How many of you are in a Networking group?

[Mikey P]

Would you be interested in an on going thread (in the marketing/Biz room) where we can share ideas about doing presentations in our weekly group?
Scott Rendal tried this a few years back in a Email group and it worked well for a while.

I for one sometimes run out of clever thing to say in my 30 second infomercial. Let alone the 10 minute speech I do twice a year. After 6 years in Le Tip, it's hard to think of fresh material.


I used Scott's Pee Pee and Poo Poo line the other week and it was a hit.

 

[XTREME1]

I post my educational weekly. My sales manager minute is better

 

[Blue Monarch]

I think it would be a good thread. It is hard to come up with fresh stuff. My BNI group is about ready to start having two speakers each week. That will really make it hard to keep up.

 

[Fred Homan]

I am in BNI....Tell us the pee pee and poo poo line.....

Fred

 

[Mark Imbesi]

Do it!

 

[Bruce Humphrey]

Chamber Leads Group.

 

[Guest]

Do it!

Got nothing here.

 

[Mark Imbesi]

Josh, there's one in Reno NV, 1 hr 30 mins away...get in touch with the president there and express interest in starting one in your area...they should start a chapter with 7-10 members to start...I'm sure you can drum up interest within the circle of business owners you already know...Good Luck!

 

[steve r]

im in bni but your idea doesnt help me does it.

 

[Gary Taylor]

I was in a BNI/Leads type of group for about 3 years, and yes giving the 30 seconds was tough after awhile. When I needed to change it up I would use the 30 seconds to talk about how my business may relate to other members in the group, and to thank individuals who may have given me a lead.

When I was president of the group, just for fun sometimes I would make the person sitting next to you give your 30 seconds. This encouraged people to pay closer attention. Or sometimes I would have them draw a name out of a hat and do that person's 30 seconds.

It was a fun group, but I decided three years was enough.

Now I co-cost a Chamber network group once a month, based on BNI/leads format and we have a lot more fun and a lot more referrals.

Thanks
Gary

 

[Kelly]

bni + other

 

[Scott]

Our company has belonged to 3 different BNI's but they all seem to have a distinct pattern of petering out at a certain point. I've learned to become a "professional sub" instead and have invested way more time with the Chamber over the past 3 years instead.

Like Gary, we get more quality leads by being involved with the Chamber than we did with BNI. I'm not knocking BNI because we did quite a bit of business with each group. However, our ROI is best spent with the right people and groups within the Chamber.

Scott

 

[Royal Man]

Don't limit your networking to just the few people in your group.

Network with your entire community! There are untapped opportunities just waiting for you to take action.

Without action everything else is just wishful thinking.

 

[Kevin B]

Have you looked into other networking groups like LeTip?

 

[John Buxton]

been there, done that. I didnt get much out of them. I would rather spend my time with people that refer me all the time, carpet retailers, plumbers, soft water cos., realtors.

 

[orbitalclean]

i am not in a group, but i should be. i get lots of work from realtors (tm) going back to when i was a loan officer.

we didnt specialize in subprime so back off

 

[XTREME1]

don't put your money into one of those groups just starting out. Those groups(IMHO) are for established businesses looking to enhance there customer base. A newbie should spend their money pounding the pavement advertising such as doorhangers, directmail incentive referral programs and then hop into the other things. Depending on the cost of your local chamber that is a better starter option