There seems to be quite a few of these knocking about, is anybody a member of any and do they work..

I am a Mortgage advisor and i am looking of ways to get more new business..

Thanks to anybody who can help..

There is a City one - www.bluesin.biz - They don't appear to have been up to much lately though.

BMI chapters are quite good if you pick the right one, they demand quite a lot though and don't suit everybody.

I looked on google and there are loads in Manchester, has anybody a member of these..

i still feel word of mouth is best, i never advertise and rely soley on recommends.

perhaps you could give customers a flyer offering better terms to people they pass on and perhaps a sweetener for themselves.
i always thought this networking idea could prove costly.

Linkedin seems to be the in thing at the moment.

I am not sure if you are saying this as a pro or con for networking groups?

In fact you are the perfect example of how networking works. You clearly had to have some customers you knew when you set up, they told their mates / colleagues etc and your business grew.

I bet you have had a good amount of work from people or contacts of people off here as well. People see you online, link your username and feel they know you. I would never have introduced myself at Norwich if I had not been reading your posts on here.

What networking groups do is allow people to "market" themselves and then connections become an extended sales force. The more you network with the same people the more they feel they know you and when somebody needs what you offer your connections will put you forward.

If I lived in Manchester and needed carpets I would come and see you, I had an investment question and went to SWP's back etc.

Neither of you try and sell your services but build up your contacts.

Then just start a Bluemoon networking thread. Eveyone can state who you are and what they can offer/provide. (Although no doubt it will degenerate to a piss take within the first 2 pages).

we started the shop from scratch but yes family and friends were the first through the door. the people of denton and surrounding area's were soon on to us and in the main stuck with us, of course then they open up their family and friends. we owe them everything.
bluemoon has also been very good for us but i'd like to think its a two way thing. there is no way we'd sell someone short and i think still being here 31 years later means we must be an ok firm :)

i have been asked to join proper networking groups in the past and i felt the set up costs would take some clawing back, the only way to do that is to increase your prices, that could then harm our overall business that has been doing pretty ok up to now. so networking is not for me.

That's what networking is. Many people get it wrong and try and go for a sale.

OP, keep this in mind if you are new to it, don't go for you. Go to ask about others, ask for help if necessary.

People buy People and there are loads of mortgage brokers out there.