Be Our Guest

 

In BNI we continuously encourage members to invite visitors.  And we encourage members to visit other BNI Chapters especially if their seat is open.  This article is about the ‘Dos and Don’ts on how to be a good guest when visiting another BNI chapter as well as tips to chapters on welcoming visitors, guests, as well as other BNI members.

-       - We encourage members to invite visitors for growth, for referral partners, to meet potential consumers, etc

-       - We encourage members to visit other chapters to meet potential referral partners, gain ideas, and to meet potential consumers, i.e. other BNI members. 

-       - We encourage Core Group members to visit other chapters to see how an existing BNI chapter functions, to get the vision for building a BNI chapter, as well as training.

Here are some Dos for BNI Members, who are Guests, visiting another BNI Chapter:

- Register ahead of time via BNIConnect, not at the last minute, and register as a Guest.  Or even better, contact the VP or S/T to ensure your seat is not filled or your industry is not currently filled in that chapter.  

- Members also need to remember that members from other chapters are not visitors, they are guests and as such, they do not get credit on the Power of One report as they are not a first-time visitor who can fill a seat.

- If you are a Core Group Member and attending a chapter and your seat is filled in the chapter you are visiting, contact the member who holds your seat in the chapter ahead of time to let them know the purpose of your visit.  Perhaps schedule a 1-2-1 to learn about their experience in BNI.

- Schedule 1-2-1s with the members of the chapter you are visiting.  Perhaps with those who would be potential referral partners.

- Meet the President of the Chapter.  Let him/her know you are a BNI Member and which chapter you are a member. This builds goodwill across chapters.

- Refer business if possible to members whose industry is not in your own chapter.

- Present a positive and supportive attitude to members, guests, and visitors.

- If given the opportunity to speak, tell your BNI story, i.e. why you became a member of BNI especially if your seat is already filled in the chapter you are visiting.

Now some Don'ts when visiting another BNI Chapter as a Guest - 

- Do not solicit or invite visitors and guests from the chapter you are visiting to attend your chapter - ever!

- Do not solicit members to come and join your chapter.

- Do not give your infomercial or ask for business especially if your industry seat is filled in the chapter you are visiting. Some chapters do not allow infomercials from those whose seat is already filled, but some will allow members to tell which chapter they are with and may allow you to tell your BNI story, i.e. why you became involved with BNI as long as you stay within their time limit for their infomercials.

- Don't attend another Chapter's Visitor Day unless asked by a Director to attend and tell your BNI story.  Visitor Days are to grow a chapter's membership so they want visitors who can fill seats at their visitor day, not BNI members from other chapters.

- Don't speak negatively against BNI, your chapter, or other members.

- Do not Sub Hunt!  There are many recommended ways to find a sub other than another BNI Chapter and its members.  Nor do you ask to be a Sub for their chapter!

- Don't wear out your welcome.  Limit your visits to no more than 2 to 3 in six months.  And each time you plan to visit, check to see if your industry seat has been filled.

When a visitor registers to visit a chapter, the recommended practice is to call and email the visitor to let them know what to expect at the meeting because BNI is not your typical networking meeting.  When visitors visit a chapter, typically the chapter members are very welcoming as this is a prospect for a new member or a potential consumer.  Chapter Members are eager to meet and get to know the visitor.  Some members make it a point to have a 1-2-1 with all the visitors as it could lead to new business.  

A BNI Chapter owes another BNI member the same courtesy as a visitor, i.e. a phone call or an email prior to the meeting as to the expectations of the meeting.  Some chapters have different guidelines for guests and BNI members from other chapters especially if the seat is already filled or there is overlap.  It is best to explain these guidelines ahead of time rather than the BNI Member showing up at the meeting and then being told their industry seat is already filled and they will not be given the opportunity to do an infomercial. 

But what if a visitor or guest attends a meeting and is with an industry that the seat is already filled.  And what if that visitor or guest gives their infomercial.  It's OK.  Yes, we are a closed networking group in that we only allow one member per industry seat.  Remember our philosophy is Givers Gain.  The other members understand and are not going to give a visitor or guest referrals when they already have that seat filled in their chapter.  Some chapters handle their guests and visitors this way and others don't.  The best practice is to speak to the visitor or guest ahead of time and set expectations.

By being welcoming to visitors and guests whose seats are already filled, you may gain some potential consumers.  Hey, they may need the products or services of some of your members.  And you can help the visitors who are interested in BNI by referring them to other chapters where their industry seat is open.  Or refer them to your Support Director.

How does your chapter handle guests and other BNI members visiting your chapter?  We welcome your comments and feedback.

In appreciation,

Annette

Area Director

ACTIVATE

 

Hopefully, by now you have heard of ACTIVATE. If you have been around BNI for a while you've heard of Member Extravaganza, which is our Spring Membership Drive. BNI has rebranded and revamped this program and for Spring 2021 it is called ACTIVATE.

Each Chapter and Core Group is asked to choose from 3 Growth Accelerators and appoint Growth Champions to lead the activities to help their chapters grow their membership. There will be training webinars and support material for each one of the Growth Accelerators.

There will be lots of recognition, cash prizes, as well as a grand prize! Each member who sponsors a new member will receive $50 and for those chapters/core groups who sponsor a total of 6 new members, the sponsoring member's names will go into a drawing for a new iPad or $1000!

The three Growth Accelerators are a Visitor's Day, BNI Game, or Contract Spheres. Get with your Leadership Team to find out which one your chapter will be doing.

So how can you prepare and participate?

• Start making your list of Referral Partners you would like to have on your team.
• Go through your database and see who you know who has a business. And/or follow up with friends and clients you haven't talked with in a while. Some may be looking for an opportunity to network.
• Ask people you know if they know people in the industries that you want as referral partners, i.e. if you need a web designer, then ask everyone you know if they know a good web designer and ask for an introduction. Contact them and ask if they are looking to grow their business. If so then invite them to come to your chapter meeting to meet other business professions who can pass them referrals.
• Ask on social media for a good web designer. From the replies and testimonials, do a search and find their contact information. Contact them and ask them to come and network as described in the bullet point above.
• Do you get phone calls from salespeople and vendors? Tell them you would like to introduce them to some business people who can help them get referrals. Invite them to network.
• Do you get mail, both emails and snail mail from people advertising and soliciting for business? Contact them and offer to introduce them to your referral team. Tell them you don't currently have anyone in your group to pass referrals to.

Get the idea? It's all about having an inviting mindset. For instance, recently a BNI member was pumping gas, and next to him was a person in a truck with a sign on the truck for his business. The BNI Member started a conversation with him and asked him about his business. Guess what? The BNI Member invited the person to their BNI meeting and they attended. Are you looking for opportunities to invite?

So why do you want to invite visitors to your chapter meeting?

• Visitors are consumers. As business owners, we are all looking to get in front of new people. Visitors can use the products and services of the chapter members. So when you meet someone new, rather than trying to sell to them, invite them to come and network. It's all about Givers Gain. They come to your meeting. They not only get to hear about what you do and the other members, but also they have an opportunity to present their business.
• Visitors add energy to the meeting.
• Visitors know people. I often hear from members that some of their biggest and best referrals come from visitors.
• Visitors become members. We all want more referrals. The more members a chapter has, the more referrals will be passed.

Click Here to watch a short video of Dr. Ben McDowell telling about how he learned to invite with some help and coaching from one of his fellow members, David Kapper.

It's up to every member to do their part. Don't be that member that sits back and expects everyone else to bring visitors. Everyone knows someone they can invite.

If you have questions about ACTIVATE or need help and support, reach out to your Support Director Consultant.

Here are some additional resources:

• Culture of Recruiting - Podcast #220
• Inviting is Easy Online - Podcast #659
• I've Invited Everyone I Know - Podcast #633
• The Value of Visitors - Podcast #613

For previous articles refer to the Notably Green Blog.

And join the Facebook Group - Notably Green

I encourage you to access the podcasts via BNI Business Builder so that you show up on the Leader board for your Chapter and your area. To make it easier, you can also download the app to your smart device. It's available from ITunes and Google. Also, be sure and report your CEUs, 1 hour = 1 CEU.

Let me know if you have any questions and how I can be of help.     To Your Success, Annette Mason Area Director Consultant    Please let me know of other topics you would like to know about that I can add to future newsletters.

Secret Formula for Success

 

There really is no secret.  You already have the formula.  It's just a matter of learning how to be more effective and efficient.

What I feel is the issue for most new members, is new members come into BNI thinking that BNI is going to be the Be All - End All for all of their networking and referrals. They think they are going to get a ton of referrals right out of the gate. The referrals are just going to fall out of the sky miraculously.  And they seem shocked to learn it's going to take some work on their part to either learn how to network effectively and efficiently and to un-learn past ways of networking that were ineffective.

I attended a webinar a few weeks ago and heard an interesting statistic from the presenter.  He said it's usually about the 3rd year that most BNI member's referrals and revenue really begins to kick in.  This was one of those Ah-Ha moments because most members aren't willing to give it that much time, must less do the work involved to get to that level.  We've always heard that members who renew their first year, usually remain members for 5+ years. But most new members give up and decide to leave about six months in when they have really not put forth the effort to be successful.  Most business coaches will tell you, it takes 3 to 5 years to have a profitable business.  Why would you think BNI is going to be an instant windfall of referrals and business?

So what is the Secret Formula?

Members who are Green report 6 to 8 times more revenue than those members in Red or Grey.

You see, BNI tracks everything and according to the statistics, the Power of One is the standard for success.  But, it's not just about going through the motions of doing the activities, it's learning how to do them the right way and that takes time and practice.  You've heard the phrase 'practice makes perfect.'  When you're trying to learn a new skill, how many times does it take before you get it right?  And once you get it right, you have to keep doing it correctly in order to achieve the results you desire.

So let's go through each one of these and break it down as to how to get more effective and efficient.  

• CEU - Chapter Education Unit.  Learn More to Earn More.  Another interesting statistic.  Those members with higher CEUs typically receive more referrals and have higher TYFCB. BNI is a marketing system that teaches us how to build relationships in order to grow our business.  BNI provides all types of learning opportunities via websites, podcasts, webinars, BNI Business Builders, Advanced Trainings, Monday Mugs, Live Help Friday, books, etc.  It's up to us as members to take advantage of these trainings.  So where do you start?  Start with the basics.  Even if you've been a member for a while, it's always good to go back to the beginning for a refresher. It used to be that every member was asked to complete MSP, Member Success Program, every year when they renewed. Did you complete MSP, Member Success Program?  It always helps to have a refresher of the basics. Did you attend the New Member Next Steps Webinar?  What about the Passport to Success Program?  Did you complete yours?  Do you have a Mentor? Talk with your Chapter's Mentor Coordinator and get assigned to someone who would be willing to mentor you. Ask yourself, where do you need help?  Is it more referrals?  How to improve your weekly presentation?  How to improve your spotlight presentation?  How to invite visitors?  Search for these subjects on BNI Business Builder, BNIPodcast.com, BNIPowerofOne.com. Seek out the people who do these things well and have a 1-2-1 and ask them for their tips.  These members could be in other chapters. Seek them out.

• 1-2-1s = More Referrals. In order to receive referrals, other members have to get to know you, like you, trust you, and want to help you.  How do you achieve that?  1-2-1s. And not just one 1-2-1.  It takes meeting with other members over and over to really get to know them and their business and learning how you can help them find referrals.  Yes, the BNI philosophy is 'Givers Gain.'  We have to give in order to receive. It also takes learning how to do an effective one to one.  You see a 1-2-1 in BNI is not just a 'coffee chat.'  It is not a 'one and done.' To truly have an effective one to one takes some preparation.  It starts with completing and exchanging your GAINS profile with the member you are meeting with prior to your 1-2-1.  You can also use the One to One Planner.  I was just talking with a long time BNI member the other day about this subject and he said, "I have a one to one with someone about twice a month, because it means 2 to 3 referrals each time." This is the 'secret sauce' for receiving and giving referrals.  It is the developing of the relationships with strategic referral partners with whom you can leverage referrals for each other. Your 1-2-1s can also be with other members from other chapters as well as with visitors. And by all means, have a 1-2-1 with your Director Consultant and pick their brain on what it takes to be successful in BNI.

• Referrals - Members are expected to pass 1 referral a week. If members are doing 1-2-1s consistently every week and learning what to listen and look for, it becomes second nature to find referrals. When they take it to another level and get proactive rather than reactive, they learn how to start conversations in order to uncover referrals for their fellow members. The other way to bring referrals to your fellow members is to invite visitors and make introductions.  Listen to your fellow members.  Who are they looking to meet?  Ask your contacts if they know someone in that industry and invite them to network. Use this reason for the invitation, is that you have someone in your referral group who is looking to meet someone in their profession for the purpose of passing referrals.  That introduction could turn into business.  And to receive referrals, a member needs to build relationships and build their creditability.  So, what does a Power of One score of Red or Grey say to your fellow members? How comfortable do you feel passing a referral to a member who has a Red or Grey Power of One score?

• Attendance - 80% of Success is Showing Up BNI is not the like other networking organizations.  You are not just a name of a roster.  Another interesting statistic, is those with low absences get more referrals. To get results from BNI you not only have to show up every week, but you also have to participate.  Because how you show up, is how your fellow members think you show up everywhere.  What does that mean you ask?  Do you show up late?  Or are you on time or better yet early?  Your fellow BNI member does not want to give a referral of his best client to someone who can't even get to a meeting on time.  Are you prepared each week? Part of showing up each week is to train your sales team on how to find you referrals.  Do you have a good weekly presentation prepared that describes that perfect referral for you?  Perhaps it's a story of a client you recently worked with.  Or a testimony from a client you helped. Or an interesting piece of industry information your fellow members could use to help find you a referral.  Participation also includes being engaged in the meeting.  Focusing on the speaker, not multi-tasking, texting, etc.  And since we are on Zoom calls, are you on camera, in good lighting, etc.  Dressed for a business meeting?  Have a good setting or a virtual background?  No distractions?  And back to participation - What other duties have you taken on in your chapter?  Part of building creditability is being visible and volunteering to help in needed areas. This helps to build trust and shows you are a dependable reliable person.

• Inviting Visitors - I covered this topic in last month's newletter, i.e. the value of visitors and how to invite.  Click here to read the article.

You see, you have had the Secret Formula for Success in BNI all along.  

It is just learning how to execute the formula efficiently and effectively 

to be successful.

If you or your chapter needs help and support, reach out to your Support Director Consultant.

Here are some additional resources:

First Year of BNI is the Hardest - Dr. Misner

Learn More Earn More - Tom Fleming

Proactive Referrals - Dr. Misner & Frank de Raffele

80% of Success is Showing Up - Dr. Misner

Power of One - Visitors - Tim Roberts

For previous articles refer to my Notably Green Blog.

And join the Facebook Group - Notably Green

I encourage you to access the podcasts via BNI University so that you show up on the Leader board for your Chapter and your area.  To make it easier, you can also download the app to your smart device.  It's available from ITunes and Google.  Also, be sure and report your CEUs, 1 hour = 1 CEU.

Let me know if you have any questions and how I can be of help.  

 

To Your Success,

 

Annette Mason

Area Director Consultant

Visitors Fix Everything

 

"Visitors fix everything!" ~ Cathy Barbieri

How do Visitors fix everything?

Do you want to grow your business?

Do you want more referrals?

Visitors are the Answer

- Visitors are prospects.  

- Prospects can turn into Customers/Referrals and Members

- Customers/Referrals/Members = Revenue $$

Why Invite Visitors?

1. Visitors bring energy - They are eager to network. Excited to meet new prospects. Members see new prospects and therefore they present a better weekly presentation which equal more energy for your meeting.

2. Visitors bring possible referrals - Many members report receiving their best referrals form visitors. Randy Amerson with the BAG Chapter says that the largest referral, revenue wise, he has ever received came from a visitor.

3. Visitors increase the revenue for most chapters by about 20 to 30%. They refer themselves and/or others to the members. Each visitor is said to be worth $1000 to $1500.  So, when you invite visitors, someone from your chapter stands to benefit.  That could be you.

4. Visitors become members. Most everyone was invited to attend a BNI meeting by a BNI Member.  This contributes to the growth of the chapter.  More members mean more referrals which means more revenue for members.

5. Visitors refer other possible members. They may not wish to become a member, but they may know someone to refer who would be a good fit.

6. Attrition happens - You can expect to lose members from time to time in a BNI chapter. It can be for different reasons. Job Changes, relocation, some just can't honor the commitment, and maybe even retirement... the list goes on. Visitors are the life blood of your chapter. Visitors are where new members are found.

7. Visitors make good subs. Not all visitors will become members, but some would like the opportunity to be invited back. It's always good to keep a list of the visitors so that when you need a sub, you have several to contact.

8. Invite visitors for introductions. Listen to your fellow members weekly presentations.  Who do they want to meet?  Then be on the lookout for that industry or person and invite them to your BNI meeting.  That introduction could turn into a referral and closed business.

9. Building Relationships - It is always great when someone you've invited is interested and available to accompany you to a BNI meeting. But what if they can't make it? It's still good that you asked. It's building the relationship. Networking isn't only achieved when the initial goal is met; just making a contact is important, as you never know what will manifest in the future. Extending an invitation kindles your relationships to all the people you've invited, even if they weren't able to attend. So, when you're contacting and/or following up with clients, vendors, etc. extend an invitation to your BNI meeting and/or ask 'Who do you know?'

10. Power of One and personal creditability - It is a part of membership to invite at least one visitor per month. When your fellow members look at the Power of One report, that report speaks to each member's creditability according to their score.  Those members in green earn 8 times more than those in red. And being in grey, is just not OK. Do you refer business to those members in red or grey?

So, we've gone over the Why, now let's talk about Who to invite.

ABC's and D for inviting - 

A = Attitude - When considering inviting, you as a member needs a Giver's Gain attitude and Mindset.  You're doing it to help the invitee and your chapter and in turn it will help you. And one of the criteria of an invitee is for them to have a good attitude. If we recognize that visitors bring business (an average of $1k closed business each) and energy to the chapter meeting, then anyone with a good attitude makes a good visitor. Period. 

B = Business Owners - You want to invite Business Owners who are looking to grow their business. Who do you know who is looking for more business?  Do you get phone calls for solicitation? Junk mail? Advertisements?  Signage, i.e. in neighbors yards, on vehicles, billboards, etc.  See posts on Social Media?  Invite them to your BNI meeting and introduce them to your fellow referral partners.  When someone is trying to sell you something, say something like, "Would you be interested in meeting (# of members in your chapter) other business people who might be interested in your product/service?"  If they say yes, then invite them to your BNI meeting.

C = Clients and Customers - What do your clients and customers do for a living?  Are they business owners? Strike up a conversation and find out.  And of course ask if they know of any business owners who are looking for more referrals and who would be interested in attending a networking meeting.

D = Deliberate - Who do you need to meet? Who would make a good referral partner for you? Who would be a good addition to your contact sphere?  Who would be a good Power Team member?  Ask everyone you know if they know someone in that industry.  Again, you are helping your chapter and yourself as well as the invitee.

How do you invite?

The simplest and easiest method is to use the GRIP method.

G - Are you looking to grow your business?

R - Do you depend on referrals to grow your business?

I - Would you be interested in meeting other business professionals who help each other by passing referrals?

P - Give them the particulars for your meeting.

Ask, but don't give out to much information - 

- Do not use the word 'join.'  You are inviting them to come and network.

- Do not mention weekly meetings.  You are inviting them to attend one meeting to network.

- Do not mention any fees.  You are inviting them to come and network. It is free to attend. Free opportunity for them to advertise and market their business.

How to invite on Social Media - 

- Monitor groups where people are looking for referrals and when you see a person or company referred several times with good testimonials, send a private message - 'I saw that you received great reviews. Are you looking for more referrals? If yes -

'I'd like to invite you to a group I just recently help get started in [YOUR CITY] to focus on strategizing word of mouth referrals.  If you have time on [DATE AND TIME OF YOUR MEETING], I'd love to invite you to a free virtual networking session! There will be men and women from different classifications who all are looking to pass exclusive referrals to one another! If you are interested, I would love to get you registered. There is no obligation and it's completely free so if anything, you'll get free advertising for the day!

You can also make a post on a social media platform, i.e. Facebook, Alignable, LinkedIn, etc. and ask for a certain industry for your contact sphere, power team, etc.

Inviting is a numbers game. Not everyone is going to say yes. You are going to get some nos. Sometimes you have to ask several times before they will actually attend. Just like you wouldn't stop seeking business for yourself, you want to keep seeking guests and visitors for your BNI meeting. It will add to you and your chapter's bottom line as well as increase your creditability with your fellow members.

If you or your chapter needs help and support, reach out to your Support Director Consultant.

Here are some additional resources:

Five Reasons to Invite - Laura Goodman

Why Invite Visitors to BNI - Brian Loebig

The ABC and D of Who to Invite - Richard Foulkes

100 Visitors in 15 minutes - YouTube

Inviting Visitors via Whats App - Dr. Ivan Misner

Inviting Visitors the Easy Way - Jon Sooy

How to invite Visitors Successfully - Bram Lagrou 

For previous articles refer to my Notably Green Blog.

And join the Facebook Group - Notably Green

I encourage you to access the podcasts via BNI University so that you show up on the Leader board for your Chapter and your area.  To make it easier, you can also download the app to your smart device.  It's available from ITunes and Google.  Also, be sure and report your CEUs, 1 hour = 1 CEU.

Let me know if you have any questions and how I can be of help.  

 

To Your Success,

 

Annette Mason

Area Director Consultant

What is the Value of Your Chapter's Visitor Experience?

For the last few weeks or so, I have been enjoying and learning from the videos a by Hazel Walker, who is a BNI Franchise Owner and Author.  She has a YouTube Channel called 'Walker this Way,' Queen of all things BNI.  She provides a wealth of information and knowledge and delivers in a poignant and humorous way.

In one of her videos, she asks the question, 'What is the value of your Chapter's Visitor Experience?  Are you providing a $1000 Experience or a $300 Experience?'  I highly recommend every Chapter Member, especially all of the Visitor Hosts view this video.  I believe it will explain the importance of providing an outstanding Visitor Experience at every Chapter meeting.  After all, if you want more referrals, you need more members, and to get more members, you need more visitors.

So let's go over some of the Best Practices for providing an Awesome Visitor Experience.

Prior to the meeting - 

- Have members register Visitors prior to the meeting. Training members to register their visitors provides the Visitor Host Team with the information they need to prepare the pre-printed name tags.  Some chapters also have a 'Welcome Visitors' section on their printed agenda and lists all the registered visitors.

- Make Contact with Visitors prior to the meeting.  A best practice is to call all of the registered visitors. In some chapters the president does this.  In others, a member of the Visitor Host Team calls the registered visitors.  The purpose of the call is to give the visitor an idea of what to expect at the meeting.  Make sure they have the directions to the location and ask them who they would like to meet at the meeting.  By promising to introduce them to whom they would like to meet, perhaps a referral partner, it gives the visitor more incentive to show up.  Also, follow up with an email or at least send an email with the pertinent information to the registered visitors.

Day of the meeting - 

- Welcome the visitors.  The Visitor Host Team should arrive early and have the Visitor sign in table set up at least 20 - 25 minutes prior to the start of the meeting, as visitors tend to arrive early.

- Have the Visitor Sign in sheet ready for the Visitors to attach their business card.  Give them their pre-printed name badge and hand them off to one of the In Room Visitor Host.

- The In Room VH helps the Visitor find a place to sit.  Goes over the agenda, etc.  Introduces the visitor to the person they wanted to meet and/or a referral partner and gets the conversation started.  The In Room VH then goes back and gets the next Visitor.  There needs to be 2 or 3 In Room VH and all of the members need to understand this process and the importance of making the visitors feel welcome.

 

During the Meeting - 

- Ensure the Visitor is sitting next to someone who can/will assist and answer questions during the meeting. That could be the person who invited them, the referral partner they wanted to meet, or one of the In Room VH.

- At the beginning of the meeting, the President makes it a point to welcome the visitors and introduce each one, stating who invited them, if they are a visitor or a sub, and explains to them they will have an opportunity later in the meeting to tell the group more about their business.  An easy way to do this is to use the Visitor Sign In sheet with the visitors business cards stapled to it.  If there is a name that may be difficult to pronounce, the VH should write the name phonetically so that the President will have a better chance of getting it right.

- After the members and subs have done their infomercial, the President can use the Visitor sign in sheet to call on the Visitors to do their infomercial.  By calling on them, the President has more control in case there is a sub representing the same company or someone whose seat is already filled, the President can call them by name, thank them for coming and say something like, 'since you're representing the same company and have already given us information about your company, we'll go to the next person.'

- For the Contribution portion of the meeting (AKA 'I Have,' the President asks the visitors to also participate by stating one thing that they enjoyed most about the meeting.  (Ensure this portion of the meeting is being timed for members as well as visitors.  Most chapters allow 15 to 20 seconds.)

At the end of the Meeting - 

- The Sec/Treasurer reads the Call to Action and announces that Visitor Orientation will be held momentarily.

- The President announces Visitor Orientation, thanks the Visitors for attending, and lets the Visitors know that this is the portion of the meeting when the visitors will have an opportunity to learn a little more about BNI and get their questions answered and then they will have an opportunity to come back and network.

- The person sitting with the visitor ensures that the visitor gets to the Visitor Orientation.

- The Visitor Orientation Team gives a brief overview of the benefits of becoming a member and provides applications to those who are interested in membership.  This should take about 5 to 7 minutes.

After the Meeting - 'The Fortune is in the Follow Up'

- Following the meeting and within 24 to 48 hours, the Post VH calls each one of the visitors to thank them for attending and to ask if they have any questions.  Dependent on the response of the visitor, the Post VH provides the information to the appropriate person, i.e. if the member wants to move forward an apply for membership, the Post VH could email them an application or direct them to the BNIATL website and instruct them on completing the application and how to pay.  They would also notify the VP and Applications Specialist.  If the person is interested, but the time and/or location is not conducive to their schedule, the Post VH would put them in touch with the Director for the chapter who can assist in finding a more suitable location.  Also, for those who do show interest, let the visitors know that they may attend a second time.

- An email should also be sent as a follow up with all the pertinent information to reiterate the conversation and also to those the VH could not reach.

- The VH provides a report back to the President, the person who invited the visitor, the Quality Assurance Specialist (to follow up if appropriate), and to the Director Consultant (if the visitor wants to visit another chapter).

- The Visitor information should be accepted and/or entered into BNIConnect as part of the Palms report within 24 to 48 hours of the meeting.  This triggers the 'Engagement System' so that the visitor can receive information directly from BNI.  This includes a email survey as to what they thought about the BNI meeting they attended.

For Visitor Days and/or Stack Days reports can be run for past visitors and invite those in the chapter's targeted positions to these meetings.  Sometimes this will spark more interest and persuade them to submit an application.

I hope this information is helpful.  Here is a four minute video from a chapter in North Scotland that shows an exceptional visitor experience - Click Here to watch. 

Here are some additional resources:

The Value of Your Visitor Experience

Welcoming Visitors

Hidden Elements

Open Networking

Visitor Experience

I hope you found this information helpful.  If you have questions and/or need help, reach out to your Director Consultant, Area Director, or Senior Director.

In appreciation,

Annette

BNI Area Director

Rolling Out the Red Carpet

From February 2019

How was your first experience with BNI?

Did you feel welcomed?

In last month's newsletter we talked about the Value of a Visitor.  Inviting Visitors is part of the 'Givers Gain' philosophy of BNI.  It is a way to give to your fellow BNI members.  Your fellow members offer products and services that visitors may be looking for.  So by inviting visitors, you are bringing potential referrals to your fellow members.

So how was your first visit to BNI?  

Did you feel welcomed? 

BNI Chapters have a whole process to help ensure Visitors feel welcome.  

Here are the steps that are recommended to ensure every visitor gets the red carpet treatment:

 

• When a visitor registers to attend, they receive an email from BNI, thanking them for registering.
• Another email is sent to the Chapter Leadership Team and to the Visitor Hosts to alert them that they have Visitors registered to attend the upcoming meeting.

• The best practice is for the Visitor to receive a phone call from the president or designated Visitor Host to find out a little bit about the Visitor so that they may make the right introductions to their prospective referral partners at the meeting.
• The member who invited the Visitor, also follows up with the Visitor the day before to ensure they know the time and location of the meeting.
• Followed by the phone call, an email with the directions and other information the Visitor needs to know, is also suggested to be sent by a Visitor host.
• The Visitor Host prepares the Visitor name badges the night before thus letting the Visitor know when they arrive, that they were expected.
• The morning of the meeting, the member who invited the Visitor needs to arrive early to greet their Visitor.  
• The morning of the meeting, the Visitor Hosts arrive early to set up the Visitor registration table with all necessary material so that all the Visitors feel welcome.

• A Visitor hosts meets and welcomes the Visitors, helps them get signed in, and introduces them to someone in their contact sphere.
• (Great Chapters train their members, that ALL members are Visitor Hosts and they fill in and help out wherever it's needed.  After all, Visitors are potential business for all members.).
•  The Visitor is given a Visitor Information packet, i.e. BNI brochure, agenda, Chapter Member information/roster, etc.
• During the meeting, the member who invited the member, sits with their Visitor and answers questions and helps them through the agenda.  If there are any orphaned Visitors, a Visitor Host sits with them.  A Visitor should never be left alone.
• After the meeting, Visitor Orientation is held and the Visitors are given information about the benefits of BNI membership.  
• The Visitor Hosts helps the Visitors who have questions and assist those ready to complete an application.

• After the meeting, the Visitor Host follows up with the Visitors with a phone call, thanking them for attending and answers any questions they may have.
• The member who invited the Visitor should also follow up with their Visitor.
• Power Team members of the Visitor should follow up with the Visitor.  This could be the start of a referral partner relationship even if the Visitor doesn't join the chapter.
• The Visitor's information is verified in the system and their attendance is marked, so that they will become part of the BNI engagement process and receive periodic emails.

• It is recommended that Chapters keep in touch with past Visitors.  They are great resources for subs.  They may be able to fill open seats should they become available.  Invite them back for a second visit and/or for Focused Visitor Days, i.e. for a featured speaker, stack days, Power Team Days, etc.

Visitors who feel welcomed are more apt to do business with the Chapter members and quite possibly consider membership.  It's important to help them feel welcome from the time they register, at the meeting, after the meeting, and beyond.  They are potential sources of business whether they become members of not.  

Here are some additional resources:

The Value of Visitors - Click Here

Visitor Experience-1

Visitor Experience -DG

Making People Feel Welcome

Welcoming Visitors

Visitor Orientation

I encourage you to access the podcasts via BNI University so that you show up on the Leaderboard for your Chapter and your area.  To make it easier, you can also download the app to your smart device.  It's available from ITunes and Google.  Also, be sure and report your CEUs, 1 hour = 1 CEU.

You're Invited to Get More Referrals & Make More Money

From January 2019

 

How did you find out about BNI?  

Were you invited to a BNI meeting?

Why did you want to become part of BNI?  

To get more referrals and make more money?

BNI's philosophy is 'Giver's Gain.'  If we give more, we will receive more.  We typically think of that in the context of giving referrals, but inviting is also a way of giving.  So let's examine the benefits and value of inviting visitors so that we understand 'Why' we should invite.

Let's start with the Value of a Visitor - Did you know that each visitor brings an additional $1000 to $1500 to the chapter in TYFCB even if they don't join.  Your fellow members offer products and services that visitors may be looking for.  Plus the visitors you bring to your meeting also get to see and hear about why you do.  So by inviting visitors, you are bringing potential referrals to your fellow members.

Here are some statistics from a couple of local chapters and the TYFCB they have reported from their Visitors:

Jul - Dec - 2018

Chapter A - $49,300

Chapter B - $29,900

Benefits of Inviting - In addition to bringing potential referrals to the other members, there are other benefits of having visitors at your meetings.  They add energy to the meetings.  Have you ever noticed that when visitors are present, the meeting is more energized?  Members tend to want to do a better infomercial when visitors are in the room.  They have the opportunity to meet new people who might be interested in their products and services or may be a potential referral partner for them.  Every person knows between 250 and 500 people.  That's the potential of introductions when you have visitors as explained by Tim Roberts in his podcast on 'Inviting.'

And -  Yes, Visitors often times become Members of BNI.  How did you find out about BNI?  Did someone invite you?  Did they give you a reason, a benefit, for attending a meeting?  Think about, when inviting, giving a benefit as to why a person should attend.  By doing this, they are more apt to attend.  This simple script is an easy way to invite.

Here are some additional resources:

 Benefits of Having Visitors - Click Here 

 The Value of Visitors - Click Here

Where to find potential Visitors - Click Here

 Inviting - Click Here

Inviting for Speaker - Click Here

Script to Invite - Click Here

I encourage you to access the podcasts via BNI University so that you show up on the Leaderboard for your Chapter and your area.  To make it easier, you can also download the app to your smart device.  It's available from ITunes and Google.  Also, be sure and report your CEUs, 1 hour = 1 CEU.