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Maximize Your 'ROI' with Networking Thoughts
In the 21st century, networking is one of the three most important areas small business owners should focus on, along with employing technology and developing strategic alliances.
My definition of networking is "actively making professional relationships, developing and maintaining those relationships and leveraging them for the benefit of all parties." A Chinese proverb says the longest journey must begin with the first step. So before you can develop a relationship, you first have to meet the other person and establish a basis for future contact. Examples of networking opportunities are everywhere you turn—at Chamber of Commerce events or any venue likely to be attended by business people and community leaders. But before you enter a networking environment it's important to understand that successful networking is an acquired skill, like playing golf. In fact, we could actually take a lesson from those who seek the little white ball. Good golfers address each shot with what are called "swing thoughts." They orient their pre-shot routine, and sometimes the actual swing, around these golf fundamentals, which they believe will help them to make a successful shot. Inspired by the work of my friend, Andrea Nierenberg, author of "Nonstop Networking," I've created a few "Networking Thoughts," or NT for short, which should help you increase your networking return-on-investment (ROI). See what you think. NT #1 - Make eye contact. It' s a terrible mistake to not look into the eyes of the person with whom you are talking. Andrea says we should be able to remember the color of the person's eyes whom we just met. NT #2 - More ears, less mouth. This is an old adage, but it's an essential networking thought for most of us. We are more likely to impress someone by our interest in them rather than how interested we think they should be in us. NT #3 - Smile. Women are usually better at this than men. But the smile must be genuine, which can be best accomplished with NT #1. NT #4 - Deliver a firm handshake. But don't turn a handshake into a wrestling match. And guys, when you're shaking the hand of a lady, your networking thought is that it's the opposite of dancing: let the lady lead. Ladies, that means you should offer your hand first—and give 'em a good squeeze. NT #5 - Do some research. If there is someone you want to get to know whom you think you might be seeing soon, go to their web site and look around. If you have a mutual friend, ask her about the person to get a little better understanding of what makes this person tick. But be careful to use what you've learned very subtly; you don't want to come across like a stalker. By combining this research with NT #2, you'll have an excellent chance of developing a basis for future contact. NT #6 - Have your elevator speech ready. Imagine that you get on an elevator with someone who asks you what you do before you ask him. Can you deliver a short, concise and intuitive response before either of you gets off the elevator? Wherever or whenever you're asked this question, make sure you're ready. And then, follow your little speech with a sincere inquiry about him, with NT# 2 in mind. NT #7 - Successful networking benefits all parties. Reread my definition of networking, with emphasis on the last clause. If you enter any networking opportunity with this attitude, instead of a "What's in it for me?" attitude, your networking ROI will increase exponentially. Here's another way to think of NT #7. It's from my friend, Ivan Misner. Ivan says simply, "Givers gain." Write this on a rock - For maximum return on the time you invest in your business, practice and employ your NTs, especially NT# 7. HUDDLE TIME Modeling Is the Pathway to Excellence
"Modeling is the pathway to excellence. It means that if I see anyone in this world producing a result I desire, I can produce the same result if I'm willing to pay the price of time and effort. If you want to achieve success, all you need to do is find a way to model those who have already succeeded." ~ Anthony Robbins
Anthony Robbins' statement applies perfectly to BNI. Let's examine the three key factors for achieving success from his statement in his book, "Unlimited Power." 1. Follow the Model. BNI was founded on the premise that word-of-mouth is the most cost-effective form of advertising. Dr. Ivan Misner, in his book "The World's Best Known Marketing Secrets," tells us that to make it work in your favor, word-of-mouth has to be positive and planned. The structure needed for successful word-of-mouth marketing is found in BNI: the trained Leadership Team and Membership Committee, weekly agenda, Sales Manager Minute, Showcase Presentations, the Director Presentations, the policies to abide by and code of ethics to uphold. The networking philosophy of "Givers Gain" that binds these together helps all who choose to participate to achieve a common goal. I say "choose to" because BNI's program is not meant for everybody. It's not for those who have nothing better to do in the mornings. It's for the committed go-getter, able to see this time-tested model for what it is worth, and simply follow it. Every now and then, we receive feedback from visitors (and occasionally members): "Meeting weekly is too frequent." "The attendance policies are too restrictive." "We should be allowed to visit other chapters as often as we like." "The agenda stifles our creativity." Do these comments sound familiar? Why spend needless hours thinking of ways to change the program. BNI is a proven model of success. Stick to what works. 2. The Price of Time and Effort. Meeting weekly for members in BNI takes effort and commitment, but consider this: do you stop talking about your business or do you talk about it every time you are given the opportunity? At BNI you are given the opportunity to talk about your product, your services and yourself. You need to convince the others in your chapter that you are the best person for the job, so much so that they, too, will not stop talking about you to others. The good news is that a referral is in the making. Sure, you need to spend more time, but it's time worth spending. Since you need to have breakfast every morning, why not invest a couple of hours having breakfast with your "Sales Team"? It sets the ball in motion for referrals to start coming your way. 3. Achieving Success. BNI has close to 60,000 participants in 18 countries who are "followers" of a system that works. The growth of BNI, the world's leading referral organization, has been nothing less than phenomenal. It's astounding. But the system works only for those who are willing to work the networks they belong to—their chapters—and be patient enough to see the results. BNI really is a success model to follow not to modify. The question is not whether this system will work; it has worked for countless others. The question is whether you are willing to put some time and effort into making it work. HUDDLE TIME
Referral Magic How to conjure quality business out of thin air
Chris Peck runs a mail-forwarding business, "Mastermail", from his base in the heart of Sussex. For some time, he had watched enviously as the considerable coupon business of Cadbury's mashed potato product, "Smash," landed not at his door, but at one of his competitors. Chris had done his homework. The man he needed to speak to was Michael Knight. He had already tried to call him without success; he had sent faxes and emailed, without response. Finally, he turned to his BNI chapter.
Given just one minute to present his case each week, Chris asked directly for an introduction to Michael Knight. Nothing happened. Cadbury's business was based some 200 miles away, and no one in the group had contacts there. Several week's later, Chris asked again. Nothing happened. Chris decided to give it one more try. He explained to the group the importance of this client, how he had faxed, phoned and emailed without effect. He really needed an introduction. Still nothing happened. Nothing that is, except one member picked up the phone, and made a call. It was 4:30 on a Sunday afternoon when Chris Peck's home phone rang. A strangers voice on the other end of the line introduced himself: "This is Michael Knight. I hear that you want to speak with me!" Underpinning the philosophy of "Givers Gain" is the notion that people do not just want to help people; they want to help those who in turn are giving individuals. What drove me to refer my biggest client to a man selling 747s that I had never heard of before? What led a cleaner to take the trouble to recommend a data cable specialist who he scarcely knew to his boss at work? It was the same force that persuaded Michael Knight to pick up the phone. The member who made the call to Cadbury's had a unique approach. Anyone who has ever cold called for his or her own gain knows that the experience can be a bruising one. The recipient is immediately on his guard, and by instinct, becomes determined to get rid of the caller at the earliest moment. But make a call simply to help a fellow man, and the rules change. When Gail Williams picked up the telephone, she was not seeking to help herself—she was helping a friend with a need. "I have a problem, and only you can help me," she opened to the secretary charged with fielding Mr. Knight's calls. She explained how she was a member of a quality referral organization. How a member held in high regard had repeatedly asked for an introduction to Michael Knight. How it was clear that no one in the group had any contacts with Cadburys. Could she arrange for Michael to give Chris a call? It is very tempting on hearing this story to dismiss it, to put it down to "beginner's luck" and ignore the potential it reveals. But it was picked up by one of my assistants, David King, who put it to the test. Gathering about him requests from quality members who had repeatedly made specific requests to firms unknown to the members of their groups, he started making calls. "I have a problem, and only you can help me…" Suddenly, a financial adviser found himself pitching for the business of one of the largest print firms in the south, a video producer was placed in direct contact with the school he had often asked, a stationery supplier was placed in front of No.7 Labs—his target client ready to hear him. Into his 10th call, he was enjoying himself. One of the core strengths of networking is that by nature we are all more comfortable saying “he is great” than pushing our own cause. By the time David had finished making his calls, his success rate ran at over 80 percent. People want to help those who in turn help others. Carry this with you, and no door will ever be firmly closed to the members of your network. With the knowledge that it is within your grasp to open the door to almost any company targeted by your network, the true potential of focussed networking for the modern businessperson is finally revealed. The limitations to success are found only in the strength of your relationships with your fellow members. Like everything in life, nothing is achieved without effort. This is Net-WORK! But the ability to work with a group of non-competing businesspeople, to be able to identify exactly with whom you want to do business and then have your network bring those customers, primed, to your door, is a prize worth working for. Focus on every aspect of your relationships with your network—your attendance, commitment, contribution, follow up, testimonies and support—and you will build a network that will take your business wherever your ambition desires. HUDDLE TIME
One Hour and One Lunch One week to better business through BNI
SATURDAY Spend ten minutes working on your tag line. Make it memorable, highlight the needs you fill, and have it recall your brand name. SUNDAY Spend ten minutes working on your 60-second presentation. Make sure you include your name, the location of your office, the types of business you want including your 70/20/10 percent activities, and highlight the benefits your service provides and close with your tag line. MONDAY Spend ten minutes thinking about which businesses or professionals could refer business to you. If those people are in your group, think about how to strengthen your relationships. If they aren't, add them to your invite list. TUESDAY Pick a member of your chapter and, for ten minutes, think of what you could do to generate more referrals for her. The less you have in common with the member, the better. WEDNESDAY Have lunch with one member of your chapter. Meet in one of your offices, not a restaurant. THURSDAY Spend ten minutes talking to a non-member about your chapter of BNI—whether she is a potential new member or not. When she has a need, she'll remember that you are a resource. FRIDAY Get to your BNI meeting ten minutes earlier or stay ten minutes later than you planned. If you can't do that, pick up the phone during the day and spend ten minutes talking to another member about the meeting. Breaking News
The book will be distributed to BNI Directors at the International Conference this November. This book will be given to all new members starting next year. Every country will have it's own edition of the book. To review the first chapter of the US edition, click here.
North America
BNI HAPPENINGS — Canada World's Largest Chapter Proves Productive
And the chapter is proving to be productive—which of course is most important. In a typical week, the members of WIT will exchange over 120 referrals, host ten or more visitors and report over 60 dance cards. Meetings open each week with a half hour for open networking, starting at 6.30 a.m. The formal part of the meeting begins at 7:00 a.m., and by 8:30 a.m., President Paolo Vena is bringing things to a close. When asked what makes WIT work, Paolo points to the leaders, official and "unofficial," who strive to ensure that all members participate equally. He takes great pride in the strong organization that he leads at WIT and is quick to credit the contribution of his executives, Vice-President Patti Contenta and Secretary-Treasurer Jason Hamilton, in making the chapter what it is today. He also notes the importance of a strong and active membership committee: WIT's has eight members who meet weekly as well as a large, dedicated mentoring team, focused on rapidly training new members to be fully operational in short order. BNI HAPPENINGS — United States Reciprocity Ring Takes Off in SF Bay Area The Reciprocity Ring presentation was given on July 21st by Executive Director, Dawn Lyons, at The Views chapter in Sunnyvale, California. Lyn Savage, Assistant Director, along with fifteen of The Views chapter members were in attendance for the event.
Here are a couple of member testimonials: "Let me start by thanking you for sharing this method with our chapter. I personally found that this is a very effective way to become detailed in acquiring referrals. We are specifically asking for a particular referral, versus asking for a general referral. Not to mention, we found that referrals were passed out more during this exercise than a regular weekly meeting. This exercise taught us that we all had referrals for one another, we just did not know we did. By being specific in asking for referrals, we made it easier for one another to think of someone we knew." "Thank you so much for bringing the Reciprocity Ring to our Sunnyvale BNI. Being new to BNI, I was already feeling a bit frustrated that I had been unable to bring quality referrals to the table for other members. After this exercise, I felt more empowered to help certain people I had no idea I could help. In return, I also received prospective leads from so many people that it will take a good two weeks to follow up on them all! If every one of those prospects turned into a sale for me, I estimate an immediate realization of $10,000 income would result. "There is no other meeting I have attended that created such terrific results by having the group brainstorm in a safe and structured environment. It was easier for us to think outside of the box for each other, while also making us get very definite about what we wanted. I recommend that every BNI use this tool at least once a quarter." "Thanks to Humax and Dr. Misner for putting this program together. We are definitely excited to present these materials to the rest of our chapters here in the Bay Area, and we look forward to continued success with the Reciprocity Ring!" Dr. Misner Visits Orange County
For many BNI members, this was an introduction to the man who is called "The Networking Guru" by Entrepreneur magazine. As an added treat, accompanying Dr. Misner were Andrew Hall, Executive Director from the United Kingdom, and Hall's wife Jihong, who is opening Hong Kong to BNI. Following are some comments received following Dr. Misner's presentation: "Excellent presentation. Worth getting up at 4:00 am. Bought all the books." "It was my first time hearing Dr. Misner. I loved it. I got inspired all over again." "Thanks for putting the event together. It was just as important to me to know that almost 500 people came out to hear his message on a Tuesday morning. I am involved with the right group of people!" "I found the talk by Dr. Misner very impressive. He said that if you can leave a meeting of this kind with just one nugget of insight or advice that can help improve your life and/or business, you have attended a successful meeting. This was a successful meeting for me." "I thought the event was fabulous! In fact, I felt like I was at a Pre-paid Legal event (that's a compliment!). Great minds think alike! I'd never heard Dr. Misner speak before. He was very positive, informative and motivational. I'll definitely have to put his books on my 'must read' list!" "What hit home was when Dr. Misner spoke about passion. We all need to stoke the fire every once in a while, and I know that I had a more productive day as a result of hearing him speak." "It was what I expected—impressive inspiration and motivation. I came out of there with some quotes that I have passed along. Thoroughly enjoyed the energy of the morning." "The BNI event was practical, motivating and surprising all at the same time. My belief factor in BNI increased, which I didn't think was possible!" "Being in a room of 500 networkers, listening to the guru of word-of-mouth marketing, feeling the energy in the room and hearing people's stories, was the best forum for business I have attended in a long time. I left there renewed, ready to conquer my world, and spread the idea of BNI everywhere!" "The event was really great. It was my first time to hear Dr. Misner in person, and it was an inspiring morning." This meeting of BNI's Orange County chapters was one of the best business meetings I have ever attended. This confirms my feeling that BNI is the most effective source of referral business that I have found in over 30 years in business. In addition, Dr. Misner's talk was direct, honest and entertaining. I took copious notes, and came up with four solid things that I can use to build my business in the coming week. Thanks for your leadership that gives so much support and advice to us on the chapter leadership teams." Denver Weekly Bulletin
Originally, the Bulletins were handed out and later sent as a "Word" attachment. However, since not all people use the same software, I started sending them in a PDF format since most people have (or have access to) Adobe Acrobat. After each meeting, I download the most recent photo, add it the bulletin and update the relevant data such as new members, upcoming speakers, chapter happenings, etc. The whole process generally takes about an hour. This is not one of the listed responsibilities of a Chapter President but I think it has been helpful to me in building our group. Thus, I have already volunteered to our incoming President to continue my activities as Weekly Bulletin Editor when he takes over in October. He'll be busy enough without adding that to his list of chores. The most useful by-product has been the Email template with the Bulletin attached that I use to introduce BNI to prospects. After a meeting at my Chamber of Commerce or some other networking opportunity, I scan the business cards received into my database and have the "BNI - INTRODUCTION to our Hampden Avenue Chapter (see attached)" email sent to all parties that had email addresses. Since we met recently, the response rate is often positive. It is also takes less of my time than the phone calls to those prospects without email addresses. It is extra work but to me the rewards have been more than worth it. If I can be of assistance to other chapters in implementing our approach, please contact me at LarryK@taxonly.com. Dues Increase Membership Dues in the United States are scheduled for an increase June 1, 2005. Details will be available at Leadership Team training in October.
Europe
BNI HAPPENINGS — United Kingdom David Randall's BNI progress goes swimmingly! Cheshire mortgage broker David Randall has many reasons to feel pleased with his progress this year. Not only is his own business doing rather nicely, thanks to BNI, but he’s also just launched his first chapter as an Assistant Director—and has won gold, silver and bronze medals as one of UK's best long-distance swimmers! "I guess you could say it's been a good first half of the year," said David. "My own company, DJ Financial Solutions, has benefited from BNI from the moment I joined the Brooklands chapter four years ago, and even though I've just moved to my local Hale Eagles chapter, I believe we'll still earn commissions worth around £50,000 from business that comes through BNI referrals. That represents mortgages worth £4 million a year, so you can see why I'm enthusiastic about BNI!" So keen, in fact, that David recently became an Assistant Director for South Manchester and saw his first chapter, Bowdon Falcons, launched last month. "BNI is so popular that we're already building our fourth chapter in the area. I don't subscribe to the view that you can't have several BNI groups in close proximity. There is plenty of business to go round." David's personal sporting triumph came in the spring when he took part in the Great Britain Long Course Championships and surprised himself by winning gold in the 1500 meter, silver in the 1800 meter, silver in the 800 and bronze in the 400 meter events. BNI HAPPENINGS — France Core Group Prepares to Launch in France
With a core group of 21 members, the first BNI chapter in France is set to kick-off on September 21, 2004! BNI is rapidly growing throughout Europe and the response in France has been similar to that of the rest of the continent. Both Marc-William Attie and Gavin Bain have dedicated themselves to kicking off France. Within the next couple months BNI will be very proud to announce that France is yet another piece of the BNI puzzle! Keep up the positive energy France! For information on chapters in France, please contact Marc-William Attie at attiemw@hotmail.com. Africa/Middle East
BNI HAPPENINGS — South Africa
Dr. Misner Visits South Africa
Following are some of the comments received following Dr. Misner's visit: It was really an eye opener and I think BNI is a brilliant concept. Arshad Moosa Thanks a lot for Wednesday evening. We all enjoyed it very much—nicely organized etc. Thanks so much for everything you do for us in the Cape. Mariëtte Steyn I just want to compliment you on last night, it was EXCELLENT! Annette Nel Thank you so much for the wonderful event last night. Ivan is really inspiring—something we always need! I brought two of my staff with me—they found the event to be very informative. It helped them to understand the need to "wow" our customers and the importance of relationships, which take a long time to build up. My hope is that Ivan's visit will bring a boost to your endeavors and that BNI—SA will continue to grow in numbers and in strength. I thought that last night's event was really great. Ivan Misner really did us all a lot of good. And I enjoyed the open networking very much. We should consider having such an event perhaps every six months—it could mean a lot for everyone's business. Johan Bezuidenhout BNI HAPPENINGS — Israel Israel Preps for Dr. Misner's Visit
Regional Directors Yarden Noy and Guy Radar led two seminars on improving your referrals. Over 100 members attended the seminars. The amount of business and referrals generated just from these two mornings was spectacular. BNI in Israel is getting into high gear for the October visit by Dr. Ivan Misner. Dr. Misner's whirlwind tour begins on Monday, October 11th. The four day visit is scheduled to include the following:
Australia/Asia
BNI HAPPENINGS — New Zealand
60-Second Roll Playing
A week prior to this meeting each member had drawn a name out of a hat and was required to have a "dance" with that member so he could represent her for the 60-second presentation the following week. Some members went to outlandish extremes for the 60-second presentations. Sheryl Oliver of Oliver Hair Design dressed as a man—including masculine makeup and a hair-streaking cap to represent the balding head of our risk management specialist, Tony Randell, whom she was representing. Chapter president Brett Hansen, who portrayed Annette Eksteen of the Old Villa Dental Centre, included props such as gloves, facemask and a huge toothbrush. The idea was a great way to introduce a bit of light heartedness to the meeting, although extra time was required to allow for the jibes and bantering! Encouraging members to dance with one another is very important so that when you are referring a member to an associate, you actually know about him and his business. So everyone, who are you going to be next week? A Recipe to Grow Your Chapter's Numbers When the new Leadership Team of the Tauranga, New Zealand, chapter came on board, they decided to approach the task as if it were a new business and plan accordingly. The team got together to decide upon their main goals and what they wanted to achieve during their leadership tenure. One goal was to grow the chapter from its fluctuating 15-20 members to 30. Another goal was to encourage members to complete dances with one another. They also wanted meetings to be stimulating by adding variety. A "business plan" was drawn up, setting out what had to be done to encourage members to help the team achieve their goals. Ideas included brainstorming as to whom and what profession each member would like as part of the group to help grow their business; where these people might be found and who might know them, etc. From this, a comprehensive list of potential new members was drawn up. A Visitors Day was scheduled and invitations were mailed and followed up with personal phone calls. The response was amazing. After the Visitors Day, all potential new members were asked to join. The team had managed to grow the chapter by 75 percent. By the end of the current leadership team's term they had 28 members—not quite the 30 they were hoping for but definitely better numbers than they had started with. Tauranga and the Bay of Plenty area is one of the fastest growing regions in New Zealand, but the chapter has always struggled to recruit and retain members. Members had found they have been so busy over the last few years that people have not had to look hard to find business. The current members of the Tauranga chapter are all good strong people that were able to look past being busy now to plan for future expansion. Well done! BNI HAPPENINGS — Australia Hawthorn Chapter Member Aims to Stage Musical
However, Susan Cliff, a member of the Hawthorn chapter, has taken her BNI experience to a whole new level by leveraging the skills of her group to pursue a long-standing ambition: to stage an Australian musical during the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne in 2006. It all started with a dance card in 2002 and has steadily progressed to the point where Susan—who runs the interior design business, Welcome Home Dimensions—was able to stage special performances of her musical, "Space Harmonic," in front of more than 100 guests during June. Among the guests were many BNI members, who have assisted Susan along the way in a wide range of areas, from brochure design through to legal support on her trademark registration. Another BNI member has also helped Susan with contacts in local and state government to raise the profile of the musical. Again leveraging the power of BNI, Susan decided to use her 10-minute group presentation as a pre-rehearsal for the stage performances she put on during June to gauge as much feedback as possible. "I would never had pushed the musical forward without my involvement with BNI," says Susan. "I'm just over-awed by the fact that it has come forward so quickly, and my BNI peers have given me the confidence to take it to rehearsal stage. I've got all the expert people around me to take it forward." Susan says she is aiming to have "Space Harmonic" running as entertainment behind the Commonwealth Games because it relates to Australia. Through song and dance the musical explores music, color, imagery, technology, the changing nature of our lifestyle and environment. The focus is on how we live now and how we will live in another thirty years. "It shows what a fantastic country Australia is, how spiritual it is and how clever we are that we can use technology to such an extent. Instead of all this gloom and doom, it's embracing change and saying that the future is exciting," says Susan. For more information on "Space Harmonic," contact Susan Cliff at 0408 144 637. Melbourne Chapter Packs House on Visitor's Day Building chapter numbers is a key objective for BNI. The Melbourne chapter held a highly successful Visitors Day on July 20, with more than 40 visitors attending and many showing strong interest in joining. "We had a full house with 42 seats taken, so everyone deserves a big pat on the back as it was a huge team effort," said Melbourne chapter President, Frank Valentic. "Hopefully, we can convert many of the visitors into members and really take our excellent group to the next level. "We handed out quite a few applications and the feedback from many of the visitors I chatted to was that they were really keen and that they really enjoyed the meeting." BNI Directors Take A High-Profile Role
BNI's Melbourne team of directors take a high profile within the organization—and deservedly so. In addition to their ongoing involvement as chapter members, generating business referrals for their peers as we all do, the directors are constantly working behind the scenes to ensure all processes are working as they should be for the benefit of all members. The director's team (pictured) meets monthly to discuss planning issues for BNI, including progress reports on individual chapters, and to determine growth plans for the opening of new chapters. Since David Byers and Graham Southwell took over BNI Melbourne on March 1, six new directors have been added and the roles have been split. "Directors have changed from being there to maintain the chapters to helping the chapters grow," says David. "Their focus is now on helping chapters with Visitors Days, helping make visitors stick and making sure that members are aware of the education opportunities that are available through BNI. We're putting a big focus on making sure chapters know what they have to do to operate successfully so they don't have to bounce every query back to the director and so the director is there to support the chapter, not to run the chapter. "Some of the directors are only starting chapters and some of the new directors are just managing chapters. There's a different skill required for both of those areas so it seemed to make sense to us to get people that were specialized in a particular role." BNI HAPPENINGS — Malaysia Malaysian Chapters Hold Many World Titles
Malaysia is proud to announce that Malaysian chapters can be some of the best in the world! Uptown Chapter, at its second anniversary in May, was the first chapter this year to cross the "40 member" threshold. The chapter had 23 members at the beginning of the year. Since inducting new member, Vincent Koay, to the chapter, a new benchmark has been set as to what can be achieved in BNI Malaysia. Vincent became the first Gold Club Member in Malaysia to bring six new members into the chapter within two months of joining, and sponsored eighteen new members in less than five months. Vincent's success has erased the old notion of it being difficult to invite visitors and has opened up the possibility of larger chapters in Malaysia. Since January, the number of referrals in Uptown chapter has steadily increased from about 100 to 220 per month. By July, the second chapter, Ampang chapter, Founder's Award 2003, also reached 40 members. Four other chapters have over 35 members and are on the way to achieving their chapter's goal of 40 by end of the year: Achievers chapter in Penang, Bangsar chapter and Affinity chapter in Klang Valley and City chapter in Johor. Malaysia is also planning to launch some big chapters. Affinity chapter, with over 35 members after launch, set a new benchmark for the launching of new chapters. Car Mechanic Proud to be BNI Member
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! More than 66,000 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.
Some of your questions on networking may also be answered in Dr. Misner's column on www.entrepreneur.com.
Making the Most of Networking Opportunities Start by learning how to tailor your networking approach for different occasions. Q: How can I increase lead generation from networking opportunities? A: When you belong to a networking group, it can be difficult sometimes to obtain referrals from fellow networking members. But instead of giving up and looking for another group to join, there are some things you can do to encourage them to spread the word about your company. I like to teach entrepreneurs about the three Rs of networking: relationships, reliability and referrals. First, however, let me preface my comments here with an important statistic. When businesspeople begin developing a referral-based business, they receive a vastly smaller percentage of referrals their first year. After the second year, the statistic is about twice as high as the first, and after the third year, it really jumps. (For more on the statistics of referrals over time, see chapter 8 of my book The World's Best Known Marketing Secret.) This being said, let me talk about how the three Rs of networking affect these numbers and can help you develop a successful word-of-mouth-based business: 1. Relationships: Word-of-mouth is about "relationship marketing." If you approach the first year of your involvement in a networking group with the sole motivation of getting to know the other members well, you will be far ahead of the game. One of the most important things I've learned over the years is that it is not really what you know or who you know; rather, it's how well you know them that really counts! People do business with people they know and trust. In order for word-of-mouth marketing to work for you, you first have to build a strong foundation with the people you hope will refer you to others. That takes time, and the amount of time it takes varies from profession to profession. Obviously, some professions are much more sensitive than others to the development of referrals. So find reasons to meet with each person outside the networking meeting. Get to them, and work on having them get to know you better. Make it clear that you value your relationship with each one of them. 2. Reliability: For the first year or so in a networking group, you are putting in your time. Your referral partners are testing you, checking you out and making sure that you deserve to have their valuable clients and contacts turned over to you. Therefore, you must be credible to the other professionals with whom you hope to network. Bear in mind that you should feel the same way, too. Before you risk your reputation with your clients by referring them to someone who takes less care of them than you would want taken, you must be very sure that the person to whom you refer them is reliable! How else are you going to know that—unless you use them personally over a period of time? 3. Referrals: After cultivating relationships and proving yourself to be reliable, you get referrals as the end result. In order for someone to receive, someone else has to give. This holds so true with referrals. I would suggest you perform a reality check to see just how effectively you are referring the people in your networking group. You might be surprised to find how little you actually refer others, or that you consistently refer the same two or three people. If you aren't tracking your referrals (both given and received), first read last month's article and then start tracking them. Look for patterns. I would anticipate that in the months following a month you were particularly active in referring others, you will find that you are receiving more referrals! I have seen the "what goes around, comes around" principle illustrated over and over in BNI, the networking organization I founded 20 years ago. This is a natural progression and one that can't really be rushed. I know it can seem frustrating at times when you are anxious to see your bottom line increase quickly from all the referrals you are anticipating receiving, but believe me, if you are patient and apply these techniques, you will see word-of-mouth marketing work for you in a big way. You can't take an orange tree and rip it up from the ground after a year and replant it on the other side of the yard, just because it wasn't bearing fruit where it was. You have to water, fertilize and care for the tree where it is. In time, it will produce fruit. Your efforts will pay off. You must approach building a word-of-mouth-based business this way. In a solid networking group, you are growing solid roots with the other participants. The worst thing for you to do is pull them up just as they are getting set.
Chapter Brags
Good Point!
The St. Joseph, Missouri, chapter has so much fun. We're having a contest and have split the chapter into two teams. Each team gets points for bringing guests, new members, referrals, etc. During the contest we have meeting themes such as Hat Day, Hawaiian Day, Movie Theme Day, Baseball Day and even Biker Day! Whichever team scores the most points will receive a picnic/pool party from the other team. When you're having this much fun, how can you lose? Networking in the Great Outdoors On the Kick-Off Day for the BNI Kruse Way chapter in Lake Oswego, Oregon, we had a few minor setbacks. Most importantly, we picked up the wrong key to the conference room. By the time we realized the mistake, there was no one available to exchange the key to allow us into the room until after 8:00 am. While we patiently waited for the key to arrive, everyone hung out in the elevator lobby. When the lobby started to heat up (literally) from so many people, we journeyed out into the parking garage. Not letting anything get in our way, we started the meeting outside in the parking garage. So, guess where the Kruse Way chapter of BNI was officially chartered? Outside! This unique experience really energized the chapter members, and the guests were impressed that we could overcome any obstacle, no matter how challenging. 1st Anniversary in Arizona This August, the Tucson, Arizona, Advantage chapter celebrated its first anniversary by noting that they are one of the select chapters in the Southwest Region to reach over 40 members. We started with 14 dedicated founding members a year ago, and because of the energy and quality of our people and their commitment to the 'Givers Gain' philosophy, other quality professionals have been eager to bring their talents to the group. In its first year, the Advantage chapter generated 960 referrals, participated in 1,039 Dance Cards and had 174 visitors attend their weekly breakfast meetings. Brenda Griffin, the aesthetician of the chapter said, "Building relationships and getting to know each other personally through our Dance Cards have really proven to be the major key to our success." The second key to their growth and success is the development of the chapter's Power Teams. The chapter has four Power Teams. Each team has elected a Team Captain and each team meets two times a month, independently of the weekly breakfasts. At these gatherings they explore better ways to give each other referrals and which open category on the team they will target next for recruitment. This dual approach of heavy emphasis on Dance Cards and Power Teams has created great enthusiasm and synergy within the group. Many friendships have resulted. One of the other factors that has helped the chapter's development is our commitment to follow all of the policies set out by BNI. The BNI concept is alive and well in Arizona! Givers Gain BNI Transforms Business
"I believe that Dale's thinking was that she should keep her 30-second commercial more generic because the people in this group were business people and wouldn't have much contact with the people in the nonprofit sector," he recalls. "And at the same time she was thinking that we wouldn't know anyone who could help her, I was sitting there thinking, 'Wow, she writes grants for nonprofits; I can refer people to her!'" Tony's employer, Compu-Tutor has several non-profit clients that use custom databases that are maintained by his firm. It is a true testimony to the fact that we shouldn't hold back during the marketing of our businesses by assuming that others won't understand. After she received a couple of referrals to nonprofit organizations that needed to secure grants, Dale switched gears and started specifically to promote that aspect of her business. Referrals started coming in, several turning into projects and/or long-term contracts. "In 2003 over 80 percent of my revenue was a direct result of referrals through BNI," Dale says. "And so far in 2004 (through May), 100 percent of my business has come either directly or indirectly from BNI referrals. In 2003 my receipts went up by over 50 percent, and in the first five months of 2004, my receipts are up by about 130 percent from the same period in 2003. I actually joined BNI for the collegiality, since I work from home. I never really expected it would become my primary source of business." She is now a professional fundraising counselor registered with the State of Pennsylvania, doing business as DZD Development Associates. One of her associates is event planner Debrah Anmuth, another member of the Flourtown chapter, whom she met through the group. Along with a direct fundraising consultant, they have the capacity to provide full service development assistance to nonprofits. Her BNI membership not only increased her revenues, but her vision of her capabilities as well. Says Dale, "If I hadn't joined BNI, I might not even be in business now. And here I am with a registered name, an employer identification number, and a congenial group of people to have lunch with every Monday. Wow." High Standards Set Dave Lamb, with his wife and business partner, Karen, a graphic designer, own the Fast Signs franchise on Broadway, in Mesa, Arizona. While they have owned it for just a few years, in that time they have become a significant business influence in the area. They are constantly on the lookout for opportunities and have added many things to their basic business products—:signs. Since joining the East Valley/Apache BNI Group, Dave and Karen have established a standard for word-of-mouth advertising that the rest of the group has tried, in vain, to emulate. In 2003 they provided a total of 55 referrals to fellow BNI members and brought in 7 visitors, half of whom have subsequently joined our group. In recognition of Dave's success in providing referrals and locating visitors who actually came to the meetings, we prevailed upon him to provide a half hour discussion where he shared his secrets for success. The effects were to spur fellow members to achieve record referrals the remainder of the year. This year, they are on track to beat last year's numbers, with 40 referrals to date and 4 visitors, one of whom has already joined our group. Dave and Karen's attitude and hard work demand to be recognized as the outstanding example of the rewards possible through word-of-mouth advertising and the epitome of the BNI philosophy. Givers Gain—and Bless Others The Knoxville, Tennessee, Bearden chapter of BNI recently showed a lot more than their savvy business skills. Our 15-year-old son was diagnosed with hip dysplasia last fall. I decided to change chapters after seven years to be closer to our home in Maryville, and the chapter I joined was a newly formed group of professionals. On April 10th, after ten days of being in St. Louis, Missouri for surgery and recovery at Shriner's Hospital, the Wings of Hope airlifted our son home in his body brace, unable to sit up. We transported him from the airport by ambulance. His care was difficult and very intense at first. My former chapter of BNI, the Bearden chapter, brought prepared foods of all kinds and flowers every week for eight weeks after their Friday morning meetings. It was such a surprise to receive their heartfelt generosity every week. This is more than a strong business chapter of professionals. These are friends, with whom I've done business, and they care! We felt so blessed to be the recipients of their kindnesses. It really freed me up to be with our son and spend very little time in the kitchen. Now, twelve weeks later, he is beginning to walk again. Soon, we plan to make a surprise entrance when he'll walk into a Bearden BNI meeting. Diane Browne Earns Performance Award Congratulations go out to Diane Browne from PostNet. She has been awarded the prestigious Carlson Craft outstanding dealer award, which recognizes exemplary dealer excellence. This is awarded to a few select dealers for outstanding performance and exceptional sales achievements. This is the second year in a row that Diane has received this award. Diane is a member of the Midland (Texas) Business Builders chapter of BNI. Congratulations, Members! BNI Members Earn Reader's Choice Award Recognition The Midland Reporter-Telegram (Texas) recently announced the winners of its annual Reader's Choice Awards. The Midland Business Builders Chapter of BNI was fortunate to have five of our members and/or their companies recognized. They include the following: Favorite People Category: Favorite Accountant—Russell Bennett of Bennet, Vincent & Co., PC (Russell Bennett, BNI member). Media: Favorite Newscast—NewsWest 9 (Donna Cooper, BNI member). Favorite Services: Favorite Electrical Repair & Service—Corey Sly Electrical Service, Inc. (Corey Sly, BNI member). Favorite Services: Favorite Home Mortgage Company—Pioneer Mortgage Company (Laura Moss, BNI member). Favorite Services: Favorite Mortgage Company—:Pioneer Mortgage Company (Laura Moss, BNI member). Gold Club "Congratulations, Member!" Gary Norris of XL Lending Group, Team Referrals chapter, Western Pennsylvania, is the latest member to achieve Gold Club Status. Thank You, BNI! I have gone full-time into investing in real estate. I now have a several multi-family units and a number of residential homes. The interesting part of this is that the team I have built around me of BNI members: closing attorney, mortgage broker, CPA, etc…) They are people I've known for a long time. I couldn't have done it without them. The skills and contacts I learned and obtained in BNI have far outweighed the dollar benefit. This organization has taught me a tremendous amount. I would not be where I am today without BNI. I am writing to personally attest to the influence BNI has had on my life and career. As a newly licensed insurance agent in San Francisco, I moved to Southern California, where I was originally from. Though I was not new to the Newport Beach area, I had not lived here for over eight years. I was practically starting over again in terms of contacts and a natural market. Joining BNI was the first thing I did. The chapter not only provided the much needed customer referrals, but also provided the camaraderie that I was lacking by being in business for myself. It is solely because of BNI that I survived my first six months of being in business. All other marketing methods and networking have taken 6 months to a year and counting to develop. When first starting, I couldn't afford that kind of time. The methods of BNI helped alleviate that "startup pain" and get my business off the ground. I met Dr. Misner at the Chicago meeting with Chapter Presidents. I asked him about specific tactics that can be used to get referrals because I'm not an experienced networker, even though I have twenty-five years of business experience. I used a tip Dr. Misner gave us today for the first time. I handed the BNI business card binder to one of my retail clients and told him that I did a lot of business by referral. I indicated that these business cards were people that I did business with and I'd like him to take a look at them to see if there was anything that might help his business or that was of interest to him. Lo and behold, he said he wants to advertise in Oak Park and would like to talk to the Wednesday Journal representative about newspaper advertising. Bingo, a referral! Just like he said there would be! I also found out a useful piece of information that I might not have known otherwise, that he wanted to expand his area of advertising. VALUABLE STUFF! We have ten employees in BNI, and fifty-four new sales from BNI year-to-date. BNI generated eighty-seven referrals in the second quarter of 2004 alone! So far this year (7/14/04) BNI has put $357,675 in my company's coffers – a personal gain to me of over $120,000. THANK YOU for the Masters of Success book seminar in Colorado! Wow! Dr. Misner's presentation is one of the best I've ever experienced. In The News
Column
All That Glimmers…
Avoid these 5 common but deadly networking mistakes
I recently did a workshop at a financial planning firm. It went well, but I was shocked by the common mistakes that almost all the attendees seemed to be making in their networking. It's almost undeniable that your success in business is directly related to the quality of your professional network and the relationships that those networks foster. These very relationships give you the ability to cultivate and develop allies who will refer you—with confidence. But to get these relationships, you need to avoid these networking mistakes I discovered at the workshop: 1. Seeking relationships with the maximum number of people. Most people I spoke with thought that more was better. I believe the best business comes from highly committed alliances with fewer and better referral sources. In fact, building an elite team of professionals who are concerned about growing each other's business and continuously marketing each other should lead to more profitable business. 2. Viewing networking as an activity. People often tell me they are going to an organization meeting or dinner meeting to "network." However, they seldom have a plan and often don't have their networking tools with them. Networking is about building relationships with someone who can help you grow your business. If you use this definition when visiting the event, you will be constantly network-building, trying to develop a plan to develop these relationships. 3. Accepting names to make "cold calls." A referral is a person who is interested in your product or service and is anticipating your call. I was amazed by the number of people who thought that the old "mention my name when you call" was actually a referral. That seldom works well, but you can easily turn that in your favor by asking the referral source to introduce you first to the potential referral. In fact, why not make it mutually rewarding by inviting the referral source and referral for coffee or lunch? This allows for a personal endorsement. 4. Participating in "pot-luck" networking. Many of those I interviewed thought that meeting as many people as possible in all types of venues and trading business cards was a productive means of networking. It's not. Think about it: Why would these virtual strangers want to help you and why would they give you good quality referrals? Start your networking with people you know, be selective as to whom you network with and invest good time and effort into this strategy. Remember, enter this with a "giving" mind-set and never lose sight of your goal in building a mutually beneficial relationship. 5. Thinking it's all about you. I found it interesting that every one I spoke with was only interested in his or her own personal success. Try developing a team of like-minded professionals and look to build combined relationships. There's tremendous value in inter-connecting and introducing people to one another, even if there is no direct business benefit. People often identify this as a "power network" and will seek you out when they know someone who needs your product or service weeks, months or even years from now.
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