NetWorks! Boise Valley – Investment or Expense?

Basically, my entire business career has centered around sales. I have managed local and regional sales forces. I have owned or partnered in businesses. I even taught salesmanship at both the university and business levels.  I know that NetWorks! is a great investment and have every confidence that our members will echo this sentiment.

Your investment in NBV is $348 per quarter which works out to $29 per meeting. For this investment, you will receive ….

1. A meal valued at over $12 which means that you are now only investing $17 per week to attend. Do you eat out at least once per week? Why not do it with us?
2. You will invest your business lunch hour with 15-20 (or more) other business professionals who are committed to helping you increase your revenues. It’s like taking 15-20 clients out to a business luncheon each week and they all pay their own way. How can you beat that?
3. Every new member receives a free behaviors and motivators assessment and a LinkedIn profile review. Together these services are worth $322.00 after your 25% discount on my additional services. You will also receive an annual free company workshop valued at $225.00.
4. Check with your accountant but, your dues should be tax deductible. In full. Now let’s work those numbers. In a 30% tax bracket your $29 becomes $20.30. Take away even $12 for the meal and now your total weekly investment is under $9 which is roughly equivalent to two lattes or adult beverages.
5. You will be featured and publicized on our website as well as through a variety of social media channels. Free advertising and marketing services.
6. You will not be asked to be President, Secretary-Treasurer, of Sargent of Arms. I will do all that for you.
7. While we are a business group and not a social one, your dues investment also covers any social events.

At this point we have probably already reached a break even point on your investment. But, who wants to just break even? Not me. We need some return.

1. Every week each group shares really great business intelligence, referrals, and introductions for other group members. Cold calls become warm calls at the very least. Introductions and referrals are like money in the bank. Your bank.
2. All of our general business leads are uploaded to web based and password protected CRM’s for each group. Reports are generated and distributed and every lead becomes dynamic. You can even export this database for use with your own CRM if you so wish.
3. You never know what will happen at a meeting. I attended one meeting at a group that I had started way back in 1993 and our guest speaker provided me with the opportunity for a $350,000 sale and we did close that sale. Over the next few years, my company did an additional $500,000 plus in business with this same customer. At my very first meeting with another group, a member approached me with a need that resulted in a $60,000 dollar sale. I dropped $6,000 in my pocket and my dues in that group would have been covered for the next 7 years. This is called “return on investment”.

“So let me get this right, I invest my $29 per week and then sit back and watch the magic happen. Is that correct” No. That would be wrong. Very wrong. Networking is hard work and it takes commitment. It does not happen overnight. NBV provides the tools and the opportunities but you need to be willing to invest the elbow grease necessary to make it all work. Occasionally we do have members leave our groups. They tell me that it just “did not work for them”. By and large, they “did not work for it”. Their attendance was spotty and, while they desperately wanted good leads and referrals, the evidence is that they rarely provided good leads and referrals A self-fulfilling prophecy. Still, if you are willing to do the things that are necessary to ensure your success, we offer a full money-back guarantee on your first quarter dues.

Finally, another very common reason I hear for not joining our groups is that “The company will not pay the dues.” Certainly, if you are a salaried employee, it only makes sense that the company should be willing to shoulder that investment. They are the ones who stand to make the return. However, and I am floored by this, I get the same reason from sales people who are substantially if not 100% compensated based on their selling efforts. In some cases, the companies are still picking up the dues but …. as a sales person who stands to make commissions from sales generated as a result of being associated with the group, I would rather not make the investment and not get those opportunities because … the company will not pay my dues??? Well, if I have to explain all of this to you again, maybe we are just not right for you. On the other hand, if you are already busier than a one-arm paper hanger and already devote your time to profitable networking. God bless you. Keep it up!