Your contacts are your solutions!

Successful networkers know that a measure of their success is their ability to help others resolves their problems. In fact, a referral is just that an opportunity to help someone with their need or problem.

But how to achieve that success? You need to let others know you can be the Go-to Guru in any number of small ways. By showing your useful knowledge (contacts) you become their Go-to Guru.

BNI‘s Dr. Ivan Misner often says “A good networker has two ears and one mouth”. I fully believe that listening is the fundamental first step of productive networking; listening to fulfill a need.  A need that will preset itself on many occasions is that of travel or relocating. It shouldn’t surprise you that folks would prefer to visit or use services in a new area that come with a referral. Being the Go-to Guru means becoming that trusted resource!

Start by identifying the professionals in your area that you would use yourself, add a few places you enjoy to that list and viola! You are the Go-to Guru

Assignment:
Our assignment today begins with your home town and circle of services. Create a list that you would appreciate receiving when pulling into your local port and draft it into an email template for future use.

An example to use is:

Dear Kenneth,

I hear you’re coming to town for a few weeks. Even though it is business related, I know that when I have an extended business stay there are a few services I need that I can’t pull out of my suit case. Here are a few for you:

▪    Where to shop: Westwood Village has just about everything you need including free  2 hour parking on Broxton Avenue in addition to a fresh farmer’s market on Thursday right at the parking lot entrance.
Drop by UCLA for a walk of the campus or a game at Pauly Pavilion.
▪    Where to get your suits: Yolanda Reyes, Custom Clothier
▪    Where to get copies: Jerry at Printing and More on Wilshire does most of my printing. For quick on-my-way-to-a-meeting-and-I-just-need-one-more-thing printing, Staples is perfect. I have one a block away from my office if you need.
▪    Where to find hotels, flights, car rental: BookingBuddy.com will aggregate the info for you to select from. Easy peasy!
▪    Short term office space: Regus has been wonderful for me. They not only have full service business suites but I can book conference rooms as well. Contact Noah Kovner at 555 555-5555

Of course I have many trusted professionals that I can suggest as well, feel free to contact me for more, including a great Real Estate agent for a more permanent visit.

Best regards,
Cys Bronner

Remember, this is just a suggested template. You could add hair dressers, dry cleaners, things to do, etc. Make your own list and get ready to expand your networking to new heights!

Cys Bronner

In networking: The more memorable (positive and helpful) you are, the better the results. Questions? Feel free to call BNI Executive Director Cys Bronner 866-889-3466 or email her at Cys.Bronner@BNI4success.com
Her motto: BNI, Making word of mouth marketing work for you.

Click for more information or to join a BNI chapter in the Los Angeles area

What Are You?

I really like this BNI Educational mini-workshop. I believe it helps us understand and put into action our philosophy of being farmers not hunters. How our role is not to pounce on the target for the kill (sale) but to build powerful business relationships by sowing the seeds with our referral sources and developing those deeper roots.

The purpose of this 2 – 3 minute workshop is to highlight the difference between selling and referrals in BNI.

Ask the members the following question:

What is the main function you have in your own business?

Repeat some of the responses. You are looking for the word “selling” or “sales”. If you don’t get it from the responses you need to suggest it to them as a question.

Then ask them….

What is your main role as part of the team in this BNI Chapter?

Again you are looking for the words “selling” or “sales”.

Now tell them that you want to suggest a different role for them.

I want to suggest that your role, when a member of BNI, is different to other business people!

Your role is not selling……. it is networking!

If you truly believe in the basic principles of BNI, then you need to change the way you think about business.

You are a networker. Delete the word sales and salesperson from your vocabulary as they belong to people who do business the hard way – selling!

In BNI we do business differently – by networking – by making our net work!

Think about it…. and change the way you do business!

Her motto: BNI, Making word-of-mouth marketing work for you.

Click for more information or to join a BNI chapter in the Los Angeles area

Looking for Referrals

This is a 2-3 minute activity that involves those at the meeting.

Good trainers know that it’s always a good idea to  read it through beforehand and be prepared. What you say out loud to the group is in bold.

The purpose of this workshop is to focus members on referrals and finding them.

Start by saying…

I want to start this morning by asking you all a question to which I want an immediate response – don’t think about the answer, just respond please.

How many of you actively worked last week at finding referrals for one or more members of the chapter?

Wait for responses or show of hands.

More to the point, how many of you worked really hard at getting just one referral?

Wait for responses or show of hands.

Can anyone see something wrong with this approach?

Seek agreement from at least some of the members. Then say…

The real secret of referral finding is that you don’t! I will say that again. The real secret of referral finding is that you don’t.

They find you.

If you are planning to “work hard” at finding referrals, that is just what it will be – hard work. Show of hands please from those members who just can’t wait to do more “hard work” this week.

So lets examine what we really should be doing? Any ideas anyone?

Wait for responses and repeat 1 or 2.

The secret is that if you know your other members well, and you know what to look for or listen for, referrals will find you.

There is a great tape by Alice Ostrower called “Standing in the middle of a referral”. The best suggestion is that every time you hear a complaint you are standing in the middle of a referral.

How many of you have heard someone complaining about something – anything – this last 7 days.

The really successful “referral finders in BNI are those people who listen carefully to what other people say and who look very carefully at what other people do.

Then when they hear an “off hand comment” about poor service or dissatisfaction, they are ready to offer assistance.

One of the nicest things you can say to someone who has a problem is…

“I know someone who could help you with that. And better still it is someone I would recommend!”

Repeat that with me…

“I know someone who could help you with that. And better still it is someone I would recommend!”

Initially offering to help is so much more effective than initially asking for something.

Try it for the next 2 weeks and see the difference it makes.

Her motto: BNI, Making word-of-mouth marketing work for you.

Lauren Lovett of Reading Opens Minds is to be gifted $2,500 via the BNI Foundation as a result of BNI Los Angeles’ annual charity night.  Lovett’s non-profit is a member of the Money Makers chapter of BNI, a business referral organization which allows one person per profession in each chapter.  The focus of each chapter’s weekly meetings is to generate more business for each other through referrals that are exchange between the members each week.

“The annual Legendary Bingo event with host Bingo Boy, Jeffrey Bowman, stands as a vehicle to help raise awareness and funds, giving back to our community. I’m extremely proud of our members and their guests who help to accomplish this for Reading Opens Minds ”, says BNI Executive Director, Cys Bronner.

“Selecting ROM as this year’s recipient, seemed to be a perfect fit for the mission of the Foundation”, Bronner goes on to say.

The BNI Foundation has been mobilizing resources to give kids around the world quality education since 1998. Every year generous donors help many educators purchase the items they need in their classrooms that cannot be funded by their own organizations due to a need for funding. The BNI Foundation improves tomorrow’s business through education today.

Reading Opens Minds promotes community and literacy by bringing the joy of reading and sharing to disadvantaged populations and at-risk youth through book clubs in county jails, halfway houses, clinics and schools in the Los Angeles area.

This is a celebration of business and community efforts.  With business, individuals and fun bringing together The BNI Foundation, Reading Opens Minds and BNI chapters of Greater Los Angeles.

Related links:
http://BNIFoundation.org
http://www.BNI.com
http://BNI4Success.com
http://www.ReadingOpensMinds.org

In networking: The more memorable (positive and helpful) you are, the better the results. Questions? Feel free to call BNI Executive Director and Relate2Profit.com Evangelist Cys Bronner 866-889-3466 or email her at Cys.Bronner@BNI4success.com
Her motto: BNI, Making word-of-mouth marketing work for you.

Now when you go into this one-to-one, remember that a good referral for you may not be the same as a good referral for the person you are doing the one-to-one with.

Lets look at the BNI definition of a referral, it is: “The opportunity to do business with someone who is in the market to buy your product or service. It’s not a guaranteed sale, but an open door to discuss your business.” So here is your baseline standard, now you may have put qualifiers on what you want as a referral, like “they must call you” or “they are ready to schedule a meeting to go over your products and/or services.”
The other person may have a completely different set of qualifiers for what a good referral is to them. It’s part of our agreement as members to understand what our chapter members are looking for.

If you find yourself receiving multiple “not right for you” referrals from different sources then you will want to look at the 60 Second Commercials and 10 Minute presentations, that you have been offering your chapter members. A great tool at your disposal is at the end of the meeting ask two or three people in the chapter that you have built trust with and ask them for feedback on your 60 Seconds and your 10 Minute presentation, if you were the speaker for that day. If you are still having difficulty seek out your Education Coordinator, Director Consultant…. just ask for help.

Habit #5 Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood – Stephen Covey

Want strong networking results? Get there further, faster and with less effort, through BNI Education. Questions? Feel free to call BNI Assistant Director and  MSP Training Director Dave Rittenhouse 866-889-3466866-889-3466 or email him at Dave.Rittenhouse@BNI4success.com

Pre-event preparation:

·            Plenty of cards & give them out to all that you meet

·            A pen

·            3 pieces of small talk: kids, weather, news, sports, etc.

·            If it fits your personality, a short, clean joke.

·            Avoid politics and religion

·            Prepare and practice a 10 & 60 second “self introduction”

·            Be upbeat & positive

·            Who you are

·            What you do & what benefits you supply

·            Why your service or product is unique or special

·            Go from the least to the most important facts

·            What is a good referral for you

·            Dress professionally

·            Place a neat, easy to read nametag on the right so it can be seen as you shake hands

·            Work out with a buddy: To introduce each other and their business

·            A rescue signal to get out of a situation

At the event:

·            Arrive on time

·            Check out where everything is so you can assist others

·            Say hello to friends and the host

·            If you forget a name, state yours and ask theirs again with humor

·            Act like a host, show interest in others

·            Have a positive attitude and smile

·            Walk away from people with negative behavior

·            Focus on the benefits of the event and the organization

·            Have a good handshake: not too limp or too hard, not “the 2 handed pump”

·            When talking: make eye contact, listen attentively, do not be looking around the room

·            Make strangers & people by themselves feel comfortable

Making contacts:

Have the courage to take risks. Approach people! Everyone is there to make business contacts and they will appreciate the chance to talk about their business. .

Be direct, ask people what they want to be asked!!!

Hello, my name is___________

*What is your business (listen attentively)?

*Ask questions to clarify and show an interest.

*Where are you located?

*May I have your card?

*What would be a good referral for you?

*Let them see you write something on the back of their card

*If you genuinely have an interest in doing business with them or referring

to them, let them know (make sure to follow up)

Pause with eye contact and a smile. 95% of the time they will ask about your business. If not “May I tell you about my business”?

*Hand them your card

*Do your 10 or 60 second “self introduction”

*Let them know what type of referrals you are looking for

*Follow through with promises to get or give information

*Offer to introduce them to someone that can help their business, at the event or elsewhere….SEEK WAYS TO REFER BUSINESS TO OTHERS

Set up light meetings (lunch, coffee or at work) with anyone you may be able to do business with. DO NOT TRY TO CLOSE BUSINESS AT THE EVENT

·            Do not spend too much time with any one person, you are there to make contacts. To extricate yourself:

“Excuse me, it was nice meeting you. I will speak to you, or see you at________, or I look forward to seeing you again. There are several people I promised to meet with at this event

After the event:

·            Send a hand written note to everyone that you met. “Hello, I am ______, we met at _____. I look forward to yada, yada, yada.

·            *Follow up with all promises in a timely manner

Things to avoid:

*Pigging out at the buffet

*Monopolizing conversation or interrupting others when speaking

*Being too loud

*Hard sell of your product or service

*Complaining or criticizing

*Drinking too much

*Negative people

*Behavior or jokes that are sexually suggestive

At the next Mixer or Networking Event, try these useful tips….you have a lot to gain!

Cys Bronner

In networking: The more memorable (positive and helpful) you are, the better the results. Questions? Feel free to call BNI Executive Director and Relate2Profit.com Evangelist Cys Bronner 866-889-3466 or email her at Cys.Bronner@BNI4success.com
Her motto: BNI, Making word-of-mouth marketing work for you.

This January Focus on Planning

Our BNI Education Coordinators really set the tone for the chapter, but never do they guide us more than they do during the month of January.

Working in tandem with the Leadership Team, you’ll see BNI Education Coordinators help chapters set goals, outline steps and work towards greater chapter success!

The purpose of this mini-workshop is to help your members understand planning.

Start by saying…

So that we keep in line with the our BNI Theme of “BNI – More Than A Meeting” we will be focussing on the January Theme of Planning.

So let me ask you a question? What is planning?

Seek responses and repeat 2 or 3. Then say….

Now turn to the person next to you and for 1 minute explain to each other what you do in relation to planning your business?

Wait for 1 minute and then give them a signal – blow a whistle, ring a bell, or whatever works for you.

Can I have 1 or two responses please? In 30 seconds explain what you do to plan in your business.

Let one or two only speak.

Now let me ask you another question? What does planning have to do with BNI and your BNI involvement?

Seek responses and repeat 2 or 3. Then say….

With PLANNING being the January theme we will explore over the next few weeks how planning can help you with your BNI activity.

Cys Bronner

In networking: The more memorable (positive and helpful) you are, the better the results. Questions? Feel free to call BNI Executive Director and Relate2Profit.com Evangelist Cys Bronner 866-889-3466 or email her at Cys.Bronner@BNI4success.com
Her motto: BNI, Making word-of-mouth marketing work for you.

Reading Opens Minds promotes community and literacy by bringing the joy of reading and sharing to disadvantaged populations and at-risk youth through book clubs in county jails, halfway houses, clinics and schools in the Los Angeles area.

BNI Invites you to a Charity Business Mixer and Legendary Bingo

Who doesn’t want to have fun and support a good cause at the same time?

If you want to go to a place where you could have fun and be loud as you can, then this is the place for you.

Join us for on Monday, January 20th at 5:30 pm for Legendary Bingo and get major Karma Points! You’ll network, eat, have a blast and there’s even a silent auction – all amongst your BNI and entrepreneur peers.

Oh, and the call backs!! You’ll learn the callback, say the call back and be the callback.

Hosts BNI4Success, BNI’s Greater Los Angeles region and Jeffrey Bowman, Bingo Boy are there to make sure this is a night not to be forgotten!

Can’t make it? We’ve thought of you. There’s even The I-Can’t-Attend-But-I-Want-To-Help-And-Buy-A-Ticket Ticket

Show your support and get tickets at: http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=8ubvrzn6&oeidk=a07e8feozm920fa36af

When BNI was first considering the concept of Visitor Hosts in every chapter, we asked ourselves what the percentage of visitors actually joining each chapter was. We found it ranged between 30 percent and 60 percent. We felt that it should be at least 80 percent or more! So, we formalized the idea that has since proven to be a dynamic force in converting a simply interested individual into a valuable member.

Visitor Hosts are critical to your chapter’s ability to gain new members. There are several principles “Master” Visitor Hosts should know and implement to make a difference in the percentage rate of visitors who actually apply for membership.

1. The process begins the moment that visitor walks in the door.

If your chapter doesn’t have a Visitor Host, or only has one, check in your chapter’s Leadership Team Manual and follow the guidelines there about instituting two Visitor Hosts. Your visitors should be met by a warm, welcoming individual and brought into a room that is prepared, members who are there already (not late) and given an overview of what to expect during the course of the meeting.

The most successful chapters of BNI have at least two Visitor Hosts; some even teach every member that he or she is a Visitor Host—in effect each and every member is the Visitor Host for your chapter!

2. Nearly 100% of visitors make their decision whether to apply for membership in the first ten minutes!

It is absolutely critical, in this age of competing networking organizations, that your chapter presents a professional, caring and warm image. Make the visitors feel as if you want them to apply for membership. Most visitors arrive early—don’t let them arrive before you do! That may mean you need to be there 10 or 15 minutes early, as the Visitor Hosts.

3. Master Visitor Hosts know their duties and perform them flawlessly.

Explain the agenda, and let the visitors know they will be asked to stand to do a sixty-second introduction. Be sure to let them know they are encouraged to pass out their business cards and brochures during the meeting.

Introduce them to the Leadership Team members and members that are in their Contact Sphere. They already can begin seeing the referrals that will be waiting for them week after week! Tell them that your chapter is waiting for someone in their profession to give their business to and to refer to others. Use the magic phrase: If you like what you see and you want to join, it’s possible to lock out your competitor from getting all of our business and referrals by submitting your application today!

In reality, there are lots of ways your membership can grow and you can succeed in BNI. But the effective use of Visitor Hosts can make an incalculable impact on the growth of your chapter. Challenge your members to reach that 80 percent success rate in transitioning visitors into members!

Interested in more information on how Givers Gain and BNI, please contact Dave Rittenhouse via phone 866-889-3466 or email dave.rittenhouse@bni4success.com