11/21/11

Fauquier Chamber Leadshare History        Continued

The members of the Leadshare Groups have passed over 30,000 new business lead referrals among the nearly 165 businesses who have been members over the last 11+ years.  We have many positive testimonials from members who have said such things as, "I have doubled my business since joining Leadshare;" "I don't know how much business I have actually received but I know I have become a better business person with all the help I have received here;" Or "Leadshare saved my business!" Also one enthusiastic member states, "I would be out of business without Leadshare! Yes I got the leads that helped but I also got the ideas and business expertise of 25 other business people;"  And another recent one; "I was about to quit after 4 months as I had not received a single lead then I received 2 leads, one was for $6,000 worth of business and the other was for $8,000, I paid 75 dollars and got back $14,000 in revenue..."  For some folks it takes longer than others to produce leads."  This latter testimonial is very true, however, most members have found that if they generate leads for others, they will also receive leads in return.

The beginning was in October of 1999 with the Tuesday Leadshare group where it grew from 3 original members to fifteen in a few short weeks. Angela Denson (now Smith) and two members, Michael Moorhead, and Jan Sutton were key to the immediate success. Angela approached every chamber member and Jan along with first recruit Dave Colleran applied successful membership building techniques learned from the Prince William County networking group Jan and he had previously founded. They now turned their efforts to help build Fauquier Chamber's Leadshare program.

Soon most business professions and industries were represented in the Tuesday group. So in early 2000, the Wednesday Business Leads group was formed. It originally met at noon and was having trouble growing as many members had difficulty getting away at mid day. So the group changed to 8 A.M. along with Tuesday Leadshare and both met at the Legends Restaurant. Both groups  had several joint new member breakfasts and luncheons plus an occasional evening social to try and encourage new members to join. All were successful due to excellent advertising, excellent planning and organization by the group leaders along with the top flight Fauquier Chamber of Commerce staff assistance.

The ads by Times Community Newspapers and the former Fauquier Citizen - both members and now merged into one company did much to help the program grow. In 2001-2004 there was a jump in the business population of Fauquier and this passed on to the Leadshare groups. By the end of 2002 both groups were suffering from too many members. It was determined that 25-35 was the optimum group size.  In late 2002 there were 40+ members in the Tuesday Group and 37 in Wednesday. With only one hour, it was difficult for each member to give a one minute reciting of their business story, have a ten minute presentation, pass leads, and do organizational business. So both Tuesday and Wednesday groups amended their rules to limit group membership to 35. This limit and published success of the "Leadshare process" created a waiting list for many industries which still exists today.  A rule set agreed to in August of 2005 was adopted with a uniform set of rules, guidelines and "netiquite" hints for all Leadshare groups.

Why meet weekly?  Because it works and it provides an easy way to build a business in Warrenton and Fauquier County, Virginia. ..

The groups have moved 4 times sometimes on short notice as the economy took it's toll on the establishments where groups were meeting or the establishment asked that we move due to not receiving the previously envisioned business increase due to the Leadshare Groups meeting there. On February, 2011, the group moved from a small room in Denny's, a locally owned franchise on 29 north of town, to the lunch room of the Times Democrat. As this is written The Times Democrat is in process of selling the building housing the lunch room and Tuesday and Wednesday Leadshare groups are growing again so may move once again, by year end 2011.