Business Networking, Harrogate

Being active in BNI is like having a team of sales people working for you, because your fellow members will be carrying your cards and referring your business to people they meet, without you having to pay them any salaries or commission. Successful businesses depend on 'word-of-mouth' marketing as the best form of promotion there is. BNI provides a structured, supportive, business environment in which local business people can get together to network in Harrogate, learn valuable new marketing skills and develop the strong personal relationships that leads to trust and the consequent generation of significant business for each other. BNI is based on the philosphy of Givers Gain® - if I give you business, you'll want to give me business.

Meeting agenda

Each meeting follows an agenda designed to maximise the amount of buisiness that is passed between the members. We start with some open networking with members and guests over a quick coffee, we then sit down for breakfast.

Each week we have a short education slot by one of the members to help each other with tip of getting more buisiness, so you can benefit from other business owners experiences of what work and what doesnt.

Members then has a "60 second slot" or the elevator pitch, this is how we update each other on the kind of business we are currently looking for an help educate the other members on how to get them referrals.

Visitors then get the oportunity to stand up a let the room know about their business

10 Minute presentation, Each week a different member gets a 10 minute slot to present about their business given everyone in indepth knowledge of how we can refer them business

Passing Referrals, we than pass referral slips with the detials of any buisness opportunities for each other, we track the progress and business gained from each referral that way we can assess the great value of our membership.

Open networking, after the meeting members have another opportunity to open network.

Is it for me?

If you are in business in or around the Harrogate area and want to build your buisness. then yes!

We have no restrictions on the type of busineses that can join. The only rule is we can only have one member per catagory.

At Strayside BNI we have a great mix of industry sectors from a builder to and IFA, this helps us all access differenct contacts that we wouldn't usually have access to.

Oh and on another note there is a formal structure but we do also have a great sence of humour!

The best way to find out is come along as a visitor, it only cost £10 (to cover room hire and breakfast).