I'm glad you enjoy these meetings Kathie! I wish there were more "events" in my area. I often think about starting something, but wonder how many would show.

__________________
Amy
www.porterofficesolutions.com

You know Amylynn, that's how each new BNI chapter starts. Someone wants to join but either their category is already filled at other chapters nearby or there isn't a chapter nearby. I bet if you contacted bni.com and chatted to them about it they'd give you full support in getting a chapter started.

For those of you considering BNI, I want to tell you my experience.

I joined a chapter in June 2010. Within a few weeks I landed a client - another BNI member. From June to end of the year, I made enough off this client to pay for my annual membership times two.

Then I went through a long spell where all I got were a few referrals that led to some one-off business, but not regular work. My membership was due in June. I didn't renew. Two weeks later, another BNI member called me & is now a regular client! In six weeks I have done enough business with him to pay for three years of BNI membership!

I'm am doing some claims work for this client & in dealing with his clients, I have had two people express interest in my services. One has been to my website.

I'm going to join BNI again. If anyone wants more info on this organization you can find them online or pm me.

I have gotten all of my clients through word of mouth. Most from BNI, but my programming professor has sent me work, too.

__________________
Lezly Harrison
Laserdog Productions - Code that Doesn't Bite

Yes, that's great Lezly. I have to say that the chapter I'm at now, I've been with since December. I got little bits and pieces of work till 4 months ago when I got a referral to a business coach from someone in my chapter. He alone pays the equivalent to my annual BNI fee every single month. He's on a monthly retainer and is very happy with my services and introduced me to some of his clients just last week at an event. 3 people asked for my card and I'm hoping I'll hear from them soon. This is what is known as second level referrals. A member of BNI refers me to someone outside of BNI and then that person refers me to others. In my chapter alone (we have 21 members) we've passed/received over $300,000 worth of business since January this year. I think that speaks a lot for the organisation of BNI.

That's great news, Kathy! I know lots of people are reluctant to pay the fee to join, but it has paid off more for me than my Chamber membership.

__________________
Lezly Harrison
Laserdog Productions - Code that Doesn't Bite

Hi Lezly,
Kathie is right the experience really depends on the chapter you are attending and where in the world that is. I too was tempted by a recent write up about BNI here in Ireland however when I spoke to a number of business colleagues they advised against it. The chapter here seems to demand many things from their members, firstly that you (or a colleague) attend every meeting - this is hard to do if like me you are working solo ! Secondly they demand a certain number of referrals per meeting - this diminishes the quality of the referral as members were getting more worried about the number than the quality - lastly I cannot understand why you would pay money for this ? The local Chamber of Commerce here has developed a networking group meeting together with other local enterprise groups each month where you can have 5 minutes to introduce your business and network with other like minded individuals - swap contacts and advise each other on what you do - this is all free (you do not have to be a CC member) and designed to try and keep business local - much like the BNI. As Kathie says it does depend on the chapter and I think here in Ireland they may have got it a little wrong - it is after all a franchise and the danger is that the original ethos can get distorted. I am glad though that you got some positive results - at the end of the day that is all that matters.

__________________
Lara Costello
www.girlfriday.ie

Lara, BNI does say you should attend every meeting weekly. If you don't attend regularly then the other members don't get to know you or what your business is about. That's the same for BNI worldwide. You're allowed three absences in a 6 month period, to cover for illness or emergencies, but if you can't attend at other times, you're encouraged to get a substitute to attend in your place. This could be a colleague, friend, family member, client, someone else you've met as a visitor to your BNI chapter. I couldn't attend yesterday morning as I had to take my husband to the dentist urgently, but since I'd found this out the previous afternoon I had time to ring around and find a substitute. I work solo too and have been a member of BNI for many years.

With respect to number of referrals - this may differ from chapter to chapter and I agree that if you don't have anything to refer then the quality of referrals can diminish. But each chapter does track how many referrals are passed each week, how many $$ of closed business and how many visitors attend. Our chapter has passed around $300,000 of business this calendar year within a group of 21 people and I've been the recipient personally of around $7,000 of that in just the past 5 months. That's business I wouldn't have gotten if I didn't attend.

Which probably is one answer about why would you pay. So, why would you? Simple, it's cheaper than Yellow Pages advertising. You have all the other members of your chapter carrying your business cards around with them every day, they become like an extended sales force for your business. Their structure is focused on growing the business of every member in the chapter so it's very different from the Chamber of Commerce or other networking groups. And you grow a respect and trust for those you meet on a weekly basis. They become your resource team for your business: accountant, bookkeeper, web designer, financial planner, printer, ink cartridge supplier, copywriter, mortgage broker, telecommunications, solicitor, etc - just some of the categories covered in my chapter. And once you're a member no-one else from your category can join your chapter. So I have a captured audience for my business.

I'm so glad this post was already out here. I attended a BNI visitor meeting last night and loved it! My biggest concern is the time commitment. Their attendance policy is that you can't miss more than 3 meetings in a six month period. I completely understand why they need this, but I'm not sure I can manage it with the kids' activities and my husband's unpredictable work schedule. I know I can ask any number of people that I met last night, but wanted to hear what this group had to say.

I'm particular interested in how the substitute program works. Can anyone substitute for me? It kind of sounded like only someone from my organization could substitute for me, and since I don't have any employees, that is not going to work. Any ideas?

__________________
Jennifer Simons - Girl Monday
www.girlmondaysf.com

Anyone you know - family, friends, colleagues, other visitors to your BNI chapter, other BNI members from other chapters. I'm just heading off to my BNI meeting now.