how to grow your business in a recession

BNI Insider Tips

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Business for the Building Trade

We have so much business to pass to members of the building trade. Electricians, plumbers, roofers, painters, decorators, locksmiths and of course builders.

Many of these positions are filled in Somerset & Wiltshire but we do have some openings and new chapters being started ... so contact me to find out more and I will be happy to arrange a visit. There may or may not be 'a good fit' but we will never know, until you visit.

I am confident that when you see how BNI is different, you will understand why we are the most successful Referral Organisation in the world.

Reputation is Built Over Time

What you won't see at a BNI meeting 

• Your Competitors.  BNI positions are exclusive, a rare scenario for any marketing initiative. Ever tried to get exclusive positioning in Yellow Pages or your Local Newspaper or at a Networking Event?  No, your focus is diluted with those of your competitors.  

  

• Empty Seats.  Developing referrals means building relationships based on trust, confidence, reliability.  You cannot achieve this when 'members can come and go as they please'.  Without a commitment to be there, people won't be over time.  Erodes trust and dilutes the energy of the meeting.  This always happens when an organisation opts out of the having an attendance policy. When any BNI member cannot attend they find it easy to arrange for a substitute and we help new members arrange this in advance.  

  

• People Selling to One Another.  Networking is the opposite to sales and referrals is far more powerful than networking.  Networking is only a part of the referral process and given that 90% of people don't have a follow up system we have to ask you this question.  Do you want to be sold to or do you want to develop referral sources?  How are you going to make this happen?  

  

What you don't see elsewhere

• Referrals System  BNI focus on qualified referrals, not leads or maybes.  The person passing you a referral will have established that "their contact is in the market for your product or service and they are looking forward to your call, with anticipation."  In some case they may even take you to meet their contacts.  At BNI good members know that 'what goes around, comes around and that part of their strategy is to add value to their business by recommending other good people  

  

• Structure and Focus.  Good business is about bringing professionals together within a focused environment and the BNI structured approach has been proven to work for over 24 years.

  

• Coaching, Training, Support.  In these economically challenging times, "don't wish it were easier, wish you were better."   BNI provides the best coaching and training in how to develop referral strategies anywhere in the world.   As a member you have access to this training on a weekly basis in addition to regular workshops and cross chapter networking events.

  

• Proven Track Record.  Success comes with Experience and BNI is the most successful referral organisation in the world. With access to any chapter in the world an International reputation is important. If you want proven results come and join us.

  
 

Choose A Focused Referral Group

For the most part, if you want to build a source of referrals, networking doesn't work in the way you imagine . Referrals are founded on trust and confidence and this relies on sound relationships .... you don't get that from ad hoc networking events.

When you hear what local business people are saying about BNI in this 5 minute video you will understand why BNI is the Number One Referral Organisation in the World.

The video provides a good reflection of what BNI is about.

... as seen by a Bookkeeper who created £45,000 of extra business in her first year.

... listen to how a Mortgage Adviser created £100,000 income.

... how does the Planning Lawyer who attributes 100% of her new business to BNI

.... finally a Health & Safety Consultant generated £350,000 business in his first 5 years.

"The most direct, sensible, condensed agenda I had seen. For me, I haven't got time to waste." Graeme Massey Brand Builder

"Apart from tens of thousands of pounds worth of business every year, I have met people it would have taken years to meet in any other way and given me training to be confident in any networking situation." James Taylor Lawyer

Referral Marketing: More Effective Than Ever

Word of mouth recommendations are, by far, the most powerful way to build business and yet, 'doing a good job', does not lead to as many referrals as you think or deserve.

We get paid to do a good job and customers have raised their expectations when it comes to the level of service they are looking for.

Most business owners admit that they get a much of their business from referrals yet very few know how they get them and more to the point, how to create them to order, on an ongoing basis. To do so, you need a system and we have a system proven to work.

Attending networking events is important in providing visibility for you and your business, but it is only part of a strategy and certainly not a system focused on referrals.

Referrals: Such A Powerful Marketing Strategy

Do you know what people are saying about you behind your back? Do you really?

Sales is you telling everyone how good you are but you're the one that is saying it. Smart business networking is getting a focused group of people to tell their contacts how good you are.

Which is the most powerful? You telling the market you are good or us telling the market how good you are? You don't need to answer that for it is do damn obvious.

So how do you get this to happen, alongside your other marketing efforts? Well the first thing you need to know if that 'doing a good job' will not do it. People expect you to do a good job ... that is what they pay for. Going that extra mile and exceeding customer, client expectations may stand a little chance but in relying on customers and even friends to give you referrals will give you a fraction of what you should be getting.

BNI is different. We have developed a systematic approach to bringing people together to develop relationshops, understanding and the attitudce where people want to work together to help one another.

BNI is about Smart Networking. BNI is about lot's of focused people telling their contacts how good you are so that you get the sort of profitable referrals you really want.

We coach this stuff and it is FREE to BNI members.

Advertising: Less Effective Than You Think

The challenge of creating visibility through advertising is as follows:

1. You are not paying attention. Nobody is.

Everyone is shouting at us to try this, buy that and so we close our ears, shut out the noise and stop listening. Fact is, we are not listening and neither are your potential customers.

There have never had so many different ways to advertise business. More newspapers, radio and television stations. More direct mail, more email spam. More sales calls, more websites. The average person is exposed to 3000 advertising messages a day.

All saying the same thing. People have had enough. We are not listening any more.

What does this mean to those of us looking for new business? Each year it costs more to reach potential new customers, who are not paying attention.

2. No one really believes adverts anyway.

Marketing for Growth in a Recession

Business Growth in a Recession - Upload a Document to Scribd

New Government Loans Guarantee Proposals

Interview with Adam Thomas on the subject of the loan guarantee scheme proposed by the government as a way to ease the credit challenges faced by small business and how it will effect business's in Somerset.

Positive Focus Amidst the Doom & Gloom

December 3rd interview with BBC Radio Somerset's Adam Thomas on the Big Breakfast Show regarding the challenges facing businesses in the South West.