networking and self promotion

Today I went to my first BNI breakfast in Tampa. The group’s name is the Movers and Shakers. They meet every Tuesday at Emerald Greens Country Club in Carolwood Tampa. Bmi is a networking group with hundreds of chapters world wide and being new to Tampa I decided to look into joining a BNI group so I could start networking with business owners and other professionals.

I was told that each BNI chapter only allows one position for each industry and since I am in the wireless industry I had to find one that did not have a wireless consultant in their chapter. I went online to search all the BNI chapters close to where I am living in Tampa Florida and I was very lucky to find a chapter that meets 10 minutes from where I am living and one that would not conflict with my schedule.

BNI is very strict about attendance. They meet once a week and you can not miss more than 3 meetings in a six month period. The philosophy is that if you are not attending the meetings and following the rules the whole system they have will not work.

BNI is not a lead source they give genuine referals that are prequalified to some sort. The club members do a one and one with each other to get to know each other and trust that when they refer a colleague or friend that the referral is going to someone who is trustworthy and good at what they are doing.

This is one of my first things that I plan to do in the Tampa area for self promotion. I want everyone in Tampa to know I am the go to guy for mobile phone and devices and that’s why I am the mobilewiseguy.