Stop Interviewing for Members and Start Inviting Visitors

From March 2016

Do you have a child selling girl scout cookies right now? I love the enthusiasm of a girl scout!

Have you been to the grocery store lately? They usually stop you on your way in or on your way out...right. They ask EVERYBODY!

Now what does that have to do with BNI you ask?

Do you remember when you first started out in Sales? Did you just ask everyone you knew to buy your product or service? You got a few no's didn't you. But you have to Go Through the No's to Get to the Yeses!

How many times did someone you know - that you just thought your product or service would be perfect for them - Said NO.

How many times did that person who you thought would never in a million years be interested in your product or service - Buy? Total surprise! Right?

My point here is - sometimes we are to discerning....to judgmental about the people we invite to BNI. We want to analyze. Interview. Only pick the perfect one. The one who is going to make the Perfect member.

Here are the People to invite:

-        People who want to Grow their business
-        People who sell a product or service-        Entrepreneurs, Business owners, Sales People

-        People who depend on referrals

These people are EVERYWHERE in the community and are looking to network. They are looking to meet other business professionals. They are looking to Meet You! We just need to find them and invite them to BNI.

How did you get to BNI?  Most people were invited to a meeting.

Have you ever had your neighbor, past co-worker, etc. show up at your BNI meeting?  Little embarrassing isn't it that someone else invited them instead of you.  Don't let this happen to you.  Reach out.  Go through your database of contacts.  Make a phone call to see how they are doing.

So back to the Judgmental part - Are you NOT inviting because you think they wouldn't be interested in BNI, wouldn't make a good member, don't look the part? You don't think they can afford the membership?

             *****That's not your job as a BNI Member****

 

If they are trying to grow their business, then lend a helping hand.  Have a givers gain mindset and invite them to BNI. Let them experience a BNI meeting. Let them decide if BNI is right for them. And then if they do submit an application - let the Membership Committee do their job. The MC's job is to interview applicants to see if they are right for your BNI Chapter.

Think in terms of your company having job openings - But in this case Your Chapter has Job Openings - Hold an Open House. Invite business owners, Sales people, and Entrepreneurs to come and observe and meet other business professions who are helping each other grow their business.

HR (The Membership Committee) decides who is right for the positions you have open.

 

So Why do we want Visitors to attend Your meetings? 

-        We want to help them grow their business - Givers Gain

-        Visitors on average bring in on average about $1000 to $2000 to BNI Chapter Members

• They use the products and services of the members whether they become a member or not
  • One president of a BNI Chapter recently said that 15% of the business he receives from BNI comes from visitors.

-        Visitors create excitement and energy

• Most members seem to be more responsive when there are visitors in the room.

-        Grow the Chapter - Remember the 5 M's -

 

More Members Mean More Money

 

So what are your Top 5 seats you are wanting to fill?

So How do you find these people to Invite?

-        You may already know them - Call them and invite them

-        Who do you do business with? Follow the Money

-        Google search - Cold Call

-        What about your network? If you were looking for a product or service, would you ask your friends, neighbor, co-worker, who they would recommend? Ask them if they know a (One of your Top 5 Openings)

-        Social Media - Connections I Have/Want on Facebook

-        LinkedIn - Again, ask if anyone knows a good (One of your Top 5 Openings)
-         Signs - People are advertising everywhere - billboards, vehicle wraps, magazines, The Little Coupon Book, etc.  These people are paying for advertising to grow their business.  Call them and invite them to BNI.

How to Invite - Use the G.R.I.P. Method

-        Are you looking to Grow your business?

-        Do you depend on Referrals to Grow your business?

-        Would you be Interested in meeting other business professionals who meet to help each other grow their business and exchange referrals?

-        Great! Here is the Place and Time of the next meeting

  

According to the Traffic Light program, each member should have at least one visitor per month. So for a 20 member chapter that's at least 5 visitors per week. 30 member Chapter that's about 8 visitors per week, 40 member chapter 10 visitors per week.  

 

So Stop Interviewing for Members and

Start Inviting Visitors and Guests !!