April 2008
Art of NetworkingAdvice from Experienced BNI Members on Inviting Visitors to Your Meetings
What good is a Visitors Day if you don't convert visitors into new members? Admittedly, it takes chapter commitment: planning on how to reach the visitors on the front end, engaging the visitor during the meeting, and following up after the meeting. Here BNI members share their best tips for making the most of your Visitors Days:
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Jack Canfield's concept of E+R=O, which is Events + Response = Outcome, produces results.
I recently had the opportunity to share a story about a 13-year-old boy who was nominated to the National Young Leadership Student Conference (NYLSC). He knew that he wanted to attend but he couldn't afford it, and the NYLSC encourages the students to raise their own money through contributions.
His Outcome (or goal) was the desire to attend the conference. He had an Event that he had to overcome which was to raise $1,397 for his tuition within about 21 days. His Response was to evaluate who would be willing to contribute money towards this event. Utilizing the BNI Visitors Day model, he decided to send a letter to business owners and people in leadership roles that would understand the value in leadership skills. He followed the letters with personal phone calls. He made it happen, and raised the money. How do I know? That boy is my son.
How does this relate to you as a BNI member? If your chapter is planning a Visitors Day you may be asked to invite 40 business professionals to attend. If a 13-year-old can raise enough money and hit his goal in 21 days, all of you should be able to hit your goals of inviting 40 people to your Visitors Day event.
Think of the 13-year-old that got his outcome with a lot less years of relationship building—and he had to ask for money! Think of E+R=O … how will you respond?
Bill J. Ulvund, Director - BNI Northern Michigan
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The optimal way to invite visitors is to treat them as if BNI meetings are recruiting sessions for a well-paid position at a well-regarded company.
Say: "I'm in an organization of local business people who gather to pass referrals. We are interviewing bankers to fill a spot in our group. John, I know you well and thought of you. Can I make a reservation for you?"
If yes, great! Offer to meet him somewhere just before the meeting starts.
If no, say: "I understand. But we still need a banker for our chapter to pass referrals to. Do you know of any other bankers who might be willing to join our group for the purpose of receiving referrals?"
Submitted by Kevin Jarchow, Assistant Director - BNI Team Michigan
Lead Wealth Advisor for West Michigan Wealth Management, LLC. He can be reached on the web at www.lpl.com/kevin.jarchow.
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I think it's important to remember that some people need a whole bunch of information before they decide to do something—and some don't. I also think it's not up to us to tell someone everything we know about BNI right away.
As they said in Hello Dolly, "Let the food smile"—meaning let BNI speak for itself!
When I was invited, I was told, "I have a group of business associates who are looking to do business with someone who does what you do. Would you like to come to our meeting? Oh, and bring 50 business cards." That was it.
BNI and its value spoke for itself in that meeting. I didn't need more information. I knew I needed BNI and would do whatever it took to be a part of it.
Karen Frank, Wordsmith/Producer/Director, Miss Karen's Productions
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Instead of referring to the dollars as the "cost" to join, use the word "investment" and emphasize it. Simply put, making money in business requires investing money in the business.
Find out how these folks normally advertise their business, and ask if they have been able to track the success of their advertising dollars. Are those investments making the phone ring? BNI's premise is that "the phone will ring."
When done right, the member, for their investment, gets a sales-force that they would probably never be able to have. Their business or product also gets exposure to people that would likely never be touched by the member's other advertising. Depending on the business or product, one sale can more than offset the original investment.
Always emphasize the business aspect of the meal investment. If your group meets in the morning, then the cost should be marketed to prospective members as a once-a-week breakfast sales meeting. If the group meets at lunch, then it should be marketed to the audience as a business lunch meeting with their sales force.
Work on identifying complimentary businesses to create or enhance power groups. Doing so demonstrates to prospective members that there is a "built-in" resource to make sales, thereby offsetting the original investment sooner.
As a by-product of membership, prospective members can be assured of making new friends. Putting a cost-benefit formula to this is impossible. But it is real. Even if membership ceases at some point in the future, the member probably will continue to close sales based on their BNI involvement.
Submitted by Ira Bland, Realtor®, Century 21 Crest, La Crescenta, CA
Member of BNI Lunch Bunch Chapter, Burbank - Glendale
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One of the most recurring calls regional offices receive is from people who visited a BNI chapter and ask, "Now what do I do?"
This indicates that visitors leave their initial meeting without interacting with the chapter members. Do not let your visitors leave without sitting down with them and going over what they should do next!
This job can be handled by one of the visitor hosts. Talk with your director for their specific process.
Also, at least three people should contact the visitor within 24 hours by phone, not by email. The president, a visitor host, and the person who invited them are good people to make the contact.
Tell them they are wanted. Let them know the process. Tell them you are calling to see what they thought of the meeting, and ask them if they have questions. Name a profession that is looking forward to them joining because they can see how business can be passed between the two professions.
Follow up, follow up, follow up—it's the key to closing anything.
Submitted by Beth M. Anderson, Assistant Director - BNI Minnesota, OrgTrack.com
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I believe the most important thing you can do for new or potential members is explain how many referrals to expect in the first six months!
Failing to set their expectations at a realistic level will cause your chapter to lose new members after three to five months as they may have received very few (if any) good quality referrals during their establishment phase in BNI.
Yet I have been thanked on a number of occasions (after six to nine months) by new members for explaining, "Expect no referrals for the first six months. Members need to learn about your business, learn to trust you personally, and see whether you are committed to the group." I further explain that they need to work BNI rather than just turn up and expect results.
So set expectations at the lowest level and you won't lose members through frustration.
Richard Simmons, Director - Diamond Fusion, BNI Parnell Chapter, New Zealand
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