Why the Business Leaders Introduction Club creates quality leads…
“People buy from People”
The Club’s purpose is to create a fun environment where well networked people can get to know and build confidence in each other before making introductions to their contacts, help open doors and create opportunities for high quality introductions between members.
In-person, regional, early evening events, for 10-12 Active Networkers (People who know People)
What you can expect
- An informal, lively, sociable event over a meal and drinks with fellow Business Leaders
- Increase business opportunities for each other
- Organisation and hosting of Top 100 regional private company awards (Spring launch event)
- Organisation and hosting of Top 100 regional private company awards Business Leaders Dinner (Autumn). Becoming an annual feature in the local Business Leaders calendar
- Individual award presentation to each CEO of the Top 100 regional private company
- Increase personal brand and network in region
- Exclusive access to the membership database (excluding personal details for data protection compliance)
- Thought-provoking discussions
- A ‘no sales’ environment
- by-invitation-only
- Private room at a quality venue
- Have fun!
Principles that make a successful club
- Members’ Ideal Customer: CEO of Mid sized / SMB’s with a Growth / Innovation ambition.
- Calendar: In person, mid week, every other month early evening dinner for 12 Active Networkers (People who know People).
- Membership: By Invitation only – no two members offering a similar service / product. If new Member proposed that offers a similar service to an existing member (Identified on Members Map) the two will discuss to identify any conflicts.
- Members: share knowledge of existing contacts (Client Company Names Only), are learners, and collaborative, bringing energy and a curiosity to our meetings.
- Members’ Obligation: Share updated Client Company Names Only with Club the day prior to each meeting, to facilitate active Introductions. Membership Free, Meal bill split evenly.
- Members’ Map (Club Confidential): To facilitate introductions. A list of each members clients plus a question from each member to identify whether an Introduction might be feasible.
- Meeting Agenda: New member Introductions, Questions on Clients, Prospects, Review recent introductions, Event Planning Business Leaders Dinner / Top 100 Awards (Spring and Autumn).
What is an Introduction?
Introductions / Referrals broadly fall into three categories:
- One of your contacts is looking for Service / Product or Leader that can be satisfied by one of the Club Members
- One of your contacts has a issue that can be satisfied by one of the Club Members i.e.Technology Issue
- A Person in your network is well connected and will be a suitable member for the club i.e. introduce members to potential clients in the future.
Critical Success Factors
- Collaborate, collaborate, collaborate!
- Club First – loyalty, support – Don’t involve partners that can be perceived as a competitor to another club member.
- Listen to each other’s opinions and respect them.
- Recognise each other’s strengths and play to them when we are organising events together.
- Team commitment to making it work, We do what we say we are going to do.
- Honesty, transparency, ability to have difficult conversations without causing offence.
- Everyone offers support and will take time out of their day to speak to you about their journey and ways they can help.
- Constantly look for opportunities to introduce club businesses to your clients.
- Encourage your Associate team to make introductions to other club businesses.
- Invite to each other’s Team Meetings to build familiarity with the team.
Best Practices
- Proud of the relationship the club have.
- Trust, banter, honesty, fun – our monthly meeting (and Dinner) is always time well spent, productive and enjoyable.
- Proud of our referral track record.
- Proud of our successful events, and events calendar that we have mapped out.
- Proud of our ability to induct new members to the team and hopefully make them feel welcome.
- Proud that we enable our Associates to get together socially (Spring and Christmas) to encourage cross club relationships.
- Proud of our ability to get the cross club Associates interacting at a new level and generate leads at Associate level.
- Challenge – Agreeing a mechanism for making sure we don’t have Club competitors or semi-competitors at events.
- Challenge – Getting Associates to gatherings when the teams are particularly busy with clients, even when at 90% capacity and highly stretched.
Typical Meeting Topics
- Knowledge share
- BLIC Members Current Challenges
- BLIC Members Biggest Success
- Hot Seat – BLIC Member Shares issue for group to help resolve. First 20 minutes can only ask questions. Concludes with BLIC Member stating what they will do following all members advice.
- Economy Update Impact relevant to current events
- Tax Saving Suggestions
Regional Venues
- Annual Christmas Event across all clubs
- Buckinghamshire (Milton Keynes) – (https://www.horwoodhouse.co.uk/)
- Cambridgeshire (Cambridge) – ( https://www.madingleyhall.co.uk/)
- Essex (Chelmsford)- (https://galvinrestaurants.com/room/private-dining-the-adnams-room-galvin-green-man/)
- Hertfordshire (St Albans) – (http://chezmumtaj.com/private_dining.html)
- Greater London and City of London
- Warwickshire
- Others to be announced
- East of England: {Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire}, Norfolk and Suffolk.
- East Midlands: Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, and Rutland.
- North East England: Northumberland, Tyne & Wear and County Durham.
- North West England: Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Merseyside.
- South East England: Berkshire, {Buckinghamshire}, East Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, Surrey and West Sussex.
- South West England: Bristol, Cornwall (including the Isles of Scilly), Dorset, Devon, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire.
- West Midlands: Herefordshire, Staffordshire, Shropshire, {Warwickshire} and Worcestershire.
- Yorkshire and the Humber: North Yorkshire, East Riding of Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire
- Northern Ireland (NI)
- Wales
- Scotland
Typical Members
- Board Advisors
- Technology Leaders
- Portfolio Tech Leaders (CIO/CTO)
- Portfolio Financial Leaders (CFO)
- Portfolio HR Leaders (CPO)
- Portfolio Marketing Leaders (CMO)
- Portfolio Sales Leaders (CRO)
- Executive Coaches
- Solicitors and Legal Practices
- Accountants and Accountancy Practices
- Independent Financial / Pension Advisors (IFA)
- Virtual EA / PA Service Providers
- Business Event / Travel Coordinators
- Commercial Property Agents
- Fund Managers
- Venture Capitalists (VC)
- Private Equity Houses (PE)
- Government Business Growth initiatives
- Company Training Providers
- Insolvency / Recovery Agents
Why not join us?
If you want to join or just know more, contact simon.lascelles@businesstechnologyleaders.com today.
Would you like to see how we can help?
Contact us for an impartial, no obligation discussion on how we can add value to your business.