Well, I’ve decided to write a slightly different kind of blog today, one that I hope will be beneficial to those of you who are entrepreneurs, or want to be entrepreneurs!
In exactly half an hour I will be heading off to my local BNI chapter, that is, Business Network International. For those who have never heard of such a group, it is-in a nutshell-a group of entrepreneurs who meet at the same time and place each week to pass referrals to one another (not just business cards) and track business generated within the group. We do this over breakfast or lunch, and it is an incredible way to get to know eachother and what we do.
BNI’s corporate philosophy is “Giver’s Gain.” If you give me business, I’ll give you business and we’ll all benefit.
I like that. And it’s just what I needed to get our business off the ground.
When my husband and I started our new business, E-storeplus, last year we wanted to find a way to grow our business without having to go door-to-door and cold-call. For those of you who have been driven insane by people knocking on your door to sell you something, or for those who are on the do-no-call (EVER!) list, you know my reasons for this.
But how do you grow a business without going the traditional cold-call route?
Well, we were introduced to BNI through two friends of ours who own a really cool graphic design company . They’ve been super successful through word-of mouth referrals from family and friends…and of course, through BNI.
I found out that another friend of ours who is a Mississauga mortgage broker was starting a brand-new BNI chapter and was looking for other business owners to come alongside and help him grow the chapter in our area of Mississauga.
At last I knew how we could grow the business without cold-calling!
I visited the chapter a couple of times and immediately liked the members that were part of this new group. They were professionals with strong values and work ethic, and a ton of fun too!
So I joined…
My chapter is, I believe, the newest chapter in the GTA (today is our first official meeting as a team!) and is appropriately named BNI TEAM-Together Everyone Achieves More.
Since being a part of this chapter we have had great success growing our business quickly, with 80% of our business coming directly from BNI members. This has been an incredible return on our investment!
And no, I am not getting paid to endorse BNI…they have no idea that I’m writing this right now. I simply love the concept of Giver’s Gain, and believe that it is truly the very BEST way to grow your business. Our business is proof that it works, and that it works well.
It’s NOT a social club (but it IS fun!). And it’s NOT for those who don’t want to help others grow their business.
No enterprise can exist for itself alone. It ministers to some great need, it performs some great service, not for itself, but for others.. or failing therein, it ceases to be profitable and ceases to exist.
– Calvin Coolidge
If you have your own business and want to see it grow, or are thinking of starting a new business, and are not sure where to begin, might I suggest that you take a closer look at BNI? You have nothing to lose, and so much to gain…I love it!!
Cheers!
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Very interesting concept. Good luck!!
Thanks Jenn!