Member Article

Tyneside referral group generates £1m

The Tyne Bridge Chapter of BNI (Business Network International), a Tyneside referral group who meet weekly at Gateshead’s Team Valley, have generated £1m worth of business together in the last 12 months.

By passing referrals and attracting new business, the group has reportedly gone from strength to strength and growing from 18 members to more than 30 in the last two years. A variety of trades, skills and professions are represented including insurance, accountancy, an electrician and a plumber.

BNI was founded in the late 1980’s by Dr Ivan Misner, and came to the UK & Ireland in 1996 bringing with it the proven structure that is now used in over 60 countries around the world. BNI is a highly structured referral organisation with the core philosophy of “givers gain.

The UK and Ireland alone has over 500 groups in operation with over 12,000 members passing nearly 680,000 referrals worth over £400 million of business for its members every year.

Jayne Hart, BNI Tyne Bridge’s Membership Coordinator, said: “In the current climate people want to do business with people they know, like and trust. That’s exactly what BNI Tyne Bridge is all about.

“We have more than 30 local business’s meeting regularly to build relationships and pass on quality business referrals which have led to more than £1 million worth of business for the group in the last 12 months.

“Tyne Bridge Chapter is a vibrant group of people who want to help each other achieve even better results for their businesses. It’s much more than a networking group and we actively look for referrals for each other, which has led to the fantastic £1m figure.

“Like the iconic bridge over the river, we are self supporting, attract a lot of positive attention and we’re firmly established in the region as our members travel from as far as North Northumberland, the Tyne Valley and South Durham to be with us every week.”