I belong to BNI for the same reason as most other members of my chapter – referrals. Referrals lead to business and build your network – which generates even more business in the future. Recently I was part of a referral that has led to great opportunities for a fellow member (and by extension, for me). It shows the power of BNI to create business opportunities that you didn’t expect could eventuate.
How it all started
The business I work for, Tiger Transport, is a specialist furniture mover and delivery service. Part of our work involves delivering spa pools for a business called Alpine Spas. All spa pools need to be wired and the wiring can cost anything between $300 – $1500. To do this job a qualified electrician is required.
http://www.tigertransport.co.nz/
One day a spa that I was delivering couldn’t be installed because the electrician didn’t turn up. I immediately thought about a member in my chapter. I remembered back to one of the 60 seconds from our weekly BNI meeting given by Andy Hart – an electrician who has a business called Hart Electrical.
http://hartelectrical.co.nz/
Andy had asked who knew an electrician that worked 24/7 – that was available after hours on short notice. This statement became the catalyst for me to think more deeply about providing referrals for Andy. I was sure there would be someone I knew who required his services.
One job leads to another
Andy was perfect for the spa installation and after the job I talked to Alpine Spas about whether they had qualified electricians they could call on to do this work. I put them in touch with Andy and now he does all their installations and they are very happy with his work and his work ethic.
One of the spa pools we delivered went to the CEO of Rainbow’s End. Andy wired it up and was talking to the CEO. They got to chatting about business and it turns out the CEO had some major work that he wanted an electrician to deal with. Andy has a business partner and 3 employees and the CEO felt their business could be perfect for the contract (which would be quite lucrative).
A win win for BNI members
Creating business relationships at BNI through referrals is a win win for members. Not only does the member get work – which is reflected in your Thank You For Closed Business – but your credibility is enhanced. The relationships in the chapter are strengthened which leads to more business opportunities for everyone.
Taking referrals to the next level does take some time and effort but the payoff is more than worth the time you spend passing referrals. The value can be difficult to see at first but over time the energy you expend at BNI will be reflected in a better bottom line for your business and those in your chapter.
David Smith, member of BNI Platinum and Director Consultant for the Auckland region
