BNI HAPPENINGS — UNITED KINGDOM
RBS and BNI—a blossoming partnership
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Gillian and Martin Lawson with RBS representatives |
The Royal Bank of Scotland, one of the UK's largest and top-performing listed businesses, has forged a long-term relationship with BNI which it says has already generated millions of pounds worth of additional income for RBS managers.
RBS has been working hand in hand with BNI since the first UK chapters opened more than four years ago and, with some of its local business and relationship managers already members of BNI groups throughout the UK, the success generated for both organisations has led to a unique nationwide partnership approach being struck.
"A significant number of chapters throughout the UK now have a Royal Bank manager filling the banking position and the reason for this is quite simple - it works for both parties," said RBS's Communications Manager - Business Banking, Colin Nichol.
"At the Royal Bank, adding value to our clients' business is a major part of our customer proposition and what better way to add value than to introduce them to BNI! In the true spirit of "givers gain", there are benefits for the Bank and for BNI," he added.
RBS says that BNI works for its managers because:
1. Royal Bank relationship managers are based in the local community instead of a business centre, and so have a wide circle of contacts to bring to meetings.
2. Its relationship managers are used to networking and are familiar with the power of the giver's gain principle - 'If I give you business, you'll want to give me some business back'.
3. They are hungry for new business and BNI delivers new contacts and new customers!
Colin Nichol stressed that the partnership was not a one-way street. "For BNI, the advantages are numerous; including having dependable members who are aware of the benefits of networking. This gives RBS members the ability to tap into their circle of contacts and clients, spreading the word about BNI, and generating business for other BNI members.
He added: "It is this approach that has led to a unique relationship between RBS and BNI throughout the UK - one in which both parties now meet regularly to review progress and to further educate and train members to generate even more business.
"When any new BNI chapters are being considered, the local RBS manager has usually volunteered himself (or herself) as the first point of contact, to ensure that the new chapter gets off the ground quickly and with the right quality of member right from the start. It's just one of many ideas put into place jointly by two organisations that have recognised the power of working together to achieve more."
The value of the RBS/BNI partnership was reaffirmed at the recent BNI Northern Conference in Manchester (sponsored by RBS) when the Bank's Regional Business Banking Director Robert Grindrod told delegates: "Our managers have completed millions of pounds in new business by joining their local BNI chapters. We see BNI as an important part of our forward strategy.
"It is cost-beneficial to us, since one good referral more than pays for the subscription, and we can use it as an added-value item for our customers, by inviting them to join the BNI group and build their business."
Ron Hain, BNI's Regional Director for Scotland North has been a key player in forging the partnership with RBS, and driving it forward through regular meetings and presentations to Royal Bank executives. He states, "We have laid the first planks in what I believe should become a prosperous relationship for both BNI and RBS. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the partnership is particularly strong in Scotland, with agreement on a number of reciprocal initiatives linked to new chapter launches, as well as training initiatives with the Royal Bank's existing BNI members, including seminars to share best practice. I am also hoping RBS will feature the partnership on its own RBTV network, highlighting the benefits to every Royal Bank manager across the UK."
Ron, who hopes RBS will sponsor BNI's Scottish Members Conference later this year, added: "I would not try to impose any one bank on any chapter, but I am in no doubt that RBS is closely aligned to our business philosophy and has shown itself willing to provide solid support in our development of new groups. There is no reason why other BNI regions cannot achieve the same reciprocal success with RBS as we have established."
BNI HAPPENINGS — UNITED KINGDOM
'Mind-mapping' to Chart BNI Course
"This new way of business thinking transforms 60-sescond infomercials," says BNI Director Terry Hamill.
A simple method of identifying potential new clients is radically improving the business fortunes of BNI members in parts of the UK where its adoption has transformed the way in which they promote their services to chapter colleagues.
The relatively new technique of "mind mapping", devised by Tony Buzan, has been adapted and developed by BNI Executive Director Terry Hamill whose introduction of the concept to chapters in Merseyside and Scotland has produced some dramatic results, including:
• Over £100,000 worth of unexpected business in the past two months for a 'quietly spoken' Liverpool electrical contractor who had set himself a lesser target for the entire year.
• A prestigious £10,000 contract with Everton Football Club for a kitchen catering company, whose boss received the referral just hours after visiting another local chapter.
• A £4 million contract for a former Liverpool noodle bar proprietor to manufacture and supply ASDA stores nationwide with a unique range of sushi products.
The technique will be featured in detail by Terry Hamill in the next issue of SuccessNet, but its potential for focusing members' minds clearly on their preferred new business customers has been acknowledged by other regional directors who are already promoting the concept among members in their own chapters.
In its simplest guise, the BNI-adapted version of mind-mapping has been developed to improve members' 60-second' informercials, by showing members how the weekly minute-slot can be utilised to describe precisely the businesses - and even better, the specific people - to which they would like a personal introduction.
"It has worked for me in a quite dramatic fashion," said Phil Brumfitt, boss of Birkenhead-based catering equipment company, Windsor Catering. "There's no doubt that if you are specific in telling your colleagues exactly who you want to reach, they will help you get there. I always finish my one minute presentations by giving colleagues the names of two or three specific companies or organisations I'd like to do business with- and it works.
"A few weeks ago I stood in as a substitute for a friend at a neighbouring chapter - Merseyside Beta - and told members I would love to get a contract with either Everton or Liverpool football clubs. Within 24 hours I'd been put in touch with the catering head at Everton and I've now been given a £10,000 contract which, I'm hoping will put me in a strong position to win even more business when the Club relocates its ground later this year," he added.
So impressed is Phil with BNI's way of winning business that he's even had his delivery van signpainted in large lettering to read: "BNI gives me a buzz. What could you gain?" along with the website address of his Merseyside Indigo Chapter. "I'm so taken with the whole thing, I've even fitted a flashing red light to my BNI badge which I always wear on business. Inevitably people ask me why, so I tell them that I'm one of BNI's shining lights—and they could benefit from membership too!
"My wife Lynda who runs the business with me thinks I'm a very sad case—but I'm proud to highlight what BNI has done for us—generating £75,000 worth of extra business within six months of my joining," he added.
Meanwhile, being more specific on the customers you want has also paid even bigger dividends for Crosby electrical contractor John Goodwin, whose 30 year old family business has seen its size and profits grow significantly since he joined Merseyside's Lima Chapter less than six months ago.
"I was very skeptical when I joined BNI and doubted it would help me find much new business, but I've been proved totally wrong. The local work we particularly wanted has just flowed in through my chapter colleagues and in the past two months we've been given contracts worth well over £100,000, and I am very optimistic that this will become much larger in the near future with more sizeable contracts coming from the new business contacts I've made through BNI."
John said that by focusing on 'named' potential customers, his chapter colleagues had been able to find him the ideal personal referrals. "The other week I said I was really keen to establish contact with the contracts and maintenance division of Liverpool University, since it owns so much property in the city. Immediately a colleague said he knew the right person, and gave me a referral to the appropriate manager with whom we are now discussing considerable work."
Terry Hamill told SuccessNet: "Quite simply, it's all about concentrating purely on the customers you want to gain. The trouble is that most of us are so entrenched in our businesses, that we've lost sight of what is important and what isn't. Having head so many wasted 60-second infomercials at breakfast meetings, I felt that mind-mapping could help members focus on the important issues and forget about the rest. It seems to be successful because, whenever I visit chapters whose members have adopted the concept, they tell me how much better they are doing."
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
Writer's Guidelines for SuccessNet
We want to hear from you! SuccessNet Online needs your input. SuccessNet is truly YOUR newsletter. We ask you to consider the following tips when preparing your submission for SuccessNet:
- Writing style should be clear and concise. Keep your sentences short and give us details. Be specific.
- Use the inverted pyramid format, with your information leading us to the point, rather than giving all the details up front.
- Use dialog in your submission: John said, "BNI made a huge difference in my business."
- Be sure to include your name, chapter name and business name. When applicable, list your web address and we'll insert a hyperlink to direct readers to your website.
- If appropriate, give us dollar values for your chapter brags and testimonials.
- We would like digital photos of your chapter or regional events! As you can see from this first issue, we are able to have many more local-flavor articles and reviews. With your photos, include a brief description of the event, who's in the photo, and the name and city of your chapter.
- Please also include your web address with your submission, so we can direct our readers to your site.
- Please send your submissions to newsletter@bni.com
The types of submissions we are seeking are for Chapter Brags, Memory Hooks, BNI Happenings (your regional news), any other special announcements, success stories, or things your chapter has tried that have been successful.
Thank you!
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