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If You're Not Having Fun, You're Not Doing It Right
Your BNI chapter often becomes a comfort zone. The more you attend, the more familiar you become with other members, the more dance cards you complete, the less you are inclined to move out of your comfort zone and talk to strangers outside of BNI.
Talking to strangers ranks in the top 5 things that people hate to do. To think about actually having fun whilst talking to strangers may be a definite stretch of your imagination. Recall the last party that you went to: picture those people in the room who just seemed to be able to talk to anyone about anything. Just what is their secret? How is it that they even look like they are enjoying themselves? Is it possible for you to become a more interesting person and even have fun talking to total strangers? The answer is most definitely YES!! TIP 1: Interesting people are interested in others. They actually take the focus off themselves and put it on to the person/s they are speaking to. Interesting people are actually great listeners—they work at improving their listening skills every day. Practice, practice, practice—every day, talk to one stranger! I dare you! TIP 2: Spend a week observing great communicators in your social and business networks. What makes them different? You may observe that they:
TIP 3: Act as if everyone in the room, stranger or not, is a V.I.P.—a Very Interesting Person. Good communicators believe that every single person they meet is interesting and has much to contribute to any conversation. An interesting person will almost always have a couple of open-ended questions prepared, for example:
TIP 4: Act like the host and not the guest. The key to making connections is basically that your intention is to treat people the way you would like to be treated. Try it, but make sure you have fun while you are doing it. HUDDLE TIME Folklore and Facts Understanding the role of relationships in business.
Genuine networking is not swapping business cards; rather, it's the active process of building and managing productive relationships. Networking is a controversial subject. Just the term itself elicits strong feelings, positive and negative. Some people swear by the practice of networking; others swear at it. But no matter how you feel about networking, a growing body of research reveals that success in business depends on technical competence and the ability to build strong relationships and networks of relationships.
It's not enough to excel at the technical part of your job. You also have to excel at the art and science of networking. There are myths and folklore about networking that are common barriers to learning how to network well. The folklore arises from misperceptions about the role and importance of relationships in business. Consider some of the most common folklore and facts: FOLKLORE: Tough-minded business people don't consider networking and relationship-building to be important because the impact of these "soft skills" can't be scientifically proven. FACT: The benefits of networking can be scientifically measured. Dozens of scientific studies reveal that those who network well are more effective, paid better, promoted faster, healthier, happier—and even live longer. Consider just a few of these additional facts:
FACT: Many people think technical expertise is enough, but a vast amount of research shows that it's not. The most successful business leaders are the best relationship builders, but they're not necessarily the best technically. Research shows that those who ignore or neglect their relationship-building responsibilities "top out" early in their careers. The main cause of failure for managers who take charge of a new situation is neglecting to build strong personal relationships. As you advance in your career, relationship-building becomes a larger and more significant part of your responsibilities. Those who benefit the most from networking build large, well-diversified networks that include a wide range of internal and external relationships. FOLKLORE: Networking is somewhat unethical, even "sleazy." FACT: Networking and relationships can be misused and abused. Con artists, for example, cultivate trust (or what might be called pseudo-trust) in order to defraud, trick, and swindle. But those who misuse and abuse relationships are always found out. Genuine relationships are based on real trust, mutual understanding, and mutual benefits. Genuine networking is the process of developing such relationships. It's the only road to long-run success. Concepts like networking come with so much negative baggage that many people simply reject the idea of managing relationships. These negative associations are much more than unfortunate—they threaten your ability to be successful in today's business world. Those who succeed in business and life are those who are better, faster, and smarter at building relationships. FOLKLORE: Networking and relationship-building skills can't be learned. Some people are just naturally good at it. They just happen to be "people oriented." FACT: Relationship-building and networking skills can be learned by anyone. What you need is new information about the importance and power of relationships and concrete advice on how to put this information into practice. HUDDLE TIME
When Was the Last Time You Upgraded Your Business?
It seems that we constantly have to upgrade our computer software and equipment. We only use our programs and computers a few months before it makes sense to replace them. It's not that they're completely obsolete; it's just that there's usually something much better and often for only a bit more cost.
Do we treat our business models that way? Not very often. If we're lucky enough to find a business model that works, we usually keep on using it—to our detriment—with little modification. Why should our business be any different than the tools and equipment we use? It's critical that we make regular changes that will keep pace with our customers, our competitors, and the market. Business is changing more rapidly than ever before. What worked last year may not work any longer. Entire industries are emerging and fading in less than a decade. To be competitive, we must be able to change with everything else that's changing around us. Tweaking and improving what we already have may be sufficient. But often we need to make more radical changes. Our business model must sometimes be scrapped and replaced with another. Obstacles 1. It's easier to keep doing what we're doing. We're all creatures of habit and we have a tendency to dig holes deeper instead of digging new holes. This keeps us focused on what we're doing but not necessarily what we're attempting to accomplish. 2. We think making a change labels what we were doing as wrong. Our stakeholders expect consistency. They don't like change any more than we do; most business leaders are reluctant to let go of the old way and embrace the new, because they fear being judged as having been doing it wrong. 3. The staff doesn't like change. The owner or manager who is willing to lead and affect change often has a tough role because of a “we've-always-done-it-this-way” mentality. This resistance is a serious challenge. 4. Customers don't ALWAYS know what's best. Listening to our customers and attempting to fulfill their needs is a valuable practice. Certainly we need to help our clients solve problems and overcome challenges, but we can't DEPEND on our customers for this. If we do, we'll miss many opportunities to lead the market with products and services that our customers didn't even know they wanted. Solutions 1. Embrace change as a good thing and not just something to be tolerated. As long as we make what we were doing wrong, we thwart our ability to make good decisions. When we lock onto the old, we have little ability to welcome the new. Even a trapeze artist has to let go of one trapeze in order to catch the next one. Develop the attitude that we're making an improvement instead of not doing what we did before. 2. Nurture a culture of creativity and innovation. A world-class business leader knows that they must create an environment for creativity. They know they need to always reward thinking outside of the box. The safety to question anything and everything is paramount. 3. Conduct What's Not World Class meetings. On a regular basis, small groups and large should be convened to challenge what's being done, what's not being done and how it's done. Every aspect of the business must be looked at with a fresh eye and an open mind. What needs to be scrapped? What needs to be added? What no longer serves our customer? Where are we looking good and where are we looking bad? Establish priorities and take action. 4. Make a habit of holding these meetings and you'll start to see real progress. You'll find that the process will continue even after the formal meeting ends. 5. Recognize that your biggest expense is the money you DON'T make. Every business leaves money on the table. It's our job to discover ways in which we can maximize all of our revenue. There's always a way to do this. Pretend your company is being bought by another corporation—what are some things they might do to uncover hidden revenues? 6. Step back and away from your business and your industry. Critical to creating a world class business is to constantly gain new perspectives on what you do and how you do it. Abraham Lincoln once said, "If I had three hours to chop down trees, I'd spend two hours sharpening my blade." That's what getting away to conferences, symposiums, classes and master mind meetings can do for you—sharpen your upgrade blade. 7. Read, study, listen, explore. Take every chance to expose yourself to new ideas and be reminded of things you already know. And don't make it exclusive to your industry. If you're clear on your mission and your purpose as well as the major problems you're striving to solve, you'll get ideas from anywhere and everywhere. Read something unrelated to your work. Study something dramatically different from what you normally do. See for yourself how your perspective will improve. We need to keep what works and change what doesn't. We need to stay fresh and have a better perspective and yet remain consistent with the things that support our mission. Being a business leader requires one to constantly balance the unchanging principles with strategies that need to be tweaked and updated. Constant and never-ending improvement is the watchword of business in the 21st century. I urge you to look for what systems, models, departments, processes—and yes, even people—need upgrading. HUDDLE TIME
Unemployment Saga
You wake up in a sweat one morning and you realize that your source of income has been taken away from you. You start wondering how to pay the bills and put food on the table. If you are like I am and have experienced that, you never want to have this feeling again.
As a BNI Executive Director, I realized that I could do something about it. The idea came to me from one of my members, who found himself in this situation. His question was, "Can you help?" After a little research, I learned that about 90 percent of people who found employment did so through personal introductions and networking. As an organization that has the motto "Givers Gain," it was clear to me what I should do: help those individuals who found themselves in this predicament by offering them the opportunity to network with the best networkers in the world—my BNI members. After getting approval from Dr. Ivan Misner to run an experimental program in my region, BNINOVA offered two seats in every chapter for unemployment categories, or "people in transition," as we like to call it. The membership committee handles their applications like a regular member, checking backgrounds and making sure that each is a good fit for the chapter and that the chapter is a good fit for them. We already have numerous success stories, where individuals have found employment within a few weeks of their joining BNINOVA. The commentary that came from all those who participated in the program was appreciation for the opportunity to meet on a weekly basis with up-beat, positive and supportive members of their chapter. That, alone, gave them the strength and support they needed to continue the quest of finding employment. As a benefit to the chapter, the joy of helping an individual in need bonded chapter members. It took the focus away from the "little stuff" and put all the "chapter politics" in real-life perspective. Below are some comments from participants in the program. "Our chapter has found this newly created category to be a very viable one for all involved. We have been able to help two individuals with their respective job searches and benefited from referrals they have passed, as well. I would be more than happy to endorse this program to any chapters that are considering it, as it truly exemplifies the 'Givers Gain' principle." Bob McCoy, President Alexandria the Great Chapter "I am one of the greatest fans of your 'In Transition' membership initiative. We in the McLean Business Forum have hosted a number of such persons." Bob Marik The Litchfield Group HUDDLE TIME
Job Seeker Success Story
Dr. Ivan Misner asked me to share my BNI job seeker success story. I was laid off from my former employer in October of last year, but I didn't seriously start looking for a job until January of this year. My outplacement service taught me that networking was the way to get a new job. I knew nothing about networking, but I was willing to give anything a try. I signed up for a brown bag lunch seminar on PDAs as a tentative first step in networking. Dave Boyd of the McLean Business Forum was the facilitator of the seminar. When I mentioned that I was looking for a job he suggested I try BNI. So I looked for a chapter and joined the Kingstowne Chapter. After two meetings as a member, one of my fellow members said I was just the kind of person his company was looking for. I went in for an interview. I liked the company and decided making a career change from project management to sales didn't sound like a bad deal. I started with Windows Plus in March, have since found a new BNI chapter to join, and am loving my new career. I really like the idea of BNI and am working hard to become a good member. I realize it will take some time for BNI to really take off for me, but I believe in taking the long view, so I'm working at building relationships, confident that it will pay off in the future. Thank you, BNI! Breaking News
Masters of Success a # 1 Bestseller
On June 11, 2004, Masters of Success climbed to the top of the Wall Street Journal's bestseller list. In addition, the book tour has gained national press coverage. To read the article published in The Globe, a national Canadian paper, click on www.bni.com/successnet/contentimages/bn.globearticle.pdf. To read an article published in the Metro, a publication out of Toronto, Canada, click on www.bni.com/successnet/contentimages/bn.metrorticle.pdf. Dr. Misner and Don Morgan thank everyone who helped to make Masters of Success such a success. For more information on Masters of Success, click on www.mastersofsuccess.biz. BNI's Hazel Walker Wins Award One of BNI's own received the coveted Indiana's Business Woman of the Year during the 2004 Congressional Tax Summit in Washington, D.C. Hazel Walker took over her husband's health insurance agency after he suffered a brain hemorrhage. Recently, the Indianapolis Star interviewed Ms. Walker on how she has built her business by referral. She offered this story on one of the individuals in her BNI chapter: "I was talking to a guy the other day who's in my BNI chapter. He sells advertising. He's in a BNI chapter generating referrals. He's a cold call junky. He went to BNI kicking and screaming, but went because his boss told him he had to go. He told me the other day his goal was $200,000 in business for the year. He said just out of referrals from his chapter he's made $150,000 for the year already. He has not made one cold call." To read the interview with Ms. Walker in its entirety, click on Hazel Walker to purchase the article online. BNI Profiled in Houston Business Review Kevin Price, host of Houston Business Show and the Houston Business Review, interviewed Dr. Ivan Misner on his Masters of Success book tour. The Houston Business Review published a snapshot of both BNI and the new book, Masters of Success. Editor Price writes, "I think what I like most about this organization is that it is unabashed about its purpose. Not only are these people not ashamed to meet just for the purpose of helping others build their business, it is all this organization is about. I love this because people shouldn’t be ashamed to meet to benefit others and to help others—and themselves—meet their goals. To read the article, click on http://www.houstonbusiness.com/HBReview/june04_issue2/hbreview.htm North America BNI HAPPENINGS — Canada
Masters of Success Tour Comes to Okanagan
Michelle Taylor, Sales & Catering Manager of the Coast Canadian Inn and member of the Kamloops First chapter commented, "The content was great, and I especially enjoyed the enthusiasm of the delivery—I have already used one of the tools for goal setting several times since the talk!" Mike Budd, Director with Melaleuca and member of the Sunshine Business Exchange chapter in Kelowna, said, "What impressed me was the way Don and Nancy put a number of ideas into a different perspective that made me look at my business with new insight." BNI HAPPENINGS — Canada Fifth Annual BNI Charity Golf Outing
Last years tournament enabled us to grant Frances' wish, which was to go to Disney World - Make-A-Wish's most popular request. To learn more about Frances and her wish, click on http://www.bnieast.com/wish2003.html Our goal this year was to send Brandon to the U.K. to see Chelsea, his favorite soccer team play and to visit family. Brandon and his twin brother are both afflicted with Cystic Fibrosis. We are extremely pleased that we were able to raise $5,700. Brandon and his family are scheduled to visit the U.K. this September. Congratulations to the BNI Manotick Chapter, who took the BNI Golf trophy for the second year in a row. We would like to acknowledge and thank all the BNI members, friends and clients who supported us by either playing, volunteering and or donating prizes. This event could not have been the success that it was without them! Next year's golf tournament is scheduled for June 7th. FORE! BNI HAPPENINGS — USA BNI Announces 2004 Membership Cruise in October BNI HAPPENINGS — USA A Georgetown Dose of Reality!
American Business Idol Each presenter in April used their awesome creativity to deliver a fresh & fun presentation for their fellow BNI members. After each presentation, a panel of three judges gave their comments and told a little bit about what they learned. The BNI chapter got to enjoy the following presentations: Doug Paul Gaul McCartney Let It Be…Insured. Knute "The KING" Kleven Little Less Conversation, A Little More Appraisin' Rockin "BB" Bill Burch When the DJ Comes to Town Tammy Aretha Dodge My Biz is ARCPD…Find out what it means to me…. Nick Elton Edelen Don't Go Breaking My Patio Door The presentations were all excellent and very creative. The BNI chapter learned all about Farmers Insurance, took part in an Appraiser Training Class, rocked out with Rockin Bill (the DJ), saw a fashion show from ARC Promotional Designs, and tested all kinds of patio coverings & glass from Russell Glass. At the end of the competition, the entire BNI chapter voted and selected Tammy Dodge of ARC Promotional Designs as the winner. Tammy was presented with a gift certificate and plaque. Stay tuned for future "reality" shows from this BNI chapter—we are on FIRE!! BNI HAPPENINGS — USA BNI Party Chased Away Last Winter's Blahs
Bill Love graciously hosted the group at his photography studio, Visions Unlimited. The event was planned by Kathy Stipek, a Certified Meeting Planner, and entertainment was provided by John Thomas with Brinks Home Security who pursues acting as well. About 75 percent of the membership attended along with significant others, substitutes, guests and prospects. BNI HAPPENINGS — USA Houston Goes Red Hot
No, not a disco but a program to recognize those members who fill their "One-on-One Dance Cards" by meeting with other members of their chapter. The chapter has produced its own ribbons to recognize members who do a lot of one-on-one's. When members complete 10 "one-on-ones," they receive a ribbon that says "Club 10." When they do ten more, they get a "Club 20" ribbon. Members with a high number of one-on-ones also receive a tee-shirt that reads: Red Hot Dancer! Great Idea, Conroe Chapter! BNI HAPPENINGS — Caribbean Surf the Caribbean The BNI Caribbean website has been officially launched! Members can log on to www.bnicaribbean.com and tell us what they think, as we would appreciate hearing from them. Europe BNI HAPPENINGS — Norway
BNI Launched in Norway
Ivar and Mikael have built up a fantastic core team of 19 members. These 19 business people made an enormous impression on the guests by passing over 40 referrals during the meeting. As matter of fact Ivar have to ask them to wait until next week with the remaining referrals since we were tight with the time. Ivar and Mikael together with the core have already decided to beat Sweden by being the first chapter in Scandinavia with over 40 members (largest until now is 38). With more than 55 application forms handed out during the meeting, Sweden probably has to watch up! Ivar told us that the second chapter is scheduled to be launched soon. BNI HAPPENINGS — United Kingdom
One Person, One Meeting, 696 Referrals!
While many chapters have members who regularly pass a dozen or more slips over the breakfast table, down in the previously quiet Cotswold market town of Tetbury, they’re still reeling after Susan handed out almost 700 referrals to lucky chapter colleagues at a single meeting! Her actual morning’s work was 696 firm enquiries for the services of her Tetbury Chapter colleagues—enabling her colleagues to proudly claim the title of 'top (business) guns' after seeing well over 700 referrals passed around the table at just one breakfast. How did she do it? Susan runs a picturesque conference and events centre called the Great Tythe Barn—a popular venue for weddings. She recently staged a Bridal Fair to promote the venue, and saw its business potential for other members of her chapter who provide wedding-related services. She told SuccessNet: "The event attracted many hundreds of people, and as they arrived we asked them if they would be interested in talking to other suppliers who could help make their wedding day a memorable occasion. More than 200 couples were happy to sign our register, asking to be put in touch with my fellow BNI members. When we planned the event, I was determined to ensure that I would only offer referrals from people genuinely in the market for the specific services offered by my chapter colleagues, so we spent considerable time making sure they represented solid referrals with a real prospect of becoming business.” Four of her Tetbury Chapter colleagues received the majority of her referrals deluge. The lucky quartet were florist Pete Latham, health and wellbeing consultant Roy Huggins, wedding-day memorabilia specialist Phil Bates and Greg Power, an independent financial adviser specialising in insurance cover for big events. Susan, an original member of the year-old chapter, took over as new Chapter Director this month, and is keen to acknowledge that she has also received some valuable business through BNI colleagues. She says, "Most incoming referrals are going to be substantial because they will involve us staging a major event, so it’s a case of quality not quantity, but I am very happy with our BNI involvement. It has opened a lot of doors." Africa/Middle East
BNI HAPPENINGS — Zimbabwe Zimbabwe Chapters Recruit 8 New Members
BNI HAPPENINGS — Israel BNI Founder to Visit Israel Chapters Dr. Ivan Misner will be visiting Israel to conduct workshops and book signings for Masters of Success the week of October 11th. To request information on locations and times go to http://www.bni-israel.com/eng_contact.asp. BNI HAPPENINGS — South Africa BNI Founder to Visit South Africa Chapters Dr. Ivan Misner will be in Johannesburg, South Africa on August 15 and 16, where Ivan will conduct a "Q&A with the Founder" for the Leadership Teams and senior members of all the chapters in the area. He will also conduct a workshop. Dr. Misner will conduct a similar program in Durban August 17 - 18, and likewise in Cape Town a day later. To request information on locations and times, go to http://www.bni.co.za/contact_us.htm. Australia/Asia
BNI HAPPENINGS — New Zealand "Text Book" BNI Breakfast for Wellington Leaders
Many of the teams had already attended a leadership training with Graham Southwell some weeks earlier, and many had held other leadership roles within their chapter. The first change was the venue. POD café had just recently opened and with meeting rooms attached, it turned out to be more than adequate for a chapter size of 30 members plus. The meeting opened with a positive introduction. The breakfast was a great team building exercise. The 60-second round used “Who do you know who can fill this category." The result was 18 referrals being passed from chapter to chapter. For some, there was a realization of just how big the BNI network extends beyond their chapter with over 90 different trades represented in the Wellington region. PROSPECTIVE MEMBERS
Is BNI for Me? So you've recently been invited to a BNI meeting and wonder where you fit into the mix! First of all, let me say, thank you for checking us out. We've been putting business professionals together for almost two decades in a word-of-mouth marketing environment. To date, we are the largest business-to-business networking organization in the world! 60,000 plus members feel that BNI is certainly for them. We hope you will agree!
BNI was started in 1985 with a single purpose: to develop the referral business of the members. From that point, BNI has grown to the vast networking group it has become. We allow one person per profession to join each chapter, thus guaranteeing exclusivity to the members in their business category. If you are a florist, you will be the only florist in your chapter! One member values his chair at the table each week to be worth over $30,000, because that is the amount of referral business his fellow members generated for his company in one single year. Annual membership in BNI costs less than a business suit—it's the most cost-effective way to market yourself in today's highly competitive marketplace. If you value having 20 to 30 other business people marketing you to others, then BNI is the right place for you! We hope that you like what you see and that you will join a chapter near you and experience firsthand the difference a structured referral system can make in your business. For more information about BNI and our chapters throughout the world, please clink on www.bni.com. FAQ's
Ask BNI This is the place where you can ask any question about BNI. If you have a question for BNI's CEO and Founder, Dr. Ivan Misner, send it to askbni@bni.com. He will post his response here, as space allows. From time to time, a guest Director will post a response. You may view other questions Dr. Misner is posed by going to www.entrepreneur.com, where Dr. Misner participates in Entrepreneur.com's Ask the Networking Expert.
Making the Most of Networking Opportunities Start by learning how to tailor your networking approach for different occasions. Q: Aren't there times when networking isn't appropriate? I feel like I am never able to relax and enjoy an event. I want to be a successful networker. A: Although I advocate that networking is a lifestyle and that you need to incorporate it into everything you do, I also believe that you must honor the event. This means that in some cases you are going to network a lot differently than you would in other cases. For example, networking at a chamber mixer is one thing, while networking at a church social is something completely different. First, we must understand what I mean by "networking." I believe that networking is part of the process of developing your social capital. Building your social capital hinges on the development of meaningful relationships with other people. Since one should always be working on building meaningful relationships with other people, he or she should always be networking. However, that doesn't mean someone should always be trying to sell something to someone, because that rarely facilitates the development of meaningful relationships. Herein lies the misinterpretation of the practice of networking. Some people think that networking means to be constantly selling your products or services. To me, networking means that you should constantly build relationships. The best way to build relationships is to help someone whenever possible. A good networker has two ears and one mouth and should use them proportionately. Hence, if you understand networking to be the process one uses to develop relationships and build one's social capital, then it makes sense that someone should network everywhere—including the church social. They key is that you must honor the event. To truly honor the event, you need to network appropriately. That means your networking approach must be different in a chamber meeting compared to a social event. In both cases, you should make contacts, put people together, help others and build relationships. However, you should not be actively promoting your business in one of those two groups. (Hint: It's not the chamber.) Instead, at a church function, you should simply focus on putting people together and helping others. Let me give you an example of what I mean. Last year, I had the opportunity to attend a formal dinner put on by the "Friendly Sons of St. Patrick." This was a black-tie social event, not a business networking dinner, yet I was able to make a great contact that ended up being immensely successful for me (and, I hope, for one of the people I met there). You see, seated at my table were a prominent senior partner to a major international law firm, a former member of the Beach Boys and Buzz Aldrin, part of the first mission to set foot on the moon and now an entrepreneur as the founder of the ShareSpace Foundation. During the course of the evening, I mentioned to Aldrin that I was working on a new book entitled Masters of Success. He's certainly attained a well-known level of success and has some very strong feelings about the future of the space program, so I thought he might be interested in sharing his thoughts in this new book. After getting to know each other better, I asked him if he would be interested in contributing a chapter to the book. He was. Consequently, he is one of the prominent contributing authors to a book that is about to be released, and I believe it's a win-win for both of us. As you can see, it is desirable to keep your networking goals in sight at all events and opportunities, without becoming a networking vulture or someone that everyone else runs from when they see you coming. Honor the event and tailor your networking strategies so that you fit in without being tuned out. Another very important aspect of successful, active networking is to be sincere. There are people who are so successful at networking that they are able to network virtually everywhere, and it's because they really care about making connections for others, not just for themselves. I have seen that those who network exclusively for selfish gain come across as very shallow and insincere. Make no mistake about it: Networking can be done with a selfish end in mind, but if you are truly living the mantra that "givers gain," you will come across very differently. No one minds the opportune exchange of information that will benefit one or more people, even when that exchange takes the form of a business card at a bar mitzvah.
Talent Pool in Warkworth, New Zealand
• Steve Brackenridge of Brackenridge Builders won the Auckland region and the National award for their Orewa house. His company also won the national Gib Living Solutions Award. Steve says, “This has firmly established our company’s position in the market place, with attention to detail at the foremost.” 50 Is a Beautiful Thing
In order to celebrate we ran the "Hat Day” meeting stimulant, had bouquets of balloons everywhere with "Happy 50th" written on them and took a couple of pictures of chapter members. Gold Club Members The following members have achieved Gold Club Status:
Stories of BNI Success "BNI has made an incredible difference in my business. As a four-plus-year member, I have seen BNI transform my business as a computer consultant from one to two hours a week to three to five hours a day, everyday! Without BNI’s help I wouldn’t have the business I have today. Through my BNI contacts I have purchased a house, managed a mortgage, experienced health treatments such as chiropractic care and acupuncture, Feng Shui and so many other unique services. BNI can transform anyone if they devote themselves to the BNI system and philosophy." "Besides contributing to my business, BNI has been another source of success for me in my personal life. I had just started out in BNI and went to the MSD. There was a member there from another chapter who is an adoption facilitator. I got her card and six months later gave her a call. I eventually adopted my daughter Isabella who is now almost one year old. If it wasn’t for BNI I would never have the greatest joy in my life! I would definitely advise anyone to join!" "Thanks to BNI my business has been catapulted to successful heights! I am two weeks shy of being a member for one year and already BNI is responsible for 50 percent of my referrals! IT WORKS!" "I hate to cold call. Since joining BNI four years ago I haven’t had to—that’s rare in the insurance business!" "I love BNI! I’ve been a member since I started my business almost five years ago and over 80 percent of my business is from BNI referrals." “The first project I closed as a referral in BNI was equal in dollar value to the previous year’s gross receipts.” "BNI Really works. I did 30K worth of business this last year." "I began in insurance a few months before I helped found the San Jose Premier Chapter and I am the current Vice President. Approximately two-thirds of my written/approved contracts are from BNI referrals!" Thanks to Dr. Misner The following are a sample of the letters received following Dr. Ivan Misner's visit to BNI-NOVA (northern Virginia) during his Masters of Success book tour: Dr. Ivan Misner's visit to Northern Virginia had a huge impact on the region. First, I'm grateful that he agreed to take an extra day from his busy schedule, which took him away from his family, to visit my region. As a fairly new Director I am proud and excited that we had over 260 attendees and 185 book sales. Dr Misner's energy and enthusiasm is contagious. Every time I come from a BNI conference, I share stories about him and the BNI organization. I am glad that my members had an opportunity to experience it first hand. Now they will understand and relate to my excitement whenever I come back from a conference. The amount of knowledge, experience and enthusiasm that I gain when I spend time with Dr. Misner is invaluable. He was so generous with me and my members. He took time to meet with members and my executive team and I know that my region will be better because of it. I know that members that did not make it are sorry to have missed the opportunity. Those who attended the event cannot stop talking about it and I already have numerous requests to bring him back from those who could not attend. I enjoyed meeting Ivan Misner. What I appreciated most were his kind ways of addressing attendance issues. Immediately after the leadership breakfast, I emailed my chapter's new vice president and indicated my desire to share this information with her. When we next spoke in person, I related Dr. Misner's story about the chapter president who had members call a person who was absent to communicate how much they missed him at the meeting. I asked the vice president if, in her capacity as overseer of the membership committee, she would be willing to try this approach before sending harsh warnings or opening seats. I also appreciated the discussion with Dr. Misner about making BNI's web site accessible to members with disabilities and eagerly look forward to working closely with him on this project. Because I am a writer with a strong public speaking background, meeting such an excellent writer and public speaker was especially meaningful. Dr. Misner's visit to Northern Virginia was outstanding. The opportunity to hear the founder of BNI share his knowledge and experience on how to supercharge our networking efforts and our chapters was one that should not be passed up on if you have the chance. One comment that I heard from a number of members was that Dr. Misner communicated an enthusiasm and attitude of caring for the success of BNI members. Most of the members of my chapter were able to attend. One impact is that a number of members who have been taking the time in the infomercials and 10-minute presentations to educate prospective clients realized that the right answer is to take that time to educate their sales team. Thanks, again. Column
How To Get Your Trash Taken Out
3 steps to effective communication.
"I’m not getting good referrals from BNI." That is a statement I frequently hear from members. In most cases it turns out the member does get referrals, just not the ones they want. And, after asking a few questions, it usually comes to light that the member is getting exactly what they’re asking for; they’re just not asking for the right thing. That’s miscommunication. To illustrate this idea, here’s an example that happens in many homes. A wife says to her husband, “The trash needs to go out.” What the wife means is, “Please take the trash out.” The husband may agree that the trash needs to go out, but doesn’t understand his wife is asking him to do it. Nothing happens and both end up frustrated. Strong, profitable, long-term relationships depend on good communication. It isn’t easy, and it takes time and effort to develop. The first place that happens in a BNI relationship is with a member’s Sales Manager minute. There are three points to developing them effectively: be specific, be clear, and get feedback. Be specific Many people object to being specific in their Sales Manager minute (or commercial) because they feel that it will limit their referrals. My experience has been that you will get better and more profitable referrals because they focus directly on the prospects you want. I’ve found that many times when you ask for a specific person in a specific company, you may not receive an introduction to that person, but you will connect with someone else who is equally as good. People also tend to make requests passively instead of asking directly. The person receiving the request doesn’t understand that they have been asked to take action. Then you get frustrated when nothing happens, as in the above illustration. This is what happens with many referral requests in chapters. You feel you are being specific with our commercials. Yet, other members don’t understand who they are looking for, or what they need to do to bring that ideal referral to you. Be clear Give your Sales Manager minute in plain English. Avoid industry jargon that means little to your audience. Remember you are training your sales team. Give them the tools to promote you, which include phrases to listen for, written information to distribute, and cues prospects will give that will lead your fellow members to start the conversation. Get feedback Ensure that your sales team understands your message by asking questions. One-on-one dance cards are the best place to clarify your message since it is an informal setting and allows for more give and take of ideas. Here are some questions that you can ask your fellow members to help you communicate your referral requests more effectively:
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