It's not what you know but who you know, asserts the venerable adage. And though some may call it a cliche, for the business community, that sentiment is particularly salient. Extensive contacts and community involvement can generate tangible business leads and referrals.

Organizations classically associated with business networking are chambers of commerce and service-centered groups like Rotary, Kiwanis or the Boys and Girls Club. While affiliation with such groups does foster networking, their missions aren't to promote business.

For a growing number of groups, though, making contacts that eventually improve everyone's bottom line is their sole objective.

"Referrals, referrals, referrals," insurance agent Sam Rodriguez said, citing his reason for joining Professional Business Networks, which recently started a Fairfield chapter.

"People purchase from people they know and trust," Rodriguez said.

Though dues, membership criteria and the number of meetings per month vary from group to group, networking groups share some basic structural features and philosophies.

One person per profession is admitted in a given chapter. That removes the possibility of competition for leads and strengthens relationships between group members. Additionally, members may not join other networking groups - they're expected to be loyal to their chapter.

Professional Business Networks actually offers a money-back guarantee of its $400 annual membership fee should members who attend 95 percent of meetings and give out an average of three leads per month fail to double their investment.

Networking success and "word-of-mouth marketing" relies upon the give-and-take principle, rationalized the group's founder, Ken Ryan.

In a presentation given during a recent group meeting in Fairfield, Ryan, a real estate investor, explained the philosophy: "We're trying to tap into the 200 to 2,000 people that you know."

An hourlong networking group meeting generally includes a 15-minute presentation on various business topics and a chance for members to introduce themselves and their industry, to pass out business cards and fliers, and to explain what would be a good lead for them. Time is also allotted for sharing leads, for testimonials about fellow members and their services, and for interacting with one another.

Professional Business Networks member Craig Anderson, who publishes a community events calendar, likes the group's family feel. "It's not as regimented as some other groups," he said. "We're all interested in helping each other, but not in getting penalized when we can't help."

Similar testimonials come from local members of other networking groups, such like Business Networking International, or BNI, and LeTip International, both of which have been in existence for more than 20 years.

Justin Schouten, president of BNI's Vacaville chapter, estimates that his construction business has grown by at least 25 percent since he joined BNI nearly two years ago.

During his first six months as a member, he didn't receive many referrals, Schouten said. "But now I get about a referral a week, and most of them pan out."

The fact that most leads do generate business, he explained, is because members rely on the give-and-take principle: It's simply not beneficial for members to give false or flimsy leads and risk their reputation in the group.

For Schouten, the networking group has improved his public speaking skills, broadened his contacts and prompted him to do business with individuals and industries he otherwise would not have known.

The outgoing president of Vacaville's LeTip group, Becky Larson, says those relationships tend to outlast even the chapters themselves, which she characterized as living, breathing entities.

She has been a LeTip member for nearly 15 years, and still does business with people who were in the chapter when she joined.

Larson, who works in the title industry, recalled that when she first wanted to join the group, her employers were skeptical.

"They didn't want me to, because they didn't think I'd get that much business from it," she said. Following the third or fourth escrow she received because of LeTip referrals, her employers acknowledged their mistake.

As group members get to know one another, referrals tend to increase exponentially.

"The great thing about meeting each week is it's constantly in everybody's mind," Larson explained. "We're constantly thinking about each other; it's like a family, we're all very close."

She added, "I'd say it's about the best thing you can do for your business."

Amanda Janis can be reached at business@thereporter.com.

What do a massage therapist, handyman, and health juice distributor have in common?

They, and about a dozen other small business owners, break bread together twice a month and help each other's business by passing on potential customer tips.

They are members of Professional Business Networks (PBN), a "tip organization" that, unlike similar clubs, operates as a business itself.

Founder Ken Ryan, owner of Pacific Sierra Investments, got the idea when he owned half a dozen Subway stores in Colorado.

"I was inundated with work and needed help finding people to work for me," he said.

He found somebody to do the search for him. "It gave me a little bit of peace of mind knowing I had somebody I could trust to give me people who were trustworthy."

Basically, he said, he had networked with a third party.

When he moved to California, "I was beside myself ... not knowing the people in the community."

Remembering how networking had helped with his previous ventures, he started PBN, based on the concept of one business person helping another. "I got to know the community better," he said.

A core group of people joined the new organization, and soon Tod Bechtol, one of the charter members, showed an interest in coordinating activities.

Members of PBN have a financial stake in the organization. There's a $400-a-year membership fee, but prospective members are told if they don't double their amount of business, the fee will be refunded. Bechtol said the fee serves as "a financial incentive that often times drives things."

"Networking has been wonderful," Bechtol said. "How has it helped my business? Tremendously. Almost every member in our group has tried my product." Bechtol is an independent contractor for the sale of XanGo, a health juice.

Networking is the key to success, he said. Group members often become each others clients. Sometimes a member will become a subcontractor for another member.

"My purpose is to serve other people. We are about developing relationships," Bechtol said. "If you develop relationships with people and if our focus is giving to other people, your business will happen."

Ryan said PBN is unique because it operates as a business, but similar organizations, many operating as less structured business "tip clubs," are not seen as competition.

"Our whole purpose is to get people connected," Ryan said. "It's not about the money

The organization thrives on word-of-mouth marketing. In fact, it's philosophy is: "It's not who you know, it's who knows you," said Bechtol.

Under its rules, PBN allows no more than one representative of any occupation to become a member.

If the group doesn't have an opening for a specific profession, he said, that person is referred to another tip organization. "This is not about competition. This is about getting together to help one another," he said.

Bechtol and Ryan said they would like to expand PBN nationally. But first, they need to bring the Napa group up to full membership.

Ryan said he wants to double the membership of the organization, but adds, "It's best around 30 (members). After that it's better to develop another group. Theoretically there could be 10 or more groups in town."

Membership is diverse. The Napa PBN also includes a mortgage broker, financial planner, Realtor, contractor, a legal judgment recovery specialist, architect, business consultant, community calendar publisher, debt repair specialist, painting contractor and someone who seals granite and tile.

Anyone interested in learning more about the organization was urged to contact Bechtol at 251-8893 or e-mail him at todbechtol@sbcglobal.net.