As one of the chapter presidents for BNI, I can testify to the power and effectiveness of network marketing and if you're not already involved in a networking group, I encourage you to check out your local BNI chapter. The objective of any networking group is to grow your business through network referrals, but BNI's slogan is "Givers Gain" meaning the more you give unto others the better you are for it; and (in time) it will all come back to you. This can probably be said about any capacity in your life and certainly a good motto to live by.
"However there's a valuable and intrinsic component to membership that is often overlooked and has nothing to do with giving or receiving referrals." That's with this post is about.
It's about the ability to extend services to your clients 2 or 3 levels deeper than you otherwise could.. It's about being a resource to your clients in a field that you personally have little knowledge of and being able to sign your name to another person's work. In a sense you are passing your equity credibility to another business owner.
Here's a few case and points.
One of our key chapter members, Sonia Stodden, of Denny & Company, a CPA firm in Valencia, CA., recently explained to our chapter that our community of Santa Clarita had been accepted by the state of CA (starting in 2007) as an enterprise zone. What this means is that business owners may be eligible for specific tax credits that can total into tens of thousands of dollars.
Talk about finding a gold nugget!
I don't know anything about tax laws and write offs, especially as it relates to businesses, but just think how valuable this tip can be to one of your clients.
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Property manager John Evarts, of Classic Real Estate, has developed extensive relationships with key accounts such as Brian Grant of the Masters Touch, Steve Killian's home repair and GB Lock and safe. However, the relationship goes much further than just referring business to one another. When John calls any of these 3 companies, they can act as his eyes and ears when they enter a tenant's home on a service call.
For example, Steve may be on a call to change air filters, but if he goes into a property and see's that it's been trashed inside, you better believe John will be notified and in turn the landlord will be advised. Now how's that for added value to John's client the landlord? It doesn't matter if John ever gets a referral from these companies. The value in having them report their findings back to him and knowing that he can depend on them is worth just as much as any referral he could ever get.
I can go on and on about the dynamics of BNI networks and how they add value to your business. Sure you can create these types of relationships outside of a networking group, but it's the weekly structured meetings that accelerate and sustain these relationships for the long haul.
So if you're on the fence about joining BNI, think of how much added value you will provide to your clients when you can solve their problem in a field that you don't even work in.
That's how Givers Gain.
Thanks Team Gold for all you've done for me.
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I have been a memebr of BNI since 1995. Wow 12 years. It has been a stready source of clients and new contacts. In my worst year I earned $35,000 from these relationships.
BNI and the relationships I have developed has been very good to me.