Full Version: BNI groups
From: Linda (LINDAG) [#5]
28 Sep 2005
To: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#3] 28 Sep 2005
From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#6]
28 Sep 2005
To: Linda (LINDAG) [#4] 29 Sep 2005
I'm not sure if it was BNI, but I attended a couple of meetings of that, or a similar group, as a guest. Must not have been BNI, the price tag you mentioned, surely would have stuck in my mind.
I was invited by a friend of mine, who was a member. He's no longer a member, because he got too busy to attend the meetings. Mostly through efforts of his own, not necessarily that referred through BNI.
The other reason my friend dropped out, he was unable to come up with referrals for fellow members and felt like he wasn't holding up his end of the bargain.
Even though I wasn't a member, I witnessed the pressure to come up with referrals. Nobody would be called a free-loader, but that was the unspoken message.
From: RALLYGUY (RALLYGUY1) [#7]
29 Sep 2005
To: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#6] 29 Sep 2005
Hi David,
There are plenty of other local business associations that can be joined without all the pressures if you look a little bit. They are pretty much the same opportunity to network, without anyone requiring anything like attendance or bringing others in. Normaly you pay your dues and attend events that you can attend....Chambers of commerce are just one option....Sometimes it's worthwhile to look further...we were a member of the milwaukee builders association for a year.....When we lost our outside sales guy (to the big house)....we let the membership lapse cause no one was participating any longer.
Brian G.
EDITED: 29 Sep 2005 by RALLYGUY1
From: UncleSteve [#8]
30 Sep 2005
To: RALLYGUY (RALLYGUY1) [#7] 30 Sep 2005
From: RALLYGUY (RALLYGUY1) [#9]
30 Sep 2005
To: UncleSteve [#8] 30 Sep 2005
Sure does.... He has a 20 without parole minimum stay.......Then 20 more on sexual predator parole (very very restrictive) after that. I don't see any sales in his immediate future.
Brian G.
From: Cindy (CINDYM) [#10]
30 Sep 2005
To: Linda (LINDAG) [#4] 30 Sep 2005
I belonged to a BNI group for a couple of years and mainly I found myself doing lots of Ad Specialty type work, and all at the last minute type orders. My favorite was three different companies who thought they would drive me crazy by wanting two coffee mugs each - personalized, but not sandblasted, and each company had different color combinations they wanted. This was back when I didn't say no to the orders that came my way. Let's just say I paid for the priviledge of providing them with the mugs by the time it was all over.
We also did some nametags - but onesy, twosy type orders for that. The organization had me do the yearly engraved plaques, but wanted a deep discount on my usual price, which pretty much negatated any recoup on my dues.
I discontinued my membership when the board of directors fired our executive director because he wanted meetings that were more building business oriented and the board wanted more of a social club atmosphere. And the board made it sound to the membership that our ExDirector had done something really bad, like embezzle, before telling us what the real reason was. The way it was handled, I thought, lacked integrity, so next time it was time to renew, I decided not to.
The group could only have one business from each catagory, and they did have someone doing Ad Specialties, and I was in the Award catagory. Why they were coming to me for AdSpec. was a mystery, or maybe they thought they could save even more money. I found my particular group of fellow business people incredibly cheap. I didn't recoup my dues each quarter by any means. Most of the businesses seemed to be insurance, real estate, banking (but not a good contact person - the bank usually sent a teller to the meetings), auto body and mechanics, along with the usual long term care & other medical care people and then the group of city agency types. They didn't seem to be a group of viable networking people for me. I've heard from friends who are in insurance that it really pays off for them.
I think it really depends on the mix of the group. Try to get a look at the membership list before joining to see if those belonging are your client types. I tried another group not long ago through my chamber. They started a women's business group that met at lunch once every two weeks. They started off really nicely, but then loaded up on multiples of different types of business and before I knew it they were having wine parties and clothing exchanges - so not my thing. The meetings turned into complete "inner circle" chat sessions, and field trips to out of town seminars on the power of women in business. I decided my lunch hour could be better spent.
It's not for everyone, but it works well for some. Good luck with your decision,
Cindy
From: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#11]
30 Sep 2005
To: Linda (LINDAG) [#1] 30 Sep 2005
Linda,
I investigated BNI once and backed away because of the "high pressure sales pitch".... the guy leading the presentation "felt" like a con artist more interested in building the group than in helping me.
As has been mentioned earlier in this post, there is a lot of pressure to "perform" ie get leads for others. Then the question is if you have a friend that does x and you have someone in your group that does x, who do you refer too?
There are other networking opportunities that I find more rewarding and cost about the same..... civic clubs are one. Rotary, Kiwanis etc. You local chamber of commerce would be a MUST. The key however with these groups is to get involved, especially in the civic groups. As you become more involved, not only will your business grow, but you will too as most of the projects of these organizations are humanitarian in nature and offer something of real value to the community and the world. How cool is that? Grow your business - save the world.
Anyway, just my two cents. Want change?
From: gt350ed [#12]
30 Sep 2005
To: Linda (LINDAG) [#1] 30 Sep 2005
From your profile, I see you are in Pinckney, Michigan. I'm surprised that there are "various" BNI groups in your area. Unless, of course, Pinckney is a suberb of a larger metro area of Michigan. I say this because BNI, from my limited experience, tends not to be all over the place. Not too many units within a concentrated area.
In any event, there is a BNI here in my region. And I attended several times for breakfast as a result of being invited as a "guest". At the time, about 2 1/2 years ago, the membership was "about 15" companies/businesses. My membership fee/annual dues was going to be $285. Having been in other networking groups over the years in my previous career, I thought $285 was somewhat expensive to be in a group of 15 members. Consequently, I did not join. This was at the time of opening the doors of our business and I had other marketing ideas, and other ways of utilizing the $285.
Fast forwarding to today, the group still has only "about 15" members. Maybe even less. One of my business neighbors in the building is still a member, but he's thinking about quiting.
Although I do believe in networking groups, if I were going to belong to one, it would be the the most active and largest one in my area based on research. That's my advice to you.
My other advice would be to forego a "network" group altogether and invest your dollars in the local chamber of commerce(s). Utilizing their tools (mailing lists, mailing labels, etc.) and their own networking opportunities (monthly luncheons/breakfasts, coffee connections, quick connects, etc.), you can get more bang for your buck.
But to be successful, you or someone in your organization has to be outgoing and eager to convince chamber members that you have something to offer them. Actually, from our experience, it's kind of easy. To paraphrase what somebody once said, most of succeeding is just showing up.
Good luck, Linda!
From: Linda (LINDAG) [#13]
30 Sep 2005
To: ALL
Cindy, Chuck & Ed,
Thank you all for your thoughtful insight and advice - it is just what I needed! It seems you all had similar experiences with BNI groups, that they help some types of businesses and are great for some people, but not necessarily for everyone. (this includes me)
Like you Chuck, I felt it was very high pressure and more like a pyramid scam. In fact, I told them so (in a very nice way of course). It seems to me if their group is so successful, they shouldn't need that type of pressure to persuade people to join.
Cindy, I too have joined a Business Women Owners organization here that is actually very good. It hasn't paid off in terms of orders, but has brought in a little. Mainly I find them very supportive and each month we have a speaker and free "mini business lesson". All the speakers have been great and the cost is quite low for membership.
Ed, you have provided me with some wonderful advice. I have joined our local chamber and a sub group that has been great for me. Although Pinckney is a small, rural community, we are just outside of Ann Arbor (Go Blue!) and Brighton, both larger communities.
Again, I thank you all - this is such a wonderful group and I feel so lucky to have found you! B-)
From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#14]
30 Sep 2005
To: gt350ed [#12] 4 Oct 2005
Ed,
I doubt I'm the first to have said it, but I've said it in the past. I firmly believe, at least 75% of success in business comes through "Just Showing Up."
So many businesspeople let money slip through the cracks by not returning phone calls, taking days to return emails and giving quotes. In short, they just flake out.
You don't necessarily have to be the best businessperson or a prized artisan. If you happen to be a good businessperson and highly-skilled person in your trade, all the better!
Just show up and be interested!
Of course, the other 25%, as you correctly point out, is being somewhat outgoing and personable.
I don't consider myself the life of the party, but I'm not afraid to initiate a conversation amongst strangers.
My advice for anyone reading and struggling to generate business is, just talk to people and mention what you do for a living. Quiet confidence will win people over much more effectively than the hard-sell.
EDITED: 30 Sep 2005 by DGL
From: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#15]
30 Sep 2005
To: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#14] 30 Sep 2005
Truer word were never typed.
From: ABH (BACHI) [#16]
13 Mar 2006
To: ALL
Linda
I am presently a member of a BNI group in Canada.
My experience so far has not been very positive. The cost to become a member and stay one is pretty steep. $500 for the annual membership plus $8 for the breakfast at every weekly meeting, for a total of over $900 annually. So far, I have had total referrals of about $600 through the group. I am in my tenth month now. This amount is gross. You can figure how much my net would be, pretty low.
I will not renew as the return on my investment to the group has been pretty dis-propotionate. cindy is correct in saying that the referrals are mostly fom fellow members and are normally for one or badges.
Good Luck
Abdul