By Charlene Dean

Networking is one of the most important things a business can do to generate clients, and a newly formed chapter of LeTip is accepting new members.

LeTip is a national organization of business people who are constantly networking to improve their bottom line and according to Pahrump’s chapter president Debra Strickland, it works. “I joined because I wanted to do something for my business. Now, we’re getting work others don’t have while they complain about it.”

Some may remember LeTip from 10 years ago before the local chapter dissolved. Strickland was a member of that group, too, and said, “We had to stop. Everyone was so busy, the meetings were cutting into time we needed to spend with clients.”

LeTip reformed here when Mike Reynolds, owner of Monkey Bars Storage Systems began participating with organization chapters in Las Vegas. Strickland said he was attending three meetings every week there and getting business from it. Reynolds opened Monkey Bars here last year.

LeTip members meet from 7:01 to 8:31 a.m., every Tuesday for breakfast at the Maverick. Strickland said the oddity of the meeting time is “a LeTip thing. It helps people remember when we meet so they’re on time.”

Strickland said the organization’s rules make its members very “accountable.”

Not everyone can join LeTip. Membership is limited to one professional out of each business category but those categories are somewhat broken down. For instance, several members can be a Realtor, however, each must have a different area of expertise, one sells commercial property, one sells residential housing, while one deals only in land and lots. Currently there are only 12 members leaving a lot of wide-open space to fill.

Strickland said other rules like being on time, being prepared to give a referral to other members at the meetings, and being prepared to tell another member how the tip they gave you worked out, help to keep the group focused.

“Rest assured someone who gave you a referral is going to want to know what happened,” Strickland said.

LeTip provides a structured productive program to teach networking skills which help to grow each other’s business by providing qualified referrals. It emphasizes building business relationships and creating alliances.

Strickland said members take turns serving as a “greeter” who speaks to everyone as they come in. Another part of the program allows each member to take a turn at “showboating,” meaning they set up a product display or video about their business. Better public speaking is another benefit as members spend 10 minutes at the podium telling the membership about what they have to offer.

Membership costs of $325 per year, plus another $120 per quarter could be steep for some small business owners but Strickland is convinced the program is worth it. “I am making money, which more than pays for the membership dues,” she said. “We need small business owners to look at what they gain. There is a place for everyone.”

She said everyone needs services and the membership meetings give business owners an opportunity to tell other members about a special deal of the month, or remind them of some seasonal maintenance offered by their business. Those people tell others, who in turn tell their friends and so on.

Strickland said attending the weekly meetings is not just a rule. “It keeps my business in front of other businesses. Why wouldn’t I want to do that?

“I would never have thought of driving across town to watch the Super Bowl at the Maverick. Because they are a member, I did. If I’m going to have lunch with someone, I suggest we meet at the Maverick. It just works.”

The business categories are listed on www.letip.com under the “Find a Member” tab. For additional information or to join, call Strickland at 727-4600, or vice president Mike Reynolds at 751-0929.