[MattR]

Hi Barb

I was a member of a BNI group for 5 years through a previous employer. I moved on from that employer so stopped going to BNI. During those five years I tracked the referrals we received and gave a dollar value to them and similarly estimated the same with the referrals we gave. When you factor in the time cost (or opportunity cost) of attending the meetings etc. the dollar value of the referrals we received was very conservative - it certainly didn't set the world on fire. But it was good consistent referral business and certainly helped to grow the practice and its presence in the local area.

The advantage I see in BNI is that if the group is good, then generally it does follow the disciplines that its founder, Ivan Meisner, established. However sometimes you do feel like you're in a meeting where some American empowerment guru has been trapped in an Aussies body and is sprouting americanisms.