Weathering the recession will necessitate business owners adjust their marketing tactics to reach consumers who have become more penny-pinching in their purchasing decisions. Because referrals are the most cost-efficient marketing method to increase a company’s bottom line, a business owner’s network could be the critical factor that separates winners from losers in this fragile economy.

Members of Business Network Int’l. (BNI) already know this. BNI is a business referral organization that meets weekly for the express purpose of sharing business referrals or leads with one another. Unlike traditional networking organizations like chambers of commerce or Rotary Clubs, BNI members come together strictly to share referrals and network with one another. Belonging to BNI is like having dozens of sales people working for you because all the other members carry several copies of your business cards around with them. When they meet someone new who could use your products or services they hand your card out and recommend your services. It’s as simple as that!

Word-of-mouth advertising is the best advertising there is and BNI provides a structured and supportive system of giving and receiving business. Last year, members of BNI passed thousands of referrals which generated millions of dollars worth of business for each other! For more information on BNI and its South Texas chapters, visit their Web site at www.bnistx.com. For information on Corpus Christi chapters, contact Don Overbagh, Director – Corpus Christi Area, at (361) 290-7110 or cbmps@stx.rr.com.