Frequently asked questions

6.45am, are you people crazy?!!
It's not that bad, especially in the summer months. You'll be surprised by the number of people out and about at that time.

Every Thursday?!!
All the better to know you. We're quite flexible though, you can arrange for a partner or friend to substitute if you can't make it.

How long does each meeting last?
About 1.5 hours.

I'm not too sure ...
You can come as a visitor up to 2 times before you take a decision whether to join or not.

What do I need to bring along?
£10 towards breakfast and the venue, your business cards and a 1 minute presentation of your business (if you're not comfortable speaking off-the-cuff feel free to write it down).

Will there be other people in the same sector as me?
No, we allow only 1 member from each business sector so there is no competition for referrals.

I'm worried I won't be able to find referrals for other members
In some lines of business you don't get to meet too many people during the working week so you may not bring in as many referrals as other members. But don't worry too much, we run a training session where you'll be given tips on how to identify possible referrals.

Anyway, as well as finding referrals there are other ways to contribute to the chapter:

• Helping with the running of the chapter
• Bringing visitors to the weekly meetings
• Helping with the promotion and marketing of the chapter
• Having 1to1 sessions with other members to learn more about them and their business

I don't feel comfortable passing referrals to people I barely know
That's why it is important to attend regularly and to have 1to1 sessions with your fellow members - you get to know and trust them. Of course, if you have concerns about someone's standard of work you're under no obligation to pass them referrals.

Do members gain financially from visitors and new members?
No, members only gain from referrals they receive. Membership fees are shared between the chapter's Regional Director, the Area Director and the BNI organisation.

What else can I get out of it?
Presentation skills (each week one member has to do a 10 minute presentation), networking skills, business knowledge, friendship and more.