January/February 2006
Art of NetworkingWe All Speak the Language of Referrals
 |
| Ivan Misner addresses the International Directors Conference beneath flags of every country in which BNI has chapters. |
As I helped develop BNI around the world over the last two decades, I frequently heard this type of networking wouldn't work in other countries. In fact, the first very time I was told "this won't work here, we're different" came from a business person in Southern California talking about people just 25 miles away in another part of Southern California!
Although I didn't realize it at the time, I later came to understand this person just didn't want to do the hard work necessary to slowly build his referral business. Rather than say, "I don't want to do that," it was easier to say, "We're different here," even though "here" was only a few miles away from "there."
I have been amazed, over the years, to meet people who absolutely refused to follow the tried and true fundamentals of BNI. In many cases they used the "we're different" or "that won't work here" arguments.
When talking about self-development, I have a friend who often says "When it comes to ourselves, we're always the exception." Everybody else should do what's been proven to work. It seems the "we're different here" mantra that some people spout actually prevents them from following proven methods of self-development. Only truly successful people understand everyone who has achieved success has succumbed to the basics.
Years ago, I began to dissect referral marketing to determine what makes this approach capable of crossing national and cultural boundaries so well. I determined the lowest common denominator is this: people want referrals! The public wants referrals, the business community wants referrals, everyone seems to want referrals. In order to generate referrals, people must build trust. Building trust takes time. Structured networking programs speed up the process in a safe environment, but it still takes time.
Apparently, this concept does transcend cultural differences. One of the reasons this happens is that networking programs operate "within" the cultural context, not outside of it. That is to say cultural differences can easily integrate within a structured program that is based on building trust among other business people. Structured networking programs are able to embrace cultural differences while following a system that emphasizes relationship building and referral generation.
My experience has shown me that people in any entrepreneurial economy can use a networking system to improve their business. If this system is done within the cultural context and not outside it, I have found the same networking concepts and techniques are almost completely transferable from one country to another.
This doesn't change the challenges that may occur when someone from one country networks or does business with someone from another country; however, networking techniques are simply business techniques. They work around the world—especially when they are applied within the specific cultural context.
We are all different—but we all speak the language of referrals.
We are all different—but we all believe that relationships are the key to building a business.
We are all different—but we all believe we can do better by helping connect people together.
BNI is a great way to "get" business—but it's an even better way to "do" business.
While there may be many things that can divide us, there are in fact some things that can unite us. Different countries and cultures, different languages and religions, different people and places, different races and accents, we are all united by one thing: we all speak the language of referrals. And that, my friends, transcends our cultural differences.
Dr. Ivan Misner is a New York Times bestselling author. He is also the Founder & Chairman of BNI (www.bni.com), the world's largest referral organization with thousands of Chapters in dozens of countries around the world. His most recent book, Masters of Success can be viewed at www.MastersofSuccess.biz. Dr. Misner is also the Founder of the Referral Institute a referral training company with franchises world-wide (www.referralinstitute.com). Dr. Misner can be reached at misner@bni.com.
