I thought it would be useful to tell local businesses a short history of my involvement with BNI networking and why it works for my business in generating quality leads.
When I opened an office in Hertfordshire, having previously been down in Somerset, I was invited to various networking events but I found them to be too informal to really benefit a business such as mine. All anyone seemed to want to do was to sell to me! Then I got invited to BNI in St Albans which was a very different proposition with its focus on accountability and results.
I decided to give it a go and joined the Chariots Chapter in March 2011. As recommendations have always been my biggest source of new clients I felt it was right for my business model. I had a good year learning the ropes of network marketing and getting a lot of properties on the market, and selling, in areas that I hadn’t been marketing in to that date.
When a BNI Hertford/ Ware Networking group started in early 2012 I joined immediately as this is the area that I do most of my business in. BNI has continued to be both a powerful source of quality leads and a major and growing revenue stream for my business. But it has been much more than that as by mixing with other business owners and entrepreneurs you get lots of really good ideas that you can use to build your own business. You also create an invaluable and supportive group of friends who you can call upon at any time. I couldn’t recommend it more highly.
PS. I have just sent out an invoice for selling a nice large house in Broxbourne that I got through The Probate Bureau, a fellow BNI member!