A new business networking group has started a chapter in Plant City. Networking Professionals Inc. meets weekly in town with the goal to grow its members’ businesses.
Directors of Networking Professionals Inc. say that one important thing is missing at their chapter meetings: competition.
What makes NPI unique from other networking groups is that each member of a chapter has a niche so that they don’t have to worry about competition. For example, there can be only one dentist, one painter or one jeweler.
NPI thrives on referrals. Members are continually referring other members when they hear of someone in the community whose needs can be met by those members’ businesses. They carry one another’s business cards at all times.
The cost to join NPI is $365 per year — $1 a day. If someone joins a second chapter, the fee is just $300. There are discounts for bringing guests who end up joining as members.
After a year of referrals, it is common for active members to make back that money, and more, for having joined NPI.
“Our guarantee is that if, at the end of a year’s period of time, someone has not made their investment back, then we will refund their money,” Guy Howerton, the Hillsborough regional director for NPI, said.
NPI meets Thursday mornings at the Plant City IHOP, starting at 8:30 a.m.
“We are through in an hour and 15 minutes at the most, so that folks can get to work or back to work,” Howerton said.
Currently, the Plant City chapter has five members, and the meetings are casual interactions. But after there are at least eight members, Howerton will lead a structured program each week, as he does at the other chapters he directs.
Each meeting will include time for each member to offer an elevator speech. Then, one featured member will give a 20-minute presentation on his or her business. Sometimes, there is a training session, through which the chapter learns more about how to network outside of the meetings. But the training is more than just the basics of business, and it comes at no additional cost.
“Some networking organizations require the purchase of materials, sales materials, or require their members to go through sales courses,” Howerton said. “We take the position that folks have been in business, and they know how to do all this. They don’t need to be burdened with this expense of going through that kind of training.”
Plant City’s current members represent promotional services, health and wellness, financial advising, realty and pest control. Howerton said he hopes some of the next professionals to join will be in banking, cleaning services, plumbing, auto services and insurance. But any industry is welcome.
“We’re all little business people here that are trying to make a living,” Marsha Howerton, Howerton’s wife, said.
Networking Professionals Inc., Plant City Chapter
When: 8:30 to 9:15 a.m. Thursdays
Where: IHOP, 805 S. Collins St., Plant City
Annual Dues: $365
More information: Guy Howerton, (813) 310-2860 or guy@npiflorida.com