Advanced Training: Referrals – January 23, 2012

It is official, the first BNI approved advanced training class is being offered in the BNI4Success region on Monday, January 23rd.

Success Through Education:

Throughout the world successful BNI regions have a common theme: members attendance at Advanced training.

• BNI Regions with: high members per chapter
• BNI Regions with: high referrals/per week/per member
• BNI Regions with: high Thank You for business dollar volume

The common element for each of these BNI regions:  high member attendance at Advanced training.

More Successful Members = Successful Chapters
= More Greens in everyone’s Jeans!

Now you can be part of the elite.  Register for BNI Advanced Training: Referrals.

Testimonials about new Advanced Training – Referrals:

A few BNI4Success, BNI’s Greater Los Angeles Region  members have had the opportunity to  attend and this is what they have to say:

• Very helpful. – A. S. 
• Great Training, great trainer, good group, highly interactive. – D. R.
• Excellent tools, well presented, good use of time. – J. S.

You may contact BNI4Success, BNI’s Greater Los Angeles Region directly for more information, or email David Aaronson, Director of Advanced Training, BNI4Success, BNI’s Greater Los Angeles Region 

Each 1 Give 1 to Teach 1

October is BNI Foundation Awareness Month. This year we are highlighting an initiative geared toward raising awareness of and funds for the Givers Gain® Grant program. The last week of October (the week of October 24^th), we are encouraging BNI members to donate $1 (or €, or ¥, or ₪, etc.) to the BNI Foundation. This initiative is called “Each 1 Give 1 to Teach 1” and has the potential to fund many, many Givers Gain® Grants.

Your chapter may choose to collect the Each 1 Give 1 to Teach 1 donation from each member and then send a check to the BNI Foundation or you may choose to make your donation individually by going online to www.BNIFoundation.org and clicking on Donate Now. Your participation in this initiative is completely voluntary, but we hope you will decide to support our work by donating $1 in your local currency the week of October 24th.

Business Mixer starring Legendary Bingo

Legendary Bingo

BNI Success Connection chapter invites you to a wild night starting with a business mixer and then crazy bingo with a one night only show that you will not want to miss!  Not to mention prizes and an all around fuzzy feeling from being a part of making a difference.

This wowza of an event will benefit the BNI Misner Charitable Foundation.

Monday, October 24^th, 5:30 pm
Location:  El Torito Grill, 9595 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90212
RSVP: http://bni4succcessbingo.eventbrite.com

The Success of the Educational Moment

BNI is about Commitment, Structure and Education and in tune with that every meeting has an educational moment given by the chapter’s Education Coordinator.  One never knows whether any of that education actually sticks and works.  Recently, in the Success Connection chapter  it did.  Here is the story.

A few weeks ago at our weekly BNI chapter meeting, our education coordinator, Buzz Park of TruePresence Internet Marketing, stood up to educate the members on how to increase our referrals. That week, Buzz presented to the group an article taken from the BNI Education Coordinator’s Handbook, Week 4, entitled, “Referral Magic – How to Conjure Quality Business Out of Thin Air.” (http://www.bni.com/successnet2005//Sept_Oct_2004/huddle.shtml#2)

The article focused on a different aspect of “Giver’s Gain” in that people want to help those who in turn are giving individuals. In the article, a BNI member was having trouble getting an introduction to a contact at a local business. He unsuccessfully asked his members week after week if anyone knew the contact. Finally, a fellow member cold called the business, but with a unique approach. Her opening line to the receptionist was “I have a problem, and only you can help me.” The member then advocated for her fellow member and eventually made the much-anticipated introduction.

I decided to try this technique to see if it would actually work. After hearing Troy’s 60-second presentation in which he asked for an introduction to a specific company looking to move, I found the company’s phone number online and decided to give them a call to see how far I could get. When the operator answered, I told her, “I have a problem, and only you can help me.” I then explained that I was part of a referral organization and I was trying to help a fellow member get connected to a contact at the company to obtain a bid for their relocation. After a few transferred calls, I obtained the name and contact information for the office manager in charge of the move.

The whole process took ten minutes or less, but it was more effective because I was trying to help out a friend rather than pushing my own cause. I found it easier to say “Troy is great”, as opposed to tooting my own horn.

Although I made the call just to help Troy, the impact it had to encourage Troy and the fellow members on the strength of BNI has proven to be a greater reward than the actual contact itself.

You can find out about the author who is an Estate Planning attorney here: Sophia Kim Sakamoto

You can find out about BNI from:
David C Aaronson, Director Consultant BNI4Success Region in Los Angeles

BNI & Expanding Your Sales Force

Sometimes one wonders how BNI actually works to expand one’s sales force.  Troy Amidon from Berger – Allied Van Lines, discovered a part of the secret through an experience with a fellow member of his BNI chapter.  Here is his story in his words.

My name is Troy Amidon and I’m a relocation consultant with Allied Van  Lines and a member of BNI Success Connection which meets in Culver City. I have been a member of our chapter for about 6 months and have a nice story to tell of my experience so far in BNI.

Where is My Sales Force

For the first few months I was trying to grasp what BNI has to offer and what I can offer to my fellow members. Something happened last week where I had  a breakthrough in understanding how BNI can work for our members. I have learned to try to be as specific as possible in my “Ask” during my 60 seconds presentation and I asked for a contact at a business which will be moving in the upcoming months.

BNI Sales Force Responds

Low and behold, a few hours later I received an email from my colleague Sophia Kim Sakamoto with the law offices of Borton Petrini. She sent me the contact information for the office manager at the business I had asked for during my 60 seconds. Turns out that Sophia straight up called the company and asked who would be in charge of handling their move and was able to get the information she provided to me. I was really blown away that she would take the time and make the call.

Givers Gain

I then realized that we are all each other’s sales force! I had been trying to figure out how I can help my fellow BNI members in getting them referrals and because of Sophia’s action my eyes have been opened to a whole new approach in doing so. It’s not just referring people we know to each other, but it’s going outside our contact sphere and doing a few simple things like this in which there is no pressure to provide them some information which might help them and their business. I hope this story will help and encourage others as they seek ways to help each other throughout BNI.

Troy Amidon

Relocation Consultant -Berger Transfer -Allied Van Lines

Visit Troy’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/troy.bergerallied

TroyA@bergerallied.com

(310) 569-2228 cell -(714) 738-3044 office

Two Way Giver’s Gain: BNI Member Ruth Smith of Sage Wellness LA

As an Assistant Director, I often have 1-2-1s with members of the chapters I direct.  One story struck me as a classic story of how Giver’s Gain goes both ways, from BNI to the member and from the member back to BNI and its members.  Here is Ruth Smith’s story in her own words.

BNI Member Ruth Smith explains why she founded Sage Wellness:

“There was an employee who loved her job and was on track for moving up in her company. She was dedicated and driven to succeed. However, a few days after she returned from a business trip she suddenly got sick. She started getting horrible migraines and lost her voice. At first she thought that it was just the flu or a cold but several weeks went by and she was still wasn’t getting any better. She had to take time off from work to go to the doctor and when one doctor couldn’t figure out what was wrong she went to specialists. She slowly lost faith in her abilities at work because she wasn’t able to think clearly from being ill and because of all her absences. Her stress level increased as she tried to figure out why she was sick and at the same time not let down her team at work. Her health continued to deteriorate until one day she quit the job she loved.

That employee was me.

Through this experience I learned that it was not just the healthcare system that failed me.  I lacked an understanding of how to take care of myself at work and how that impacted my overall job satisfaction and performance.  It took over three years before I regained my health. Although I struggled during that time, I am incredibly grateful that this journey has led me to start Sage Wellness.

Today my mission is to share my experience with corporations and individuals so that they do not have to endure what I did. Through workplace education and preventative programs they can be empowered to live healthy lives.”

Through BNI, I have been able to find confidence using my voice to tell my story. BNI has strengthened my belief that in helping others achieve success you too can succeed. Even as a new member, I have developed relationships in my chapter and experienced personal growth that has helped Sage Wellness gain momentum. I am grateful for my BNI experience.

RUTH SMITH, SPHR, AADP Health Counselor

Ruth is the President and co-founder of Sage Wellness, a Los Angeles based corporate wellness company. Ruth has seen first-hand the importance of engaging employees, in order to increase overall productivity, and feels passionately that increasing awareness around health by incorporating wellness programs is a key factor. With invaluable Human Resources experience under her belt, Ruth honed her knowledge of business and program management, training & development, employee relations, benefits, health programs, and event management for conglomerates including Tokio Marine Management, Inc., Baxter BioScience and Education Management Systems.

Ruth earned her MBA from Pepperdine’s Graziadio School of Business and Management with an emphasis in leadership and change management, and B.A. in Telecommunications and Broadcasting from Pepperdine University. She is a member of SHRM and PIHRA.

For more information on Sage Wellness, www.sagewellnessla.com or email Ruth or Phone: (323) 527-0787, ext 2

BNI Focus on Education – Be of Service

Because of your incredible strengths in communication, inspiration, and vision, I have found it really hard to decide whether you’re educators of excellence, or excellent educators.

  I’m comfortable with Both, if you are.

 What a year this has been, watching you all shine as leaders in your community.  Thanks so much for making my job so easy, and for bringing such gifts and focus to your chapters.

Special thanks to those who stepped up to Fast Track, those who proudly sent me copies of your educational moments, and those who provided excellent feedback to guide the future of the Educational Coordinators’ role, the future of this Ambassadorship, and the future of this region.

You have been of service, and I know many of you are stepping up to even more prominent roles.

So that’s the message for this week:be of service.  There are so many ways to do it, and so many of your new members are primed and ready to participate in the transition that’s coming in October.  Encourage them to talk to the Leadership Team about where they see themselves in the future of the chapter!  Encourage your chapter members to dig deeper to find unique service that only they can provide, and then give.

Thanks again for your incredible dedication,
Brennan

…If you knew you couldn’t fail, what would your goals be?  To overcome patterns of procrastination through hypnosis, and finally stop sabotaging business endeavors contact Hypnotherapist Brennan Smith, C.Ht. at brennan@brennansmith.com 

Tim Houston, Best Selling Author Comes to BNI Los Angeles

The BNI Power Pros chapter is pleased to present continuing education towards better networking on June 23rd at our upcoming BNI4Success Regional Workshop

The BNI4Success Regional Workshop series welcomes special guest speaker:
Tim Houston, Best Selling Author
, The World’s Worst Networkers.

Worlds Worst Networker

As an author, his work appeared in The New York Times Best Seller list and multiple #1 Best Seller, Masters of Sales, the latest book written by New York Times & Wall Street Journal authors, Dr. Ivan Misner and Don Morgan. His articles on the topic of business networking and word-of-mouth marketing have been translated and published in magazines, newspapers and blogs around the world His first book, Level Up Networking: Produce, Profit and Prosper From Your Everyday Business Relationships, debuted in May 2010

They are everywhere.

 You can find them at trade shows and the business card exchanges. They attend conferences and seminars.
 They have infiltrated networking groups around the world. 
Chances are you have encountered them or have been their victim.
 Maybe you’re one of them and don’t even know it!
 They are The World’s Worst Networkers.

 Tim Houston and several of the world’s best networkers take an uncensored look at the way some people conduct their business networking, online and offline. Their stories and experiences about these nightmares of networking will teach you how not to network.

You will learn:
* Which Networkers are on The Most Unwanted List and why.
* How to deal with Environmental Disasters.
* Who are the Online Outlaws of networking.
* How to go from being a Networking Mess, to a Success.

Featuring contributions by best selling authors & master networkers from around the world, including:
* Dr. Ivan Misner
* Bob Burg
* Susan RoAne
* Robyn Henderson
* Michelle R. Donovan
…and many more!

Additional Speakers:
Cys Bronner, BNI Executive Director
Dave Rittenhouse, BNI Assistant Director
Elect Members of the BNI Power Pros chapter

What you will get out of this workshop:
Now, more than ever, business people need to network to stay in business. BNI provides a positive, supportive and structured environment to exchange quality business referrals.
BNI is the largest business networking organization in the world. We offer members the opportunity to share ideas, contact and most importantly, business referrals.
BNI4Success’ Regional Workshop Series is geared towards honing your referral and networking skills. Learn best practices and leave with strong “take aways” to bring to your business arsenal.

Register now for this informative events at: http://bni4success06232011.eventbrite.com

Gold Club Members in BNI

Our BNI Gold Club members add value to their chapter by increasing the contact network of every member of the chapter, which means more business for everyone!

BNI Gold Club was established to recognize those members who go the extra mile in building their chapters by introducing six or more professionals into the organization who subsequently become members.

BNI Gold Club members are easily recognizable because they wear a black name badge given to them in appreciation of their efforts. These members also enjoy the privilege of a raised profile on the BNI website, BNI Connect Global and Regional Events.

BNI Gold Club members in the BNI4Success, Greater Los Angeles Region:

David Aaronson
Joel Loquvam
Chris McKenry
Tim Peterson
David Rae
Dave Rittenhouse
Brennan Smith
Doug Solarzano

Only 10% of the people in BNI across the world have a Gold Club Membership.
To qualify for Gold Club, a member needs to sponsor at least (6) new members into BNI.

Our BNI4Success region members may submit information for Director approval by clicking here. 

Are you a Gold Club Member?

Networking Success is More Than Pot Luck

By Al Knobloch
There is a human psychological maxim that states, people like to find themselves inside a story.

Once upon a time, there were two groups of people who decided to have a pot luck dinner on a Saturday Night.

The first group, the GG’s, all made plans on what to bring, and eagerly made sure all arrangements were made so the party would be a successful and enjoyable occasion.  When they all arrived, there was plenty of food and drink for everyone because each member brought not only enough, but a little extra, for insurance.

At the end of the night, everyone went home with a full stomach, satisfied appetite, and a warm fuzzy feeling that carried over the weekend and into the following business week.  A few people even arranged some business deals that eventually paid off.  The old saying “the whole is greater than the sum of the parts” was certainly in play, as there was food left over and a positive outlook and general sense of well being was had by all.

Then there was a second group, the L’SOEDI’s, who planned to have the same party on the same Saturday Night.  While they all looked forward to it, life and business got in the way of their commitment to bring their respective dishes.  Many of them thought, no big deal, there will be enough…..someone will cover it.

When they all arrived, there was no food or drink.  Everyone had fallen victim to the same line of thinking.  After some grumbling and chatter, they all went home, empty stomach, unsatisfied, and a feeling of disappointment in their hearts.  This carried over the weekend like a cloud, and some even quit the group.  The old saying “the whole is greater than the sum of the parts” was certainly in play as well, only in reverse.  There was nothing leftover but a negative outlook and a general sense of time wasted was had by all.

The moral of this story:  Your chapter needs you for Leadership and Support positions.  If everyone takes and no one gives back, what do you think will happen to our chapter?  If you have been asked to serve, consider it an honor that we thought highly enough of you to do so….and please reconsider.  If you have been considering it, now is the time to step up and commit.  There are still several spots available, and we need you to get involved.  Which group in this story do you want to belong to???

Oh, and the acronyms…. GG is Givers Gain and L’SOEDI = Let Someone Else Do It.

This Education Moment has been brought to you by Chapter President and BNI Ambassador to Chapter Development, Al Knobloch. You can reach Al at: Al.Knobloch@BNI4Success.com
His motto is: Past performance does not guarantee future results.  All investments carry some degree of risk.