Frequently Asked Questions

How are you different than BNI, LeTip, Ally Lassen, Chambers of Commerce and other leads groups?

Most leads groups are open to sales people with all types of products and services, and are less specific about whether offerings should be business-to-consumer or business-to-business.  They usually pride themselves in having protected categories or exclusivity.  Additionally, they may give an attendee one free meeting, and then insist the guest makes an immediate decision as to whether they will join the group.  B2B Power Exchange does not require people to be members to attend our meetings.  We do insist that attendees sell to businesses as opposed to individuals and that they are targeting director-level and higher contacts.  We also do not exclude competitors from being in the same meeting.

How are you different than LinkedIn, Xing, Facebook, MySpace and other social online communities?

We are advocates of social online communities.  Many of our attendees belong to multiple communities, and we leverage sub groups on some of the more well-known social networking sites, but we also have our own community.  We prescreen every member of our community to make sure they meet our standards: they are selling to decision makers at businesses, they are experienced, and that they are not there to spam the rest of the community.  The questions we ask are professional in nature, and the goals are business-related.  Social interactions are secondary.  It’s not that our participants aren’t social, that is just not why they are part of B2B Power Exchange.  They come to get business deals done.

What is your exclusivity policy? (What do you mean my competitors may be in the room with me?) 

Many groups oppose competitors being in the same room.  That isn’t the way real life works or the way it works at B2B Power Exchange.  Exclusivity is not always the best scenario for the client or the reputation of the referrer.  If someone is flaky or has the wrong level of experience, they should not be referred the opportunity.  Sometimes clients ask for multiple referrals.  Our model accommodates either scenario.  Plus, in B2B sales, competitors can often collaborate and sell larger deals together than they could individually.  Competitors have proven time and again to be lucrative revenue sources within B2B Power Exchange.

Why don’t you force people to become members?

We cater to a wide variety of business developers.  Some are sales people, some are consultants and some are entrepreneurs.  Some can only visit the group when they are in between projects.  Others can only expense items under $50.  Some want to test drive the group over a long period of time.  Some don’t like commitment.  We accommodate all of them.  It does make financial sense to investigate membership if they are going to attend more than one meeting per month, but we are fine with people attending 5 or more meetings per month and paying “by the meeting.”

How do I present to B2B Power Exchange?

We do not do “showcase speakers” during our meetings. We do provide free seminars to our group that are presented by our members or invited thought leaders from the business community.  You can learn more about the seminars and presentation criteria here.

How do online meetings work?

Our online meetings mimic our breakfast meetings, with the exception that show and tell is easier online than it is at the in-person meetings.  People can show deliverables or demos directly from their computer desktop, and others in the meeting can see as well as hear the presenter.  Learn more here.

How do I start a location?

We have found that it is best to start locations where we have a local champion and the potential to start 3-5 locations within 20 miles of one another in a relatively short amount of time.  If you are already well-connected, but looking for a more effective way to network, click here to learn about starting your own B2B Power Exchange meeting.

How many prospects will be in the room?  

Our objective is not to build a room of prospects for our participants.  The idea is to sell through the other people in the meeting; not to the other people in the meeting.  Our attendees are centers of influence.  They can typically introduce one another to dozens of contacts or more, but they tend to be put off by aggressive sales pitches.  Business does get transacted between attendees, but it is an ancillary benefit, not the primary goal.

Which meeting is best for me to attend?

We don’t lock people into one meeting or another.  In fact, we encourage people to attend multiple meetings – both in-person and online – across their territorial responsibilities.  Many participants book appointments around the meetings they are intending to attend on a given day to maximize their calendars.  Attending multiple meetings also helps others who attend multiple meetings learn your pitch so they can refer you to others at meetings around your territory – even when you aren’t physically present.

Who should not come to meetings?

People who are not selling to companies or are selling to very low levels within companies are usually not suited to B2B Power Exchange.  We gladly provide these individuals with referrals to leads groups or chambers of commerce where their needs will be better met.

You give away so much for free.  Why should I join? (How do you make money?)

Webinars, online meetings and membership in our online community are all free at B2B Power Exchange.  We charge for our breakfast meetings, mixers and other in-person events.  Membership is not required, but it makes financial sense for people or companies that intend to attend more than one meeting per month. We will eventually charge for webinars and online meetings.  When we do, they will be included as part of the membership fee.  You can learn more about benefits of membership here.

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