BDG groups

[KRT]

Business development groups

So these groups typically meet once a week and network business to each other. How many if any are in one? Pros and Cons?

As of late I've been invited to a few, in theory it sounds good. Keep in mind I'm blessed to stay really busy and my reputation alone has kept us busy. We had some stepping stones but who hasn't? Seems like a good way to rub elbows. Thoughts?

[2thDoc]

i dont like people

[fuzzy]

i dont like people

I'm certain that the feeling is mutual.

[2thDoc]

apparently...

[kquinn]

I am in one. It is the proverbial you get out what you put it. There are some really driven people out there, more so than me. I don’t need the business right now, but hopefully I will have everything in place when the time comes.

[beech]

Beer Drinking Group at A2Z on Thursday's. That's a business development plan.

[KRT]

Beer Drinking Group at A2Z on Thursday's. That's a business development plan.

Sounds like a hell of a plan.

I don’t need the business right now, but hopefully I will have everything in place when the time comes.

Me neither, but there is always tomorrow.

[Buckin Bronco]

I’m in one in Charleston in the financial planning and life insurance role. The residential realtor, P&C insurance, and mortgage officer have generated a decent amount from it just bc of the nature of their businesses and how they interconnect.


I think as a mechanic it would depend on what type of group you joined. Are the members in the group meeting with people that are going to continually get bent over at dealership or do they know better and are always looking for a gold mechanic?

[willyworm]

I've been asked to be a part of one, but never showed up for the meetings. They meet very early on Wednesday mornings, like when I need to get my kid to school everyday. So I never could seem to work it in. That's the only one in my backyard. All the others are out of town and I'm just not feeling that.

[ecwooduck]

I was in one for about 5 years when I got started in my career. Meetings were held once a month and consisted of a nice steak dinner, cocktails and a speaker (football coaches, Fortune 500 CEO's, Athletes, governors, etc.). They also hosted a few golf tournaments a year and a boxing match that consisted of members drinking whiskey, smoking cigars and watching college boxers beat the piss out of each other. I found it to be more of a social club than a BDG but that's more or less due to my book of business being widespread throughout the Southeast and not just focused within the community that I was residing in at the time. Many of my buddies in said group picked up a lot of business from networking with fellow members. I would say that it caters to some industries more than others, go check it out and see if it's for you.

[Remy]

Those groups are good if you're just starting out or want to get know more people. After you've been in the group for about 6 months, you've usually gained all you can because those people know you and can refer you if needed.

[PalmettoTrooper]

Call me and join me on some! I go to them pretty regular from a PR stand point and meet the movers and shakers in the community.
A Lot of :
Insurance salesman
Bankers
Investors
Promoters
Real estate agents
This was last night at USC with the Marcus Lattimore foundation presenting careers after football
1B7CE971-6699-41F9-A53F-A1EBA82B0485.jpg

[KRT]

Call me and join me on some! I go to them pretty regular from a PR stand point and meet the movers and shakers in the community.
A Lot of :
Insurance salesman
Bankers
Investors
Promoters
Real estate agents
This was last night at USC with the Marcus Lattimore foundation presenting careers after football

If you're serious I'll do it

[Simple Man]

This has gotten big with some of our customers where they meet regularly with 6 or 8 other business owners of similar revenue - in the same industry. They call them BAG groups (business advisory groups, I think) and they share everything from best practices to financials and hold each other accountable with how they run their businesses - even questioning purchasing practices, etc. They move around to each other's businesses quarterly for a couple days at a time to discuss these things - and how they are fools not to buy from our company.

[KRT]

I think as a mechanic it would depend on what type of group you joined. Are the members in the group meeting with people that are going to continually get bent over at dealership or do they know better and are always looking for a gold mechanic?

See this is what gets in my head....

I told another member on here we should start our own local group here in the Midlands, maybe dinner and a beer or happy hour

[Bad Habit]

Call me and join me on some! I go to them pretty regular from a PR stand point and meet the movers and shakers in the community.
A Lot of :
Insurance salesman
Bankers
Investors
Promoters
Real estate agents
This was last night at USC with the Marcus Lattimore foundation presenting careers after football
1B7CE971-6699-41F9-A53F-A1EBA82B0485.jpg

Whish one are you? LoL

[Bad Habit]

I have been contacted by a local business group for the same thing, a business owners networking group, they meet around 11am on Mondays at a different restaurant around town. I haven't gone or committed, it's a real screwed up time for me- right in the middle of mayhem Monday.

[ecu1984]

Kevin,
I have been in numerous and spoke at them as well.
Some are "networking" focused where you socialize and hand out cards and talk about working together (mostly sales, real estate, banking, etc).
Then there are real "business development" groups that talk about driving your small and medium sized business', ie: sharing best practices, marketing, SEO & SEM practices, Social media tips, Google search tips, recruiting employees, tax strategies, etc.. (taking your business to the next level). We start coaching these folks with a questionnaire, geared around what the business owners goals are and where they currently stand and what their obstacles are and build a plan from there.
I would think you would be looking for the second group.

[Woodiewacker82]

Im in one and it meets weekly. Its the one part of my week that i cuss the most about and is a pain in my ass and the people are fake. I have gotten about 25k in business from it so far this year though.

[2thDoc]

KRT
from what I read on here, this is your BDG.

You really wanna meet with a bunch of yahoos that are just going to take advantage of you because you are in the same BDG that meets tuesday mornings at the lizard's thicket? I bet not...