Business Over Breakfast Clubs?

Gazing_On_Sunsets

The local one was advertised in our free press this week, so I googled it - they have about 25 members and it's £15 per meeting. One of the business areas they want to recruit members in is similar to my own and I'm looking to network and expand... but is it really worth it? Or do the only people to really benefit happen to be the people pocketing the £15?

Anyone ever been to one?

jexygirl

Horace will no doubt reply shortly - she organises them and from what I hear, they are or can be quite lucrative.
Jex

paulwf

Which group was it? BNI or something different?

jhp

These people are worth a look at even if you just join there free online forum. http://www.4networking.biz/

Horace

Here is a run down of groups:

BNI - one type of business per seat so you can be locked out - membership cost around £600 per annum and you pay for breakfast each week, you have to attend each week or send a sub and you must make referrals.

4Networking - any type of business membership per annum varies but typically £500, fortnightly breakfasts from 8-10 (takes too much time out of day) - pay £10 for breakfast - the venue gets the large proportion and the Area Leader gets the rest. Turn up in beer stained t-shirt and jeans if you want - no dress code.

Bob (there is a group called Business Over Breakfast) - not sure if their meetings are weekly or not, nor do I know what time they meet - breakfasts can be £15 so the venue will get some of that and the person running the club will get the rest. Have never been to one so can't really comment

Biscotti - tends to be the cost of a coffee - meet monthly for coffee drop in and out as you please tend to meet at around 9.30am for a couple of hours.

Ladies That Latte - can meet day time or evening cost generally £10 for coffee and cake - for ladies, generally quite social

NRG - tend to organise breakfasts and lunches - lunches are around £32.80:eek: they have a very strict dress code.

Have a look for some Find It groups e.g. Find It In Birmingham - these are typically run by the local council and meet each month (typically registration at 6.45am and meeting ends at around 9am) - these can sometimes be free and you will get a bacon bap and a hot drink. These are great places to meet buyers - the Birmingham meet gets on average 180 businesses in the room, we have a talk from an interesting speaker and opportunities to network before and after. Recently, they held one about the redevelopment of New Street Station and it was an opportunity for Birmingham based businesses to meet the buyers - a great deal of business was done that day. Find It Ins can be free although Birmingham has recently lost funding so they will be charging £50 per annum membership which includes all breakfasts or you could have a basic membership and pay £10 for breakfast. Why not see if your local council organises one?

Some networking meetings can be great - I admit that I stepped away from 4N because I didnt like the people in charge and I felt that it wasn't doing my business any good. I joined other groups which start earlier in the morning and have set up my own too. How coincidental that since I left 4N, my business has gone from strength to strength.

Typically, when groups charge for breakfast - part of the money will go to pay the venue and part will be kept by the organiser. Business networking groups can be great places to meet and interact with other businesses and over time as you get to know and iike each other you will pass business between each other.

At networking events you are often asked to stand up and give a 40 second or 60 second pitch about your business e.g. My name is Horace of Left handed Widgets Ltd and I am looking for people who are interested in widgets and I am particularly keen to talk to people who sell right handed widgets. Not a good example, I know - you should try and talk about what benefit you can offer others. Remember to start with your name and co name and end with name and company name.

On my profile there is a link to my homepage and visit the blog, which will give networking tips on perfect handshakes etc. (attn. mod - I am not promoting my own business but sharing knowledge that newbies to networking may appreciate).

The point of networking is to get more business so dont expect to be receiving stacks of orders the first time you go, you need to go regularly to build rapport with people. Take plenty of business cards too - I must admit that I tend to give two out, one for the person to keep and the other to pass on.

Networking does work - through networking I have been asked to recommend caterers for a celeb party at the London Palladium next month, I have been asked to organise events for a worldwide serviced office company and I have been asked to speak to 180 people ata networking event.

Personally, I would go to the breakfast meet because you won't know what it is like until you have been, you may be pleasantly surprised. Since I started networking, I get invited to loads of networking events and all the time I am expanding my contacts. I always follow up when I am given business cards, even if it is just to say it was a pleasure meeting them. Ignoring them makes you and them forget about you. Remember to use LinkedIn as well and connect with the people you have met at networking on there - then look down their connections lists to see if there is anyone you would like to be introduced to and ask if the introduction can be made.

With networking, it isn't what you know but who you know that counts - although you may not have the service someone is looking for they may know someone that does and vice versa.

Enjoy.

Horace

Here is a run down of groups:

BNI - one type of business per seat so you can be locked out - membership cost around £600 per annum and you pay for breakfast each week, you have to attend each week or send a sub and you must make referrals.

4Networking - any type of business membership per annum varies but typically £500, fortnightly breakfasts from 8-10 (takes too much time out of day) - pay £10 for breakfast - the venue gets the large proportion and the Area Leader gets the rest. Turn up in beer stained t-shirt and jeans if you want - no dress code.

Bob (there is a group called Business Over Breakfast) - not sure if their meetings are weekly or not, nor do I know what time they meet - breakfasts can be £15 so the venue will get some of that and the person running the club will get the rest. Have never been to one so can't really comment

Biscotti - tends to be the cost of a coffee - meet monthly for coffee drop in and out as you please tend to meet at around 9.30am for a couple of hours.

Ladies That Latte - can meet day time or evening cost generally £10 for coffee and cake - for ladies, generally quite social

NRG - tend to organise breakfasts and lunches - lunches are around £32.80:eek: they have a very strict dress code.

Have a look for some Find It groups e.g. Find It In Birmingham - these are typically run by the local council and meet each month (typically registration at 6.45am and meeting ends at around 9am) - these can sometimes be free and you will get a bacon bap and a hot drink. These are great places to meet buyers - the Birmingham meet gets on average 180 businesses in the room, we have a talk from an interesting speaker and opportunities to network before and after. Recently, they held one about the redevelopment of New Street Station and it was an opportunity for Birmingham based businesses to meet the buyers - a great deal of business was done that day. Find It Ins can be free although Birmingham has recently lost funding so they will be charging £50 per annum membership which includes all breakfasts or you could have a basic membership and pay £10 for breakfast. Why not see if your local council organises one?

Some networking meetings can be great - I admit that I stepped away from 4N because I didnt like the people in charge and I felt that it wasn't doing my business any good. I joined other groups which start earlier in the morning and have set up my own too. How coincidental that since I left 4N, my business has gone from strength to strength.

Typically, when groups charge for breakfast - part of the money will go to pay the venue and part will be kept by the organiser. Business networking groups can be great places to meet and interact with other businesses and over time as you get to know and iike each other you will pass business between each other.

At networking events you are often asked to stand up and give a 40 second or 60 second pitch about your business e.g. My name is Horace of Left handed Widgets Ltd and I am looking for people who are interested in widgets and I am particularly keen to talk to people who sell right handed widgets. Not a good example, I know - you should try and talk about what benefit you can offer others. Remember to start with your name and co name and end with name and company name.

On my profile there is a link to my homepage, visit the blog which will give networking tips on perfect handshakes etc. (attn. mod - I am not promoting my own business but sharing knowledge that newbies to networking may appreciate).

The point of networking is to get more business so dont expect to be receiving stacks of orders the first time you go, you need to go regularly to build rapport with people. Take plenty of business cards too - I must admit that I tend to give two out, one for the person to keep and the other to pass on.

Networking does work - through networking I have been asked to recommend caterers for a celeb party at the London Palladium next month, I have been asked to organise events for a worldwide serviced office company and I have been asked to speak to 180 people ata networking event.

Personally, I would go to the breakfast meet because you won't know what it is like until you have been, you may be pleasantly surprised. Since I started networking, I get invited to loads of networking events and all the time I am expanding my contacts. I always follow up when I am given business cards, even if it is just to say it was a pleasure meeting them. Ignoring them makes you and them forget about you. Remember to use LinkedIn as well and connect with the people you have met at networking on there - then look down their connections lists to see if there is anyone you would like to be introduced to and ask if the introduction can be made.

With networking, it isn't what you know but who you know that counts - although you may not have the service someone is looking for they may know someone that does and vice versa.

Enjoy.

Gazing_On_Sunsets

Wow thanks Horace, loads to think about! I will muse on that...

Horace

Oops, I didnt mean to post it twice either - the computer had a hiccup.

I do lots of networking, I have networked early morning (still do), lunchtimes and evenings. I even organise some of the evening ones myself and arrange all the speakers.

It has done wonders for my business..give it a bash.

There are other types of networking such as Chamber (you need to be a member which can be pricey and it is pricey to attend if you are not a member). The FSB (again you need to be a member) have networking events occasionally. The FSB is good to join for the tax cover you get in case the HMRC decide to investigate you, they are also offering a free budinessworld gold card so that you have drop in anytime access to businessworld lounges and cafes worldwide that belong to Regus.

There is also something called Jelly - I haven't been to one because I keep my laptop plugged in at home but it is a place where people get together to work and maybe share ideas at the same time.

Look at the low cost/low membership fee networking groups which are more cost effective for small businesses.

paulwf

My former boss used to be a member of BNI. Although he got some customers out of it I'm not sure it was worth the fee and certainly not worth the hassle. A lot of the people there had bought dodgy franchises and were hoping networking would be their saviour.

A lot of local (to me) business groups seem to be full of people that just want to pounce on new members i.e. accountants, solicitors, bank managers. I can't see the point in me joining the local ones as they look like they are mostly trying to get business out of each other rather than networking.

Horace

chamber events are renowned for people pouncing on new members - I used to get accountants and solicitors bombarding me from all sides. They stopped when I said that I already had an accountant and I wasnt changing, same for the solicitor.

If a meeting is managed correctly then there is no pouncing and people are introduced to each other and people chat without shoving their business at people - no-one likes the hard sell. It is all about selling through the room these days as opposed to selling to the room.

Maybe you should try one Paul - you may be surprised as some are much more social these days.

Another tip is to make a discreet note on the business cards you are given - I do it, mainly to flag up people I would like to stay in contact with and those that I won't. Those that I do, get put onto my CRM system the others get filed away until such time that I end up binning them.

Gazing_On_Sunsets

It was a BOB club that was in the paper. I think I'll give it a go. It meets every 2 weeks, and has 21 member, but I can apply to go as a visitor. Might be worth £15 to check it out!