An Honest Review Of BNI For Your Trade And Construction Marketing.
Networking is a HUGE part of your Trade and Construction brand and marketing.
Where you spend your time, who you associate with, how you present yourself.
You are out there as an individual representing your business.
And HOW, WHERE, WHY and WHAT you do reflects the business we can expect to experience behind the person.
Personal branding comes hugely into play when networking.
A story for another time.
Done well, networking help skyrocket your Trade and Construction brand and marketing. 🚀
Done badly, it can bring your business crashing down through the ceiling. 💥
Ouch.
⚠️ Before we begin.
I am in no way, shape or form on any kind of commission or sales team for BNI.
This blog – like all others - is being written from a stance of regular conversations and questions that pop up between myself and my almighty Trade and Construction clients.
And regular questions are worth writing about.
And as BNI (Business Network International) is the biggest networking organisation in the WORLD, it’s no wonder I get lots of questions about it. 🌍
I was a member for 10 years before my business (and life) changed and I decided to step down.
Who knows if I’ll be back in the future.
I’ve seen it all – the good, the bad and the ugly.
Hopefully you’ll find my insights helpful.
This is written by somebody who benefitted hugely from BNI, took on every role possible (even running my own group) but who also had my own views on things that could have been done differently...
Which positions me perfectly on the fence to see both sides and give you an unbiased review from how I saw the membership experience benefit or hinder the progress of my Trade and Construction clients – for over a decade.
Let’s drill down.
1. Other Trades: What are the benefits for my Trade and Construction marketing of being in a BNI chapter with other Construction professionals?
👍🏾 PRO: MORE REFERRALS.
Here’s why being in a Networking group with a healthy proportion of other Trades can help your construction business.
Because if they have the same Ideal Client as you, they are speaking to your perfect customers day-in, day-out, who are either currently ready or almost ready for your construction service.
Example.
The electrician in your BNI group is on a commercial job.
A new restaurant is opening up in Town.
S/he has won the contract and has really hit it off with the owner.
As it’s still very early days, there’s lots of other Trades that need to be contracted to help turn the shell of the premises into the luxury restaurant.
Our sparkie has lots of conversations over the course of a week with the owner.
And often hears where they are in the project and who else they need to bring in.
The owner needs an air conditioning and refrigeration specialist, flooring expert, furniture supplier, decorator and commercial cleaner.
Who do we think our sparkie is going to be recommending?
Her/His BNI contacts of course.
Not only to help them in their business (in the hope they one day do the same for our electrician) but also as it gives our sparkie extra brownie points by the owner for going above and beyond and being so helpful. 🍪
Stories like this happen ALL the time in BNI.
I would hear success stories like this at least every month for the Trade and Construction teams.
The residential sector would be no different.
A decorator may be in a domestic home and then bring referrals for the flooring expert, curtains and blinds and furniture businesses.
Because they’d be working in a property where the client is looking to jazz up their home.
So there were lots of conversations around what they were looking to do next and then of course, our decorator would recommend their BNI contacts.
*This doesn’t mean GUARANTEED work – but giving others the opportunity to win the business.
Imagine you are in a BNI chapter with lots of other Trades who day-in, day-out are in the homes and businesses of YOUR Ideal Clients.
Having conversations with people who actually NEED your services right now or in the very near future.
Could that have a massive impact on the amount of enquiries and potential new work you take on?
❌ CON: POSSIBLE CLASHES.
BNI’s structure is that only one person per category can join a chapter.
For example.
Once a decorator has joined, that seat is now locked out for anyone else to join or visit. 🔒
Same with a roofer.
And a scaffolder.
So on and so forth.
But this can get a bit murky.
When I was a member in my chapter we had 5 builders.
One held the MAIN CONTRACTOR seat.
One held the CARPENTRY seat.
One held the KITCHENS seat.
One held the BATHROOM seat.
One held the LOFTS seat.
Though all of them were BUILDERS.
This actually worked out a treat for these guys.
They all got on like a house on fire and actually ended up working together on projects.
Because they were all top guys.
And maybe because their categories were clear cut and nobody spoke about anybody else’s ‘turf’ during the meetings.
But I have also seen it go horribly wrong.
Example.
Where the BUILDERS seat has been split into 2 categories:
MAIN CONTRACTOR and SMALL BUILDER.
This category split WASN’T so clear cut.
And caused confusion to most of the other members (who don’t forget are not all in Construction) and conflict between the two builders because referrals were going to the wrong person.
Despite BNI being an organisation that operates with a set rule book throughout the globe, this is a franchise and chapters vary slightly in how they are run and decisions that are made, depending on the franchise owner and leadership teams (which are made up of changing members every year).
Categories can get a bit murky and this is the root of many problems I’ve seen over the years.
That could have been avoided with clearer decision making from the off.
But we live and learn.
Here's a few tips to help you avoid the ‘murky waters’ whether you’re in a BNI chapter already or looking to join one.
⭐️ PRO TIP – IF ALREADY A BNI MEMBER
Do your own research on every Trade that visits and applies to your chapter before they join.
Biggest tip I can give you.
Because this is your opportunity to ensure that their business doesn’t clash with yours.
And you can take your thoughts to the committee before that business is allowed to join.
Once they have been inducted to your group, it is near impossible to fix.
I say ‘every Trade’ because all you will know about this company is what they say in their presentation when they visit (everyone gets 1 minute – usually – to present).
And despite them turning up and ONLY talking about ‘ELECTRICS’ when they present their 1 minute, they may in fact be a huge business who mainly deal with PLUMBING and are just trying to grow the ELECTRICAL side, but this could cause a conflict to you and your plumbing business.
⭐️ PRO TIP – IF NEW TO BNI
Speak to the member helping you with your application and ask them how your category could/will be divided up in the future – if at all.
I.e. Will your seat be called DOMESTIC PAINTING AND DECORATING, or do you hold the PAINTING AND DECORATING SEAT.
Be clear on your category name and what is put down on your application form.
This is a contract after all.
And chapters must abide by it.
(Though this can be open to change at renewal after a year).
Do your own research on the Trades in the chapter before joining.
Check out their social media.
Their websites.
Does anyone else’s business do what you do, but they are in the chapter for another specific category.
Are they already getting lots of work for the category you would hold and would therefore make it more difficult for you to start receiving referrals initially as trust has been built elsewhere?
Example – the 5 builders I mentioned earlier.
You may agree/disagree with the breakdown of this.
But as I mentioned, it’s up to the committee and Director Consultant who get the final say as to who gets any seats and how they are divided.
Another example.
The Plumbing and Heating seat.
These were two different categories in my chapter.
This actually worked fine for our plumber.
As he wasn’t Gas Registered.
Though the Gas Engineer DID offer plumbing.
Thankfully, that relationship worked out really well too.
They got on like a house on fire and passed work to each other.
Though I have seen many instances in chapters where this has not been the case.
And there has been quite a lot of conflict between members.
So is good for you to be aware of all this.
And know what to look out for.
Whether you’re a current member or new to BNI.
Prevention is better than cure.
Phew.
Big meaty one out the way.
Onto the next points.
2. Times: How can the start times of the meetings affect my Trade and Construction business?
👍🏾 PRO: VARIETY OF START TIMES.
A decade ago when I started BNI there were only two start times that existed for meetings.
6.30am and 11.30am.
Post-Covid, I’ve seen meetings with start times of 10am and even a couple of evening ones.
So there is definitely a variety to help suit all.
Lots of groups also meet online instead of face-to-face too, so that’s going to have contributed to the change up.
In my experience, the chapters with the most Trade and Construction members were the morning ones.
The 6.30am meetings.
Likely as Trades are often up super early anyway, but means they could be done by 9am and spend the rest of the day on site.
I often found the afternoon chapters didn’t have very many Trades.
And as per my first point, the pros of joining a chapter where you have lots of other Trades to bounce off of and help refer is a massive positive.
So is no wonder that most Trade and Construction businesses I know opt for the early meetings as a way to start their day but also to network with more Trades that deal with their Ideal Clients.
❌ CON: LATE TO SITE/LEAVE EARLY.
Despite the chapter I was a member of being second largest in the whole of the UK at one point (a whopping 84 members – at least 1/3 of that were Construction and Property!) I did see the same issue happening with our beloved Trades.
We’d usually round up the meeting about 8.45am.
And when the meeting is finished, there is something called OPEN NETWORKING where you can mingle with all the other members and guests,
This is actually where most business is done.
Anyway.
As soon as the meeting would finish more than half the Trades would be RUNNING out the door.
Skipping the open networking.
Why?
To rush to get to site.
Some of them had to be the other side of London.
By the time they get to site they had missed the entire morning.
Maybe not so bad if you are lucky enough to have a team, but when you are a one-person operation this can massively hold you back.
On the other side, the few Trades that did opt to join an afternoon chapter would be arriving JUST on time as the meeting starts.
Missing the open networking at the start.
Why?
Because they were coming FROM Site.
Whereas we all know, things happen.
And by the time the afternoon meetings were wrapped up by about 2pm, they too may be darting out the door to get back on site or to cram another job in before the day closes.
I always noticed that the Trades who had teams were able to ‘hang around’ a lot more and do that valuable open-networking that was going to help them leverage their membership.
For the one-person operations, it did seem to be a bit more pressured.
Though some of those one-person operations, today, are an 18-strong team BECAUSE of their commitment and the rewards their membership gave them.
So this one really is about looking at both sides of the coin. 🪙
3. Cost: How much is this going to cost my Trade and Construction marketing budget?
👍🏾 PRO: UPFRONT COSTS.
BNI is an investment.
And over the course of a year you’re looking at £1000+ per year for both your membership fee (which is standardised throughout the UK) and then your subs (which pay for your breakfast and venue fee which varies from chapter to chapter depending on where you meet).
You are given these costs right at the start so you can decide whether this is for you or not.
The only other fee is for in-person Training Workshops where BNI show you how to get the most out of your membership and is another networking opportunity to meet members outside of your own group.
Which is pretty good.
During Covid, these in-person training events transferred to Online – and at the time of writing this blog, those are still in progress and operate without a fee.
❌ CON: CHEAPER NETWORKING GROUPS OUT THERE.
If you don’t have £1000+ going spare in your Trade and Construction business right now, then BNI is not going to be for you.
Where there are comments about it being ‘expensive’ it’s in the perceived value, right?
Like everything.
I made my money back in the first 6 months of membership 10 years ago.
If you look at your business, what is the average job worth?
If you gained one ‘average’ job in your first year as a BNI member for your Trade and Construction business, would it pay for itself?...
…With the added benefit of spending a year getting to know people who are going to understand your business better and find it easier to refer you in your second year.
It's a long term game.
And it’s always worth counting year one as ‘practice’.
💰 Members need to get to know you before they recommend you… Especially if they are going to be spending, tens or even hundreds of thousands of pounds with your Trade and Construction business.
And yes.
There are MUCH cheaper Networking Groups out there.
Ones you can rock up to once a month.
Or as and when you please.
You never know who you are going to meet, where.
So I’m not against them at all for your Trade and Construction marketing.
It starts with visibility.
But where I see the different with these ‘cheaper’ groups and BNI is the commitment of OTHERS.
The strength in getting to know, understand and even build bonds with people by seeing them regularly means they are at the fore-front of your mind regularly – so naturally you will recommend them as and where you can – and they will do the same for you.
Meeting someone once is far less likely for that to happen.
But yes, cheaper groups for more ‘casual’ style business do exist.
4. Visibility: How will joining a BNI Networking Group help my Trade and Construction marketing?
👍🏾 PRO: LOCAL BRAND AWARENESS.
If you join a great BNI group, you’ll be joining a team of people who are active in the local community.
And if you embrace and jump into this yourself, then YOUR Trade and Construction business has the opportunity for local brand awareness.
This might be through local events your BNI group holds or attends.
Of through their social media pages.
Your BNI group will have its own audience and by becoming a member your Trade and Construction brand should have the opportunity to become visible to this new audience.
❌ CON: NOT NETWORKING WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE.
The downside of this is if the local brand awareness is giving you visibility to the wrong people.
I.e. Not your ideal clients.
For example.
We had a commercial electrical contractor who joined our BNI group many years ago.
Nice chap. Great member.
Liked by everyone.
And a fantastic business.
His ideal client and the kind of introductions he wanted were to authorities and huge facilities management companies.
He had contracts with entire council authorities and managed the electricals in some of London’s biggest and most famous properties.
As great a member as he was and as MUCH as the other members really wanted to help find him referrals, it was near impossible.
Because the people he was after just were not on the radar of the businesses in the room.
At the time, the majority of construction members in the room dealt mostly with residential work.
And nobody had the right connections to get anywhere near to the type of people he needed to speak to.
He remained a member for a number of years – absolutely loved his time in the group and got lots of other things from it despite lacking the financial rewards - but made the decision to eventually leave.
That’s not to say that BNI doesn’t work.
It just may very well have been had he been a member somewhere else – more centrally based or with more property businesses with connection that shared his Ideal Clients – he may well have got more from his membership.
You never know who other people know.
But it can go a long way to do some research on who is in the group and who they are connected to, to see what group might be the better place for you to be.
5. Referrals: What kind of referrals can I expect to receive for my Trade and Construction business?
👍🏾 PRO: WORD OF MOUTH.
Most of the referrals that are passed are ‘Word of Mouth’.
Which we all know are the strongest referral type.
My sister tells me she wants to re-landscape her garden.
I tell her I know a company that all my Trade clients rave about and direct her to their Facebook page where she sees epic photos of their meticulous work.
She gives them a call and arranges them to pop round.
That kind of level.
When someone you trust recommends a company, you’re more likely to give them a shot than a random search on Google perhaps, right?
And if when they show up, you like the way they present themselves, how quickly they get your quote back to you and the overall level of communication they have with you – ON TOP of the fact they were recommended to you by someone you know and who have maybe even used them – what are the chances of conversion?
❌ CON: TIME WASTERS.
Of course, not every referral is going to land as a job.
It is about OPPORTUNITY after all.
And there will of course be some timewasters.
I’ve had a few of these in the past.
Though not necessarily the member who introduced us fault.
Sometimes you must learn how to spot a red flag. 🚩
After the birth of social media, I did hear my Trades clients tell me about a lot of time-wasting referrals from online.
Where someone had gone onto a Facebook Group, seen a post with ‘Looking for a builder for Loft extension, North London. Any recommendations?’
And the entre chapter tagging the Builder of our group in the post.
Now I’m in 2 minds about this.
Yes – I did hear quite a lot that some of the Trades used to get a little annoyed with the ‘time-wasting’ social media referrals.
Some members didn’t follow them up or at least wait until they had contacted the Trade before passing the referral.
Some members were tagging the Trades in posts just because it had the word of what they did i.e.. ‘Need Air Con in the loft,’ when it is very clear that the Air Conditioning member deals ONLY with commercial work.
So yes, sometimes members will get it wrong.
And it’s annoying.
But it depends how you look at it.
I see it as additional visibility.
Nothing wrong with politely commenting back on a post saying you don’t deal with this kind of work but are happy to help any commercial businesses.
Maybe even tag in a contact that DOES deal with residential and refer them.
I see it broken down into two solutions:
🟡 The Trade’s responsibility to have a system that filters out the wrong kind of referrals QUICKLY.
🟡 Better education to your members in your weekly presentations and 121s about what you do and don’t do.
Someone trying to find you work and getting it wrong is NOT a problem.
Because those SAME people are going to be the ones constantly trying to help you and there are PLENTY of stories where they get it RIGHT.
One of our builder clients was recommended in a Facebook post by a BNI member and won a £400,000 job.
Members are going to try to their best.
And it will mean filtering through some ‘time-wasting’ referrals.
But flip the mindset and look at it as ‘how can I make this already brilliant situation (someone trying to help my business) even better by recommending me correctly?’
6. Extras: What other benefits will I get that are specific to my Trade and Construction business?
👍🏾 PRO: CONSTRUCTION POWER TEAM FOCUS.
One of the tools BNI groups offer its members are something called POWER TEAMS.
This is a way of breaking down a chapter into much smaller focus groups dependent on industry.
These groups are then encouraged to meet up separately once a month and drill down into more detail on what they are up to, what problems they are having that they can work together to solve and how to drive more business between them.
In the chapter I was a member of we have the following Power Teams:
Marketing
Finance
Trades
Property
Events
Health
Every chapter will have a different break down depending on who it’s members are.
E.g. if there are no ‘health’ member (personal trainers, physios etc) then you wouldn’t have a health team.
In case you were wondering, Trades and Property were separate in our group as there were so many of them.
Property consisted more of the ‘off the tools’ categories – architect, structural engineer, surveyor etc.
Stats tell us that 60% of your BNI business will come from your Power Team.
That may very well fluctuate but from my experience it’s pretty true that the majority of your work will come from these members.
As they share your ideal client so the chances of them speaking about you and your services on the day-to-day is much higher.
Especially if you’re in a huge chapter (like I was) getting to know and talk to 70+ people a week can be overwhelming and impossible.
Having a chance once a month to sit down with a smaller group who share similar problems and experiences to you and where you can often collaborate helps drill down into the important stuff.
And is where your membership can really take leaps and bounds.
Imagine 10 construction pros meeting for a bite. 🍔
Where you all get longer than 1 minute to speak.
A few hours together where the subject is all about your industry.
Not flowers, personal training or divorce (unless that’s something on the cards – hopefully not).
But construction.
New software’s your fellow members are trying out.
Advice on dealing with difficult clients.
A specific intro to an Estate Agent a few of you are looking for.
Who you can collaborate with on your next project.
It's a pretty powerful tool.
❌ CON: EXTRA MEETINGS.
Power Team meetings happen OUTSIDE the weekly BNI Networking meeting.
This might be a lunch meeting.
Or a dinner after work.
But it IS another meeting to fit into your schedule.
Though looking at the PROS list, you very well will see the benefits of why these meetings - when run properly – could be a game-changer.
BNI is about commitment.
And the scope can quickly creep up.
Though it’s the weekly meetings that are sold to you as the main part of your membership, they are merely for accountability.
It's what goes on between the meetings that is where the business happens.
121’s and Power Team meetings being the most profitable tools.
So will you be making time in your diary for them?
7. Connections: Close knit Networking groups – Good or bad?
👍🏾 PRO: CAN RESULT IN RAPID BUSINESS GROWTH.
When you visit various BNI groups, naturally close bonds have been formed over the years.
Which means various ‘cliques’ (for want of a better word) may be present.
See this as a positive.
It is this closeness of the groups that help result in rapid growth for your Trade and Construction businesses.
Socials are regularly encouraged whereby the Leadership Team of the chapter arrange a monthly get together – local drink, quiz might, Christmas party etc.
A way that everyone can socialise outside of the mindset of business with a view to help build better relationships.
Because members become like ‘family’ and get to know you and your business inside out, that knowledge and commitment becomes super powerful when it comes to helping refer you.
If people DIDN’T get to know, like and trust each other so much, why would anyone go so far out their way to help someone?
They wouldn’t.
❌ CON: WORD MOVES FAST.
And from creating such close knit groups means word travels REALLY fast.
Especially when something goes wrong.
If a Trade and Construction business were to join a BNI chapter for a ‘quick buck’ or try and ‘do another business over’ it’ll get round the members faster than Usain Bolt on the track.
Your reputation is everything in your BNI chapter.
One wrong move could mean the difference between referrals or not.
Yes – there’s sometimes disputes.
Misunderstandings with miscommunication.
Where two members end up in conflict.
Business isn’t always plain sailing. 🛥
But.
If there is true foul play happening, there is nowhere to hide in a BNI chapter.
Every group is based on referring companies that are liked and trusted.
As soon as that trust is broken or someone has a bad experience that was never rectified, then of course said member is no longer going to refer you.
What would happen if that was the case of 5, 10 or even 20 members.
If there are ANY jobs you want to be sure of taking additional care and due diligence it’s your BNI referrals.
Your reputation is everything AND MORE here.
⬇️ An Honest Review Of BNI For Your Trade And Construction Marketing Rundown:
1. Benefits of being in a BNI chapter with other Construction professionals.
👍🏾 PRO: MORE REFERRALS.
❌ CON: POSSIBLE CLASHES.
2. Times: How will start times of meetings affect my business?
👍🏾 PRO: VARIETY OF START TIMES.
❌ CON: LATE TO SITE/LEAVE EARLY.
3. Cost?
👍🏾 PRO: UPFRONT COSTS. (£1000+)
❌ CON: CHEAPER NETWORKING GROUPS OUT THERE.
4. Visibility: How will joining help my Trade and Construction marketing?
👍🏾 PRO: LOCAL BRAND AWARENESS.
❌ CON: NOT NETWORKING WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE.
5. Referrals: What kind can I expect to receive?
👍🏾 PRO: WORD OF MOUTH. (POWERFUL)
❌ CON: TIME WASTERS. (SOCIAL MEDIA)
6. Extra Benefits to my Trade and Construction business?
👍🏾 PRO: MONTHLY CONSTRUCTION POWER TEAM FOCUS.
❌ CON: EXTRA MEETINGS.
7. Connections: Close knit Networking groups – Good or bad?
👍🏾 PRO: CAN RESULT IN RAPID BUSINESS GROWTH.
❌ CON: WORD MOVES FAST.
🛠 Need a little more help nailing your Brand your Trades and Construction Marketing?
Course you do.
First. Let’s work out where you are with all things marketing.
Got 3 minutes?
Take our Trades Quiz to discover how you score with all things ‘Off The Tools’.
We have heaps of tips, tricks, and hacks for your Trade and Construction business in our cheat sheets, videos and ideas waiting for you on the other side… i.e., your results page.
So, you can improve your score. And NAIL your Trade and Construction business.
Nice.