Welcome to the Orinda Referrals Group

(temporary name) aka Orinda BNI

Suggest a name

Survey responses to date

Who are we?

We believe that one way to achieve this is to develop a referral network, possibly as a BNI group. To explore the possibilities, their suitability to our group and their ramifications, we are conducting a survey of our members. If you would like to join us please contact us.

Seeking professionals in the following areas: Landscaper, Attorney, Bookkeeper, CPA, Caterer, Career Coach, IT (computer maintenance), Contractor, Handyman, Personal trainer, Janitorial (cleaning), Marketing, Mover, Travel agent, Writer

Business Builders Contest

You're wondering, "What are the rules?"

• Begins 7/21 and runs for 6-weeks.
• Four teams of three people each will compete.
• The losing teams buy lunch and margaritas for the winners.
• Points will be tallied at each meeting via a pass-around score sheet.

You like margaritas, so you want to know, "How do I win?" You earn points five ways.

• Attending Friday Meetings On-Time (8:30 a.m.)
• Finding a Substitute If You Can't Attend
• Recruiting a Prospective Member to a Meeting
• Giving a Referral
• Raking up Bonus Points Earned by Your Recruit Who Joins the Group (Pays Dues)

Goals for members

• Members need to maintain at least 80% attendance.
• Members need to bring more guests. To that end we have established a competition (see below).
• Member's leads would be tracked
• We need to have more 1-on-1s and members should identify power partners.
  Power partners (a BNI term) are professionals in categories of businesses that are related, but complementary to a member's area of business. They would supplement each other's services, but not be in competition with each other. Clear examples are a Realtor and Mortgage Broker, an investment broker and an lawyer, etc.
• We need to increase the number of members.

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  Meetings

  Meetings go from 8:30 to 10 am and consist of:
  • Intros - Every member gets 1 minute to introduce themselves and 30 seconds to introduce any guests they bring
  • Brochures - bring your brochure/special offer and present it to the group
  • Group’s Goal & Vision
  • Plans to grow the group – Next Mixers, member sign-up
  • Report on mixer attendance
  • Presentation
    
  • The I have portion: I have referrals, testimonials, Thank yous with $$$$$
  • One to ones outside the meeting and who has had one with someone
  • Close

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  Member survey

  Dear Members! Please respond to each point by completing the form. Please send it at your earliest convenience. Your responses will be held in the strictest confidence. We will use the anonymized responses as a basis for discussion in the group.
  Name:
  Email:
  Website: Don't have one? Ask Seri for help!
  A. What are your individual goals for participation? Be specific about the results you are looking for...
  Would you like to discuss them in the group? YesNo

  B. C. Rules:
  

  Do we want to be exclusive (disallow people from coming)?YesNo
  Do we have attendance standards? YesNo   If yes, what do you suggest?
  Do we have requirements of participation? YesNo  If yes,what are they?
  Suggest more (will be added to the web site)

  D. What rules of etiquette would you like to see?
  

  Members may not enter if they are more than 5 min. late
  Members may not leave early
  Members should be allowed to come and go as they wish
  Members should refrain from taking phone calls during meetings
  Members should leave if they must take a phone calls
  Members should refrain from knitting during meetings
  Suggest more (will be added to the web site)

  E. How large do you want our group to be? 10-15 15-2020-30 30-40 over 40

  F. Would you be willing to sign up to go to networking events for the purpose of promoting the group? YesNo
  Which events would you go to?

  G. Identify professions we want in our group (above and beyond those listed above):
  H. Do you want to be part of a BNI group (according to your current understanding of what that means - see BNI web site)? YesNo
  What else would you like to know about BNI?

  I. What else would you like to discuss?

  Bonus! Suggest a name for our group:

  After clicking submit go to your email program and press "Send." And vote for the names suggested so far:

  Orinda Optimists
  Lamorinda Loons
  EBBB - East Bay Business Builders
  CCBB - Contra Costa Busienss Builders
  Orinda's best referral
  Lamorinda Referral Network
  

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  Survey responses to date

  Four members and one previous member voted. Responses by previous members were omitted.

  Members' personal goals:

  Building ongoing business relationships; getting and giving referrals
  Top Priority: Grow my business/leads. Second: Networking and feedback from other business people.
  Expand network, give and get referrals and grow my business
  To have a good referral source network, both getting leads and sharing them. as well as learn about business-related things
  Discuss goals in the group? Yes - 3; No - 0

  Disallow people from coming? Yes - 0; No - 3

  Attendance standards? Yes - 3; No - 1

  Suggested attendance standards:

  Regular participation required, keeping in mind that since our meeting is on Friday, there will be excused absences for people who go out of town, etc.
  I think it will take care of itself...
  Requirements of participation? Yes - 2; No - 2

  Suggested requirements of participation:

  70% attendance.
  Track leads/recruitment/participation.
  Give 2-4 referrals or more per month (let's keep track)
  I think it will take care of itself.
  Suggest more (will be added to the web site)
  I think the serious interested members will stay and contribute on their own without being...
  Rules of etiquette
  Members should be allowed to come and go as they wish - 3
  Members should refrain from taking phone calls during meetings - 4
  Suggest etiquette
  I think we should focus on cultivating an environment of respect. Arrive on time, turn off your cell phone, only one conversation at a time, etc. Rules seem heavy handed. Who cares if on one or two occasions someone arrives late?
  Group size: 15-20 - 1, 20-30 - 3, 30-40 - 1 (one member voted twice - I had a error in the programming...)

  Willing to sign up to go to networking events? Yes - 3; No - 0

  Which events would you go to?

  BNI etc but not too often
  Professions we want in our group

What else would you like to know about BNI?

How much is it actually going to cost? What, specific and tangible, will they provide?

something relating to the place we meet?
Orinda Optimists
Lamorinda Loons
EBBB -East Bay Business Builders
CCBB -Contra Costa Busienss Builders
Lamorinda BNI

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Troy Cannon - Mortgage broker

Seri Gomberg - aka your webmaster and Manager by the Hour

Jeff Kaplan - Private Investigator

Burt Kaufman - Coupon advertising

Jackie Lopey - Certified Interior Refiner

Rob Jacobus

My apologies to those who are not yet on the list. When you respond to the survey above, I will add you and a link to your web site!

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Contact us!