% secure but a direct referral is still the best lead you can get and it works for us

[poles apart]

I used to be in my local BNI group and found it an excellent source of work. As someone has already said, £500 is nothing compared to a yellow pages ad and the longer you are there the more trust you build with other chapter members which in turn leads to more work. I was a member for over 2 years and it worked for me.
rod

[marc]

hi poles apart can i ask why you are not a member any longer                                                                marc

[poles apart]

I left because I literally had too much work! Not all came from BNI as I have another business which was taking off and I found it hard to keep up so I didn't want to let anyone down.