BNI

[steve r]

joined yesterday and its already paid for itself. was a guest twice and have done three jobs with more pending.i just dont like the weekly meetings but it is at 7 am so it doesnt effect my day, just to damn early.
what does everyone think of BNI?

 

[Fred Homan]

I joined BNI about 1 1/2 yrs ago. It helps. It may be better with the referrals you get. You just have to keep going every week. Things can click when you do not expect it to. There are 53 people in our group.

Fred

 

[Mark Imbesi]

BNI was the best move I made when I was self employed the first time. I recently started up again and will be starting another chapter very soon. I was also a past-president for a year.

You definitely will get out of it what you put in. Don't just attended meetings. Join committees and volunteer for leadership positions. The extra work will pay off.

Breakfast meetings are better than lunch ones. You are not doing anything from 7-830am anyway. The realtor, home inspector, plumber, painter and wallpaper person should be your best friends. Remember all of the members always. Most will try out your services personally first before they feel comfortable enough to refer you to others.

Stick with it and enjoy the warm leads. Their referrals are really easy to sell.

All the Best,

Marc

 

[A. wilson]

They do work with the right group of people. I had 2 different BNI groups trying to get me to join, but their weekly meetings were at 11:30am. I just don't have time in the middle of the day to play grab-ass with a bunch of suits.

I tried to get them to make it early or even late in the day, but to no avail. I might try again some day, but I am just too busy right now to persue it.

 

[Fred Homan]

Find a morning meeting Austin.....

 

[steve r]

i went as a guest about 20 miles away to mishawaka in. but it was at 11:30 am a half hour from home. there was more people but at my first meeting here i got a job and another my next week. now ive got at least 1 more.
its a smaller group and a lot more laid back. im definately a lot more comfortable with this group.

im sure ill get a lot out of this( i dont mean referals ). it reminds me of my days selling filter queens.

 

[danpauselius]

I did over $20K in one week from BNI referrals. Granted, it was all WDR and every other house was under water, but it was still worth getting up early all those days.

Funny thing is that I had quit the group about 3 months before that and they had another guy who did WDR but they didn't trust him.

 

[Blue Monarch]

Just joined a BNI group myself. Seems to be a good one. So far the folks that seem to be the best match are...

Window Washer
Flooring Installer
Handyman
Realtor

Those alone should make it well worth my time.

 

[steve r]

i hooked up with a heating and air guy and a property manager so far.

 

[Mike Brummett]

Very worthwhile. BNI has definitely raised the bar for me as far as professionalism. Hang out with winners and it rubs off.

The referrals are nice too.

MIKE

 

[Bruce Humphrey]

I was a guest at a BNI meeting, I really liked excitement level in the room. People were giving referrals to each other. I had to make the decision over BNI or my local Chamber Leads group. I went with the Chamber leads group because I'm a chamber member and thought I should try to get the most out of it before I try something new. I'm already referring Water Damage work to the local Hammer Restoration and they are sending me their carpet work.

 

[B&BGaryC]

Too many other cleaners in my BNI Group. I don't want to join when they already got 3 CCers. 1 is really good and trustworthy, the other 2 are hacks.

 

[danpauselius]

Gary, there is only suppposed to be ONE person per profession in any BNI group, that's the rule. Either it wasn't BNI or they're gonna get in some big trouble with BNI corporate.

 

[Blue Monarch]

I kinda doubt it's BNI. 3 CC'rs! How many !@#$% people are in that group?

 

[Jim Martin]

the BNI we belong to only allow one of each profession........

I thought this was pretty standard.......????

 

[Fred Homan]

Gary, If that is BNI, they do not have their shit together.....

 

[steve r]

my undrestanding is if i dont put rugs or tile or wood floors in my profile they can get someone who does those but couldnt advertise carpets or upholstery cleaning.

 

[Bob Foster]

Your membership or dues are transferable to another chapter.

 

[jamesx1234]

I personally did not like BNI. I received around 6 jobs a month but if you consider it take about 8 hours a month out of your time it is not worth it unless you are new and don't have a customer base.

 

[Ron Werner]

I didn't have a positive experience with BNI either. Their is the $350+ initial fee but don't forget to add on the cost of the meals(about $10-15/week x 50 weeks is another 500-750/yr), extra marketing materials, gifts, travel and time.
In the one year I was a member I got no referrals outside of the members themselves. They were impressed with the work but nada. So when I quit the group I took no "clients" with me. actually there is one client from the group where I earn about $400/yr.

My biggest challenge was also giving referrals. I already have a network of people I refer for this that and the other. Plus having to come up with a referral EVERY week gets stressing.

I figure the better way is to market to my clients then I can have 800+ people talking about me for the same money.

 

[Jay D]

I had the same experience as Ron. Everyone in the group uses me and likes my work but no referrals past that. Very nice people but secondary referrals is why I joined. I will not renew.

Mister Sir

 

[steve r]

ill keep this in mind.
our weekly fees here are 5 bucks and it is from 7 to 8:30 so no time cleaning lost.thats one of the reasons i stayed with this group.

 

[Greg Loe]

It's netWORK, not net-waitandseewhatIget.

You should have a marketing plan on how to get to those second, third and forth level referrals. First level being the people in your group, second and above being outside the group.

You don't wait for your customers to give you referrals, you ask, you give extra gifts, incentives, and so forth.

Give your group a call to action for referrals. You have to make them want to give you referrals.

Work your group just like you work your customer base.

 

[B&BGaryC]

Gary, there is only suppposed to be ONE person per profession in any BNI group, that's the rule. Either it wasn't BNI or they're gonna get in some big trouble with BNI corporate.

I have never physically been. I know Elite Cleaning Company was part of it, and at the same time, hack job was some other aspect. I think hack job might have left, and eventually, elite cleaning company stopped going because they thought it was a waste of time. I know Big Ego Cleaning is part of it, because my optician said Mr. Big Ego himself was in his group, and I also know that "We do good work 50% of the time" Cleaning company is part of it. It could be, that the only one in the group now is The half-time hack, because I know he is in the group right now.

So, maybe they have one, but I'm under the impression that 3 companies are part of it, and at one time, there was four, unless I am wrong and they were all part at different times.

 

[Greg Loe]

you can have multiple categories for cleaning.

water damage, upholstery, carpet, house cleaning, leather, air duct.

And all of those could be a carpet cleaning company.

It wouldn't be smart on anybodies part to do that.

The membership committee could allow only 1 cleaning category to be fill by a carpet cleaning company. Like for house cleaning and carpet and upholstery, house cleaning would be a maid service only, carpet and upholstery would be only 1 company too,