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Build Business Through Human Relations
Here's how to build beneficial relationships on basic principles of human dynamics
Humans are internally wired for relationships. As "social animals" we need relationships regardless of the activity we engage in. Business is conducted through relationships. Every person is influenced by family relationships. We play with other individuals to strengthen our relationships, and we even relate spiritually to others. The more we understand this phenomenon of relationships, the easier it will be to achieve our goals, and achieving goals ultimately leads toward a more successful life.
Returns from our relationships come in many shapes and sizes and sometimes are even hard to identify immediately. Personal support, increased knowledge, shared resources and concluded business transactions are just a few of the benefits generated from relationships. Despite the many returns we receive from relationships with others, it's curious that we don't spend more time studying and practicing good human relations. Relationships just don't happen. The really good ones are built on solid principles of human dynamics. In the business of word-of-mouth referral marketing, if we get one referred contact from another person, it could mean that the referring person is attempting to build a relationship. Aren't we sending a message to another person when we give them a gift of flowers, referrals or a bottle of wine? The first referral might signal an interest of one person to engage in or improve a relationship with another. The second referral or gift that is given to the same person might suggest a more meaningful intent than merely happenstance. When the third referral or gift is conveyed, the recipient can't help but feel something beyond the ordinary is happening. If you want to send a clear message of your interest in a long-term relationship, send three gifts or referrals. Relationships are like two-way streets where traffic goes in both directions. Once a clear desire to build a relationship has been conveyed through giving gifts of referrals, the continuation of receiving referrals must be cultivated by giving back gifts of equal or greater value. The principle of "givers gain" explains that getting gifts of business from a person means we have to give back something of value to the giver if we wish the relationship to become increasingly profitable. The gift we return need not be the same type of item but must be perceived as a valuable return to the initial giver. Rules of the road must be followed by traffic on a two-way street to avoid too many bumps and crashes. Relationships are the same. Stick to the rules and you will ultimately get to your destination. Not following the rules of relationships causes us to bump into and even collide with others. One rule we must follow is imposed by time and energy. It will take time and energy to create a flourishing and profitable relationship. Commit enough time and energy to exploring a direction that may provide a good return. Don't expect that the first corner that you come to will be your final destination. Just to add complexity, understand that while exploring new territory requires some caution, taking too much time may also create a dangerous condition or even cause a collision. When we become accustomed to others, it is like traveling the same road over and over again. Don't be complacent. Traffic accidents happen in our own familiar neighborhood, and relationships can fail with those closest to us. Maintaining a valuable relationship consumes as much thought, care and energy as starting the initial relationship. Humans possess an unbounded capacity to learn and create. Each of us changes daily. This means that for a relationship to maintain its strength of reciprocity and continue providing value to each party, the relationship must also adapt and be re-invented from time to time. In the end, quality communication becomes the most important strategy for building and maintaining relationships that return great benefits to each party. Within a quality communication, subjects will be discussed swaying among the various interests, needs and wants of each person. During the communication process, each of the parties must convey an interest and active desire to help the other achieve their goal. Over time, as one person demonstrates his or her ability to add value to the other, the recipient will be governed by yet another law of human nature. This rule is the need to find a way to give equal value back to the giver. The formula is simple. Quality communication equals quality relationships where the byproduct becomes a givers gain process enabling each of the relationship partners to achieve his or her goals. HUDDLE TIME
Branch Out and Grow! How diversifying your networking circles can help you succeed
When it comes to business networking, you never know who people know. One of the important keys to being successful at building a powerful personal network is that of diversity.
In running a large business networking organization for the last two decades, I often speak to people who tell me they want to network exclusively with other business professionals who work with clients in a similar socio-economic target market; in other words, network with business professionals with similar clients. Although it is good to include these people in your personal network, any attempt to network with them exclusively would be a tremendous mistake. It is human nature to congregate with people that are very much like us. People tend to cluster together based on education, age, race, professional status, etc. The bottom line is that we tend to hang out with people who have similar experiences or perspectives as ours. Most of our friends and associates are often friends and associates with each other as well. The problem with this is that when we surround ourselves with people who have similar contacts it may be difficult to make connections with new people or companies with which we desire to do business with. A diverse personal network enables you to increase the possibility of including connectors or "linchpins" in your network. Linchpins are people who in some way cross over between two or more clusters or groups of individuals. In effect, they have overlapping interests or contacts that allow them to link groups of people together easily. When it comes to networking, diversity is key because it allows us to locate these connectors, or linchpins, between clusters of people. According to Wayne Baker, author of the book, "Achieving Success Through Social Capital," "Linchpins are the gateways. They create shortcuts across clumps" or groups of people. The best way to increase the number of linchpins in your network is to develop a diverse network—not a homogeneous one. Having developed over 3,000 networking groups in 16 countries around the world, I can categorically state that the strongest networking groups I've seen are generally ones that are diverse in many, many ways. The more diverse the network, the more likely it will include overlapping connectors or linchpins that link people together in ways they would have never imagined. I believe that one of the problems in understanding this concept is a somewhat built-in bias that many people have about networking with individuals that are outside their normal frame of reference. Let me give you an example. A good friend of mine in Boston, Patti Salvucci, recently told me an amazing story. Patti runs dozens of networking groups for BNI in the Boston area. She told me about one of the groups she was visiting recently that met in a private meeting room at Fenway Park. She said that she arrived a little early to the meeting and noticed an older gentleman setting up coffee mugs in preparation for the meeting. Well, anyone who knows Patti knows that she is a master networker and so she struck up a conversation with the man while waiting for members to arrive. In talking to him, she was really taken by the amazing tenor of his voice. She mentioned to him that he had an incredible voice and asked what he did before this. The gentleman informed her that he used to be a commentator for CNN! He went on to tell her that in his later years, he wanted to work in a less hectic job as well as live closer to his daughter. He decided to take on the job of managing the owner's suite at Fenway Park in Boston because it gave him an opportunity to be close to his family while having a less hectic career later in life. Patti asked him about some of the people he met during his time in broadcasting. He shared many great stories with her, including an interview that he had done with JKF a week before he was assassinated. He also talked about meeting Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela during his career. It was an interesting conversation that she genuinely enjoyed. Later when the meeting was in full swing, one of the regular members, Don, publicly mentioned that he would really like to do a radio talk show someday and was looking for some contacts that could help him pursue this dream. After the meeting, Patti asked Don, "Do you see that guy over there (pointing to the ex-CNN commentator)? Have you seen him before?" "Yea," said Don, "he's the guy who sets up the coffee for our meeting." Patti said to Don, "Did you know that he used to be a broadcaster for CNN?" Don had no idea. Patti suggested that Don introduce himself and learn a little about the man he had seen every week for the last several months because he may very well be able to make a connection for him in the broadcasting industry. The irony in this story is that he had seen the man on many occasions but had not struck up a conversation with him because he felt that they had little, if anything, in common. The truth is, when it comes to networking, not having a lot in common with someone may mean that they can be a connector for you to a whole world of people that you might not otherwise be able to meet. If you wish to build a powerful personal network, branch out. Build a diverse network of professional contacts that include people who don't look like you, sound like you, speak like you or have your background, education or history. The only thing that they should have in common with you and the other people in your network is that they should be really good at what they do. Create a personal network like that, and you'll have a network that can help you succeed at anything. HUDDLE TIME
How Polished Is Your Sales Presentation? With the right preparation, you can turn your pitch into sales
It's that time of year when wintertime has mostly melted away (for some of us) and springtime is getting ready to bloom. Look back at the past few months of your sales production. Are you on target for all your sales goals for 2004? Are you making the sales from all your sales presentations?
You may be far ahead in some areas or behind in others. No matter what your sales production is today, you certainly should have another look at what targets and goals you've developed in your sales plan for 2004. Are you using your strengths to their fullest potential? To improve your sales results, determine what has been working or not working. Then define where to concentrate your productive energies for the next three quarters in 2004 or the remainder of your compensation period. Statistics say that 90 percent of the sale is made in the presentation. Many sales professionals need to be more innovative and prepare for every presentation. When planned and executed well, your presentation is the most effective method of winning more customers. The most important point of a presentation is that the objective of communication is not the transmission but the reception. The whole preparation and content of presentation must therefore be geared to the customer with a clear objective that will specify actions or commitments you desire from the customer. Be creative and original to tailor the presentation to catch their attention and respect. Differentiate yourself from your competition. It is difficult to overestimate the importance of careful preparation. Five minutes face to face with senior management could decide the acceptance or rejection of a proposal. With so much potentially at stake, the presenter must concentrate not only on the facts being given, but also upon the style, pace, tone and tactics that should be used to best relate to the audience. Here are some ways to help you do that:
Once you know how people learn, you can take advantage of that by finding out how your customers prefer to learn. Pay attention during conversations, if they read a lot and use phrases like, "I see it," then they probably learn best visually, so use plenty of excellent visuals. If they use words like, "I haven't heard that, but that sounds good to me," they learn best auditorily, so keep the speaking dialog going at a pace and tone that they are comfortable with. If you see them holding your collateral and product, they might learn best kinesthetically. Deliver your presentation primarily that way and create a well-rounded presentation that encompasses all the learning styles. For example, include visuals, have a good speaking voice and bring samples of the product for every customer. But primarily tailor your presentation to their preferred learning style. Although they will be trying very hard to concentrate on your presentation, your audience's minds will inevitably stray. Your job is to do something, anything that captures their attention and makes a lasting impression upon them. You don't necessarily have to repeat phrases but simply make the point again and again with different explanations and in different ways. Include the audience in the presentation; ask them questions to get them involved and keep them involved. Once your presentation is over, you should try to evaluate your performance honestly. Either alone, or with the help of someone involved, decide what were the least and most successful aspects of your presentation and concentrate on those areas for your next presentation. If there's a problem with the preparation or execution, work on it. Practice is only productive when you make a positive effort to improve your presentations. Be committed to self-improvement to further develop your career. Be coached, or coach yourself, to improve your presentations constantly. Analyzing your strengths and building upon them is an effective method of self-coaching. We believe that for any investment of sales improvement to generate a positive return, whether it is field training, classroom training, online learning, computer based, audio-books, etc., predefined outcomes need to be articulated and then executed. So clearly define what you want to accomplish for the remainder of 2004, focusing on being more innovative and preparing for every presentation and of course, follow through and support your sales plan for 2004 with sales training support products like Selling Sounds for Sound Selling*. Good luck goal setting, presenting and selling! HUDDLE TIME
Learn to Network the Nonprofit Way How auctioning your services through one new company can help you reach a new audience and help others along the way
A couple of years ago David Parker was helping his brother, Chris, build up his computer service business when he heard about BNI through local realtor and BNI member Sandy Berkenbush. At her urging, David visited the Newburyport, MA, chapter, and the group so energized him that he put in his application that day. At almost the same time, attorney Adam Page decided to leave a large corporate law firm and open his own practice near his home in Newburyport. Adam's brother-in-law, Shep Becker, a long-time BNI advocate and Assistant Director at the time, encouraged Adam to join the newly formed Haverhill, MA, chapter to help refine his networking skills and build his practice. Already a BNI fan, David was making the rounds, and while visiting the Haverhill chapter, fate intervened. Shep, as Assistant Director, was running a "get to know you" game. Adam and David each announced themselves as history buffs, and as so often happens in BNI they met after the meeting and set up a one-on-one. Soon after, Adam had joined David's American Revolution re-enactment group, and they were marching onto Lexington Green together. A couple of months later, BNI member Janet Hickey, the marketing director of a local nonprofit group, was building inventory for their annual auction. "A great referral for me would be a business service to auction to support Opportunity Works." That BNI meeting triggered the idea for a new business model. David's deep understanding of the Internet, coupled with the value of referral-based marketing imparted through BNI, catalyzed the idea of an online auction site for nonprofit fundraising. The site would promote networking between nonprofit organizations and the local business community. David and Adam co-founded ImpactAuction in September 2002. They assembled a founding team and were able to secure financial, sales and marketing, technical, and other key resources through BNI and other networking groups and contacts. This company has implemented a unique model for using the Internet that helps nonprofits raise funds while helping their supporters network. Nonprofit organizations can join the ImpactAuction community with no upfront cost. Following the ImpactAuction model with ImpactAuction support and materials, member organizations solicit donations for an "eBay"-style continuous auction. Aligned businesses are encouraged to make donations that provide a good introduction to their business. All nonprofits and donors are given a Web page on the ImpactAuction site to promote themselves and their donations. A winning bidder becomes a customer for the business, giving that business the opportunity to create a long-term relationship. The nonprofit community has a new way to raise money. The business community has a new way to execute referral-based marketing, and contributing bidders have a new way to get valuable products and services, often at a discount, while contributing to a favorite cause. So, How Does It (Net)Work? Lisa Cartier-Gruen is building her massage therapy practice, and, with little money for advertising, she is heavily reliant on word-of-mouth for new customers. Lisa has an idea that if a client comes to her three or four times, there is a strong likelihood that he or she will become a long-term customer. So, Lisa has created a donation of a four-massage package to benefit the local Women's Crisis Center. Lisa is donating one of these packages every two weeks (a recurring donation), and the WCC is auctioning them. Lisa's packages are selling for around $120 so this year the WCC will generate over $2500 from Lisa's donation (well above what Lisa could afford to give in cash). Lisa will see 26 new customers. Even if she only converts a fraction of these customers into long-term clients, Lisa will have generated a significant amount of new business, while joining an elite group of the WCC's top supporters. There is no cost to the donor to register and make a donation. This entire process takes place online. There are no geographic boundaries or time constraints to limit the reach of the auction. Chuck Francis runs a specialized consultancy that provides services to the investment community. Chuck has donated an assessment (which normally costs $10,000) to Boston's National Public Radio affiliate WBUR. Chuck is coordinating his donation with an email-PR-networking campaign to reach a highly targeted audience of potential bidders who can buy this service at a discount while supporting National Public Radio. Chuck's use of his donation as a sales and marketing tool will connect his business to the listening audience of WBUR, which includes many who are employed by the very companies Chuck is attempting to attract. The donor-designated nonprofit organization reviews each donation, and upon acceptance, the item is posted for auction. Products and services in a wide-range of business and consumer-focused categories make up a unique marketplace with tremendous growth potential. The opportunity to utilize this marketplace to promote business and make direct customer connections greatly enhance the idea of charitable giving. In addition to WBUR and the Women's Crisis Center, ImpactAuction's membership includes numerous health and welfare organizations, service-oriented associations and educational and environmental causes, along with its newest member, the BNI-Misner Foundation. By networking with nonprofit organizations and their supporters, a business can extend its referral network through an attractive donation. Nonprofits will encourage bidding to maximize fundraising, and the donor and winning bidder are connected beyond their business relationship through their mutual support of a worthy charity. As David Parker likes to say, "If BNI had not adopted ‘givers gain,' it would have been the perfect motto for ImpactAuction." Breaking News
BNI to Move HQ
Our new offices in Upland, CA, (about 6 miles from our old office) have considerable warehouse and shipping space to account for our growing operations. We will also have substantial office space to take care of the projected growth for some time to come. Once escrow closes, the new address and phone number will be available. Please note that services will be disrupted the week of our move. We will try to keep everyone posted with details of our plans as the move gets closer. This is certainly an exciting step for BNI. As one of our Executive Directors, Gayle Williams, said, "Though I'm not one of the senior, senior directors, having been going to conferences for almost 10 years, I've seen so many dramatic changes in our organization. This move is just another indication of how your dream has come to reality and continues to grow. I'm proud of you, I'm proud of BNI and I'm proud of myself for seeing the vision and jumping on board. This is truly an amazing organization." BNI Welcomes Spain into its World Family
2003 Final Statistics Released BNI is pleased to announce the final statistics through December 2003: Total chapters: 3,050 Total members: 60,000 (approx.) Total countries: 16 (Spain was the most recent) BNI passed over 2.8 million referrals, resulting in more than $1.2 billion (U.S.) worth of business for our members in 2003. So how do we calculate the value of referrals? Below is a brief description of this process. Additional information can be found in Dr. Ivan Misner's book, "The World's Best Known Marketing Secret" in the chapter, "Payoffs in Networking, the Research Behind the Results." As part of Dr. Misner's doctoral dissertation published by the University of Southern California, a statistical, stratified random sample was conducted of the members of BNI. This was part of a comprehensive survey of the membership. In this survey, several questions were asked, such as "How many referrals have you received? What percentage of these referrals has closed into a sale? And what is the average value of a referral that you receive? From the results of this very comprehensive analysis, several hundred pages of statistical tables were generated that gave a very clear picture of the quantity and quality of referrals generated in the organization. Every chapter keeps track of the number of referrals that are generated in the group. By knowing the number of referrals that are passed, determining the average value of a referral is reasonably simple, utilizing the findings of this scientific study. International Conference Gets Rave Reviews If you weren't able to make it to November's International Conference, here's a sampling of what your fellow members had to say about what you missed: "Our thanks to you and the entire headquarters on a grand conference—the best yet!!!" —Teresa Morris-Simon, BNI Regional Alliance LLC/Assistant Director "Congratulations on planning the best conference yet. We've already marked our calendar for next November!" —Steve and Carol Elliott, BNI Southwest Region "Some of the best content I've ever seen. It was hard to choose a session." —Bill Ellison, Director, Team Michigan "When asked about the conference, I have been telling people to fill in their own positive adjective because I am out of them. It was great! —Dan Harris, Alabama "I felt that over all this was the best conference yet. The sessions were very focused on the ‘business' of BNI and on raising the bar worldwide. Great job!" —Darrell Ross, President and Executive Director, BNI, British Columbia "On behalf of Team East Anglia, thank you and all your staff for the way in which you organized this year's conference. Despite the ever-increasing numbers, you managed to create just the right atmosphere and strike a balance between work mode and fun. Well done, and we look forward to see you all again at Long Beach in 2004." —James Cruickshank, East Anglia, United Kingdom North America BNI HAPPENINGS — United States
"Losers" Serve It up at Misner Dinner Party
The team that sponsored the most members during the Member Session at the November 2003 conference won a dinner served by the losing teams, which included drinks, dinner and dessert. The losers had loser hats, and the winners wore crowns. Everyone had a blast at the dinner. Dr. Misner Addresses, Awards New Chapter
Western PA Parties at D&B, Awards Members
NY Members "Get Rich" at Year-End Workshop
The Network Masters chapter in Staten Island and the Brooklyn Original chapter in Brooklyn were recognized with Bronze Medallion status. Tim Houston gave plaques to both chapters and awarded Bronze lapel pins to the members of each chapter. Dennis Malanga of the Richmond Referral Foundation and Richard Marini of Network Masters chapters in Staten Island were presented with a special "Givers Gain" award for generating the most referrals in the Staten Island and Brooklyn regions for 2003. Special thanks goes to the following BNI members for sponsoring of the event: DMAS Financial Services, Houston & Associates and Anne-Louise DePalo, Esq. Floral Sentiments provided the centerpieces for the event, and the event was hosted by the Richmond Referral Masters chapter. Tim Houston would like to thank Vincent Monardo, President of Richmond Referral Masters for his dedication and help in making this event a success. Advanced Training Taking Off Across U.S.
Europe BNI HAPPENINGS — United Kingdom
Dr. Misner Presents to Standing-Room-Only Crowd
BNI HAPPENINGS — Sweden Swedish Globetrotter Visits Chapters and Gets Business
Bjørn is a writer, specializing in doing company reports for papers and the web. He tells us that during his 60-second presentation he asked for Canadian companies with subsidiaries in Sweden and got lots of referral slips. Of course Bjørn had lots of fun memories to share with his chapter members when he came home. The next trip for Bjørn was to Cape Town, South Africa, where Bjørn also established valuable friendships and business opportunities. Bjørn emphasized that it's a great advantage to belong to an international organization like BNI. BNI HAPPENINGS — Spain BNI Welcomes Spain Africa/Middle East
BNI HAPPENINGS — South Africa Networkers Help People Find Homes
Chris builds houses and Mike arranges finance, but that's not all. Chris is a formerly trained and experienced property developer, and Mike an experienced and qualified financial advisor. By working together with their clients, Chris and Mike help their clients build themselves quality affordable homes. We all know the benefits of owing your own house. Both find it extremely rewarding to find a way of putting a family into a home—a dream that would otherwise have been out of reach—with a bit of networking and synergy, a way is more often than not found. Here's how it works: Clients approach Mike and complain that they only qualify for a low amount of financing and estate agents are not interested. Mike consults Chris. Chris works with the client around what they need and with Mike on what can be financed. The result? Home ownership! BNI HAPPENINGS — Israel Caesarea Kicks off BNI Caesarea has set the Israel BNI record for the largest group at kick-off with 22 members. Yaron Talmi of AgroMind Corp. is the new chapter's President, and Yisrael Geva is the Vice President. During the first working meeting after the kick-off, the group passed 20 referrals. Kesem Starts off Year in High Style The Kesem chapter decided to mark the beginning of the new business year by organizing a cocktail party at the five-star Carlton Plaza Hotel on the Tel Aviv Beach. The guests were introduced to BNI Kesem and were able to sample BNI by participating in a large BNI meeting (150 guests). The waiting list to join the chapter is at standing room only. Australia/Asia
BNI HAPPENINGS — Malaysia Ampang Chapter Builds their Team
Chapter Celebrates Success with Charity Initiative
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.
Q: I've heard the term "knowledge network." What does it mean, and how does it fit into my business networking efforts? A: As a business professional, you need a constant supply of information to achieve success. You must stay aware of trends and issues and keep up with rapid economic and technological changes to become and stay competitive. Your "knowledge network," or what I call the "information component" of your network, consists of your most knowledgeable sources, the people who can provide you with the knowledge and expertise you need to run a successful operation. You may have already discovered that it's next to impossible to keep up with all this information on your own. There is simply too much of it, and your own inclinations and time limitations steer you toward some kinds of knowledge but cause you to neglect others. You may be strong in marketing and business planning but weak in personnel and legal matters. Fortunately, the knowledge you lack is always someone else's specialty, so you can turn to others for help. This is what you are preparing to do when you set up your network's information component—a web of contacts who know and understand what you must do to achieve success in your profession or business and who have the experience to help you achieve your goals. Step 1: Categorize your information or knowledge network members. There are usually at least a few people who can help you deal with certain issues or special problems that you may encounter in the business or profession you are in or are interested in entering. In lieu of specific knowledge, you must know in advance whom to contact and where to go to get the information you need. Here are the kinds of people you should include in your information network: People like you: There are some real advantages to seeking out people who have the same interests and goals as you and who are trying to achieve the same thing you want to achieve. They are collecting the type of information you need, and vice versa. Partnering with them can help you both get it faster by dividing the research effort. People who are in your profession: As a rule, your best information sources will be people who are doing successfully what you want to do (perhaps in a different location or serving a different clientele). They will be aware of current trends and issues in your field and may have already faced some of the challenges you are now facing. Try to identify and speak with three to five individuals who fit this category. They will have current directories, manuals and information about upcoming events related to your profession, as well as relationships with vendors you may need to hire. People who were in your profession: Find out why these people are no longer in the profession. What happened to their business? What are they doing now? Did they make the right decision to leave the profession? Talk with those who were successful and those who were not. Depending on the industry and the length of time the person has been away from it, this information may be valuable in helping you plan. Authors: People who write or produce books, articles, audiotapes and videotapes on your profession are key subject experts. They usually have broad or deep knowledge about procedures, systems, technologies, tactics and developments in your field. A few tips from these individuals could save you money and time. Regulators: People who regulate, audit or monitor professionals in your field can certainly tell you stories about the legal, procedural and operational pitfalls that you might run into and probably know how to survive them. You may even discover legal loopholes that can make life and business easier. Trainers: The wonderful thing about trainers is that they specialize in imparting knowledge. They help people understand the basics; they introduce new technologies, procedures and techniques. Try to gain access to their training materials; if necessary, sign up for training sessions. Consultants: Professionals use advisors and consultants to help them solve problems that they find difficult to handle alone or deal with impending change. Some consultants are generalists, while others are specialists. Most are skilled in assessing problems. Members of professional organizations: People who are active members of trade, business and professional organizations are prolific sources of information. Their membership gives them access to directories, newsletters, seminars, presentations, calendars of events and more. By networking, they stay in touch with industry issues and trends. Spending time with them will help you discover new ways to do things. Step 2: Identify your information network members. First write the names of people you know, or know of, who fit each of the categories above. Write as many names as you can think of before you do anything else; try to name at least three people in each category. If necessary, you can use a name in more than one category, but it's better to come up with as many individuals as possible. Remember, it's information you're after, and more people means more information. Once you've written down as many names as you can think of, go back and fill in the contact information for each one. When you've completed as much of this as you can, start connecting with these people to enhance and improve your knowledge network. As you do this, your network and the information you need to build your business will expand and grow.
Great Ideas at Work
She called to say that a marketing expert, Jen Driscoll, in the Capitol City chapter (the second Providence chapter) was seeking interested women involved in BNI to "chip in" to get some awareness going in the "Rhode Island Monthly," a consumer periodical. She asked if I could "rally" some women in the first Providence chapter. It didn't take me long. The "Rhode Island Monthly" has a section each year in the spring regarding women in business. What a great opportunity to get key women in assorted chapters to do a group shot, briefly list their business and promote BNI. Not much to understand there: Build our businesses, build our chapters! I rallied a few other interested women in the first Providence chapter, Joan, Wendy and Elyse, and gave Karen some other names of BNI women; and there you have it, great exposure, creating awareness, women at work, building their chapters and their businesses! Ah, the good life of BNI. Can't beat it! Congratulations, Members! The following members from the Houston West Region achieved Black Badge status:
The following are the newest Tampa Area Gold Club members:
The following are the newest Gold Club members from SE Massachusetts and Maine:
Michael Macedonio, a resident of North Attleboro, MA, was recently recognized as the Central Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce, Chamber Advocate of the Year. This award acknowledges an individual who has demonstrated a strong commitment to the Chamber and its members. In his business, Mr. Macedonio assists individuals in increasing their business through referrals. He does this in two ways. As managing partner for the Referral Institute, he provides training on how to maximize the referral process through relationships. This is done through programs such as the Certified Networker Program, Filling Your Referral Pipeline and using the RISE Squared process. Second, as Executive Director for BNI-Business Network Int'l., Michael assists individuals in implementing the above programs through a structured, positive and professional "word-of-mouth" program that enables them to develop long-term, meaningful relationships with quality business professionals to grow their business. Mr. Macedonio has made himself an Ambassador of the Chamber and is dedicated to making individuals aware of the resources that are available to them through a relationship with the Chamber. Congratulations, Chapters! Below are the winners of the Founder's Awards for November and December 2003. MALAYSIA
S.W. Midlands Region
Alabama
As Seen on the BNI-Yahoo Group Site If you haven't been to the BNI-Yahoo Group site, you ought to check it out. You'll find some great conversations going on there. For example, in response to one member who was looking to find ten great reasons to join BNI for some pocket-sized recruitment cards, another member responded with the following:
Thank You, Dr. Misner It was a pleasure meeting you at your workshop when you were here in Scotland [see story in BNI Happenings-Europe]. You seemed surprised when I said to you that I was so surprised at how "ordinary and down to earth" you were, so I would like to explain that to you. I also do motivational speaking to various groups including people starting up in business. Each person I talk to has an idea of how to run his or her company, so I tell them about the following:
I then ask my groups who they want to run their business like: The Ford and Snapple companies who are not interested in their customers or like Ivan Misner of BNI who has chapters all over the world, yet can still take time to reply to someone across the world who he has very little chance of every meeting? Now, at my presentations, I also add that I have met you, and for someone who owns such a large organization, you were so nice and down to earth, and an inspiration to all, that we should never lose sight of how to look after our customers and members. Attendees say that in their haste to start and expand their businesses they had forgotten about looking after their customers once they had them, and thought that the part about you was a real inspiration. So you see, Dr. Misner, when I said that you were down to earth, it was a compliment. Thank You, BNI! In 2003, my net income from BNI referrals was $34,369. Since becoming a member in 1998, the two changes that I have noticed in my business are increased income and that I've been able to discontinue farming activity. "Farming" is choosing an area or neighborhood of homes and sending flyers/mailers to the area four to six times a year. It is time consuming, costly and has a low response rate. I have had 13 referrals from my BNI network since November 2003. That says a lot about the power of BNI. It is a great tribute to the quality people we have in our group and the training that has been provided by BNI. Column
Too Busy Not to Network
How building up a network of friends can free up your time
As our date books and Palm Pilots go into overload and the days, weeks and months seem to fly past at an alarming rate, we sometimes wonder just where we will find time to network. Many BNI members complain of not having a "life" and are constantly in a time-poor state. Yet our businesses demand bringing in new clients, and the obvious way to do that is through networking. So how do we fit networking into our busy schedules? One of the best ways to do this is by integrating networking into our lives. For this exercise let's define networking functions as external (from BNI events), cultural, social and/or sporting functions. Straight away, we realize that networking doesn't just have to be about business. Some of the best networking opportunities take place in less formal situations—be it a baseball or basketball game or neighborhood or school get-togethers. When we combine networking with our social events, we will certainly be saving time. Not to mention that attending events outside of our BNI meetings exposes us to new faces and potential new members and customers for our entire BNI chapter. In the networking ladder of loyalty, we can walk into a room full of strangers at any kind of event, not knowing anyone. Through communication—basically a combination of speaking and listening—we build trust. The more we communicate, the more trust we build and the faster we move our relationship up the networking ladder of loyalty from stranger to acquaintance to friend. Some people shy away from the use of the word "friend," concerned that they either have enough friends already, or more "friends" mean more commitments. On the contrary! When you build up a network of friends you create communities full of open doors. Open doors where we can pick up the phone, send an email, offer information, ask for help, knowing always that the help is reciprocal. By knowing who to call can save you time, money and effort. Networking is basically connecting like-minded people, communicating with friends and acquaintances and cementing our blocks of trust. In doing so, we form solid foundations of networks and contacts and often become known as a sphere of influence—someone who knows a little bit about a lot of things and a lot about one or two areas of our expertise. We are reliable, professional and great at accessing vital information. You can develop a network of friends by doing the following three things:
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