Thoughts on BNI

[VanessaCaputo]

Hi I am looking to join a chapter in the inner west Sydney. We meet at Five Dock every week. The chapter hasn't actually started as they are just trying to get members for this chapter at this stage.

There are plenty of fields available such as accountants, book keepers and real estate agents etc anyone really except for solicitor, residential mortgage broker, commercial mortgage broker, IT and potentially Fitness and web builder as they have already been taken.

Let me know if there is any interest.

regards,

[Bub]

Be careful about BNI. While it does try to set up a referral base, I feel it's main aim is to get members to keep encouraging everyone they know to come to meetings as guests in the hope they will sign up (about $1000 a year + $20 each week for breakfast). A money making business with it's members as it's unpaid workforce, guilted into drumming up potential new financial members.

[DavidM]

Originally Posted by Bub

Be careful about BNI. While it does try to set up a referral base, I feel it's main aim is to get members to keep encouraging everyone they know to come to meetings as guests in the hope they will sign up (about $1000 a year + $20 each week for breakfast). A money making business with it's members as it's unpaid workforce, guilted into drumming up potential new financial members.
My son used to call it a cult when I talked about it, and it started to feel like it. They reneged on promised it made to me and I pulled out. The managership was pretty poor and I felt guilty each week if I did not bring a victim (sorry- "guest") with me. I ran out of people to ask.
I started to stress the day before if I could not find anyone to come.
Glad to be out of it.

Although I have not been in BNI, someone close to me has and she relayed a similar story. BNI is great for some businesses that can create power-networking groups (e.g realestate agents to architect to solicitors to electrician did great referrals to one another). I'd warn against joining if you were in a business that was too removed from the other businesses (e.g a health professional, when no one else is in that industry). Doing the sums the investment in time was not worth it so she left.

And there's not really any visibility as to what you get for your joining fee. Sure you get some booklets - but not enough to justify upwards of $1,000 when the BNI agency itself does nothing to support the events.

David

[Bub]

So true. If you are not in what they call a "power group" - a group of related and mutual businesses, it's pretty much a waste of time (and money).
But what is really disturbing is the lack of truth and transperency to potential business owners that may be interested.

[FS Administrator]

Hi Barb and all,

Well as you can see, opinion is divided with regard this networking organisation!

We have had to edit a couple of posts as the comments were a little too personal and outside our guidelines.

There is no doubt that BNI have a strong focus on referrals and from what we have witnessed over the years each group's success is dependent on the local members and the leader.

We understand you are able to go along for a trial, so that could be a good way to see...and please trust your intuition!

One thing is certain, for networking to work for you you must be clear on your own motivation and you must enjoy it!

It's from a few years back, but this article on business networking groups might also help

Cheers,
Peter

[Actuarial Planning]

Originally Posted by SmallBusinessWorks

I am a member of BNI (for 3 months) and enjoying my time there, It has already paid for itself from a pure $ perspective but my feeling is that real face to face networking is being replaced quite quickly by online networking and social media.

I guess it depends on the pace of your business and pace of new clients your business plan calls for, we get many times the enquiries through Linked in, FB, blogs and media/PR than we do through direct face to face networking, for me networking is much more about meeting people, learning and generally interacting with other business owners. (i am new to FS but i think it will also be a valuable networking / business tool)

It is sad you have had such trouble forming BNI groups and sad business owners are generally so closed to openly networking, prior to joining BNI i made attempts to form some sort of networking group myself of local businesses (my client database is several hundred small businesses) with no sucsess at all and yet my clients will sit there and say they desperately need new clients and referals!

Hi Alan,

I am more than "new" to online networking and noticed this just now as someone also considering BNI - what can you tell us about your experience with FB/FS/Linkedin? I spent some time in regional NSW where face to face networks were a closed shop in country towns so I understand your comments there. Congratulations on the successful networking.

[John B&WM]

When I was first invited along to BNI, I accepted to be polite to a friend and client. 3 years on, I appreciate just what a good friend she was. I am now an advocate of structured word-of-mouth marketing, BNI is so much better than the more traditional industry networking groups I have been involved in.

Some individuals simply don’t get it and therefore can not expect good returns. When you understand and implement the BNI system, most people find it beneficial. BNI represents the majority of my new business income, and many of my best clients started out as BNI referrals. I wounder sometimes how I would stay in business without the support of my Lane Cove (Business Express) Chapter.

There are generally a number of local BNI chapters you can visit, at least a dozen on Sydney’s North Shore. Each has its own dynamic and personality, find one that you feel comfortable in and give it a go. If the enrolment and membership fees sound high, you have messed the point of networking for profit, it pays for itself repeatedly.

John - Bells and Whistles Marketing Pty Ltd

[bigdipper]

I am a member of a networking group which broke away from the main organisation (not BNI).

I've been a member for 10+ years and while I don't attend myself these days I still send another staff member.

Over these 10 years it has been worth it as one lead has led to many dollars of income.

A few points to note are:
- who are the group members.
- Are the members interested in referring leads or just in bringing more members to the meetings.
- what industry are the other members in and are those iindustries related to yours.
- what do you want to get out of membership - more paying work, building your brand etc

Our group now has a low 6 monthly membership fee which is donated to a local charity rather than lining hte pockets of someone!

You can also gain other benefits from being a member of a group like this:
- public speaking
- creating an elevator speech (which is valuable in all sorts of situations)

So attend a few groups and see what you think.

[VenusClubOz]

Hi Barb,

I can say whole heartly that networking groups work. I moved to New Zealand joined a womens networking group called Venus Clubs and was overwhelmed with how many referrals I received.

I believe in it so much I've moved back Sydney and am launching Venus Clubs Australia in Feb 2011.

If you interested, check out our website www.venusclubs.co.nz we are passionate about helping women grow their businesses through referral marketing.

You can like us on facebook as well
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Ven...68445679839402

If you have any questions, please email me at olivia@venusclub.co

Hope this helps.

Olivia
Operations Manager
Venus Club Australia

[socialbuzz]

I have been to a few BNI's over the years as a guest until I found a group that was right for me. It's a good idea to go as a guest so you can get a feel for the group, it took me 3 go's before I found a group that was really into referrals and not just turning up for a chat.

Different industries get different results in regards to sales and often it can take 6 to 12 months to get a qualified referal as people need time to build report and trust you what you have to offer.

In my opinion this is too long a wait only because so much money is involved; the sign up fee, then the weekly fee and if you miss more than 3 meetings they can kick you out and no, you don't get your money back.

I am totally into social media (hence my business www.socialbuzzonline.com.au) as you have 1000's of people you can communicate with every day. This makes much more sense to me, than attending the same meeting every week with the same 30 people.

Good luck with your decision, don't forget to look for non BNI groups as there are many networking groups around including free ones.