Word of mouth referrals rank #1 among business owners when asked where they prefer new business originates. That comes as no surprise. What's interesting is most professionals believe this type of referral happens only with time, experience. and  luck. While that statement carries some truth, betting on luck to grow your business is downright risky and most don't have the financial resources to stand the test of time without experiencing incremental growth in the meantime. So what's the solution to this problem. The answer is Referral Partners. A Referral Partner is any business that does not directly compete with, but has the same customer as your business. For example, the patient that visits the Chiropractor's office may benefit from Massage, therefore if the Chiropractor networked with a reputable Massage Therapist, together they could  refer patients to one another. Or, a Realtor needs a mortgage consultant to provide loans for home buyers. On a regular basis both would be connecting with potential home buyers and could easily and predictably refer to the other. There are dozens of other businesses with synergistic relationships that are rarely utilized to their full potential.

These Referral Partners are also known as Referral Alliances. Within a structured networking environment, like BNI, five Referral Alliances are present: Home Services, Financial Services, Personal Services, Health and Wellness, and Business Services. And the goal of each one of these sub groups is to have between 5 to 7 business people that represent non competing products, yet target the same customer. Currently, applications are being accepted for the following business classifications:

•  Commercial Realtor                                                                                     
•  CPA                                                                    
•  Dentist
•  Chiropractor
•  Photographer
•  Elder Law or Estate Attorney
•  Event Planner
•  Home Health Care
•  Handyman
•  DJ

 Over the last six months the group has generated $154,000 in new business for it's members. Every sale, every new business contact was created by word of mouth referrals and nothing else. "My company had two orders that totaled over $46,000 in revenue. It's business that wouldn't have happened without knowing someone within our group" stated Rick McGee of Intellitech Communications.

Giver's gain is BNI's philosophy and after 23 years of educating small business owners how to master the art of networking it's producing amazing results. A Mary Kay rep in Hollywood, CA referred the graphic artist in her chapter to a Hollywood film executive for graphic design work. After a successful interview and review of previous work, the graphic artist earned work on three other film projects, totaling over 7 digits in fees. It all comes down to relationships. We do business with people we know, like, and trust. Ask any one of the over 250 members in Tucson area and you'll hear about the impact  BNI has made on their bottom line. 

If you know a professional in any of the classifications listed above, please reach Kevin Wood with Realty Executives at 520. 260. 3123 or kwood@gotucson.com, or visit Taco Bron Thursday mornings, 7am located at 6910 E. Tanque Verde Road, just west of Sabino Canyon. Then judge for yourself!