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Archive for the ‘Networking’ Category
BNI Training gives you points on the traffic lights – but don’t tell the members of other chapters! Plus – 6 reasons to attend BNI Training workshops
Posted on December 19th, 2011 by Keren Lerner
BNI Head Office provides us with very good training opportunities. Members who have’t been much lately should think about attending these in the new year. At the end of the year, we understand that you probably have lots of deadlines going and you can’t imagine booking in any new appointments. Is that how you feel?
However, January is the PERFECT month to be attending training. Many people are still easing back in, and this is a chance to get a head start on your business and marketing strategy for 2012.
Members are awarded points on the Members Traffic Lights for attending workshops.
But what else?
6 reasons to attend BNI Training workshops
I’m convinced! Where do I sign up?
Starting next year, BNI Head Office will be sending us an updated schedule showing all BNI workshops and events for the following two months at the beginning of every month. Additionally, every member will receive individual emails about each workshop. As Jon Marks from BNI said recently “We all want 2012 to be a bumper year for all BNI members, and one way you can really help your chapter members is by getting them booked on to a workshop which will give them great tips and techniques for better presentations, giving and getting more quality referrals, growing their network as well as two new workshops being offered later in the year – Networking Skills and 1-2-1 Skills.”
January and February 2012 Schedule
| Date | Event | Time | Location | Cost | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19th January | New Members Success Training | 17.45-21.00 | Sally’s, Putney | £15.00 | |
| 23rd January | Grow Your Network | 06.45-09.00 | Café Rouge, EC4 | £15.00 | |
| 9th February | Referral Skills | 17.45-20.00 | Britannia Hotel, NW3 | £15.00 | |
| 20th February | New Members Success Training | 06.45-09.00 | St. Stephen’s Club | £15.00 |
See A full schedule of workshops for the whole of 2012
So, happy Christmas and see you next year at BNI training!
What Comes After Hello?
Posted on October 30th, 2011 by James Talbot
Networking brings many things to mind. Some of us love it, others quite the reverse. Our breakfast at Home House give us an opportunity to meet new people as well as to deepen current relationships in delightful surroundings. One of the recurrent issues is how people introduce themselves when they first arrive, before the formal proceedings begin. This article is going to explore ways of improving so that it is pleasurable and effective. Here I am going to focus on the informal time when one first meets another person rather than the more structured opportunity of the ‘one minute’ in the BNI process.
Environment
Most networking occurs in a business context, whether that is a meeting in the street it is going to be different to a networking event or a trade show. It might be milling around at a conference or having a coffee with a contact. It might be opportunistic or it may be planned. In any case know what you want and who can help you find it. The chances are that the person you are talking to wants to help but cannot deliver exactly what you want but they may well know people who can be much more helpful.
You may be introduced or you may have to introduce yourself. In either case make sure that you have some simple ‘ice breaker’. It does not have to be the best in social repartee, just something that open up the conversation. If introduced it can be as simple as “Have you come far?” or “what do you do?” or “Who do you work for?” or “How do you know…” A question is much more likely to get you talking. This is the same as when you have to introduce yourself. “Do you come here often?” will work for regular events and for one off meetings “Who invited you?” might well do. Remember that everyone is there to meet new people and find out what is happening.
The Conversation
A little preparation is useful here. What will they want to know? Start with a general position so that people know what you do. This will generally include your trade or profession, your level or position and then your responsibilities. Being too precise early on may lead to confusion, especially if you use jargon or you assume that everyone know what you do. If you already know what they do you may be able to keep this focused as in, for instance, a trade show. If it is an open event, such as a BNI breakfast then best to start general and get more detailed as you get comments from your audience. Once a conversation has started, remember why you are there. Who so you want to meet? Do they know any such people? This is crucial and a point that many people give very little attention. Many people network and hope to find a customer then and there. This is unlikely to happen, at least until you have developed a relationship. On the other hand, if you know which professions or trades are good introducers for you then ask if they know if any are at the event. It might be suppliers, it might be customers or it can also be other specialists within the same sector. Often I get lots of good introductions when I am looking at how to be complimentary rather than competitive.
If you do make a good connection please, please follow up. Networking is only the beginning.
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].
Six reasons you should learn to love and embrace your Ten Minute Presentation
Posted on October 12th, 2011 by Michael Marks
Your BNI Ten Minute Presentation. You know you should do one, but you’re avoiding it because, let’s face it, public speaking is our number one fear. But have you ever thought about why you really should do a Ten Minute Presentation? The massive benefits to your business? No? Well here are six reasons you should learn to love and embrace your Ten Minute Presentation.
- It’s what you really come to BNI for
- The benefit to you is bigger than your fear
- You’re not alone
- Like your birthday, it may only come once a year
- You can ask for help!
- It might just change your life
It’s what you really come to BNI for
BNI doesn’t stand for Breakfast Nicely Ingested or Buddies Nattering Incessantly. You can eat breakfast and chat anywhere. You joined BNI to build your business and make money. Your Ten Minute Presentation is the best way of doing that. You can sit down after your sixty seconds every week and hope you’ve impressed, educated and informed in that single minute. Or you can take ten of those precious weekly minutes and really impress and inform your Chapter. Your Ten Minute Presentation is the only time you can really educate your colleagues in depth about who you are, what you do and how well you do it. More importantly, you can explain to them why they should be referring to you – and who your best referrals are.
Read more
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
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