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Making the most of the BNI Members Day
Posted on October 24th, 2011 by Charles McLachlan
BNI provide extra-ordinary speakers and a very stimulating event at their regular Members Day events and I am sure the one coming up will be no exception. But to the average networker the idea of trying to network with hundreds of people at one time can seem completely overwhelming and I know of some people who have come away from a Members Day having enjoyed it immensely but questioning whether they really achieved everything they hoped at a networking level.
Here are five steps to make the most of a Members Day:
1. Preparing the way for a great networking event
Spend some time planning what you are propose to offer to those who you meet and what you want to achieve from the day itself:
- Review the list of attendees before the Members Day and invite people you want to meet to connect with you at a pre-defined place on the day for a ‘networking surgery’.
- Be sure that you are equipped not just with your own cards but with cards for relevant members of the chapter so you can offer the greatest possible value to those whom you meet.
- Decide whether you are looking for referrals [people with an immediate need that you can respond to] or introductions [connections to those who may have a need in future or who could help you by making referrals].
Getting Your BNI Ducks in a Row
Posted on September 13th, 2011 by Keren Lerner
BNI is great – Keren has been an active member for 7 years, and has seen all sorts of people from all sorts of businesses come through the system. Many left without seeing the benefits, but there always seemed to be a correlation of INPUT and OUTPUT. Our business here at Top Left Design is built on referral and we still can track a majority of our incoming enquiries back to people we wouldnt have met if it werent for Keren’s membership at BNI.
The best members of BNI have a good attitude. This means they HONESTLY believe in BNI and understand that nurturing relationships takes time, effort and good intentions! Givers gain and all that!
My top twelve tips to make your BNI membership a sure-fire success!
(Important – these tips work for ANY breakfast group of a similar nature to BNI!) Read more
That’s why I do BNI – 11 things people will get out of BNI membership
Posted on September 13th, 2011 by Keren Lerner
I have been a member of BNI since the summer of 2002 and I am now at BNI Mayfair. During that time I have learned many skills, and I think it would be useful for anyone running their own business. BNI doesnt suit every one, as there are several rules to follow, it’s a big commitment, and the meetings occur very early in the morning. But a recent thread on Twitter inspired me to write this post.
For those who don’t know, BNI is a professional networking organisations where members meet weekly for breakfast and help each other by finding new business for each other and making referrals. These are tracked and statistics are carefully kept for attendance, participation and the amount of business passed.
I posted a Tweet with the hashtag (which is a clickable topic on Twitter) #ThatsWhyIDoBNI after doing some quick calculations.
But it’s important to note the other benefits of BNI so I have written a list of 11 things people will get out of membership. Read more
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