Let's face it. It's easier to try and please everyone. It's easier to blend in than stand out. It's less stressful and causes fewer problems. But only in the short run . . .
To really make a difference in your chapter as a member of the Leadership Team, you have to be able to confront the tough issues. You have to be able to set boundaries and challenge the lack of wisdom.
Yes, you can keep your head down, avoid conflict, play it safe and try to be invisible, but that's no way to create strength.
Do you want to be effective, or at the effect of everything else?
However, that doesn’t mean you have to become abrasive, or combative. Follow the BNI systems, be assertive and do it with dignity and professionalism. Gandhi said: "In a gentle way, you can shake the world." It’s your chapter. Are you in the game or are you on the sidelines? One of the most effective ways to confront issues and individuals is to ask questions.
Get members to communicate.
The key is to treat issues with compassion, and the more you do it the better you get at it. Yes, there will be times when people will not like what you say. They may even get upset. This is not a popularity contest. But if you're respectfully making your case with compassion and understanding, you will begin to affect positive change.
You're not obliged to make everyone comfortable. You're there to impact the group not to be impacted by it. To do that, you need to be able to address conflicts, set goals, share your ideas and pursue your chapter’s success.
You can create breakthroughs and mutually beneficial solutions or you can take the line of least resistance. There's not much middle ground.
We’d rather you were accused of being too firm than being too irrelevant.
Go ahead. Shake things up a bit! Not just to make waves, but to make things better for you, for your chapter members and for everyone’s business!
Geoff Kirkwood
(adapted from an article by Iain Whyte – BNI Scotland)
This is a fantastic effort. QEII Chapter in Brisbane recently published an article to promote BNI and their chapter in a local Lifestyle Magazine, "Your Local Magazine".
With a complete turnout of the chapter members, fellow chapter members, Frank Nemcek of HighPix Photography, took this innovative photo for the article, Jo tempelman from the magazine published the article, which was written by James Yuille from the IMA Group. A great example of self promotion by the chapter using internal resources.
Brett Emery of BNI Brisbane is the new executive Director of BNI Brisbane North, effective 1st September 2005.
Brett has a degree in Civil Engineering and for the last 4 years together with his wife has been running their own successful small business.
Brett has been a member of BNI since April 2002 and an Assistant Director since May 2004. In the 3.5 years that Brett has been a member he has received a staggering amount of business, developed as a business professional and also made some great friends. From his experience as both a member and as an assistant director he has made the commitment to become an executive Director.
"Although I have received a lot of business from BNI of which I am truly thankful, for me the biggest thing that I have gained from being involved with BNI is the PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT. I still recall the morning that I first attended a meeting of BNI as a visitor. I was just starting to enjoy my breakfast when the President stood up and said that we would now like the visitors to stand up and do a 60 second infomercial about their business. I almost choked on my scrambled eggs and immediately I was looking for the exit because at that stage I likened public speaking right up there with being shot.
I did stand up and shakily told the group who I was and what we did but found it a huge challenge to do. With the support and training that I received from BNI and the other members I am now comfortable with public speaking and actually enjoy it. One of the main reasons that I have become an Executive Director is so that I can help other business people to get the same results from BNI that I have" says Brett.
So if you are ever in the capital of the Sunshine State, drop Brett a line and catch up with the latest BNI news from around the region.
BNI is very pleased to announce that BNI Dubai UAE held its official kickoff on September 14th, 2005, with the launch of the Falcon Chapter!
Bijay Shah, National Director for BNI Middle East, is doing a remarkable job and is already working on the second BNI Chapter in the area.
The National Directors for the Middle East, Bijay & Anna Shah with the presence and support of Niri Patel, Executive Director for BNI Yorkshire, UK and also Joint National Director for BNI India, held a very successful kick-off for their first Dubai Chapter - aptly named the BNI Falcon Chapter - the Falcon being the National Symbol of the UAE.
Contacting Prospective Customers - Dr. Ivan Misner
Your referral source has done her job. Now it's time to contact the prospect. But be careful: The purpose of your first contact is not to make a sale or even ask the prospect if he has questions about your business. If--and only if--the prospect asks, should you present your products or services during this initial contact.
The purpose of the first contact with the prospect is: (i) to begin to build the relationship; (ii) to get to know the prospect better; (iii) to help the prospect get to know you better; (iv) to position yourself to make your next contact; and (v) to see if the prospect fits your source's description of her. Before making contact, do your homework. Find out from your source the best way to make your initial contact--by telephone? Letter? E-mail?
Meet the Face When your source gives you the green light, don't let the opportunity grow stale. Make your first contact with the prospect within 72 hours of getting the go-ahead. If your source can be present, the most advantageous contact is a face-to-face meeting at which your source can introduce you. This introduction should be more than just "Harry, this is Jerry. Jerry, this is Harry"; your source should give the prospect a more thorough briefing about you, your business and your products or services. During this first contact, your prospect may likely have questions for you, but he typically won't ask them during this initial meeting unless he has an urgent need for the kind of products or services you provide.
Drop a Line If your first meeting with your prospect can't be in person, your best bet is to write--a letter, a card, or email, for example--rather than to phone. This helps develop your relationship to let your prospect know you find him interesting enough to have taken the time to learn a few facts about him--not the fact that he needs your products or services, but the fact that he's a member of the Downtown Executive Society or that "Tom told me you're a great chess player." Express an interest in meeting him, and advise him you'll be calling to schedule a mutually convenient appointment. When you start composing your note to him, start by naming your referral source--a name he'll recognize.
Ring Up If your source recommends it and can guide you as to the best time to do so, you can make your initial contact with your prospect by phone: "Hello, Ms. Clearchannel. I'm Dr. Mark Star, and I'm calling you at the recommendation of Trudy Grossman." "Oh, hi, Mark. Trudy told me about you. She's quite impressed with your book, which she sent me a copy of. I'd like to have you on my show. Can you come to my studio two weeks from today?" The above situation isn't just a fantasy--your prospect could decide immediately to do business with you.
Follow Up When building relationships, it's always important not to let much time lapse without following up the first contact. Within two to three days, you should send your prospect a note expressing your pleasure in communicating with him. Once the prospect has expressed an interest in your products or services, you can provide information about them, but don't force it on him. Focus on fulfilling his needs and interests. Remember, to secure long-term loyalty of your prospect and convert her into a customer, you must first build a relationship. It may take a while, but if you've selected and briefed your sources well, and if you follow my recommendations, you'll speed up the process.
Lowest Common Denominator Doubles Quality Referrals
Lowest Common Denominator Doubles Quality Referrals
It's difficult to sell intangible services. It's especially difficult if members do not have any real world exposure to your services. My challenge when I joined BNI was to figure out how to communicate our numerous service capabilities in a comprehensive yet succinct manner.
As an outsourced human resources service firm, we provide a myriad of services for clients from organizational development to application forms. What kind of commercial could I develop that would 1) summarize our multi-faceted business and 2) provide an avenue for an introduction?
One of the key principles of a successful 60-second commercial is to break down your service or product into its most basic form or Lowest Common Denominator. So, I decided to highlight our training grant writing and tax credit services in my commercials. Within a few months of joining BNI, we gained 5 new clients. I then developed a cost/benefit sheet and handed it out to the members to demonstrate how HR services not only help save employers money, but also help employers obtain valuable quality employee training. As a result, quality referrals increased to 70%.
The success of using LCD has led us to expand our training grant writing and tax credit services on a national basis. LCD Works!
Joyce Maynard, SPHR, Vice President and Treasurer, HR Xpress, Inc. Providence Chapter Mentor and Ambassador - United States
Why do some chapters grow faster and generate more referrals than others?
By Graham Southwell, National Director, New Zealand
The Secret is no secret at all - it's doing the basics right.
Remember that BNI is a franchise. It is based on a system that has been growing and developing since the mid-1980s. Like all good systems - including McDonalds - BNI doesn't work if you try to reinvent it or decide some things are not as important as others. The chapters that enjoy the most success are the ones where all the membership participates in doing the basics right.
The basics include:
Attendance When members are absent without a substitute, they send negative messages to the rest of the chapter ie not keeping appointments and a lack of commitment are 'OK'. Studies in BNI have shown that reducing absenteeism has two effects: membership increases, and referral volume increases substantially.
Inviting Visitors All chapters need to have visitors if they are to grow and be effective. A meeting without visitors is a missed opportunity. Inviting visitors is not about "selling" BNI; a simple invitation to a "Business Breakfast" is generally the right approach.
Referrals Referrals flow when a chapter is properly built. Double your chapter size, and your referrals will triple. Finding referral opportunities for others takes some effort. Do you realy understand what to look for i.e. are you doing your dances with your fellow members? Do you prepare your 60 seconds and ten minute presentations? Basically, are you genuinely making an effort on behalf of your fellow members?
Leadership Do you make excuses when a leadership opportunity arises in your chapter? Good chapters are full of committed people who understand that other members' business needs and aspirations. They have taken the time to get to know their fellow members well and accept that this is a long-term process. Immediate results in BNI can be seen, but the business done over time by those who have embraced the "Givers Gain" philosophy is something that comes as no surprise.
