BUSHY PARK SUMMIT DRUMS UP VITAL LOCAL BUSINESS SUPPORT
In the leafy surroundings of the Bushy Park Sports Club there is a surprising amount of activity and excitement at 6.30-645am on a Tuesday morning.
This is the venue for regular weekly meetings of the Tudor chapter of the BNI (Business Network International) which aims to connect local businesses to each other for mutual benefit and it’s a global phenomenon with 11.600 chapters and 350.000 members in 76 countries.
It’s no secret that the business sector is struggling generally but these early morning get-togethers are working successfully to develop and grow businesses through a vibrant network of introduction and referral system that works for everyone – despite the early start. (coffee and breakfast snacks are provided)
“BNI provides a structured and supportive environment in which we can all network, develop strong personal and business relationships and learn new skills,” states the network.
In the last twelve months members of the Tudor chapter have thanked each other for generating business worth £1.45million.
The 90-minute session includes a 60-second round which offers a chance to brief the attendees on what to look out for over the next week and to make a concise sales pitch. Visitors are also invited to contribute and introduce their business interests.
Each week one member has a ten minutes slot to drill down a little deeper into their own business which this week featured Daniel Lees of Swift Property, which handles lettings for overseas landlords.
The local Tudor chapter has been going for over 20 years but has seen a massive increase in membership and interest with the various economic challenges over recent years.
Today, the wide range of businesses represented included upholstery, web design, plumbing, an optician, builder, electrician, property renovation, estate agent, St Mary’s University, the local charity RUILS, a car finder agency, flooring and upholstery, roofing and guttering, mortgages, travel agent, handyman, domestic energy, glass and glazing, independent financial adviser, domestic energy tariffs, photographer, videographer, Search engine optimisation, insurance, architect, protection insurance, accountant, business coach, social media marketing, painter and decorator, fire security and investigation, fitted furniture, commercial leases and business coach.
There is a strict rule that only ONE member per trade or profession can be represented at each chapter.
As well as the strictly-structured meeting format, there is plenty of time for attendees to exchange numbers and fix one-to-one meetings and the session includes a full ‘reporting back’ section where attendees say who they have interacted with and if they have generated significant business through that referral or meeting.
Mel Franke, who is the President and Chairs the meeting and also runs Teddington Together (www.teddingtontogether.org) and the local independent insurance brokers Coversure said: “The BNI is a brilliant way of connecting local businesses and generating business for all parties. People learn a lot from all the meetings and it opens doors that would normally be inaccessible.”
If you would like to learn more about the BNI network and how to get involved go to BNI UK – Business Networking – Referrals For Life | English (GB) | BNI UK