HUDDLE TIME
BNI Breaks Referral Record in 2001!!
By Sue Mills, Support Services Supervisor, SueM@bni.com
Compliments go to you because 2001 was a record year for BNI! The
organization had a net growth of 425 chapters last year. This is the
largest increase in our history. It occurred because people saw the
value of structured networking and the professional quality of BNI.
BNI now has 2325 chapters in 12 countries with over 46,500 members
worldwide. In 2001 BNI members passed approximately 2.1 million
referrals generating over $727 million in business for the members.
Compare this to 2000 when there were 1.7 million referrals worth $604
million in business.
Since our inception in l985, BNI has passed over 9 million referrals
generating over $3 billion in business for the members.
BNI is the largest networking organization in the world. Today, BNI
has more members than all the other networking organizations
combined. It is the commitment of members and Directors to grow
successful chapters that is going to make 2002 even better than
2001!
HUDDLE TIME
Key Position to Your Chapter's Success
By Sue Mills, BNI Support Services Supervisor, SueM@bni.com
The Educational Coordinator (EC) in a BNI chapter is a very important person. At each meeting, the EC has four minutes to present
information that will not only provide education, but also will
assist chapter members in developing their networking skills. This
four minutes is the longest a person has to speak during the agenda
except for the 10-minute presentation.
There are many resources that exist to assist the Educational
Coordinator in being effective in his or her role. The BNI web site,
www.bni.com has excellent information in the Learning Center, Success
Net Online, and the Educational Coordinator Only section. Material
from Dr. Misner's books can be tailored to focus on a functional
exercise for members. There are audio tapes that discuss wonderful
ideas on how to make a BNI membership more successful. Of course,
there are many excellent books on networking education. There is also
a BNI Educational Coordinator (EC) Handbook.
The EC Handbook is not a "how to" book, but rather an additional
resource from which the EC can draw. First, it gives the EC a log
sheet where the topics can be listed week-to-week. The significance
of this is that the EC can build upon education from one week to the
next. For example, one week Contact Spheres can be discussed, with
interaction from the members actually talking about professions that
are in their Contact Spheres. The next week, a review of the Prospect
List will enable members to take the information identified the
previous week and plug in names and phone numbers of individuals. The
following week, the EC could review "How to Invite a Visitor."
Often ECs think they have to "present" something to the chapter, like
reading a section from one of the BNI books. While that is an option,
ECs are encouraged to make some of the meetings more interactive.
When people participate in something, they usually get more out of it.
The Educational Coordinator always works with the President and
Leadership Team to assist if there is something they are doing for
the chapter as a whole. For example, if the LT is setting goals for
the year or term of office, the EC might want to present a generic
four minutes on the value of setting goals and the results people
have seen when they set goals.
One of the most important tenets of BNI is education. Educational
Coordinators should be individuals who agree with the role of
education and who are willing to put some time and effort into what
they present to their chapter members. Four minutes is a long time
during a BNI meeting. Educational Coordinators have many resources
available to them to make those four minutes of great value for their
fellow chapter members. Strong Educational Coordinators help make strong
chapters whose members develop successful networking skills.
HUDDLE TIME
BNI Announces New Member Guideline
BNI has adopted member guidelines to assist members in getting the most out of their BNI membership. These guidelines are not the same
as policies, but most eventually transition into policies down the
road. Our newest guideline, the Members' Success Program
implementation, will become effective worldwide by October 2002.
Chapters may implement it earlier at their discretion and with the
assistance of their Director.
Here is the new guideline:
All new members must attend Members' Success Program (MSP) training
in their region within the first 60 days of their participation.
Only after attending the MSP training may he or she be added to the
"speaker rotation" for that chapter. Any new members not attending
the MSP training within the first 60 days after being inducted into
the chapter, will be subject to having their classification opened by
the Membership Committee.
BNI is about BUZZ. You want to create that constant sound in the ears and minds of prospects so that they make a mental connection between
what you offer and what theyneed. The best way to do that is through
telling stories. After all, isn't each of our introductions simply a
mini-tale, perhaps told in rhyme?
At SalesAutopsy.com we collect entrepreneurs' and sales
professionals' most embarrassing selling memories. Each story is a
building block to improvement toward closing more business. When you
can expand your story into a narrative that blends both success and
humor, you will have a winning, memorable combination that becomes
buzz. This means the listener tells others and the beat (the word)
goes on. What follows is one of our most popular stories - an
insurance rep who creates tremendous buzz in her world by telling a
most unforgettable anecdote:
Disappearing Client, Hiding or Dead?
Brandy recounts how a client crashed far from home:
When I landed the life policy on a hotshot entrepreneur, it was a
huge boost to my selling career. The five-million-dollar policy was
great for my bank account. It was even better for my credibility in
the office. In an industry where women are selling in much smaller
numbers than men, it was nice to see my reputation on the rise.
Shortly after he passed his medical exams and was approved, the
entrepreneur began to struggle with his business. While on an
unexplained trip to Eastern Europe, he was killed in a bizarre plane
accident. While walking across a runway, he was sucked into an engine
of the jet he was about to board.
Our firm was concerned about verifying the death in order to pay on
the claim. Unlike the United States, many countries don't issue death
certificates, so we hired investigators who flew across the world to
interview "witnesses" to the awful scene. Some of their stories
didn't quite match.
The final fishy clue proved the whole incident was a fraud
perpetrated by the near-bankrupt businessman. The blood on the
plane's engine belonged to a cow.
That guy still hasn't arrived back in the U.S. I guess prison is much
worse than bankruptcy. And my growing reputation has been temporarily
arrested, while I listen to mumbled "moos" behind my back at the
office.
What is your best story?
Can you captivate your listeners by sharing an experience that
generates an ooh, aha or oh-no!? Work on crafting your buzz. It's
good for business.
One final note: Dan Seidman's new book, The Death of 20th Century
Selling; 50 Hilarious Sales Blunders and How You Can Profit from Them
is available at www.salesautopsy.com or toll-free at 1-877-613-7355.
Get the book and give the gift of laughter and learning to someone
who sells today! Dan can be reached at dan@salesautopsy.com. Dr. Ivan
Misner has contributed to the section of Dan's book that defines
methods for being perceived as unique in your marketplace.
HUDDLE TIME
Simple Truth Quiz
By Anonymous
This was passed on to us by a BNI member—the author is unknown.
This isn't like other quizzes ... don't bother getting a pen and
paper ... just read.
- Name the five wealthiest people in the world.
- Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.
- Name the last five winners of the Miss America contest.
- Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer prize.
- Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for Best Actor and Actress.
- Name the last decade's worth of World Series Winners.
How did you do? The point is, none of us remembers the headliners of
yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers. They're the best in
their fields.
But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten.
Accolades and
certificates are buried with their owners.
Now here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:
- List a few teachers who aided your journey through school
- Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
- Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
- Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.
- Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.
- Name a half dozen heroes whose stories have inspired you.
Easier? The lesson? The people who make a difference in your life
aren't the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the
most awards. They're the ones who care
HUDDLE TIME
Change in Attitude Results in Growth
The Huntington Beach (in Orange County, CA) chapter of BNI was
chartered in 1992 with 24 members. Like all BNI chapters it has had
it ups and downs over the years. In April, 2000, the chapter had 26
members, but a conflict within the chapter, combined with an
inexperienced leadership team, saw the membership cut in half. The
remaining members did put on a Visitors Day, but not a single new
member was added. Clearly something was wrong with the chapter.
In July, 2001, Bill Mills, an Executive Director for Orange County
addressed the remaining ten chapter members and presented their
options: 1) close the chapter, and members could try to find other
chapters into which they could fit; or 2) restart the chapter, but
only after receiving firm commitments from each member on several
issues.
One commitment was to accept that fact that everyone's behavior had
to change. Doing things the same way would result in continued
frustration and failure to grow.
Another commitment, following the decision to change, was to go back
to school. The Member Success Program was made mandatory. By the
time that training had been completed only eight members remained,
but that was enough.
The chapter members worked toward a Kick-Off of the revitalized
chapter. Bill Mills and other Orange County Directors walked them
through the Six Weeks to a Successful Visitor's Day/Kick-Off. They
relocated to a restaurant that presented a much more professional
atmosphere. They followed the direction provided by the Directors.
They followed the exact process for identifying prospective members,
sending out letters, and follow-up scripts. In short, they followed
the BNI system!
Their Visitor's Day in September resulted in 4 new members. Members
were excited and brought visitors each week. The meeting agenda was
followed exactly. Time remaining at the end of the meeting was used
for training, usually conducted by members. More visitors joined.
Another Visitor's Day in January was successful, and the membership
now numbers 24.
The changes in the Huntington Beach chapter came about because of the
change in their ATTITUDE! They wanted to grow. They were open to
education and following the BNI system. Another Visitors Day is
scheduled, and the Huntington Beach chapter is on the move!
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