[steve horne]

This is for all the carpet cleaners who are thinking of differ'nt routes in getting new bussiness, I joined my chapter after two visits, I said to the wife if it pays for itself, or gets me more work it was worth every penny, i've met new people in my area, passed leads recived leads and work has started coming in from sources that I have cold called in the past to no avail, it showed me a new way to get more bussiness, buy asking my fellow members the people they know in companys i'd like to work with. Have also been able to entrust these members into my custys homes because, who talks to there neighbours and says who do you use for this anymore. In a nut shell givers gain is the motto and it's working for me, cheaper than some advertising i've done in the past.
www.bni.eu - it never hurt's to visit who knows you might get busier.

[cleanchoice]

I am a member of BNI too and in 2 months it has given me £2,000 worth of work. It links in to the Chis Cardell and Seth Godin models of permission and relationship marketing. I would recommend it to any carpet cleaner who is serious about growing their business

[brights cleaning]

i was in the BNI a coupleof  cyears ago, met some great contacts and did OK
was hoping for a lot more referalls but seemed to be dominated with Start up business, i thought it was going to be more established ones
didn't like the early mornings and our group seemed to get less and less in numbers so i didnt renew
but its worth a punt if only for the contacts that you might gain.

[AquaMagic]

I went to an introduction meeting and although it looked ok, there didnt seem to be too many leads flying round.  My main concern (this will sound selfish) is the pressure you are under to find work for other people, i find it hard enough marketting my business to need to worry about finding leads with other people.

Dene

[steve horne]

Dene, my chapter is 24 strong and every week there is a handfull that say, no referals this week, but they are the ones that dont get referals back, you also have to remember who there is in your chapter, and who is likely to get you work, and if you make the effort to get to know these people and always ask for what you are looking for in your your speech. you will find because you applyed yourself and set out as you mean too in that the givers gain, you will find out you will gain in work, new contacts, and that new chapter bussinesses will refer you to who they know, sometimes you will find doing 121's with these people, you will find out they know someone you've been trying to get bis from is there mate who they associate with in and out of work, visiting won't get you work but if the right people are in the group what have you got to lose.
              "Early bird catches the worm, it's only one morning a week!"

[The Great One]

HI

I used to visit one in Brighton, went along a few times.
The 6am start , plus £500 upfront fee, plus £8.95 each week for breakfast (£465)
was a bit too steep as it was right a the beginning of my business.

If you get a good one, I guess it can be profitable but like seems a bit like YP, some get great results, others don't.

Regards

Martin

[vangaurd]

i went to the first meeting in s/shields
oh yes we need a carpet cleaner on our books!
give us 600.00 up front we need at least 2 leads a week or your out
named and shamed.
got a call when i never turned up
we have some work for you they said but you will have to join first
my reply to them was naff off !

[steve horne]

BNI has never showed me that type of negativaty, are you sure it was'nt a spin off of BNI, if not then i'm not surprised you did'nt join. There is an alternative you can start your own chapter, and fill it with people who are'nt so negative.
Or check out the web-site for any other local chapters to you or dont, but why let one chapters ethics give you a sour taste, when every other chapter has a more welcoming feel, it's in there interest to gain members Re: givers gain motto you bring leads they give leads it's a win! win! way of getting more work and custys.

[vangaurd]

sorry no leads this  week i tried
well thats you blackballed you naughty boy now get out there and get us some leads! my arris .

[steve horne]

Well it sounds like my chapter have taken the time to help others, not rub it in there members faces when they hav'nt got leads , that's what the work shops are all about, they even help others to build on there confidance to gain more ways to get more work for themselves and others, by joining does'nt mean you have to do the hard sale for your chapter, just go armed with your card book, suggest if they where to need a local, etc, etc - that these guys are local and reliable if they don't come up with the goods they are the ones who should be blackballed as you mentioned, but remember what i posted before only join a chapter that others in it will be usefull to you and vice versa, you may not have had the right people around you.

[vangaurd]

to much like the freemasons for my liking :

[Mark Lane-Matthews]

You can go along as a guest before making a decision to join.
                                                          Mark 

[Nick Johnston]

Keep an open mind about BNI - it can work if you apply yourself correctly. In a previous life I owned a small-business accountancy practice and I just about built my business on BNI. I also met some good people and even now I now get carpet cleaning business from at least five of them, even though I have not been an active member for over two years!

When I started my cc business, I decided not to rejoin BNI for two reasons. Firstly, after two or so years of membership, I was fed up with the 7am starts. Secondly, I decided that you have to clean a fair number of carpets just to keep up with the £1,000 or so annual fees (although on the other hand, I have received more than this amount of business from BNI, even though I am no longer a member).

BNI won't suit everyone. It can seem very regimented and American in style. However, like everything in life, if you throw your self into it and apply your self correctly, you can make it work for you.

Nick

[bennymon]

i have just left bni i was a member for two years i met some good contacts. had some good jobs but the average referal  was i want my bedroom carpet cleaned will you give discount to bni members or here is the number of an estate agent they may need someone to clean carpets for them [ thanks for nothing ] in the end i left because every time i got up at 5.45 it woke my baby up wich woke up the rest of the house. so now i get 2 hours extra kip and i dont need them because the last few weeks things are picking up and im really busy

[Len Gribble]

A neighbour ask me along too one of meetings, why I asked? Reply Networking!  Then he tried to sell me cheaper utilities, lucky for him I was in a good mood I said thanks but no thanks!  The crux of it he has live there for about 15 years and has never had his carpets cleaned!

Len

[Ian Rochester]

I tried it last year, but as Martin said, the early mornings, breakfasts for £10 and the fact that most of the businesses there were all new starters and there was nobody there that I would like to recommend to my customers made me decide not to join.

I have a phone full of contacts that I do recommend to my customers from either personal experience or through seeing thier work first hand and a lot of them do the same for me.

[John Kelly]

Join the federation of small businesses instead. They have monthly meetings and regular events such as barbecues where you can do as much networking as you like, usually with established businesses. Add to this the excellent legal and accountancy help they provide, discounted prices from other member companies such as couriers, free banking etc etc.
And you don't have to attend every week. No early mornings, the meetings are usually at night in a pub.
All for 100 quid a year.

[Marly 11]

Went to a breakfast earlier this year 10 quid for breakfast started at 8, funnily enough the lady that invited me use to run a cleaning company that made 110k pa, the rest of group was made up of a Solicitor, Commercial Surveyor, Computer Whizz, FinancialConsultant, A PR Exec who had worked on one the major papers, ( sure one of them was Roket Scientist) lol, anyway they were all really nice and were encouraging me to join but they were a bit cut throat you miss two or three meetings and have no one to rep you, your out if you get no one any referals a 2-3 weeks your out! You look like a outcast if you stand up and have got nothing for no one, but they have for for you. After the meeting I thought about joining but when I looked at the odds, did not look good, I am sure they would of got me tons of work the majority of them had their own offices, but would I be able to give back what I could of potentially received? With that in mind £500 outlay and the non flexability of it I decided against it for now. But I know of a few cleaners who have made good money and got lots of good contacts. I suppose it is like most things in life " you get out, what you put in!"

[stevegunn]

Was a member for a year got lots of referrals left as the politics did not suit me being told to do this and do that.Since leaving have had more referrals than when I was a member.

[lands]

would you say it is worth for it for one year Steve as I need to drum up some commercial in my new area

Pete

P.s. check Kingcross in the 3.20 at Haydock