The Power of Referrals

Posted on by Steve Bicknell

We all love happy clients and there is nothing better than a client referring you to their business contacts.

We love referrals too, so don’t forget to tell your friends how Bournemouth Chamber of Trade and Commerce help businesses and charities in Bournemouth.

3 great referral tips

  1. Only refer people when you have first hand experience – so its someone you have done business with or have worked with – don’t refer people that you don’t know, its all about trust
  2. Be Specific – try to give examples of how the person/business you are referring have done a good job and why you are referring them now
  3. Don’t look for financial reward – referring people for a referral fee or other financial rewards starts to  make people wonder if you are referring in their best interests or your own.

What goes around, comes around. If you refer people and try to help people develop their businesses they will try to return the favour and recommend you to their contacts and friends.

How can you make yourself more likely to be referred?

  • Do a great job for your clients
  • Have a positive attitude
  • Refer your business connections and give recommendations
  • Have a product or service that is easy to explain and understand
  • Find out where your clients are and who knows them – in other words join the right networking group for example Bournemouth Chamber of Trade and Commerce
  • Integrity matters – be honest and if you promise to do something do it!

BCTC SJB

 

5 reasons why you need to network

Posted on by Steve Bicknell

It’s often said that ‘your network is your net worth’ in otherwords the more business connections you have the more value you can add to your business and increase your chances of success.

There are many business networks in Bournemouth, you could probably network every day – Breakfast, Lunch and Evening.

Bournemouth Chamber of Trade & Commerce is different!

  • The Directors of the Chamber are all unpaid volunteers who want to help your business succeed – its a not for profit organisation
  • The Chamber works for the benefit of Bournemouth Businesses and Charities
    • Meeting the Council each month to help resolve members issues and contribute to the economic development of Bournemouth
    • Working with local charities each quarter in the Charity Forum
    • Working with hotels through BAHA and supporting the Bournemouth Tourism Awards
    • Holding regular networking events
      • NEO Breakfast
      • BH Banter – Free to attend
      • BH About – Free to attend
      • BH on the go – Free to attend
    • Holding Social Events and Dinners
    • Holding and Supporting Businesses with Training Events
    • Supporting and working with local Trade Groups
    • Working with the BID’s to promote Bournemouth
  • Bournemouth Chamber (BCTC) is probably one of the best value business networks with membership starting from £75 per year

Why bother to Network!

  1. Business Connections – By networking you will meet Potential New Client, Referral Partners and people that can help and support you. Social Media is great but many people will only do business with someone they have met. It’s about getting to know, like and trust people.
  2. Friends & Fun – Setting up a business can be isolating, it takes a lot of time and effort to get started and it’s often lonely. Networking will give you a chance to meet other businesses facing the same problems and you will make new friends and have fun.
  3. Education & Advice – Our networking events always include a presentation and educational content that will help your business to succeed. The Chamber is also on hand to help with advice.
  4. Support & Community – Networking brings us together to support each other and resolve common problems
  5. Sales – Most Business Owners go networking to generate Sales and in order to generate sales you need to go to the right networking groups, the ones where you will meet potential new clients in the right environment to do business. So for example – will the decision maker be at the event or will they send their staff?

When you go networking, keep going, it’s no good going once and then giving up!

BCTC SJB

 

 

Welcome to our New Blog

Posted on by Bournemouth Chamber of Trade & Commerce

Welcome to our brand new Bournemouth Chamber of Trade and Commerce Blog.

We aim to Blog 2 to 4 times a month with blogs themed around our events and providing educational content. We will be inviting our venues and speakers to educate to our members on how they benefit our members.

Here some pointers on what makes a good blog from my experience as a blogger

  1. Useful Content – I learned a long time ago that if you want followers and readers you have to write about things that will interest as wider audience as possible. Our audience will be business owners.
  2. Accurate Content – Its important to get the content right but even if you do make a mistake you can bet your life someone will tell you. Fortunately most readers are very helpful and will also contribute suggestions.
  3. Regular Posts – you have to post regularly
  4. Variety – Cover a wide variety of topics
  5. Pictures – Blogs without pictures, charts and graphics are boring – makesure you have the right and permission to use the pictures
  6. Share – Post blogs every where on Social Media and encourage others to do the same
  7. Pick a good title – The title will be found by search engines so try to think about what someone might search for
  8. Video – You Tube has plenty and most people would love you to link to their video as it will increase their hits as well as yours – make sue the video is appropriate and you aren’t infringing the owners copy write
  9. Infographics – I love infographics and try to create your own when ever possible
  10. Keep it simple – Try not to make the blogs too complicated otherwise you will limit your audience

Blogging will be by invite only but please send any suggestions to website@bournemouthchamber.org.uk