A&E’s Director Lee Whitworth is a member of BNI Excel Chapter in Darlington and Ambassador BNI Vantage Chapter Darlington.

BNI – The World’s Leading Business Networking and Referral Organisation

Last year the members of BNI Durham & Teeside reported income in excess of £16.3 million in new business! Globally, more than $13.6 billion in business.

Benefits of BNI

There are countless benefits to joining BNI.

• Increase Business Prospects: You’ll substantially increase your business through referrals.
• Professional Development: You’ll have access to our exclusive training programs and opportunities to sharpen your presentation and business skills.
• Great Networking Opportunities: Your participation in up to 50 networking meetings per year will increase your exposure to many other business professionals in your community.
• Exclusive Member Resources: You’ll have access to a range of tools and educational materials on networking, public speaking and business best-practices.

What To Expect

To help you get the most out of your first BNI meeting, here are some things to know before you go:

• Be Prepared: Visit a chapter prepared to talk about your business. Members are interested in getting to know how connections with visitors can be mutually beneficial. Also, don’t forget to bring your business cards.
• Meetings: As a visitor, you can attend a chapter meeting twice. Remember to use this time to get know the chapter personality, and its members, not to promote your business. Meetings are high energy and run according to a structured agenda. They last around 90 minutes with time for additional networking before and after each meeting. Arrive around 15 minutes early so you don’t miss out on any opportunities for networking, and be sure to sign in as a visitor.
• You’re the Expert: Only one person from each professional speciality is allowed to join a chapter of BNI, eliminating the possibility of competition among our members. When you join a chapter, you are the sole representative of your field and can develop relationships with others in the chapter as their go-to person for your services.
• Respect Your Craft: The businesses our members represent are their full-time occupations, ensuring they are able to position themselves as resources and experts in their field.

If you would like to visit Excel on a Tuesday or Vantage on Wednesday morning, to see why we all believe in BNI and especially BNI Durham and Teesside, which is Driven by Gill and Russ Sawdon, who are passionate about helping business within the area grow, as well as ensuring as much money as possible is re spent within the region, just email our director Lee – lee@aetraining999.co.uk

If you live and work further afield of Darlington Lee can also get you an invite at any BNI chapter in the world!! just ask!!