Are you the founder, leader or member of a business referral groups (also called a leads club)? Then you know how valuable it is to have a group of people dedicated to providing business leads to each other. This focused form of networking has helped people build their business revenues for decades. But what if your group is new, rebuilding, or growing too slowly to provide a good return on investment? You need to grow your group.

How big is the right size for a leads club? You need to get the size of the group to a point where there are plenty of leads passed. The group also needs to be large enough where there's a buzz of energy and a sense of anticipation at the referral business that will be generated. There's not an exact number. Even a group of three or four people can make it work if they are in complimentary businesses. Fifty people might be too many to get through introductions. Fifteen to twenty-five should be workable in terms of giving everyone a chance to speak and be heard.

How do you build membership for your referral leads club? Here are six specific strategies to use.

Recruit Promoters

Look for the most enthusiastic networker you know and bring them in to your group. Their energy and excitement will help boost the morale of your other members. And, they are likely to be one of your strongest recruiters. Their successes become stories that they'll tell to everyone they network with. Others will want to get a piece of that pie as well.

Word of Mouth

Unless you've got an advertising budget, word of mouth (i.e. "referrals") is going to be your most powerful marketing tool. Even if you have a marketing budget, think carefully before buying ads. Unless you can target them, you're likely to either spend too much to reach your needed categories or you'll get too many phone calls from untrained networkers looking to make a quick buck. Word of mouth also allows you to control who is invited to consider the group. Compatibility is important; potential members should have a long-term mindset and understand that they have to give first. Train your existing members how to describe the group and use phrases that sell the benefits (not the features).

Show Value

When talking to a prospective member, you've got to illustrate the value of the group. The more specific you can get, the better. For example, the number of members is okay, but the number of leads passed is even more preferred. Can you put a dollar value on the leads passed? Money changing hands is an impressive way to show prospective members that the group is performing as promised.

Follow Up

Don't assume that a guest will know that they are wanted as a member. Call before the next meeting and invite them back. Find out if they liked what they saw. Don't forget to close: "Is this the kind of group you want to be part of? When will you be joining?" Make sure that they get a thorough orientation so that they understand how the group works before they sign up. Sour grapes from someone who thought they were getting instant business will poison the group's reputation.

Invite "Power Partners"

Survey your existing members to find out what kind of businesses they could refer to the most; and who would refer back to them. Deliberately seek to invite those kinds of businesses. Your existing members should already have someone they know, like, trust and want to do business with. You may be bringing in people who are already referring to one of your members, but they'll add to the energy of the group. Plus, the established relationship means it's easier for other members to start doing business with them as well.

Visit Open Networking Events

Attend other events such as after-work social hours. People at those events are obviously aware of the value of networking so they'll make a more receptive audience. You can sell them on the idea of being part of a group dedicated to finding business for each other. They'll be excellent referrers if they continue to go to open networking events.

Conclusion

The most important part of marketing a business referral group is to be consistent, persistent and active. It takes time to develop a group because it takes time for people to build up trust. Stick with it because your patience will pay off. Finally, enhance your patience with action. If you're the leader of the group, you've got to be the head cheerleader and the champion lead-giver. Your members will be encouraged to follow your example, they'll all get more business and their success will attract others.

As the Membership Director and Chief Networking Officer for the Clovis Chamber of Commerce, Beth Bridges has helped thousands of people network more efficiently and effectively.

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