VCP - The Basics

The VCP acronym is one you will hear about in BNI quite a bit and there are many articles and podcasts on these principles, i.e. Visibility, Credibility, and Profitability.  Let’s examine the basics from the perspective of becoming a new member in a new chapter or core group. 

Visibility – In order for the other members to get to know you, you have to show up.  Attendance is key.  In Podcast #329, Woody Allen said that 80% of success is showing up.  In BNI, you’re not just a name on a roster.  We have an attendance policy which is to help all the members.  You paid to be part of a group that works together to help each other to grow their respective businesses. Visibility is the first step in getting referrals and training your referral team.

Credibility – Think of someone you trust.  You probably trust that person because you know they will do what they way.  Building your credibility in BNI, is building relationships with your fellow members by doing what you say you will do when you say you’ll do it.  It starts with showing up for your meeting each week on time or being early is even better.  Dressing the part, even on Zoom.  And being prepared with your part of the meeting and your weekly presentation.  After all, this is your time to train your referral team.

Also, consistently inviting and having visitors is another great way to build credibility with your referral partners, because visitors equate to possible business for someone in the group and possibly a potential member. 

The third element of VCP is Profitability – That’s what we’re all here for, right?  To get referrals.

-       You cannot have profits if no one knows you

-       You cannot have profits if no one trusts you

How do we measure VCP?  By the referrals we receive.

So, in order to get the results you desire, you must learn to do the activities efficiently and effectively.  Statistics have shown, the more you learn, the more you earn.  Be open to learning how to network differently and more effectively.

So, ask yourself these questions…

-       Are you willing to do the activities, i.e. the Key Performance Indicators to get the results you say you desire?

-       Are you willing to accept feedback to improve your results?

-       Are you coachable?

-       Are you willing to be held accountable?

This is a process that’s all new to most of us.  For the process to work, we need to be ‘all in.’ 

BNI provides us most everything we need to be successful; we just have to come with a positive attitude, be prepared each week to learn, and work the process.

In appreciation,

Annette

Area Director

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

BNI Facebook Chapter Business Page - What to post

Each Chapter has an official BNI Facebook Business page.  This page is a great tool to build visibility in the community to build the chapter’s creditability in order to attract those businesses looking to network with like-minded business owners.  This is an awesome tool that most BNI chapters are underutilizing.

Here are some suggestions on how to use and what to post on your Facebook page.

First, you will need someone in your chapter to be the designated editor for your page.  Most chapters have someone who does social media as their business, or they are good at it for their own business. Ask them to be the editor for the Chapter Facebook page. In some chapters, this person is the Communications Coordinator. This person will need to request access to the page in order to post as the page and have the posts actually show up on the main feed.  Here is the link to request access or to have someone removed as the editor of your Facebook page - https://form.jotform.com/200375625736154  When completing the form, be sure and use the personal email that the editor uses to log into their personal Facebook account. This information is sent to Mike Barbieri who will review the information and grant access to the Chapter Facebook page. 

Once you have an editor for your page, have them review the Social Media Guidelines and resources which are found on BNIATL.com, click on Resources, then click on Leadership Team Resources and scroll down.  There are links to BNI branded material that you can use on your page.

Here is a list of suggested material to post on your page.  Some have links to existing pages so that you can get ideas on what other chapters are posting.  Just like with your own business page, post as often as possible and be consistent.

The Chapter Information and Members -

-       Review the ‘About’ section and make sure the location address, day, and time of your meeting are correct.

-       Update the chapter page banner (especially if you’re in-person now) See the three that are currently being used on BNI Atlanta - https://www.facebook.com/bniatl/

-       Ask your members to ‘Like’ the BNI Chapter page. Copy the page URL and send it to all your members.

-       Ask the members to invite their friends to ‘Like’ your BNI Chapter Facebook page. 

o   Huge shout out to the BLAZE chapter and Heather Winston as they have over 1600 followers for their page.  https://www.facebook.com/BNIBLAZEGA

-       Create an album and post all your member’s headshots along with their industry and company name.  Tag their name and business name so that it links to their page https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.383352703299274&type=3

-       Take photos of new member inductions.  Include their sponsor in the photos.  Tag the members. https://www.facebook.com/BNIResourcesofIncome

o   BNI Atlanta also uses a template welcoming new members, share it on your BNI Facebook page.  See some on https://www.facebook.com/recordbusters

-      Events -

-       Every week your weekly meeting is an event.  From your BNI Facebook Chapter page, set up your weekly meeting as a recurring event. Ask members to mark ‘Going.’  The more people are ‘going’ to an event will create interest and improve the algorithm on Facebook so the event will be shown to more people.

-       At the beginning of each meeting, ask your members and visitors to ‘Like,’ ‘Check In’, and make a comment on the page.  All of their friends will see these posts.  This creates more visibility.

-       Create an event and highlight the featured presenter with their photo and/or logo and their bio for your weekly meeting - https://www.facebook.com/events/3916548035136527/?acontext=%7B%22event_action_history%22%3A[%7B%22surface%22%3A%22page%22%7D]%7D   Members can share this to their personal or business pages, as well as other community pages/groups.

-       When you are having Stack Days or Focused Inviting Days, create and event - https://www.facebook.com/events/1976326439242857?acontext=%7B%22event_action_history%22%3A[%7B%22surface%22%3A%22page%22%7D]%7D  Ask your members to comment and share

-       Take photos and videos at your weekly meetings/events and post to Facebook, i.e. Featured presenters, their props and displays, etc. - https://www.facebook.com/BNIBLAZEGA

-       Share the regional events from https://www.facebook.com/bniatl to your Chapter page, such as Monday Mugs that visitors can attend.

Achievement and Recognition

-       Take photos when certificates of completion for MSP and Passport to Success are presented and post to Facebook.

-       Take photos of your Notable Network winners and post

-       Take photos of your weekly ‘Ivan’ award winner with the presenter, the winner, and the trophy.

o   Check out the posts of the BLAZE Chapter https://www.facebook.com/BNIBLAZEGA of their trophy they nicknamed ‘Beanie.’  Beanie gets to go to conferences, lunch, on vacation, etc.

-       Take photos of Members being presented with their Gold Badge Award for sponsoring new BNI Members.

-       Take a Group Photo of all of your Power of One Green Members.

-       Take photos of your door prize winner being presented with their door prize by the Featured Presenter.  Hopefully, the gift is something photo-worthy. This is an opportunity to promote the giver and the receiver and even perhaps the maker of the gift, which could be from one of your members.

-       Share posts of your members' awards and recognition outside of BNI to your BNI Facebook page.  Shows community involvement.

-       Share members’ events on your BNI Facebook page. i.e. Their business holds an open house or members do a Lunch and Learn.

 

Miscellaneous –

-       Post Most Wanted industries for those seats you are trying to fill.  Use the BNI Brandshare templates - https://bni.canto.com/v/BNIBranding/album/P3AQD?display=curatedView&viewIndex=0&gSortingForward=false&gOrderProp=uploadDate&from=thumbnail

-       Post Most Wanted average seat values - https://bni.canto.com/v/BNIBranding/album/QFJLA?display=curatedView&viewIndex=0&gSortingForward=false&gOrderProp=uploadDate&from=curatedView

-       Highlight special guests and visitors.

Hopefully, this is helpful information.  Let us know what else your chapter posts to their Facebook business page.

Who Makes a Good Sub? Good - Better - Best

The attendance policy in BNI allows members to have substitutes when they have planned absences so as not to be counted absent.*  While it’s not the same as being there in person, it is a way to stay Top of Mind with fellow members in the chapter and build creditability. Giving thought and planning, lining up and having a sub who can benefit you as well as the chapter makes for a winning combination.

So, who makes a good sub?  Listed below are some options with an explanation as to why they would make a good sub.

1.       One of the Best Options for a sub is a business owner who can fill a seat in the chapter.  Review the ‘Most Wanted’ list in your chapter as well as the Contact Sphere list.  Who do you know in these industries?  Make a list of possibilities. Reach out to them and have a 1-2-1. They may not feel BNI is right for them, however, they may be willing to sub for you at some time in the future.  Who knows, that opportunity to sub might lead them to change their mind about membership.
2.       A Referral Partner or vendor not in BNI.  Who are you currently passing business to or who is sending you business who is not in BNI?  Another great opportunity to introduce this industry to BNI and to invite them to sub for you. It will show them a broader scope of more referral opportunities, that of your fellow BNI members.
3.       A past visitor to your chapter.  Make it a point at each meeting to meet the visitors.  It is always a good practice to follow up with the visitors after each meeting, especially the ones who are in a similar contact sphere or who would make a good referral partner. By establishing contact after a chapter meeting, it makes it easier to call and ask them to sub for you in the future. A list can also be pulled from BNIConnect of past visitors.
4.       A good client.  A good client makes a great sub as they can give a testimonial about your products and/or services instead of giving an infomercial for you.  This is a powerful way to build your credibility with your fellow members.
5.       Job Seekers.  Those looking for employment make good subs.  It is a way for them to meet business owners who may need employees. Asking them to sub is a great way to make those introductions.  Each person knows 250 to 300 people.  We never know who our fellow members may know who could help this person find employment.  A true testament of ‘Givers Gain.’
6.       A Non-Profit.  We all have a favorite non-profit, and they are all looking for exposure in the community.  If the non-profit seat isn’t filled in your chapter, this is a great opportunity to introduce them to BNI.  And even if you already have a non-profit in your chapter, as long as they are not the same type of non-profit, you can ask them to sub.
7.      A friend, relative, neighbor, retired person, spouse, etc. Your sub does not have to have a business.  Your friend, relative, neighbor, or retired persons are consumers.  A sub can be anyone who can attend, give your infomercial, and represent you in a professional manner.  They might welcome the opportunity to sub for you and could possibly use the products and/or services of the members in your chapter.  Those count as referrals from you.
8.       A past BNI Member.  Sometimes members step out of BNI for various reasons but leave in good standing.  If their industry seat is still open, this is a good opportunity to reach back out to them. There have been members that have re-engaged in BNI.  It’s good to keep in touch with these members as circumstances change.
9.       Students.  College students and even some high school students make good subs.  It is a way to introduce them to the business world and to networking. Some may even have part-time or side jobs that they can promote at your BNI meeting.
10.       A BNI member from another Chapter whose seat is not filled in your chapter. Reach out to neighboring chapters and Core Groups to see which members hold industry seats that are not represented in your chapter.  They are all looking for additional exposure and being a sub is a great way to establish a relationship with chapters.  They may also have business colleagues from their business who are looking for a BNI Chapter.
11.       Someone from your office.  This one is what I would call a last resort.  Possibly an emergency sub when something comes up at the last minute.  Yes, they can sub for you, but save them when it’s a last minute or emergency situation.  Also, remember to coach them that if they represent your same industry, they will not be able to do a separate infomercial for their business as that would be double dipping and stepping on your toes.

We ask members to invite others to come and network. Seeking out a sub is pretty much the same process.  Who do you know and/or who do you want to know?  As you make your list of possible business owners and consumers to invite to network, also make your list of who would be possible subs.  You could even invite them to a BNI meeting prior to them subbing when you are there so they can understand what to expect.  Often times some people are reluctant to sub because of the unknown.  Having them attend a meeting before they are expected to sub will help them feel more comfortable.  Some chapters even promote this by having a ‘Bring Your Sub Day.’

Do and Don’ts in asking for Subs –

Dos –

-       - Plan ahead.  Make a list of possible subs and talk with them ahead of time of your asking them to sub at some point in the future. 

-       - Ask ahead of time – When you know you’re going to be out due to vacation, business conference, etc. get your sub lined up and confirmed in advance.

-       - Provide your sub with your written infomercial

-       - Confirm and remind your sub.  You may have lined up your sub weeks in advance, however, just like any other appointment, they need to be reminded.

-       - Coach your sub on what to expect.  For example, they will be expected to give your infomercial when the members present.  If they are not in the same business industry, they will have an opportunity to do their infomercial.  If they are in the same industry, then would not give a separate infomercial.

-      -  Notify your Community Builder/Membership Committee you are going to be out and email introduce your sub.

-       - Register your sub in BNIConnect and mark them as a sub.  This will ensure they get the information for the meeting and will be sent reminders.

-       - Provide your sub with the time and location of the meeting.  Even though the system will remind them, it is a good idea for you to provide the information also.  The reminder emails might go to their spam folder.

Don’ts –

-       - Don’t procrastinate and wait until the last minute.

-       - Don’t ask the same person to sub for you every time.  Go back and read over the list above. And remember, the same sub can only sub for the chapter 3 times in a 6-month period. 

-       - Forget to provide them with your infomercial and information about the meeting.

-       - Forget to notify your Community Builder and register your sub in BNIConnect.

Other things to remember:

-       *Even though members are not counted absent when they have a sub, on the Power of One report, a sub counts as half an attendance.  And some chapters may also count this as part of their total attendance as part of their Chapter Policies.  Check with your Membership Committee and Chapter Policies for clarification.

-       Members are asked not to have more than 3 subs in a rolling six-month period as this could jeopardize their seat in the chapter.

Planning ahead and lining up good subs can help you build creditability with your chapter as well as provide chapter members with possible referral partners, consumers, and even possible employees. This is all part of the Core Value and philosophy of BNI – Givers Gain.

For any questions about any of this information, consult with your Support Director for your Chapter.

How does appearance affect your creditability?

 

Should we be judged by the way we dress?  No, but we are judged on everything from our age, our intelligence, how much money we make, etc. in the first 11 seconds.  First impressions do make a difference and are oftentimes hard to overcome.

In an article on 'What does business casual really mean,' I found the following.....

"Many highly intelligent, well-qualified, capable men and women are often disqualified or dismissed because 'they don't sell for what they're worth,'" Price told Business Insider. "They've left the 'business' out of 'business casual' and the lack of professional appearance holds them back. It's frustrating because clothing certainly does not determine one's actual competence and credibility; it does, however, influence others' perception of those qualities — and that reality impacts career opportunities."

80% of success is showing up, but how you show up also matters.  

For many years as an image consultant, I taught these concepts.  Even when I left my corporate job, I gave presentations on 'Dressing for success when interviewing for a job placement firm.  Many of the people I spoke with assumed they should dress according to the job for which they were applying.  Not necessary.  I advised to always dress a step above the job you were applying for.  For instance, if applying for a position where business casual is appropriate, an open-collared shirt with a sport coat would be more appropriate.  

Being in sales and meeting with potential clients means you are constantly interviewing.  Appearance does come into the equation.  Whether networking or on scheduled appointments.

Here are a couple of podcasts that further define the importance of dress and appearance.

In Podcast #649, Dr. Misner discusses the 12x12x12 rule.  In this article, Dr. Misner states....

You want to come across as a professional, whether you’re going to a chamber of commerce function or a big event. You want to come across as a professional, generally speaking. I try to dress at or above my audience level. But not all professions have to do that. If you’re a car mechanic, you don’t have to dress, you know, in a suit and tie. But you do want to come across, you know – khakis and a nice shirt. You want to look professional.

In Podcast #577, Meaghan Chitwood, BNI Northern Alabama Region Executive Director, recounts her experience with being 'not referable' as a business coach.

When Meaghan first joined a BNI chapter in Alabama, she’d just come out of the construction industry. Although she was now working as a business coach, she was still dressing to fit in on a construction site. She was focused on establishing credibility by knowing what she was talking about.

One day, two of her fellow BNI members came to her and said “We want to help you, because right now you’re just not referable.”

Are you referable?  What does your appearance say about you?  How are you showing up?  It's always been my philosophy that you never know when you're going to meet your next best client or referral partner.  I think sometimes BNI members take their weekly BNI meeting for granted in that these people know me, they know what I do, etc.  Maybe so, but what about the visitors or members from other chapters who could be potential clients or referral partners?  My advice....'Don't ever miss an opportunity to make a good first impression!'

Happy Networking,

Annette

BNI Area Director

The Importance of BNI Member Success Program

 This article was written by Sam Williamson a BNI Member from New Zealand.

Online BNI Member Success Program (MSP) Training

1 November 2019 by Sam Williamson

Member Success Program (MSP) training which is completed via our BNI University online learning platform is very important to each members success. MSP is core learning that every new member needs to complete to get up to speed with BNI for two reasons:

1. To ensure that they get value from BNI themselves. 

2. That they become and effective team member for the benefit of their fellow members.

The online MSP is easy to do, doesn’t take much time and the feedback we have had from members has been very positive. MSP is continuing education, just like is found in other professions e.g. legal, accounting, insurance, real estate etc.

Professional Development

Who is in a trade or profession that requires them to complete professional development hours to stay up to date and on form

BNI is no different, BNI provides professional development modules via BNI University to assist you throughout your BNI Career and in your business.

One of the core learnings every member needs is our Member Success Programme (MSP) training. Think of this as BNI Basic training, it is designed to get the member up to speed quickly so that they get the most out of their membership and become and effective team member of the chapter.

It is also a suitable as refresher for longer term members.

Lifelong Learning is our 2nd core value in BNI – we believe in continuous improvement of personal and professional skills.

Success always comes through a process of expansion and learning!

The More you Learn, the more your earn.  Also, Members must complete MSP prior to being added to the speaker rotation.

Please speak with your Leadership Team or your Director if you have any questions.

In Appreciation,

Annette

BNI Area Director.

Are you Earning Points or Chasing Points?

 

At the first of every month, the Power of One Reports are published. They are made available on BNI Business Builder and listed under Resources > United States > GA Northeast. Many members do not understand the 'Why' behind the Power of One reports. It was created to give members a quick way to understand the Palms data and what the data means. To understand if they were being active enough and efficient enough to achieve their desired results. In this video, Tim Roberts explains the why behind the report and what it measures. He also goes on to explain why the activities for the Power of One will net you more quality referrals.

The activities as outlined by the Power of One report gives you the 'success formula, however, you also have to learn to be effective when you do these activities. Sure, you can meet with another member and chit-chat about different topics and that's a great way to start the relationship, but it's not until the other member wants to help find you referrals that the reciprocal part of the Power of One kicks in. As Tim explains in the video, it takes meeting with those potential power referral sources and training them on how to find you the quality referrals you desire. Teaching them what to look for, listen for, and how to start a conversation that will lead to a referral for you. Another good video to watch is with Hazel Walker, who asks the question, 'Are you earning points or are you chasing points?' We all want our Power of One report to look good with as much Green as possible, but are we really doing the activities effectively and efficiently? And are we reporting our activity accurately? Keep in mind also, to some members this is a report of creditability. Think about it, do you want to pass a referral to another member with a red or grey Power of One score? Listen to what Hazel has to say -

If you have questions about The Power of One Reports or need help and support, reach out to your Support Director Consultant. Here are some additional resources: Why is the Palms Report Important? Podcast #446 Five Money Making Activities in BNI Podcast #653 Achieving the Power of One Podcast #586 Power of One is about relationships Definition of Insanity 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 and if there are other topics you would like covered.   To Your Success, Annette Mason Area Director Consultant