[wilclean]

hi all

        Is anyone on here a member of BNI? if so did you get anything out of it.


Paul

[Daria Taylor]

hi all

        Is anyone on here a member of BNI? if so did you get anything out of it.


Paul

I went to one of their meetings, but fee was way too large to pay all at once so not signed up yet. As regarding jobs etc we got a big commercial job from it. it all depends on the group etc unless you mean one off meetings etc.

however any networking does work, it doesnt have to be BNI. I would definatelly recommend to attend few it gets easier with time and as you dont feel out of it becomes enjoyable and i just see it as a good reason to meet few people and have a lunch out, so basically treat it as going out.


regards
daria t

[wilclean]

Hi

    I got quoted £1000 a year which I think is way too much plus they said they only had 15 members or so in the group one of which is another small cleaning company. I just wanted to know if anyone got any jobs out from one of the meetings they went to also what goes on in the meeting.

Paul

[Alan McTernan]

I have just stopped going to BNI after 3 years started going just after I set up!!! It is not so much what you get directly but what contacts and third party referrals you get!!! I have only stopped going as am far to busy!!! I would say give it a go it costs £500 up front and then you pay for breakfast once a week!!! For that money is it not worth a punt?

[Daria Taylor]

Hi

    I got quoted £1000 a year which I think is way too much plus they said they only had 15 members or so in the group one of which is another small cleaning company. I just wanted to know if anyone got any jobs out from one of the meetings they went to also what goes on in the meeting.

Paul

thats quiet strange because usually you not allowed 2 same busineses in the same group, and 1000 is way too expencive

daria t

[wilclean]

when I got told it was going to cost me a £1000 for the year I nearly spat my coffee out - I thought it was only going to cost me £250. I thought it was abit strange when they said there was another small cleaning company who were members and they wouldnt mind me joining them - they even got the cleaning company to ring me and tell me about BNI and how good it was.

Paul

[hotsteam]

Dash T ,Normally you do not get any refferals from a BNI meeting unless you are a member,that is in their rules. As they tried to blackmail someone I know,by saying I could give you 3 refferals but you are not a member !.
With friends like that who needs enemies ?   Hotsteam

[Kris McCulloch]

BNI is expensive.  Have a look at 4networking they are quite a bit cheaper and much more friendly.

[newbroom]

Why pay for networking, surely you should be doing this everyday. How many of you have ever attended local council meetings for instance always good way to meet decision makers i picked up a contract for cleaning public toilets via this route.

[Daria Taylor]

Dash T ,Normally you do not get any refferals from a BNI meeting unless you are a member,that is in their rules. As they tried to blackmail someone I know,by saying I could give you 3 refferals but you are not a member !.
With friends like that who needs enemies ?   Hotsteam

well we got a job out of it and a refferal so is not always this way.

[wilclean]

hi all

       One of the members of the BNI rang me today asking for my services even though I'm not a member myself - I think this is there way of getting me hooked so I would join. So like dash T said : you can get a job out of it.

[crouch_400]

Hi ,

we looked at joining and have contacts that are in the bni - but they get mixed results one a sparkie does quite well and another fire saftey does not  get many referrals at all.

we set up our own group 9 of us and it only costs us our breakfast once a month it pays to network with companies you can compliment -  we target facilities and it works well as we do commercial window cleaning one does pest control one does electrics one does gardening  - jetwashing and so on .

there are also many spin offs based on bni but more relaxed and less costly just google networking .

Cheers

Danny

[Andy Foster]

BNI is £400 plus VAT membership
£100 plus VAT joining fee
£whatever for your breakfast every week

Just got a £7k plus VAT job from one member and in total over the 5 years I have been a member I have had somewhere in the region of £100k of work

No other form of advertising has brought me this level of return.

However, it is not for everyone and you only get returns if you are commited to helping he other members get work too.
What goes round, comes round.

Worth at least trying a couple of meetings.

[crouch_400]

givers gain  as they say

[Alan McTernan]

Couldn't agree more with you there Andy!!!

It paid for itself several times over year on year and have just had a call from an ex member (left over a year ago)who is well in with a chain of nursing homes

When things calm down a bit i will definatly be rejoining!!!! You can't go wrong for the price of a round of drinks once a week

Oh and it was good to talk to you today Andy!!!

Cheers Alan

[Andy Foster]

You too Alan.

That £7k job I mentioned is cladding by coincidence.

Speak soon.

Andy

[dianegreenwood]

I'm in my local BNI too and this year it will account for just under £25k in turnover so not a bad return on £1000 and of course so long as I keep my clients, it will account for £35k this coming financial year and that's without any new clients from it!

You do have to commit to it though or it won't work for you.  I've had my moments where I've thought about quitting when its December/January and I can't stand the early mornings but as far as the numbers go it works.

It's also good for your sales conversion rate as you are forced to stand up every week and tell people something different about your business.  Does wonders for the self confidence!

Don't knock it til you've tried it, got to be better return and far more fun than yell.com anyway!

Cheers

Diane

www.freshlymaid.co.uk

[gr cleaning solutions]

hi wilclean think we are from the same area try network north east i went for a tester it was good Ive got two very good jobs from it Ive got one more free invite then going to see how it goes and i may join hope that helps

[wilclean]

hi Gr

        how much is it to join?

[Simply Clean UK]

to the people who already go to networking events! does it or do you think it works for domestic only??