Experience with BNI?

[funcrunch]

<p>A friend of mine is president of a local BNI chapter, which I went to check out today. I'm intrigued by the concept and the structured method of getting more referrals, but the price is quite steep for my currently-limited means. San Francisco has a whopping 20 chapters though, and more than one have an opening for a photographer.</p>

<p>Do any of you have experiences - positive or negative - with BNI or similar networking organizations that you'd care to share?</p>

[acedigital]

<p>Referrals are obviously great and you have your own sales force if:<br>

1. You have power partners - other business members who need your services, ie wedding planners, caterers,event planners<br>

2. They like you/your work and will refer you<br>

3. All members businesses should be able to use a good photographer for websites, marketing etc<br>

Unfortunately, my experience was that the attorneys, realtors and insurance folks got most of the business and the cost of membership was more than what I made so I quit after 1 year.<br>

Maybe short sighted, but it was a little frustrating - try your local Chambers of Commerce and PPA chapters first. Just MHO</p>

[john_h.1]

<p>Mark's description is pretty accurate. I would add that it is more beneficial if you are performing a wide variety of work rather than concentrating on a particular niche. If you have corporate/ institutional experience and are in a bigger chapter that has a heavy connection to that realm, you have better odds of getting fairly big and recurring work. Promotional/advertising shoots, events ect. Otherwise, the occasional wedding may be the better of the gigs and may get old. If there is a wedding planner or the like, it may bring steady gigs though.</p>

<p>Its a great organization for sure and your marketing and networking skills will substantially improve over time which is something good to take away. The more you help people in the group, the more they will help you. The key is to get in the right chapter. Those core business professions generate the most activity. The kind of connections they have can make the difference. If you encounter a big mix of different clients and interact with a lot of people, you can really bring a lot which will help yourself in the end. Call around and see.</p>

<p>The problem with the chapter is that they are not trying to get you work.</p>

[john_h.1]

<p>I meant "Chamber" in the last sentence, not chapter.</p>

[karen_lippowiths]

<p>I was a Vice President of a BNI chapter and a member for 3 years. The organization as a concept is great, but the reason I'm no longer a member is that while it DOES include higher-end service providers, it typically attracts lower price-point services and products (i.e., Mary Kay, Cookies By Design, "trinkets and trash" vendors, etc.). I'm in an affluent area and I still found that most of the members (the men in particular, no offense) did not understand or support why I charge what I charge (average $2300 per session). I believe I was well-liked and I "invested" substantially in my group, but quite honestly, many of the other members were not connected with my core clientele. I consistently tried to educate clients as to what I do, why I charge what I need to charge, and who an ideal referral was for me, but I often felt like my message fell on deaf ears.</p>

<p>I'm strictly a children's portrait photographer. I often received referrals for work that weren't in my ballpark (people wanting a business headshot for $200 or a member's sister who wanted extended family photos "on a tight budget" or something). It was frustrating after a while.</p>

<p>This was just my experience. I'm by no means bitter. BNI is very valuable if you're looking to learn how to network, organize yourself, and speak about your business in front of a small crowd. I'm sure it could work well for others (particularly wedding photographers). I've formed many lasting friendships and business resources. It just wasn't a "sales powerhouse" for me and I had to make a decision on how best to spend the money and extensive time I was putting in.</p>

<p>Even if you don't join, visit a chapter or two. You're able to visit twice without joining. Every chapter is different and each has its own personality and "category composition." You might just find the right mix and that's all it really takes. Good luck!</p>

<p>Karen Lippowiths</p>

[funcrunch]

<p>Thanks to everyone for the detailed and helpful responses. I'm definitely going to do more research on my local BNI chapters before deciding whether to join. I found out that a former co-worker and fellow photographer is a member of another local chapter, so I'm planning to meet with her to find out her experience (though I wouldn't be able to join her chapter).</p>

[ted_suss]

<p>My experience from years ago was that all the work I got was from the other members and NOT from their referrals. I also used some of the members' services for myself and my business. It wasn't what I had expected, although there is the 80/20 rule because if the other members are aggressive and it's the right fit, you may do well. Very hard to tell...-TED :-)</p>

[ted_suss]

<p>My experience from years ago was that all the work I got was from the other members and NOT from their referrals. I also used some of the members' services for myself and my business. It wasn't what I had expected, although there is the 80/20 rule because if the other members are aggressive and it's the right fit, you may do well. Very hard to tell...-TED :-)</p>