Never been to BNI but have been to networking events.
I have picked up some business from them, take plenty of business cards and hand them out to everyone you speak to and dont be afraid to sell yourself, i found this a little bit daunting but you soon realise everybody is there for the same reason - to try and get some business.
Ive been to similar events were you have to give a short introduction - I find these really hard. Im ok with one to one meet and greet, but faced with a room full of strangers is I`ll admit my worst nightmare !
I have carried on with these thinking that if you do something often enough, they will eventually become easier, but Im afraid that has not worked for me, so I am debating about whether BNI are going to be the same format.
standard BNI format is for all members to give a 1 minute talk on what they do and what type of referrals the would like. At each meeting, 1 member will give a longer talk giving more information on their business.
Guests are normally invited to give a 1 minute, but you are welcome to only observe.
you have just described my worst nightmare ! seriously, I will probably take a deep breath and get is over with. Nothing ventured, nothing gained etc.,.
I have been standing up in front of a room full of people for 8 months now and I don't find the experience any easier!!! We are allowed to minutes to speak, i think I manage just under the minute and I have my speach all written out, which is sometimes difficult to read when you are shaking like a leaf. Sorry if that doesn't help.
The networking group I have joined is a non competitive one, i.e there is only one bookkeeper, and for sometime I have been wondering whether it is worth me going as I haven't had any referrals. Then a couple of months or so ago one of the attendees reported that at her BNI meeting she had referred me to someone who was looking for a bookkeeper in my area, I started working for them this week. Hope you can follow that!!
I don't have any experience of BNI, I have only heard that it costs about £450 in advance, so you would need to sell hard to make sure you got the referrals and follow that through to get the work.
Thanks very much for your input, I had no idea you had to pay !
I had recently sent out a load of intro letters to accountants (I had done this about a year ago, but got no responses), I thought I may as well go the rounds again. Then to my surprise I have had 4 responses, one of which has invited me to the next BNI meeting.
I know logic would say, give it a go, it is after all a way to market yourself/business however, in the light of that whopping fee !!! I could not afford to go down that road of marketing.
you will find that BNI costs you about £1000 pa once you include the BNI fee and weekly payments for the breakfast (50 @ £10). They also don't take kindly to people who are not regular attenders.
My wife attends the Women in Business Newtwork (www.wibn.co.uk) - they meet for a monthly lunch, and it is a lot less 'regimented' than BNI.
-- Edited by Brewsie on Saturday 9th of May 2009 03:31:03 PM
Sorry if that doesn't help. 
