I recently stumbled on a social networking site called Biznik. It’s been described as like LinkedIn, but with more social interaction and ways to promote. This evening, I set up a profile, and found one local person I know already on the network (hi, Michael!).
The basic membership is free, but there are more goodies available if you’re willing to pay $10 or $24 a month. Given the fact that time and money are both finite, I’m trying to figure out how valuable this service would be, both for me and my clients.
So, my question is for those who’ve been on Biznik for a while. Does it work? And by “work”, I mean, has it caused a quantifiable improvement in your business? More customers? More traffic to your blog?
And for those who have upgraded to a paid membership — is it worth the dough?
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Hi Phil,
Welcome to Biznik! With a mix of online social networking and face-to-face events, Biznik works on many levels: it enhances your visibility and findability, it helps you discover and build business relationships, and helps you build your professional reputation. It also helps you stay current with the latest trends in business.
At the core, Biznik is a community of small business people who face the same challenges and opportunities of growing a business, and who recognize that when you’re small, collaboration beats competition.
Unlike LinkedIn, Biznik was built for small business owners, whose biggest problem is often simply getting noticed. Here’s one measurable way it works: 93 percent of Biznik’s top members rank on page 1 of Google.
I’ll also direct you to a few blog posts by members that answer your question in great detail:
Mike Silver (Portland blogger): Is there an alternative to Facebook that really works for small business owners?
Ilise Benun (Marketing Mentor): Biznik Best Practices.
And here’s a link to Biznik’s press page with dozens more like it.
Ultimately, though, Biznik is for people who think of business networking more in terms of “community” than they do in terms of “tool.” On Biznik, participation = marketing. It’s about relationships, not selling, and in the famous words of Woody Allen, “Ninety percent of success in life is showing up.”
See you on Biznik!
Dan McComb
Biznik cofounder
Hi Phil!
Welcome to the family! 🙂
Does it work? See what you think. All the following is work done for Biznikers:
1-Austin Cantina branding, including interiors
2-Yogablaze logo design
3-Pole for the Soul studio interiors
4-Syd Fredrickson organizing/interiors consultation
5-thinkspace interior decorating
6-(now, a thinkspace home interiors referral is turning into a large scale re-design/decorating project)
Biznikers who have helped me:
Sierra Kennedy, LMT
Allison Nelson, organizer
Elizabeth Lee, organizer
Emily Lauderbach, designer (I now work at her design center, SPACE, which is major visability increase for me)
Ruth Hartmann, biz coaching
Soleil Hepner, yoga therapy
Valerie Ferris, attorney
Bill Fulton, data backup
etc.
Then there is the vast network of people that I now know due to Biznik. I know just about someone that does everything, which makes you that much more valuable to a client, because you’re always going to hear about a need they have. Why not refer them to someone who can take care of it?
FREE WORKSHOPS – This is a win-win for all parties. We learn free and the presenters demonstrate their knowledge and sometimes gain clients from it. Lisa Bradley told me she got a client just because someone noticed she was hosting a workshop and got curious about who she was!
DEMO YOUR KNOWHOW – Biznikers want to know. You want to share. This is a great platform to practice. When I saw the need for all of us greenies to get together and support each other, brainstorm and figure out how to not just survive in this green up and coming economy, I began co-hosting the mastermind groups. This has become a phenomenal group and we are just busting some major seams, after only 2 meetings!
I dominate the green interior pages on google because I am a paid member. It’s THE BEST $24. I spend every month.
The 2nd BEST investment every month is my data backup service thru Biznik Bill Fulton. For ONLY $10/month, I have peace of mind that if anything bad happens to my computer, which it just did, I have all my files backed up OUTSIDE my home. Bill came to my rescue the other day and restored everything.
I really don’t think I can say enough. It is what you make it. If you chime in now and again on Biztalk, attend events a few times a month and give of yourself before you ask for, it’s really a win-win for all.
Does that answer your question?
We tested out the google aspect. Typed in a name. Found on page 72. Signed up for biznik. Free version… found on page 6 the next day. Upgraded. Now listed on page 1 2nd position.
More: sales have increased.
Linkedin… does not even compare… at least for us. This is way better and a whole lot more fun. But you are discovering that now I bet. You do not even have to go to another page to send a message, referral, or compliment. Just click on the side bar by each member’s photo. (you have to be logged in to see that) and a menu appears.
Create an event to meet other local bizniks. If you find yourself checking biznik at night you might want to form your own Nik at Night club.
Hi, Phil,
I want to echo some of the statements left before me – my $24 monthly membership fee for Biznik is the best spent $24 of my marketing/networking budget every month.
Background: I joined Biznik less than a year ago when I was working under the umbrella of a small firm, building my own practice. I had no clients of my own when I started. I viewed Biznik as a way to start getting to know the small business community in the greater Seattle area better, and really had no expectation of garnering new clients immediately.
Boy, was I in for a surprise! Within a month I had my first two clients who came to me via Biznik. Since then, I have worked with a number of clients who found me through Biznik – either because they are Bizniks themselves, or because my Biznik profile has boosted my Google rating so astronomically that they find me that way.
For example, one potential client called me several months ago and I asked her how she had found me. She googled “ethical Edmonds [where I was practicing at the time] lawyer” and my Biznik profile was the FIRST result on the first page. Wow.
I think if you’re committed to building an authentic web presence AND to participating in your small biz community locally, Biznik is the best Web 2.0 networking tool out there.
Best wishes,
Valerie