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Get Results from Your Relationships
Successful BNI members will tell you that Relationships equal Results. And as another year winds down, we start to think about how we did over the last 12 months to increase the number and quality of relationships with other BNI members. We ask ourselves the same questions every year:
“How did I spend my time developing relationships?” “What was the one area where I gained the best return on my investment of time?” And perhaps most importantly, “Next year, how do I replicate and increase my successes from this year to make next year better?” On a regular basis, we survey BNI Leadership Team members (Presidents, Vice Presidents and Secretary Treasurers) by asking, “What is going really well in your chapters?” From among the many and varied responses, the top answers are the same every time, and the result is always two-fold: (1) we have great relationships among members and (2) we get great results by passing a ton of referrals between members. Another way to frame this response from BNI leaders is: Relationships = Results! It really is the little things that count! Successful BNI members know that every little thing you do and say will determine how other members evaluate whether you deserve referrals. They will tell you that they spend a great deal of time thinking about and executing these common sense strategies for solid business relationships. 1. Be on time; be early if you can. When you show up for a group or one-on-one meeting barely in time or late, you send a message to those present that you are not organized and they are not as important as what caused you to be late. When you get to a meeting early, you send a strong message that you are in control of what you do with your time, and that you are meeting with someone important. 2. Always follow up. This one is so simple but so often overlooked because of the busy lives we lead. After you pass a referral to a BNI member, follow up with that member to see how it is going. If you receive a referral from a member, provide them with an occasional update on the status. When you follow up on referrals you give and receive, you will send the important message to your members that they are valuable to you. You will also send the message that you deserve the referrals they pass to you. The perception that others have of how much you value your relationship with them will impact what type of results you will receive from them. Doing the small things well takes more time, but you get better results in the long term. Dance card meetings are like exercise: hard work but worth it! The first time I joined a gym, it didn’t do any good. I didn’t lose weight and I still felt like I had no energy at all. The problem was that I was a member of the health club, but I didn’t go to the gym to exercise! Productive BNI members realize that dance card meetings, or one-on-one meetings with other BNI members, are one of the best exercises you can do to get the most out of your BNI membership. To make the most out of this exercise, try the following: 1. Set a goal (one dance card a week is a good starting point). 2. Remember that dance card meetings are an ongoing process: do multiple dance card meetings with the same member. 3. Meet with new members right away. Dance card meetings require a commitment and an investment in time with your members. However, the payback is there. If you do the relationship exercise, you’ll get the results. Trust takes time! Relationships are based on trust. You give and get referrals from people you know, like and trust. In the book "Masters of Networking," the confidence curve shows how the number of referrals (results) you can expect to receive over time increases with the level of trust (relationships) you have with other people. It takes time to develop relationships that yield results. It’s the same thing every year: “Where did the last 12 months go?” As you think about where to invest your time and focus your energy over the next year, remember there are many things you can do to turn relationships into results. HUDDLE TIME
Will ‘Do Not Call’ Lists Ruin Your Business? BNI’s legal team offers guidance on how to make this new legislation work for you
In October, the U.S. Congress passed special "Do Not Call" legislation that prohibits salespeople from calling individuals at home who are listed on a Do Not Call registry.
BNI has had our legal counsel review this matter. Here is a summary of their findings (click here for a full review of their findings): 1. This should NOT affect most or all referrals given by BNI members in the United States. 2. The Do Not Call provision does NOT apply to any business-to-business calls. Therefore, we should inform all members that they should list a referral's business phone number whenever possible. If this is done, we completely avoid the Do Not Call legislation. 3. Member's may contact any of their existing clients because there is an "established business relationship" exception to the Do Not Call legislation. 4. Members may give the home phone number of a prospective client (even those who have asked to be put on the national Do Not Call list) IF that prospect says in writing (this includes email) that it is okay for the other BNI member to call them. THEREFORE, it is important for us to warn members about the possible danger of giving a home phone number of a prospective client out as a referral, unless that prospect has sent a note to the BNI member who has given the referral or to the BNI member who received the referral saying that it is okay to call that person at home. This is an area that we need to train members on because it was not necessary in the past. This new legislation is going to make it difficult for the average business person to call people at home. This is great news for BNI. We pass referrals. The best referral is one where the prospect has said, "It is okay to contact me." This is good news for anyone who does business through referrals. If members understand the four points above, our BNI members will have a distinct advantage over the average business person because they will have a "referral system" in place to deal with this new legislation. Look at it this way: the government has just legislated most of what we have been training on for almost two decades. This is not a bad thing for those who know the government rules and follow them. If you have any questions on this matter, please contact your local BNI Director. HUDDLE TIME
When Every Hour Counts 5 things you need to know about maximizing your ‘hours inventory’
Professionals and contractors who bill their time, either by project or hourly, need to think of hours the same way that hotel managers think of rooms or airline executives think of seats: as expiring inventory. It’s a case of fill ’em or lose ’em.
Hotels and airlines might reach nirvana when they hit the magic 100% occupancy, but when it comes to providing services, there is no equivalent—100% occupancy of your work hours just doesn’t exist. However, carefully managing your “hours inventory” can enable you to maximize revenues from whatever occupancy rate (i.e. billable hours) you do have. What does managing your hours inventory mean? Two simple examples should help explain the concept. Imagine that you are working on a document for Client A. At that moment, Client B calls and you consult for 20 minutes. You return to your document, then get called to a meeting and find yourself doing other things the rest of the day. At the end of the day, you log your time worked on the document and completely forget about the 20 minutes invested in Client B. The next day, you are asked by Clients C and D to take on projects, both in the same time frame so you must choose between them. Client C is offering about 20% more money for a similar amount of work. It looks like an easy choice: Client C wins. What a shame you didn’t have the information at your fingertips showing that Client C is a chronic late-payer—about 120 days slower than Client D! In these scenarios, you are paying a hefty price for not managing your hours inventory: not keeping accurate track of your inventory reduces your income; not basing decisions on complete information exposes you to cash flow problems and means you are in fact lending money to Client C—for free. Software solutions to help manage hours inventory abound. The key is selecting the right solution for your needs. But what criteria should you use in evaluating the options? 1. You need a timer on your computer. The timer should track time for the project you are working on, and it should enable you to pause quickly and switch to another project, without losing track of the time spent on the first project. Using our example from above, when you answered the phone, you could have switched clients on the timer and recorded accurate time for both. Avoid anything too complex—you don’t need to link every specific document or activity to a project, since you will end up spending more time managing the timer and less time working. 2. You need to keep detailed records of your clients, their projects and your vendors. When you need to order some office supplies, or send an invoice, the last thing you want to do is spend time searching for the right address or phone number. And when your client calls to ask how many hours you’ve worked or what expenses you’ve incurred on a particular project, you want to be able to answer immediately. 3. Did you ever notice that every client wants different payment terms? Your software should support this, not make it more confusing. Look for software that supports hourly and project (fixed) rates, retainer and contingency billing, depending on your business. Also look for the ability to define the payment terms (Net 30, Net 60, etc.), if there is a down payment, and if there is a discount for early payment. Many small businesses pay, and get paid, in partial or incremental payments. Make sure your software can handle that. 4. Sometimes, you want to get an overview of how your business is doing. Look for a tool that will generate a variety of reports—you probably don’t need hundreds—on some key data. For example, you should be able to create reports about cash flow, upcoming expenses, accounts receivable (what they owe you), and how much you’ve worked on each project for each vendor. The important thing is flexibility without complexity—you should be able to create a report showing how much you worked for a client last month without looking at the manual. 5. Remember that no management tool is an island. Make sure you can export your data in standard formats such as TXT and CSV files (which can be opened by Microsoft Excel, for example). Invoices should be sent as the client wants them—either printed or in “tamper proof” electronic formats like PDF or HTML. When it comes to managing your hours inventory, look for an easy-to-use tool that addresses your real world business issues but doesn’t demand too much of a learning curve. After all, you have a business to run. HUDDLE TIME
Attracting Visitors and Making Members How to play and win the invitation game
Why is Babe Ruth remembered as such a great baseball player? What is his claim to fame? Well, he held the strike-out record for many of the years he played baseball. Not exactly the answer that first comes to mind, is it? Now, if that was his only claim to fame, he would have faded into history, but of course it wasn’t. He became a legend because he hit more home runs than anyone else—until Hank Aaron broke his record. What does this have to do with people who visit your BNI chapter? Everything. I have received the award for the most visitors for the last three months in a row. Why? Because I invite more people than anyone else. For every person who shows up, I have to invite four or five people. For every five or six visitors who attend, one joins. Do the math. It takes approximately twenty to thirty invitations to get one new member. So I keep swinging. I have called many people from the numbers posted on their service trucks driving down the road or parked at Home Depot. I invite every new member I meet at the Chamber of Commerce. I keep swinging. And I strike out a lot. But when I don’t, someone shows up and maybe we get one more member. You probably know four or five people right now with whom you are already doing business who could be potential visitors or new members. So follow your money. And follow that plumbing truck and write down the phone number. That plumber might be your next source of awesome referrals. Babe Ruth used to say that the coaches told him to “hit the ball where they ain’t, and they ain’t on the other side of the fence.” Keep swinging and keep inviting visitors. What have you got to lose? Breaking News
BNI Announces Special Holiday Book Promotion
Just in time for holiday gift buying, BNI is offering a special, limited-time-only discount on several of Ivan Misner’s best-selling books. This special also offers a chance to buy four books for the price of three. That’s one book FREE! To take advantage of these prices, contact 1-800-825-8286 x.128 for Trish or x.134 for Jamie. You can also e-mail the shipping department at bnishipping@bni.com. Books For Sale
Regular Price: $15.95 Our Price: $13.00
Regular Price: $16.95 Our Price: $13.00
Regular Price: $16.95 Our Price: $13.00
Regular Price: $20.00 Our Price: $16.00 REGULAR PRICE FOR ALL FOUR BOOKS: $69.85 SPECIAL EVENT PRICE: $55.00 (Same as 1 book FREE!) Marlborough Conference Goes "Beyond Networking"
A very memorable conference event was the special "Meet the Founder" luncheon. The Marlborough chapter of BNI competed with 78 other chapters to have the greatest number of members attend the "Beyond Networking" conference. Sixteen winning members joined Dr. Ivan Misner for a private lunch and special networking tips. These winners loved Dr. Misner's stories and his approachable manner. Congratulations Marlborough chapter! Special thanks to Patti Salvucci of BNI Massachusetts for organizing this event, along with Susanne Morreale-Leeber, the President and CEO of the Marlborough Regional Chamber of Commerce, and Penny Tiernan, the Chamber Events and Administrative Coordinator. Members Benefit from Atlanta’s "Masters of Networking" Event BNI Atlanta successfully hosted an exciting and unique event entitled "Masters of Networking" in September. Dr. Ivan Misner, together with Patti Salvucci of BNI Massachusetts and Tom Fleming of BNI Florida, were the honored speakers before 250 enthusiastic attendees. Kimberly Alexander, Executive Director for BNI Atlanta and Event Organizer, said, "I feel this was very beneficial for all the BNI members who attended to actually see the Founder and CEO of BNI! As well as the opportunity that was available for our Assistant Directors to meet and spend time with Dr. Misner, Patti Salvucci and Tom Fleming were excellent!" Eddie Esposito, BNI Executive Director from Houston, Texas, said: "The teamwork started long before the event with the coordination and planning. The event went off very well and was greatly satisfying for all who participated." The speakers, he said, "were animated, humorous and really motivating." He concluded, "The event was definitely a success, and I would look forward to participating in another one." "We have received a lot of positive feedback from the BNI community about this event," said David Alexander, Executive Director for BNI Atlanta and organizer for the event. "It was awesome, getting input and suggestions on the different things we are doing and the goals we are trying to accomplish. We finished the day off with dinner for 12 of our Atlanta Directors. It was a great night." North America
BNI HAPPENINGS — United States Marlborough Chapter Wins Private Lunch with Founder
BNI-SW Plays Golf and Wins
Illinois Members Turn Up for Speech and Winner Revelations Approximately 140 members attended two multi-chapter events in the Northwest and North Central Illinois area to hear Don Morgan (National Director for Canada and international best selling author) speak and to discover who won the 2003 Member Extravaganza Orlando Trip. BNI Tucson Holds ‘Awesome’Annual Awards Luncheon Tucson’s Second Annual BNI Awards Luncheon was a huge success. This year's BNI Awards Luncheon was attended by more than 40 BNI members, representing all of the BNI chapters in Tucson including six members from the newest (and as of yet not even chartered) BNI Elite chapter! Special thanks go to Nohl Lyons, owner of Focus Web Works, and Bill Bulman, owner of Anber Wyvern Studios, for the excellent DVD production they created and played at the luncheon event. It was set to the Beatles tune, "I Get By With A Little Help from My Friends.” The DVD presentation consisted of a collage of moments from all the BNI meetings that take place in Tucson each week. It was awesome. Laguna Hills Chapter Hosts Visitor's Day and Celebrates 10th Anniversary On July 16, 2003, the Laguna Hills, CA, chapter was pleased to host Dr. Ivan Misner as their guest for Visitor's Day—and to celebrate their chapter's 10th Anniversary. Over 75 enthusiastic members and guests attended and listened to Dr. Misner's presentation of "Networking for Cave-dwellers." "The crowd included members of nine other BNI chapters and three core groups, in addition to visitors new to BNI," said Bill Mills, Executive Director for Orange County. Christy Riley, the Laguna Hills chapter President, was proud to note her chapter's history. "When the Laguna Hills chapter formed,” she said. “There were only 250 chapters in existence, now there are 2,800 on our 10th anniversary." Founding member, Brigitte Archer of Oxford Capital, was also present—and she is still a member to this day. Christy Riley added, "We wanted to celebrate our 10th anniversary by holding a Membership Drive and offering an opportunity for our chapter members, and those of the surrounding area, for the chance to meet and hear Dr. Misner. Everyone in attendance reported that they felt that their time had been well spent." Congratulations Laguna Hills for your 10 years of success! California Chapters Unite for "Power Breakfast"
BNI HAPPENINGS — Barbados Members Mix Business with Pleasure
BNI Barbados Passes $1M Mark BNI Barbados has reached the million dollar milestone. From their launch date in February 2002 through August 2003, members passed 3,849 referrals that generated over one million dollars in business for themselves. For a small island with three chapters, we are very proud of this milestone. BNI HAPPENINGS — Canada Montreal Enjoys Great Big BNI Breakfast BNI Canada likes to party. One of the special events pioneered by BNI Canada is the Big Breakfast Events for all BNI members in a region. Montreal, Quebec, chapters especially enjoy these events and typically have more than 200 people attending. But it does get a little tricky making sure everyone has an opportunity to network in a large audience and still finish on time. Europe BNI HAPPENINGS — The Netherlands
Second Launch Is Rousing Success
BNI HAPPENINGS — Germany BNI Launches New Chapter in Stuttgart
Currently named the "Nett-Worker" chapter ("Nett" in German translates to "nice, friendly or polite”), they meet at a local Italian restaurant in Stuttgart-Weilimdorf. In addition to Assistant Director, Rabea Schafer, Stuttgart's chapter boasts a distinctly female "power leadership team." Chapter Director (President) is Monika Gisi-Buttner of Gisi-Design, Membership Coordinator is Nicole Hamann of Hamann Consulting, while the Secretary-Treasurer is Christian Hintz of Life Portfolio Consulting. "Gunther and Rabea ran a very professional meeting," said European Training Director, Steve Lawson. "I think that all of the visitors were blown away by the event. Certainly when I trained the Leadership Team, they could not believe that so many people would be interested in coming." Gunther Verlager commented that one particular member, Thomas Sendelbach of SPS Project, is recognized now as the "Networking Champion." He brought 11 visitors to the launch, four visitors during the start phase and seven referrals during the start. Before the launch, the Stuttgart Nett-Worker chapter had already passed referrals for business worth 40,000 Euros (over $46,000 USD). Steve Lawson added, "We are expecting them to do good things in their region, and they plan on starting their next chapter in the near future." BNI HAPPENINGS — United Kingdom BNI-UK Holds ‘Magnificent’ Member’s Day
A questionnaire filled out by attendees at the end provided a lot of very positive feedback. BNI (Stickers) Keep It Together in Dakar Rally
And it might well have been had it not been for a few rolls of BNI stickers, which came to the rescue of Trowbridge chapter members Paul “Oz” Osborne and Greg McBride. The BNI stickers held together the wings of their dilapidated Hillman Hunter as it bounced its way across the Sahara Desert and 4,000 miles of the world’s most unforgiving terrain. The pair was competing in the not-so-famous Plymouth-Dakar Rally—a poor man’s version of the infamous Paris to Dakar Rally—in which all contestants had to take part in cars costing no more than £100, and on which no more than £15 had been spent on repairs and modifications. “Our BNI executive director Gavin Bain donated £50,” said Paul, boss of H2O Management Consultancy, “and this almost funded our purchase of the Hillman, which we rescued from someone’s back yard.” Meanwhile their travel costs were met by members of Bath, Bristol and Trowbridge chapters who raised over £500 for the trip. Despite numerous scrapes, a lost exhaust pipe, one wing falling off, a split in the fuel tank and discarded windscreen wipers, the duo arrived in Dakar just three weeks after leaving Plymouth. “It was amazing the car ever made it,” said Paul, “We’d put lots of BNI stickers along the worst cracks on the wings, and they held them together for most of the journey. One wing did eventually fall off but the stickers kept the other intact! We were amazed the car was still running when we reached the desert.” The money they raised was donated to the Royal United Hospital Appeal, including a £50 donation from BNI executive director Sarah Owen who followed their adventure on TV. Chapter Generates £6M in Business—Pre-Launch One of BNI’s newest groups, the Ilkley chapter in North Yorkshire, has just set an incredible record, generating more than £6 million worth of new business before it was even launched! The achievement, believed to be unique in BNI’s worldwide history, has been verified by BNI’s Executive Director in Yorkshire, Niri Patel, who said, “It sounds almost unbelievable, but Ilkley’s core group of 21 founder members have produced more business in just five weeks before they launched, than many chapters achieve over several years.” Both Niri and Assistant Director, John Middleton, who worked closely with the group during its short pre-launch phase, have attributed its instant accomplishment to two key factors: the dynamic business nature of the core group members and their willingness to learn from the experiences of other BNI chapters in the region. John, who is a founder member of the region’s largest and until now, best-performing chapter, Leeds North, said the new Ilkley chapter had been fortunate in attracting high-powered businessmen and women who between them had excellent contacts, not least in the region’s legal, financial and property development sectors. “While there was instant synergy between most members, what made this work so quickly was their enthusiasm to learn about and adopt the BNI business networking philosophy,” John said. “It was remarkable to see how rapidly they took to the Givers Gain ethos and how everyone was determined from the outset to get it right and become successful—to the point where the group even voted to exclude two would-be members whom they did not feel would do the chapter justice.” Africa/Middle East
BNI HAPPENINGS — Israel U.S. Director Leads Workshop—In Hebrew
Herziliya Chapter Kicks Off
Australasia/Asia
BNI HAPPENINGS — Australia All’s Alive and Well in the West
Yet some 18 months later he stood in front of an audience of 130 people to emcee the very first BNI Big Breakfast in Perth. And about 25 of those people were guests of BNI members. That initial phone call led to him becoming the BNI Executive Director for Perth North, and 12 months later he was holding his first informational meeting. He now has seven chapters with another three in formation. The BNI Big Breakfast was organized in conjunction with BNI Australia National Director, Geoff Kirkwood, who was one of the speakers at the breakfast. The keynote speaker was another BNI Director, Lesley Gillett. Lesley is the author of “Sleep Your Way to Success,” a 21st century handbook on “working smarter, not harder.” Lesley entranced the audience with some practical suggestions on taking quality breaks—a valuable suggestion for many of the audience who were hard-working entrepreneurs. The Big Breakfast was a fitting first birthday present for Paul and BNI “in the west.” Plans now forecast that Perth will have 15 chapters by the end of 2004. And substantial business is already being transacted in chapters with names like Orient Express, Ocean Beach and Northern Exposure. BNI HAPPENINGS — New Zealand Auckland Leaders Celebrate Success in Style
Sue Tierney of Mortgages by Design from Ponsonby chapter. Kevin Foy of Prestige Limousines from Glenfield chapter. Winston Pond of Leadership Solutions Ltd. from Rangitoto chapter. Pat Everest of Scottish Pacific Business Finances from Rangitoto chapter. Ian McCombe of Brookfields Lawyers from Newton chapter. A special thanks also to the Official Photographer, Birgit Utech of Grafton chapter. "This is the first time we have sought sponsorship for an event of this nature," says National Director, Graham Southwell. "However, after sending out a general invitation for expressions of interest, we were delighted to find that we were oversubscribed after less then two hours! It is our intention to hold formal dinners of this nature twice a year in Auckland, giving all those who have been on their chapter Leadership Team a special evening as a thank you for their efforts. Similar events are also planned for Wellington and Christchurch. With such a high level of interest in sponsorship, we will be offering the opportunity to the Leadership Team members in the first instance for future events." Howick Chapter Leadership Gathers for Brainstorming and Celebrating
This gathering is held near the end of each tenure of a committee, and it’s a chance for brainstorming about BNI and issues that have cropped up over the time. The committee is hoping to put a few ideas forward before the end of their term. The chapter has grown to 35 members, which they’re thrilled about, but they’re still five off their target of 40. Members Success Program Held for Hamilton Chapter On Thursday, October 9 a BNI Members Success Program was held at Trustbank Park in Hamilton. This was a great evening for new and existing members. All new committee members were to attend this course if they hadn’t already done so. It’s a great refresher for those who have already attended. Nibbles and beverages were provided. BNI HAPPENINGS — Malaysia Gold Club Member Awarded James Chen, founding member of Uptown chapter, was recently named a Gold Club member. His business is helping students from primary school to college to improve their memories for the purpose of achieving better grades for their exams and their studies. James is a very supportive member of BNI and has extended his assistance to many members who needed help on how to invite visitors. He has also helped place many members into other chapters when visitors were locked out from his chapter, truly exercising the philosophy of Givers Gain. Members Learns Value of the ‘Dance’ Lee Eng Hai, of Smarter Computer and a member of the Achievers chapter in Penang, joined BNI in April of this year. He specializes in providing computer hardware and peripheral solutions as well as refurbished Dell computers. But what has Lee experienced most that he wants to share with BNI members? “Each week after having a breakfast meeting together with members, I often wonder how I can give referrals to our members and particularly to our accountant Yeap Kong Tai,” he said. “After participating in BNI for several months, I decided to do the dance. And I did one with our accountant. “After having a dance with him, I immediately gave him five referrals at the next meeting. To give a referral is to dance. To receive a referral is to dance, too. “So I encourage, my chapter members to dance with each other to get more referrals for other members and also for ourselves. I hope my experience will inspire you that the BNI dance can be very effective for your business.” BNI HAPPENINGS — Singapore Masters of Networking 2003 Emphasizes Building Business Relationships
As early as 6:45 am, some participants were already streaming in. By 7:30, the room was packed with business owners, professionals and marketing practitioners. What made it extra interesting this year was a group of some 25 BNI Malaysia members who made their way there to meet the BNI Singapore members and guests. For a good one-and-a-half hours, everyone was doing what they came for—networking! They were exchanging cards, making contacts, and some were even striking business alliances and exploring business opportunities with each other. It was an occasion for many BNI members to catch up and meet members from other chapters. It was obvious the interaction among the participants generated a lot of energy and enthusiasm. One happy showcase partner with his product on display said, “I made a good number of contacts who are my potential clients. It is a worthwhile investment for me.” After a sumptuous breakfast, the participants were treated to a power-packed talk by three dynamic speakers who delivered heavy doses of techniques in remembering names, understanding the art and science of a handshake and the power of word-of-mouth. Everyone was thrilled by the timely executed music coupled with a great emcee who got everyone attentive and excited from start to finish. The event climaxed with the presentation of the Notable Networker Awards. Thunderous applause and cheers filled the room as winners of each category went on stage to receive their awards. Masters of Networking 2003 ended on a high note. Particpants now look forward to Masters of Networking 2004 and Masters of Success 2004. In fact, the organizers have plans to take Masters of Networking beyond Singapore—to Indonesia and the Philippines. 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: Business cards are an important part of a first impression when networking. Do you have any recommendations on what makes an effective business card? A: You're correct; business cards are very important, and they do have an effect on someone's first impression of you when networking. Therefore, it is important to tailor your card to the impression you're trying to make. Have you ever tried on an article of one-size-fits-all clothing? It didn't fit you all that well, did it? That's why clothing manufacturers make different sizes, and if you want something that's absolutely perfect, you spring some extra bucks and go to a tailor. Business cards are part of your marketing materials. When you're designing your marketing materials, you certainly want them to be tailor-made. Using a generic approach in your ads, brochures and websites won't set you apart from the crowd; it won't tell people what's distinctive about you, your business, your products and services. It won't cause you to be remembered. When you advertise your services or products, being specific marks you as an expert. Networkers know that the more you bring your unique personality, needs and capabilities into your business identity, the more referrals you're likely to receive. The same applies to your marketing materials. To get the kinds of customers you want, good marketing requires you to be specific about what you do and what makes you unique. A business card is an integral part of a good marketing plan. For its size and cost, it is probably the most powerful part. So it's especially important that your card be one that is memorable and makes a favorable impression. Otherwise, it will probably get tossed into a drawer full of ancient, smudged, forgotten cards that keep accumulating long after the businesses they represent have faded away—that is, if it doesn't get dropped into the nearest circular file. Your card should display the same design and basic information as your other marketing materials. But a business card is not a brochure or catalog; space is limited, so you must choose your words and images carefully. Which information is absolutely essential? What else can you include that will help persuade a prospect to contact you? Equally important, what should you leave out? Too much information can dilute or obscure your message. How do you solve this space vs. content problem? A good approach is to break the essentials down into three areas: identity, credibility and clarity. Identity and credibility are concerned with what you should include on your card at a minimum; clarity is more about what to leave off. Choose a card style that's appropriate for your business, industry and personal style. If you're a funeral director, you don't want to be caught handing out day-glow cards with cartoon figures on them. If you're a mechanic whose specialty is converting old Beetles into dune buggies, a formal, black-on-white engraved card will probably be drooped into the nearest circular file. Start with the style that best supports the business image you wish to project. Here are five different card styles for you to consider: 1. Basic cards: This is a good card style when utility is all you need. It's a no-nonsense approach that can appeal to clients and prospects who would not be impressed by fancy design features—the people who want "just the facts, ma'am." The design is simple, and the information is clear and concise. A basic card is usually printed in black ink on plain white or cream stock. 2. Picture cards: Having your face on your card—whether it's a photograph, a drawing or a caricature—helps a contact remember you the next time she sees you. Images representing a product or services or a benefit your business provides can help you communicate your business better than dozens of words. Color is often helpful on a picture card, too. 3. Tactile cards: Some cards are distinguished not so much by how they look as by how they feel. They may use nonstandard materials, such as metal or wood, or have unusual shapes, edges, folds or embossing. Tactile cards tend to be considerably more expensive than regular cards because they use nonstandard production processes such as die cuts. 4. Multipurpose cards: A card can do more than promote your name and business—it can also serve as a discount coupon, an appointment reminder or some other function. It may also provide valuable information that the average person may need. For example, a hotel may include a map on the back of its card for any guests who are walking around the vicinity. A card of any type can be made multipurpose by adding these types of features. 5. Outside-the-box cards: A wildly original, fanciful or extravagant presentation can draw extra attention. Creativity knows no bounds—except the amount of money you wish to spend. I've seen examples of these types of cards that were made of chocolate or that folded out into a miniature box to keep small items in. One of the most notable was a dentist's card that included a small compartment for dental floss to be pulled out. These are all examples of "outside-the-box" thinking. For more detailed descriptions of these and other types or categories of business cards, take a look at the book It's in the Cards. In it, my co-authors and I review more than 2,000 business cards from 10 countries and select more than 200 examples of some of the best, which are shown throughout the book in full-color. I have one other recommendation about networking and business cards. If you collect cards by the dozens at conferences, trade shows, mixers or sales meetings, you may find that a card scanner is a huge timesaver. They generally come in palm-sized devices and can be used anywhere there's electricity. They make an image that can be downloaded onto your computer, where they can be read by your database software. We used CardScan by Corex to track the thousands of cards we reviewed for our book. It's a great type of device for any master networker who needs to manage his or her business cards.
South Alabama Region Supports Meals on Wheels
Thank You, BNI! Jan Miller was one of the 140 winners and guests who won a trip to Florida in the U.S. Member Extravaganza. Here’s her report from the trip: Just wanted to say THANK YOU for the wonderful trip to Florida. We had a fantastic time. The Friday night evening with Ivan and his wife and family was great. I always enjoy listening to him. And networking with other BNI members from other states was great! I collected quite a few business cards. The entire trip was well planned and very well organized, the transportation went very smoothly, the hotel was absolutely gorgeous and the whole time a very pleasant experience. Of course we also enjoyed the day at Disney! Again, thank you, thank you, thank you so much! Referrals from the Galleria chapter (Atlanta) helped me win a five day/four night trip to Seattle from Starbucks. I sold Starbucks to more offices than any other account executive in the country! I visited the chapter my friend was in last May but didn't join right away. I spent months going through the list of objections (would the early morning meeting really be worth it?), but then I saw my friend getting referrals and enjoying the increased business. She even found a way to combine our services and get business for both of us (she's a writer and I'm a graphic designer so we combined efforts to do newsletters)! Anyway, I soon realized that she was getting this work as a result of being a member of BNI, and I started reviewing the positives (who doesn't need more business?). The only problem was that I really needed to find a group that was closer to where I lived. My friend put me in touch with the director of our area, and I found out that there was a list forming of people interested in joining a group in my part of town. I got on the list and met the person spearheading the effort. She and I went to work to find a place to meet. Within two months we were meeting the other people. A month later we all went through Leadership Training. The “spearheader” is our President (obvious choice) and I am the VP. We have been in these positions since February of this year and have built a great working relationship as well as a strong friendship. Anyway, I could tell you all about how much business I've gotten as a result of being in BNI (around $6,000 and counting), but that's what people expect to hear—as if that's the only reason to join BNI. Beyond that, BNI has strengthened my business skills, made me a much better speaker and I am striving to train everyone I know to come to me when they need a quality reference! About seven years ago I joined the KOI chapter of BNI in northern Kentucky. I had just opened my own commercial real estate brokerage and was looking for ways to market my business. After reading about something called Business Network International, I visited a local chapter only to discover that it already had a commercial broker. I needed to find another one. It was a “no brainer” because I was impressed with the professional way the chapter went about its business. Coincidentally, also attending that meeting was Geof Scanlon, whose father I knew from a previous position I held with a non-profit corporation. He too was enthusiastic and also went searching for another chapter as his profession, financial planning, was represented in the chapter. Our efforts resulted in two new chapters for BNI. It became clear that if I was to be successful, I would have to be patient and follow BNI's tried and tested procedures. Commercial real estate, the selling, leasing of business spaces, including retail, industrial and office, is not a transaction for which someone in the chapter has a need each week. But I had the proverbial "ace in the hole": A chapter full of people looking out for me. The first commission came from a member whose secretary's lawyer’s husband needed a commercial broker to handle an estate matter for one of his clients. On the strength of my relationship with the chapter member, the lawyer, who did not know me, recommended me to his client. The property sold and I received a welcome and handsome commission. During my tenure with the chapter, which continues to this day, I received other commissions by working with the residential agent member of the chapter. Just recently, my seven-year-old meeting with Geof Scanlon produced the most bountiful BNI-related commission. After our first meeting, Geof went on to become Executive Director for Southwest Ohio and Northern Kentucky but never forgot he is still in the business of giving and receiving referrals. When he heard that one of his financial planning clients needed assistance in finding a site to expand their business, he called me. The contact was a perfect BNI contact. Geof's personal relationship with me was transferred to my prospect, which meant we could start doing business right away. It turns out that I knew the prospect from a fundraising experience over 20 years ago but without Geof's reassurance to the prospect, there would not have been a transaction. Does BNI work? Yes, but the bigger deals take longer and are dependent upon the same requirements on which "faster" deals rely: patience, giving good referrals and maintaining contact with those who want to help you. Thank you, BNI! I have received 200-plus clients since joining BNI in September 2001! Two ‘Virtual Assistants’ Key into Global Networking Networking: that’s what BNI is all about, right? After all, networking is BNI’s middle name, and we know networking is one of the strongest tools in a smart business person’s toolbox. There are different forms of networking, from the person-to-person method utilized by BNI to online networking utilized by the virtual assistant community. I am a Virtual Assistant (VA), and we network with each other daily in our virtual world. We live by the computer, literally. I am a member of BNI Boise Macaroni Grill chapter in Boise, Idaho. Last year I was contacted by Rich Wilson, BNI’s Executive Director of Southern Idaho, with an interesting request. He was looking for VAs who were current BNI members who would be interested in doing data entry of chapter information for the various chapters throughout the United States. Rich thought such an assignment would be a perfect referral for us because physical location is not an issue for VAs. I put out a call for assistance on the worldwide International Association of Virtual Office Assistants (IAVOA) member listserv and received replies from Sr. Vida Barr, Humility Publishing, member of the Minneapolis, Minnesota Downtown Skyway chapter; Randene Nelson, Randene Online, member of Minnesota Biz Net North chapter in Blaine, MN; and Kathie Thomas, “A Clayton’s Secretary,” from the Southland chapter, Victoria, Australia. I knew Sr. Vida through my association with the IAVOA. I had not had the opportunity to meet Randene Nelson and knew of Kathie Thomas through her educational pieces and association with the IAVOA. The four of us discussed the scope and terms of the project, came to an agreement, and joined together to make our offer of assistance to the various directors of BNI, all online. I knew that BNI is an international organization, but truly didn’t get the “international” part until I received the note from Kathie Thomas, “I'm an Australian VA with BNI Southland (Victoria, Australia) if I can help at all.” I thought, “Wow! Australia, the other side of the world.” That’s when I “got it.” BNI is more than just your chapter or district, or even region. It is truly international, and it is networking at its best. Ever since the Internet first reared its head here in Australia I became aware that it provided an opportunity to build and develop my business in a way I had not first intended. After all, running an international business was only for the big guys—or was it? Networking to me has always provided hidden opportunities. I say “hidden” because not everyone sees straight away the possibilities. I always like to look between the lines and find what is there. When a message was put out via IAVOA regarding BNI members, I first thought they meant U.S. members only, but then I thought, “Why not? I run an international business, the Internet is how I operate mainly and BNI is worldwide.” So, I was quick to respond. I love that networking today means “global” not just “local” as it did in the old days. You never know who or what is going to come along and each day brings something different. Working at home, via the Internet, networking with people around the other side of the world, why would anyone want anything different? Founder’s Award Winners Announced Congratulations to the following chapters for receiving the Founder’s Award. Alabama: Bay Area chapter, South Alabama region Florida: West Palm Beach Thursday chapter, Palm Beach region Destin chapter, Northwest Florida region Oregon: Emerald chapter Florida: Miami Beach Thursday chapter, Miami-Dade region Massachusetts: Hockomock chapter, Southeast Massachusetts region Hyannis chapter, Southeast Massachusetts region Plymouth chapter, Southeast Massachusetts region New York: Huntington chapter, Long Island region Rhode Island: Cumberland chapter Providence chapter West Bay chapter Texas: Greater Conroe chapter, Houston-West region Persistence Pays! I received a referral from the CPA in our group back in January. I had a hard time getting in touch with the referral but continued to follow-up. Now, approximately eight months later, this referral has led to a $350,000 SBA business loan, over $100,000 in deposits and personal and business accounts. This one was definitely worth waiting for! Three Cheers for the Leadership Program! I just wanted to send a testimonial, on the benefits I gained by attending the Leadership Program in Westport, Conn., on Monday, September 15. I was nominated as a Visitor Host for my chapter recently. Being fairly new to the group, I was very enthusiastic about my role in the welcoming guests and BNI members! Until the training I had no idea of the importance that this position entailed! I found the description of Visitor Host to be a very important position, and BNI had it all mapped out. Their proven successful plan and team leadership was a winning combination. I highly recommend everyone, team leader or player, to attend this mutually beneficial opportunity! Keeping Track of Success Last year I kept track of some advanced stats that our chapter keeps. I thought you would appreciate an update. Year: Oct 2002 – Sept 2003 Average # of members: 33.67 Total referrals given: 3,896 Average referrals given/member/month: 9.64 Total Income from 1st generation referrals: $685,000 exactly Value of a seat at our BNI chapter: $20,344.52 Best month: June ($94,660) Worst Month: December ($39,875) Making New Friends, Generating New Business You never know what will happen when two people get to know one another outside of BNI. I arrived here on the East Coast about one year ago. After spending most of the last year doing absolutely nothing on nights and weekends, I was beginning to become very discouraged that the only friends I would ever have would be via phone line 3,000 miles away. Well, that all changed. In the beginning of July, Jennifer Aussant (Attleboro Chiropractic Health Center) joined our North Attleboro BNI chapter. Sensing we had a few things in common (one being we were about the same age) we decided to grab dinner a glass of wine one night and talk about business, men and all the fun things women talk about when they get together. During our conversation at dinner she mentioned that her dad works for Dale Ernhardt Jr., the Nascar racing super-stud! Needless to say my company is in the throws of trying to obtain a license for Nascar. The very next day she was on the phone with her father and he said, “Sure have Kristen send a sample plaque and I will walk it into my buddy’s office over in licensing.” Who would have known her dad has ties with the licensing department at Nascar? Now that’s a lead! He got his samples within a week. As far as Jenn and I are concerned, we’ve been seen hitting the town on a few occasions, shopping, working out and even catching a game or two over a beer. It’s been a fun! Gold Club Member Awarded Congratulations to the following new Gold Club Member: Kathy Newton, Saco Bay chapter, Maine Column
Dream Like A Pro We all have dreams. I’m not talking about the nocturnal ones—or even daydreams. I’m talking about our hopes and aspirations. For most of us, dreams are an essential component of our being. And for those who are entrepreneurs, dreams are very important. But true entrepreneurs don’t just dream, they do something about their dreams. Hope does indeed spring eternal. But hope in the heart of an entrepreneur does more than spring; it turns into a flow that becomes a force cutting a path to success. The great American dramatist Garson Kanin said, “Amateurs hope. Professionals work.” Hoping something will happen when the work has not been done is the delusion of amateur dreamers. Putting work and commitment behind a dream is what pros do. Write this on a rock…If you have a dream, make sure you aren’t just hoping it will become reality. The only way to become an entrepreneurial pro is to work your dream. Now wake up and get to work.
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