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Members Event KL08
Sponsored by Emery Worldwide and VIS-AGE

BNI members from 24 countries gathered from May 27-30 in the sophisticated KL Convention Centre, in Kuala Lumpur. It is a stylish city, poised as the "Gateway to the East."

On Tuesday, top international speakers spoke to Asian directors, many of whom have been unable to afford travelling to California for the Annual BNI Directors Conference. The speeches were outstanding, replete with cutting-edge advice on how to run BNI as a business and how to stimulate PR.

The day started off with a phenomenal presentation from the Founder and Chairman of BNI, Dr. Ivan Misner. This was the first time many of the delegates from India, Thailand, Taiwan, and Malaysia had the opportunity to hear Dr. Misner and meet him in person. Dr. Misner was photographed many times, quipping that he felt like a pop star in Asia!

The second day was less packed with speakers to allow plenty of time for serious networking activities. Members worked the room asking, "Who do you know who can help me to get a contact for … ?" If the person could help, the member wrote down the member's name and promised to follow up later. The goal was to get about ten names. The morning was complete with Laughter Yoga. Every member benefitted with leads in hand and a healthy laugh!

Members also networked using lead generation slips. Every member took as many of these as they wanted and wrote down what and who they are looking for. They then pinned it on the board. This allowed for members to contact the person on the notice board or refer someone to them.

The 10-person team from Germany, led by National Director Harald Lais, told us they plan to target a country every year. They hope to meet international BNI Members, with a view of forging strong commercial links.

The highlight of day two was the Gala Dinner. By popular demand, the Lion Dance Troupe headed the entertainment, and again provided the "Wow" factor with their incredible energy and agility, a truly Asian spectacle.

For the first time ever, BNI invited their two strategic alliance partners, Ecademy and Referral Institute, to share the platform. This was a resounding success for all concerned, as it is likely to strengthen the relationships. Ecademy's Penny Power delivered a down-to-earth message about the potential of online networking. The Referral Institute's Mike Macedonio and Dawn Lyons gave a huge boost to the Directors Day with a strong motivational address.

The organizers are indebted to Niri Patel, National Director for India, for acting as MC throughout, and to Don and Nancy Morgan for their highly-charged presentation. Many thanks for a job well done!

Dr. Misner was generous in his praise for KL08, and has pledged his support for another Members Event in 2010. Having assessed the feedback sheets from the delegates present, there is an overwhelming demand to host the next one in Kuala Lumpur again.

Please visit www.bni-worldwide.com for further information and to read testimonials for KL08!

Submitted by Avryl Au and Robert French



International Networking Week Conference: Get Connected 09

Beth and LuAnn present Get Connected 09 at the 2008 US National BNI Convention

The first-ever International Networking Week 3-day Conference is coming in 2009. It was announced at the BNI National Directors Conference in Orlando that there will be a conference for networkers worldwide in St. Pete Beach, Florida, February 6-8, 2009. The conference, Get Connected 09, has been developed to connect business professionals who believe in word-of-mouth marketing to grow their business with world-renowned experts in networking and referral marketing.

Our colleagues in Europe have hosted two member conferences in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, over the past three years. Inspired by them and the "BFO" (Blinding Flash of the Obvious), that members should also have an opportunity to learn from the experts, brought BNI Minnesota Directors LuAnn Buechler and Beth Anderson to develop Get Connected 09.

But wait … it's not just for BNI members; it is open to all networking professionals—giving us all a chance to "get connected" with new opportunities in and outside of our organization. This conference will bring members and non-members together for a weekend of networking, education, and relationship building. It is an opportunity to promote International Networking Week and BNI to networkers worldwide. It is a chance to learn from each other and build relationships in a relaxed atmosphere. It is an occasion to combine work and play. So bring the family.

It is also an opportunity to learn from the experts. The keynote address will be delivered by our own Dr. Ivan Misner. Other featured speakers include BNI Executive Directors Frank DeRaffele and Jeff Stay. So don't miss it! Join us in St. Pete Beach for the first-ever International Networking Week Conference and Get Connected in '09.

For more information or to register go to http://www.GetConnected09.com.

Submitted by LuAnn Buechler & Beth Anderson, Assistant Directors, BNI Minnesota



Entrepreneurial Excellence Radio Show
Misner and De Raffele Offer "Referral Marketing Tips"

BNI Executive Director Frank De Raffele, creator and host of the Entrepreneurial Excellence Radio Show, has asked Dr. Ivan Misner, Founder and Chairman of BNI, to be on his radio show weekly with a segment entitled "The Referral Marketing Tip."

It was launched on June 16, 2008, when Dr. Ivan Misner and Frank De Raffele conducted a 4-minute Referral Marketing Tip for the entrepreneur. These tips are offered through conversational banter between the two, making the tip interesting, engaging, and fun.

De Raffele tells SuccessNet: "It's a win-win arrangement. Ivan gets great exposure for BNI, and my entrepreneurial audience benefits from the advice of the world's leading authority on networking, word-of-mouth marketing, and referrals."

The show web site, http://www.EERadioShow.com, will have archives of each of the shows and feature the Referral Marketing Tips. This will allow anyone to listen via the web anytime and to download podcasts.

Entrepreneurial Excellence is now being syndicated across the USA. It opens a new affiliate market in Palm Beach, Florida, the first week of August. If you would like to have the show broadcast in your area, contact Frank directly at Frank@EERadioShow.com.