Follow Up - Visitors

From January 2017

For this newsletter I want to touch on the Follow Up plan a Chapter should have in regards to their visitors.  But let's first understand the 'why.'  Visitors are important to BNI chapters for several reasons.  Not only as prospective members to grow the chapter, but visitors, even if they don't join, bring on average about $1200 in additional revenue to the chapter.  This is why it is important to have a Follow Up strategy for visitors for before and after the meeting to ensure they feel welcomed and appreciated.

Here are some recommendations:

• Visitors should be registered prior to the meeting.  That way the entire Chapter receives an email that a visitor has registered to attend.  The members (particularly those in the visitor's contact sphere) should reach out and let the prospective visitor know they look forward to meeting them.  That lets the visitor know that they are being expected at the meeting and they will be much less likely to be a no-show.
• Just prior to the meeting, a follow-up confirmation email* with directions,expectations, i.e. bring business cards, prepare infomercial, etc. should be sent.  This task could be delegated to one of the visitor hosts or the growth/event coordinator.
• After the meeting the Secretary/Treasurer enters all of the first time visitors into BNIConnect.  This triggers a Follow Up email and phone call from BNI, however there should also be Follow Up from the BNI Chapter within 24 to 48 hours by phone and email*.  A phone call should be placed asking if the visitor had any additional questions, etc.  An email* can also be sent with additional information along with other resource information about BNI. This task is usually done by a member of the visitor host team or could be done by the Growth Coordinator.
• The member who invited the visitor should also be following up with their visitor. 
• Some chapters also add their visitors to theiremail newsletter distribution list as a way to keep in touch.  Not all visitors can or choose to submit an application at the time they first attend.  By keeping in touch, when they are ready to pursue a membership they will feel compelled to submit their application with the chapter who kept in touch.
• It has also been suggested to Follow Up with those visitors who registered to attend but didnot show up.  A courtesy phone call could be placed to ask the prospective visitor if there was a problem finding the location, etc. and to invite them to attend a future meeting.  This task could be done by the visitor host member doing the other Follow Up phone calls.  I would also suggest adding these individuals to the 'keep in touch' distribution list.

Some feel that this is way to much Follow Up.  In my opinion I had rather see to much rather than not enough, or worse - none at all.  If Follow Up is done correctly with the 'Givers Gain' attitude then it helps the visitor to feel like they are appreciated, welcomed, and hopefully will want to become a part of BNI and/or do business with their members.  However, often times I see chapters not doing anything and losing visitors as members because the visitor did not feel that they were welcomed and appreciated.  From the first BNI meeting I attended until I finally submitted an application (about 2 years), I attended about 3 or 4 different BNI meetings and I don't remember any Follow Up.  It was only after a personal friend called to tell me there was an opening in her chapter and she thought I would be a good fit, that I finally made the commitment.  

 

I believe the Fortune is in the Follow Up.  This chart is just as applicable to BNI visitors as it is to our business prospects.  If you want to see Growth and Revenue in your chapters - You have to Follow Up!