How can it be a free service?

“How can it be a free service?”

We aim to build our member numbers, which in the summer of 2017 reached 400 businesses, to tens of thousands of businesses over the next couple of years.

It is with true scale that we will be able to generate ever more connections and introductions for our members.

As we develop our member numbers and get to know the individual members and their businesses we can derive revenue from some of those members who want to use our paid for services. For example our service extends to “paid-for 121 networking meetings” where our team organise structured meetings.

We have also developed the 121 Business Network buyers’ club and the My121Links referral web page.

Our business model predicts 1 in 10 members will use one of our paid for services.

This means we are quite happy to offer our free service to all members knowing over time some will use the additional services.

“If I join will I be pushed to use your paid for services?”

No! We will make you aware of the extra services but there is no hard sell or obligation or other consideration that means you will need to use them.

“Won’t you favour the members who use paid for services over those who don’t?”

No! For simple commercial reasons it makes sense for us to strive to offer value to everyone, for many reasons. Two are simple economic incentives. If we please people, especially with our free service, it is far more likely we will get even more members because people will talk positively about what we do and our service. That will gain us more new members. Second reason is that if we do a great job for free, it will encourage businesses to trust us if they decide to try one of our paid for services.