Twenty Business Cards

29/12/08

I failed!

For a recent Regional Director training event we were asked to bring along the business cards of our top twenty business contacts. But, as I didn’t know who was going to attend the workshop I decided that I wouldn’t. After all, you have to know, like, and trust people before you share your most important contacts with them.

But it was a test: a request to prove a point. And, I failed.

I was attending a workshop, held by my Area Director, and attended by other Regional Directors. Whilst I may have not known them all, they were all my equal - all good BNI members. And yet, I would not even risk taking a pocket full of my contacts' business cards with me to the training.

Now, what did this prove?

Well, as members we expect new members, in fact all members, to share their contacts with us. But, why should they if we have made no effort to get to know them? If, we have given them no reason to like us or trust us.

As members we spend a great deal of time telling our fellow members what we do and how they can best find us referrals. But, how much time do we spend giving our fellow members good reasons as to why they should share their best contacts with us?

It is often said that people buy from people. Well, members refer to people. Are you giving your fellow chapter members a good reason to find you referrals?

Secret Santa

24/12/08

At one of the chapters I visited this week, instead of the normal 10 Minute speaker, they had a chapter Secret Santa.

The Events Co-ordinator had arranged it: members pulling a name of another member out of a hat of who they would buy a present for. All the presents were beautifully wrapped and given out by each member going to the pile of presents, one at a time, and randomly picking one to give. Everyone then waited until all the presents were distributed before opening. Once unwrapped each member informed the group of what they had received.

This was the fascinating part, as some members had looked upon the idea as a bit of fun, while others has taken it more seriously. The presents ranged from chocolates and bottles of wine, to joke books and books that were well-suited to the member, to things that matched personality: one member received a beard trimmer, he has a bushy beard; another a recorder, he is a musician; part of another member's present was a money box for a millionaire: the member talks about how to become a millionaire. Some presents were very interesting: one member received a fire-extinguisher; another a posing-pouch!

It was a brilliant event and with every member taking part wonderful for the chapter - a great way to start Christmas.

But, what was very fascinating was that you could tell which members really knew the member that they had bought a present for and those who did not. And, I couldn’t help thinking that some more One2Ones would help those particular members to get to know each other better and, by doing so, increase their chances of a referral from one another.

Have you taken your partner to your meeting?

14/12/08

Does your partner, wife, husband, girl friend, boy friend, wonder just what you see in your weekly chapter meetings? Do they look at you with pity? Just can't see what all the fuss is about? And, can't believe, that come rain or shine, every week you are out of bed at 5.30 am to go to some strange business meeting where people just help each other?!

Well, I know a great many members whose partners don't get BNI and, if you are in the same position, why not take them to your next meeting?

Why? Because it's amazing how a meeting can completely change their point of view of what you get up to each week. I've seen it happen a number of times. Suddenly they understand what BNI is all about. Seeing it with their own eyes, meeting the other members, shows them what you were never really able to explain.

It's the same as when you are inviting any visitor - you just can't do justice to a great meeting in simple words.

I was at a chapter recently where a member's wife was subbing for her husband. She opened with, 'I don't think much of these meetings', and basicly told us that she thought BNI was pretty much a waste of time, but her husband needed her to be there so here she was. Not a great start to the morning I can tell you and I hoped that the visitors in the room didn't meet her! After the meeting she came up to me, a smile all over her face. She said that she had been wrong and had completely changed her mind. Everyone had made her feel so welcome and she just hadn't reliaised what a great group of people the members were.

But, do you want to know the other thing that happens? They pass referrals! I heard one lady whisper to her husband, ' ...you didn't tell me about that lovely lady who does head massage, with candles and music ...'.

And, if you are really lucky, having met the members and listened to what they do, your partner will start to find referrals.

So, your fellow members will be more than happy and with luck you will have an extra referral source for good!

No testimonial!

8/12/08

When you receive a testimonial it’s a great feeling, having someone else stand up and tell the whole group how good you and your company are just can’t be beaten. It will increase the trust that people have in you and will increase the odds of you receiving even more referrals.

But, a testimonial is not a right!

I say this because I have had a couple of members complain to me that they have done work and not been given a testimonial for it. Well, there are a number of reasons why this might be the case.

If the work was for a third party, a testimonial can sometimes be hard to obtain. If the work was for a fellow member, they may think, as I do, that a testimonial should only be given if the work or service was exceptional.

A testimonial should be viewed like feedback. Many business people spend a great deal of time and money on customer surveys. But in BNI we get this service for free, it’s just that we have to work a little harder for the results.

Say a testimonial scores a five (exceptional), then no testimonial could be either a three (good) or a one (poor). The question, is which?

So, if you are wondering why you have not received a testimonial, do a little research and you may just improve both your business and referral rate.

No cards in the chapter box!

6/12/08

I have been to a few chapters recently for the first time and as usual when the chapter business card box was passed to me I took one of each card from it. I then tried to put a face to each card I had and the interesting thing was that on each occasion there were at least four members who didn’t have a card in the box.

After the meeting I asked these people for their cards and received a mixture of replies. ‘Yes of course’ from those that hadn’t topped-up the box, to those that had left their cards in the office, and, most surprising, to those that didn’t even have a business card!

Upon checking I also discovered that these same members didn’t have their business cards represented in the other members' BNI card wallets.

That’s just amazing! How many referrals are these members missing out on?

Each week when the business card box is passed round, members flick through the cards taking out those they need, but at the same time they register all the other cards, reinforcing that member in their memory. But even more important, when a member's card wallet is being passed round possible contacts, these missing members' cards are never seen – possible referrals are lost for good.

So, next week when you get to your chapter check that you have a really good number of cards in the box and if you don’t have any cards, get some this week! But, please don’t be tempted to buy those cheap, odd sized 'cards' from the internet. Your business card says a great deal about your business. As soon as you hand out a cheap business card, it tells your prospect that you are a small company with very little money. It might just make them think twice about using your services!

And, how about this for an idea? If you are the printer in your group, why not see which of your members don’t have business cards and then offer them a group deal for a really smart set?

Chapter Directors – Do you know what your new members are being told?

23/11/08

All new members are reminded by their Chapter Directors, once inducted into their chapter, that they need to attend Member Success (Orientation) training within 60 days of joining, otherwise they may be subject to having their category opened by the Membership Committee. In addition, after attending this workshop the new member will be added to the 10 minute speaker list.

But, Chapter Directors, when was the last time that you went to Member Success training? And, do you know what your new members are being taught?

I believe that it is vitally important for the Chapter Director to know what new members are being told; I also, believe that it is as important for the Membership Co-ordinator and Education Co-ordinator to know as well.

So, if you are a Chapter Director, and you have not been to Member Success training within the past year, please may I recommend that you go as soon as possible? Not only will you be helping your chapter, you will also be helping those new members, and you never know you might just be reminded of something that you have forgotten.

It's good to talk!

15/11/08

A member asked me recently what they should do because someone in their chapter had talked about something they themselves did in a 60 seconds presentation.

Although the service could have been provided by either member, the service concerned was plainly covered by the aggrieved member's category and not by the other member. So, there was a conflict of category.

The member had already talked to the Chapter Director and had been advised to put the matter in writing and hand it into the Membership Co-ordinator for the Membership Committee to consider. Not only was this the correct procedure but also the member's right.

However, I suggested to the member that it might be better to email the Membership Co-ordinator their concerns, but to say that they, the member, would talk to the person concerned first and see what could be done. My feeling was that once official, something that may have been just an innocent mistake, would develop into something more major with the full committee involved.
Whereas a simple chat might resolve the matter without anyone else having to be involved.

The next day the member rang me to say how glad they were that they took my advice. They had met with the other member, who had realised as soon as the words were spoken that it was not their area of work to talk about and, by talking, had agreed on the boundaries to which they should keep.

But, the best part. They discovered more about each other's businesses and will now be working on a project together!

I do!

1/11/08

When a new member joins their BNI chapter, having been accepted by the Membership Committee, they are inducted into the group by the Chapter Director.

This normally requires the new member to join the Chapter Director centre stage to be welcomed into the group and to agree to the BNI Code of Ethics. Chapter Directors and BNI Directors treat this induction in many different ways, from just a straight reading of the code to having a bit of fun: raise your right hand, roll up your left trouser leg.... Just a joke to settle the nerves - I’ve never seen it done!

Whichever method is chosen, the new member will need to say ‘I will’ or ‘I do’ in acceptance of the Code of Ethics and this usually results in a few witticisms - ‘It’s okay, you're not getting married!’ being a favourite.

Well, this week the new member turned the tables on the Chapter Director. The lady concerned was asked to join the Chapter Director at the head of the meeting and as she made her way to the front she slipped a tiara on to her head and produced a bouquet of flowers to hold! All the way through the Code of Ethics she stood and gazed sweetly at the Chapter Director and then said ‘I will’ when required.


She brought the house down and without doubt her attitude will make her a great new member of her chapter.

A Power Team requires four members

28/10/08

Last Friday was the 2008 Members’ Day at the London Heathrow Marriott. One of the presentations I found really interesting was given by Andy and Sandra who run BNI Ireland.

The workshop was called ‘Does Size Matter?’. Not sure if the title was their idea! But, I went anyway and joined a packed room to hear them talk.

One of their ideas was to grow your chapter by growing your own Power Team (group, circle). Nothing new there, but what was really interesting was their demonstration of the relationships in a team and how they grow.

A Power Team with just one member is nothing more really than just a lonely member. With two members in the Power Team it gives you someone to wave to across the room. Even with three members in your Power Team you are still just a group of mutually interested individuals. Because three people only have three relationships.

But with four members in your Power Team this is where things suddenly become interesting because now you have six relationships. You really are becoming a Power Team.

And, with seven members in your Power Team you have an amazing 21 relationships! Andy and Sandra call this ‘An effective Power Team’

So, if you want more business and to help your chapter grow, think who you can add to your Power Team.

Mine's an Aston Martin!

14/10/08

I often liken BNI to a car: in fact in two different ways.

The first, is simply that BNI is a vehicle for 'Word of Mouth' marketing and as with cars there are many such organisations around.It just so happens that, like BNI, Aston Martin is the best! Okay, some of you may disagree and say Ferrari, but I think I make my point!

The second way I use the comparison is when people say BNI is not working for them.

I've got my brand new, shiny Aston Martin in Tungsten Silver. The engine is perfect, the interior spotless, it has a full tank of fuel. I'm free to use it exactly as I please.

But, say I forget to put any fuel in it and I run out of petrol - do I blame Aston Martin? Or, maybe I miss the odd service and that beautiful engine begins to run rough - do I blame Aston Martin? Maybe, worse still, I'm not too careful with it and I scrape its beautiful bodywork - do I blame Aston Martin? No, no and no! Not ever!

When I'm told that BNI is not working for someone I tell my little story and say that BNI is not to blame. BNI have supplied a brilliant package but as a member you have to supply the fuel, to service it, and give it the care it deserves.

So, before you say that BNI is not working for you, please check to see if you are looking after your investment. Are you making the most of each meeting? Are you doing One2Ones? Have you attended all of the workshops at least once? And finally, have you asked your BNI Director for help?

Don't make your substitute look silly!

30/9/08

In fact it's not really a case of making your substitute look silly, it's more a case of not making yourself look badly prepared.

It's happened before but what made it stick in my mind recently was the fact that the same thing happened in three different meetings one after the other! The substitute got up and read the script that they had been given and each time had to stop, the first time because something had been added to a typed sheet and the person wasn't sure where the next part was, the second time because the hand-written copy was so bad that they couldn't understand it, and the third time because what they had been given just didn't make sense.

I can even remember cases where the substitute has stood up and said, ' ...... said they would send me something but nothing turned up, so I'll just say what it says on their card'.

No, it doesn't make your substitute look silly but it does embarrass them and they do spend a great deal of time apologising.

So, please be kind to the person who is substituting for you and send them a perfect copy of the 60 seconds that you want them to present for you. And, ask them to read it in advance and come back to you if all is not clear.

Not only will your substitute not mind covering for you again in the future but you will be demonstrating to the group how well organised you are!

Chapter Directors have you done a good job?

21/9/08

All BNI chapter Leadership Teams change in nine days time. Most will say, 'Has it already been six-months?' as they can't believe how quickly the times flies by and they have so much more they want to do.

But the question is, if you are a Chapter Director, on the 30th September will you have done a good job?

You may run a great meeting, the member numbers are up, as is the referral rate, more members have attended training than ever before, and the meeting room is full by 6.45 am each week.

However, have you checked with your Membership Co-ordinator that all is okay? Are they up to date with any control letters that should have gone out, are there any membership committee issues boiling up? Have you checked with your Secretary/Treasurer that all is okay with the finances of the chapter, that there aren't any members behind with their meeting fees? And, most importantly, that they will be handing over a clean set of chapter accounts to the next Secretary/Treasurer?

Please don't let the new Leadership Team discover on the 1st October what you should know now. Be sure that you can say that you did a good job: in fact, a brilliant job

Leaflets left behind ...

20/9/08

Have you ever been one of the last to leave your meeting and scattered around the tables are a leaflet that a member gave out?

I have often - and it's not only been leaflets. Sometimes there have been note pads, invitations to a private view, free tickets to a seminar, all kinds of things.

A few weeks ago I was just leaving a meeting and a member was collecting up their product brochures that had been left behind, so I collected those nearest me and handed them to the member. I guessed only a few could have been taken by the members. They thanked me and I replied, 'No problem'.

The member then said a funny thing: 'I really meant thank you for taking my brochure'. I had one amongst my things. We then talked for a few minutes and I have to say that they were pretty disappointed that almost no one had taken their brochure.

Thinking about it later, what the member said, certainly had a ring of truth about it.

Whenever I am given something at a meeting I take it away with me - not because I am interested necessarily in whatever it might be myself, but because I may be able to pass it on to someone else who is and more importantly, as I have not been able to read it during the meeting, I can read it later when I can concentrate better and find out something more about the member.

But what the member said that really hit home was two things: first, that obviously the other members weren't really bothered about them or their services and second, that they didn't really feel like putting themselves out for those members during the coming week!

I have to say that I gave out some of my company's pads during my 10 minute once and had to collect up a handful afterwards and I must confess that I was not too happy with the members who left them.

So, please take handouts away with you and read them. Not only will it assist you in finding referrals for that member but it may very well increase the number that you receive.

Always complaining!

10/9/08

Have you ever come across those people who are always complaining - and you do your best to avoid them?

Well, maybe now it is time to pick and choose those people that you try to hide from because complaints are often referral opportunities.

We are not looking for the mum who says her son doesn’t make his bed or our mate at work who thinks that he could run his favourite sports team better than the manager – but what we are looking for are genuine grumbles that could lead to a chance of business.

Let me give you a couple examples: that same mum, over a cup of tea tells you that she just can’t keep up with the housework – it’s never ending! Is there a cleaner in your chapter? And, your mate at work, you are having a drink one evening after work, and he is moaning about the coming weekend and all the work he has to do. Clear the garden, fix a gate, put back a water pipe that has come loose. Some he doesn’t know how to do and others he hasn’t got the right tools for, so that means going to the DIY store and wasting more money! Have you a handyman or a gardener in your group?

So, don’t switch off when people start to complain and you never know you might start making a lot of people very happy!

No one to talk to!

7/9/08

I was with a member recently (they had been in their chapter for a couple of months) and they were saying that they weren't really sure what to do because a few times they had found themselves with no one to talk to during the open networking part of the meeting. Everyone seemed to be deep in conversation and they didn't feel that they could butt in so they just got a coffee and hoped.

Well, the first thing that struck me was what were the Visitor Hosts doing? At every meeting Visitor Hosts should be looking for people that somehow have ended up on their own - not just actual visitors but members too (and of course Substitutes). There is nothing worse than being left on your own at any event and all members should look out for people who have become isolated.

Then, of course, there is the Networking Skills workshop. This will not only teach you how to network but also give you tips on how to make yourself feel more comfortable in a room of people you don't know - including how to spot a group that you can easily join.

But, one simple thing that you can try at your next meeting is this: when you have got your coffee, rather than stand around the coffee table hoping that someone might come and find you, instead take your coffee and make your way to the Sign-In desk. Then, when people arrive, welcome them and walk with them to the coffee table - and have something ready to say. Something more than a weather report - maybe something that you have heard on the news about their industry or if there was something in particular that they looking for at the moment. Could you help?

You never know, you might find you really start to enjoy yourself and are never left without someone to talk to again.

In short - I suppose I am saying act like a Visitor Host!

No Door Prize!

5/9/08

I'm often asked what's the point of the Door Prize and I have to say that it's one of the few occasions on which I am almost lost for words!

Why?

Well, for a start three reasons I suppose. First, because it is just a nice thing to do, second because it is a great, very simple, and inexpensive way to get someone to remember you and your company, (I know a member that still has on his desk a paper weight that he was given many years ago, and guess who he thinks about every time he moves the paper weight) and three, because it is a BNI policy - General Policy No. 8 in fact.

But, in truth it's far more than that and here's why.

I really enjoy visiting chapters and watching and listening to a good 10-minute. I always learn something about the speaker I didn't know before and most often that member, who has not really been on my radar before, suddenly becomes far more focused in my mind - referrals suddenly seem easier to find. It might be that there is something in their Bio that gets my attention (makes a connection with me), or that by having more time they are able to explain something about their business that wasn't really clear to me before.

However, all this good work can be undone in a second. It gets to the Door Prize and when asked if they have one, the answer is 'Oh. No - I forgot.'

From my point of view, in that moment the whole 10-minute is wasted!

Anyone can get up and say anything about their business and we trust, until we have proof, that it is true. But, for that moment it is just words. On the other hand a Door Prize is proof of what you think of your fellow members and how professional you are. A member has six weeks to find a door prize - six weeks to think of something that says something great about them - six weeks to wrap it nicely.

Please don't ruin a good (maybe great) 10-miunte presentation because you couldn't be bothered to get a Door Prize. It says a great deal more about you and your company than you may think.

Note: Chapter Directors please may I suggest that you check with your 10-minute speaker as soon as they arrive that they have a Door Prize.

No Visitors!

30/8/08

Can't think whom to invite to your next meeting?

It's a problem that all of us have from time to time, believe me, even those lucky enough to wear a gold badge as I do.

But a great idea I heard recently when my Area Director, Dinah Liversidge, was asked this question at a recent training workshop may well help you.

What she advised was at the member's next chapter meeting, when the Secretary/Treasurer announces the next six Ten Minute speakers, instead of listening for their name, she suggested that they write the six names down. Then the member would have a perfect list for people to invite to each meeting.

Who better to invite than someone in the speaker's power circle (not already in the chapter) or a potential customer for the speaker. If you have already been talking to someone about the speaker, what a great time to invite that person along, to not only meet the member but also see their presentation.

I have to say that this is the best idea that I have heard in a long time. It benefits so many people - the visitor, the member who is speaking, obviously your chapter, and you the member. And, won't that member thank you if your visitor turns into business for them?!

So, if you are not to sure whom to invite to your next meeting - find out who is doing the Ten Minute.

It's Raining!

25/8/08

I'm sitting in my office gazing out of the window, looking at the rain bounce of the pavement. It was also raining last week when I visited the Iolanthe chapter in Hounslow (Middlesex), the members arriving as if they had taken a shower with their clothes on.

As I watched a lady run to her car it reminded me of an idea that I had heard of at a training event that I had attended that week.

It's a simple idea that the Visitor Hosts employ whenever the weather has the possibility of rain and what a great impression it must make on the visitors and members alike.

Two Visitor Hosts stand at the entrance of the venue with umbrellas and when someone arrives they go out to meet them and bring them back to the entrance of the venue and so into the meeting nice and dry!

How good is that?

In fact this chapter now has ten Visitor Hosts and each has a job - maybe something to think about for your group?

Birthday meeting

18/8/08

6th August was my birthday and the first meeting of the Faida chapter in Nairobi (Kenya's second chapter).

A last minute business trip to Uganda gave me the chance to visit Kenya as well, and a quick check on the BNI web site, followed by an email to the National Director of Kenya (Muraguri E), resulted in the discovery that a BNI meeting was being held in the Sarova Panafric, the very hotel that I happened to be staying in. This was a coincidence too good to ignore.

And what a meeting it turned out to be!

Nineteen members, some excellent sixty seconds, a very good Education Co-ordinator's slot by BNI Middle East National Director Bijay Shah on 'Luck' and a very clear ten minute presentation, using PowerPoint, by Becky Nyamu on her company's signage products. The contribution part of the meeting provided nineteen referrals and some very worthwhile 'Show me the Money' slips. One of these was for 1.1 million Kenyan shillings (about £8000). Some of the visitors did think that this part of the meeting was time for another sales pitch, but Muraguri E (standing in as Chapter Director for this first meeting) soon sorted this out.

But all of this was nothing compared to the number of visitors in the room - forty! (They had had two hundred visitors at their launch the prevoius week). I've never seen so many application forms being filled in at a meeting before.

I left the meeting at 10.00am, having answered a great many questions on my five years in BNI. The room was still full and a committee meeting was in full swing - a pile of application forms in front of them.

From what I saw at this first meeting Douglas Wekhomba (CD), Vincent Lugalia (MC), Mike Kimundu (S/T) - the Leadership Team - and Muraguri E and the enthusiam of the members - BNI is set for big things in Kenya.

Truth or Delusion?

16/08/08

One of the books I took on holiday with me recently was Dr. Ivan Misner's 'Truth or Delusion?' and I have to say that it is the best book I've read to date on networking and referral marketing.

If only I had read it the minute it was published, as without doubt I would be not only giving but gaining a great deal more from my BNI membership!

The book explains in clear and simple terms the not so obvious prerequisites for a good and effective networking system to work.

So, I really recommend that you get hold of this book without delay. You can't fail to benefit from reading it.

Over Saturation!

28/7/08

In my area (Twickenham), every time visitors are mentioned, over saturation of chapters is also mentioned as a reason for not being able to get any.

Well, frankly that is rubbish!

Now, I’m not going to tell you that we should cram more and more chapters into the area and I’m not going to give you the BNI statistic that says a population of so many thousand businesses will support this number of chapters. But, what I will tell you is this:

I have lived in this area for all of my life, through infant, junior, senior school and college. I have been a parent governor, commercial manager at Hampton FC, involved with the Horse Rangers, been the director for a local amateur dramatic group and played both cricket and basketball for local teams. And, more importantly, run my own business in the local area from the age of 21.

Added to this I have been a member of my BNI chapter for over five years, as a BNI Regional Director help another three local chapters, and have been to most of the other local chapters and workshops too many times to count.

All of this leads me to my point – in all of that time, in meeting all of those people, I have only ever come across three people in BNI that I had known before!

And, another interesting fact – search on the web for builders in the TW area and you will find that there are over 350.

Over Saturation? I don’t think so.

Topless!

27/7/08

Well, almost ....

Katy Spragg our chapter's personal trainer (Fitness from the Heart) had a subsitute this week, a lady I knew from another local chapter.

Katy loves to get our pulses racing a little faster during her 60 seconds, so often has the whole group up on our feet bending, stretching or jogging on the spot. However, even we had not expected what Clare Brown her Sub had in store for us.

When Clare was asked to give Katy's 60 seconds she jumped on to her chair and asked everyone to stand. It was what happened next that will no doubt have this 60 seconds talked about for months to come. She crossed her arms and whipped her t-shirt off over her head!

She then gave us a fifty second workout in just her bra and trousers that I can asure you not only got our heart rate up but also got a fair few members pretty warm!

Clare's 60 seconds was followed by a cheers and a wonderful round of applause - we all pitied the member that had to follow her with their 60 seconds.

Not only will I remember Fitness from the Heart because of a great 60 seconds but I will remember (for a very long time) Clare Brown from Morgan Brown - Reliable Female Decorators - 07966 166152.

So, be inventive and get remembered.

Katy Spragg - www.fitnessfromtheheart.co.uk

I’m entitled!

26/7/08

This was something I was told was given as a reason for being absent from a meeting when the Membership Co-ordinator had rung a member to see if they were okay. The member was just taking one of the absences that they were entitled to.

Entitled!

No! Sorry - a member is not entitled to any absences. The BNI Policy says – A member is allowed three absences in any six month period. And, the most important word there is ‘allowed’.

But what I can’t understand is why would you not want to go to your meeting in the first place?

Let’s start with the selfish reason – the referrals that you might receive that week. Okay, so you might be thinking ‘well they will contact me with any referrals I get given anyway’ and I guess you would be right. But if you don’t do a 60 seconds that week – will anyone be able to find you referrals for next week?

What about the 10 minute presentation that you miss – do you think you will be top of the speakers list for referrals that week? – I don’t think so.

And, what if the members find out that you didn’t attend the meeting because you couldn’t be bothered – do you think anyone will be looking out for referrals for you?

But, what about a more practical reason for not being ‘just’ absent?

Say you don’t bother to attend your meeting one week – no reason, just don’t feel like it. Then a couple of weeks later one of your children is sick and your really can’t get to the meeting – a perfectly good reason. And, a couple of months later you go out to start the car and the battery is flat – another perfect reason for missing a meeting.

But, suddenly you have three absences against your name – your membership of the group is under threat. And, at the next committee meeting your attendance record is discussed – how will they view your commitment to the group.

Well, a member of the committee says ‘the first absence was because they couldn’t be bothered to turn up, fancied a morning off’. If it were to come to the crunch – do you think that they would give you the benefit of the doubt?

I can tell you that the answer is – No!

So, no - you are not entitled to a single absence from your group, but you are allowed to be absent in an emergency.

To get the best from your group you have to build goodwill and trust – so please don’t ever think that your are ‘entitled’ to miss a meeting.

How many times have you seen your favourite film?

20/7/08

I must have seen my favourite film at least a dozen times and I’ve watched every episode of The West Wing three times and each time I watch them I notice something more. There are always bits I don’t remember and, more often than not, parts that make more sense seen a second or third time in watching – the odd line that I didn’t fully understand the significance of becomes clear.

The point is every time I watch I get more out of the film and in some ways it’s more fun. Okay, I know who dies and how the film ends, who is going to be the next president in the West Wing, but let’s face it, when 007 gets into a spot of bother we know he is going to be okay. We are just interested in how he will get out of it this time!

Now you may be thinking, that’s all very well, but what has it got to do with BNI?

Well, it’s amazing how many members I meet that say, ‘Oh. I’ve done that workshop. Why would I want to go again?’

Clearly there are the obvious reasons: workshops develop and change, the networking possibilities with a different set of members, motivation. But what about the simple fact that first time round you won’t have taken everything in?

I’ve been to some workshops over half a dozen times and every time I pick up something new. Suddenly something will become crystal clear in my mind because the speaker explained it in a slightly different way. I’m reminded of something that I’ve stopped doing or in fact sometimes something I’ve never done.

You can only benefit from attending a workshop. So if not for your own business, please go along as often as you can for your fellow chapter members - you may just find that you benefit anyway!

Referral Reality Check

12/7/08

This week I was at a meeting when during the Referral Reality Check section the details of a referral from the previous week were read out and the recipient asked how things were progressing.

Nothing wrong with that. However, what followed really demonstrated the benefit of the part of any BNI meeting.

The member that had received the referral said that as yet nothing had happened – he had not been contacted. At this the member who had given the referral got defensive about it and said that the member concerned had already been contacted. The member said no he hadn’t! There then followed a couple of minutes of each member trying to prove their respective positions.

It turned out that the member who had received the referral had in fact been contacted!

What caused the confusion was that he didn’t know who was going to contact him and the person who did contact him (the member receives calls from a number of other sources) didn’t know who had recommended him.

In the end everything was fine and the referral proved to be good.

But this situation could so easily have been avoided had the referral slip given been completed fully in the first place! So, next time, and every time, you give a referral please ensure that you give every piece of information needed to make the referral complete in itself.

And, one last idea that I have found useful: when giving a contact a member's business card - write your name on it.

Sharp intake of breath!

4/7/08

Have you ever been at a meeting where a visitor gets up to do their 60 seconds and as soon as they mention what they do, there is a sharp intake of breath around the room?

The visitor clashes with one of the members of the chapter and that member is looking like thunder!
I’ve witnessed this, I’ve even witnessed a similar reaction when a clash has been discovered at the sign-in table (this was followed with a great deal of rushing about the room by the member concerned telling everybody that would listen that the visitor couldn’t speak).

But what I’ve never understood is why these members get so upset.

If it happened to me - I would of course have a quiet word with the member who had invited the visitor after the meeting and find out why they thought that there wasn’t a clash. But that’s about it.

Now you might be thinking that I’m mad – but think about it for a minute.

I’ve been a member of my chapter for five years, I have good relationship with most of the members, some of the members are good friends of mine, and my company Imperial Printers I believe is well respected.

Is it really likely that if another printer got up and did a 60 seconds that all the members of the chapter would suddenly flood that person with referrals?

I don’t think I really need to answer that question – but if it ever happens to you, don’t worry about it, be calm and polite, after all however good they may turn out to be, they can’t come back a second week!

Air conditioning not working

1/7/08

Recently I had a One2One with a member who owns a lawn cutting franchise. After we had finished our meeting and as I was near to the garage where I have my car serviced and its air conditioning was playing up - it was acting more like a heater - I decided to pop in to see if they could have a look at it for me.

Having been a customer for many years they said that they could have a look at it on the spot. I watched the mechanic at his work for a few minutes, but could soon tell that all was not going well, so took myself off to wait in reception. However, I soon got bored of watching the receptionist type invoices and began to think about lawns – I really wanted to get this member a referral or two.

But where to start?

After a while it struck me that I had a captive audience – the receptionist – there was no telling who she might know! So, I stood up, crossed over to her desk, and said,‘Excuse me. I don’t suppose you know someone with a large garden and a lawn that needs cutting?’
She said, ‘No' , looking somewhat surprised, so I sat down again.

A couple of minutes passed before my failure began to play on my mind. I couldn’t give up; after all there were lots of members I could find referrals for. So I crossed to the receptionist again, this time I said,
‘Sorry to disturb you again, but as well as this brilliant lawn cutting company I work with a number of other really great local business owners, such as a plumber, tiler, electrician, bank, IFA, web designer...So if you need any of those.....?'
'No', she said again. Not to be totally defeated I suggested that now that she knew that I knew loads of good business people that she could call me if a need ever came up.
She smiled and said 'Of course.'

Just as I was about to return to my chair, she said,
‘I need a couple of doors repaired in my hallway at home. Have you a carpenter that you would recommend?’

We have a wonderful carpenter in my chapter, so I gave her his details, got her details for him which included the best time to call her at work. At that moment the mechanic appeared at the door to say that he had discovered the fault on my car and that they would have to order a part.

I left my garage a few minutes later feeling really pleased, as I had a referral to take to my chapter meeting the next morning and the best thing? It had cost me nothing to get it – just a little thought!

Referral possibilities are everywhere, and not always where you expect. It’s just that sometimes you may have to get a little out of your comfort zone to find them!

A picture says a thousand words!

27/6/08

I was at a meeting recently when a member stood up to give his 60 seconds. He is a photographer.

He read it, as many members do, from a prepared script, but the script wasn’t scribbled on the back of a referral slip, on a creased piece of paper, or for that matter on a lovely crisp typed sheet of paper. It was on the back of a beautiful photograph.

The photograph faced us and everyone got to see it as he turned around the group in order to have addressed all of us.

Brilliant!

Not only was his 60 seconds good, but what a demonstration of both his work and his preparation skills. No one in his group could be left with any doubt as to whether they should recommend him.

Okay, we are not all so lucky as to be a photographer and have wonderful pictures to sell us. But, if you are going to use a script why not put it on the back of a nice card with your company logo on the front?

Presentation and branding is so important to every business, however small or large, so what a great and really simple way to raise your image within your chapter.

What have you been doing for the last 10 years?

24/6/08

Of course, this question could even be five, ten, fifteen or twenty years, but the question remains. Do you ever ask your fellow members what they used to do?

I ask this because I heard recently of a member who was thinking of leaving BNI because there was no-one he had met who matched his needs – basically because they were all small businesses.
When questioned about this and asked to name someone he wanted to meet he replied that there was no point as ‘you wouldn’t know the kind of person I need to speak to’.

The lady member concerned (she runs a small roofing company) asked if he would humour her and give her a name of someone that would be a good contact for him. He said that he couldn’t see the point, but if he must – Glaxo SmithKline would be a great contact.

I don’t know the actual outcome of this story, but I do know that the lady concerned had been the World Events organiser for Glaxo SmithKline for over 10 years!

Do you think that she probably knew someone that the member would have loved to talk to?

So, never assume that a member is only what they are today. Ask the question, and you may just be very surprised!

Anyone for tennis?

22/6/08

A great 60 seconds will keep bringing you referrals for years!

I was at a chapter this week and we were about half way through the 60 second presentations when this guy stood up, pushed a head band over his wavy hair, picked up a tennis racket and cried “You cannot be serious!”

He then handed another racket to an accomplice, produced a tennis ball and together they played a rally (in fact several) down the centre of the tables.

He is a music teacher (piano, saxophone and clarinet) and band member who was promoting one of his gigs which was taking place the following week.

Why the tennis? Well, his gig is next week and the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis championships start next week. Being a tennis fan (he has tickets to semi-final day), and believing that you could not be serious if you were thinking of missing his band perform, well, John McEnroe just popped into his head!

It was the most memorable 60 seconds of the day: I have already re- told it to a number of people and I am writing about it here.

Like all good stories that get told time and time again, I will talk about this 60 seconds many times over the coming years and each time it will be a referral opportunity.

So, get creative and keep those referrals coming in!

Joseph Marshall and his Band, Ramajaz, are playing at the George IV, Chiswick, on Wednesday 2nd July from 8.00pm. Email: josephjmarshall@hotmail.com

Annoyed by talkers?

18/6/08

Have you ever felt yourself getting hot under the collar because someone at the next table is continually talking through the 60-second presentations?

And, I’m not talking here about the odd whisper to a visitor to explain what’s going on in the meeting, I’m talking about that member who talks at their normal volume as if nothing else in the room is going on.

It never fails to astound me that these people don’t realise that they are making it almost impossible for those around them to concentrate on the content of the speakers' 60-seconds being given. That they have little chance of finding referrals for their fellow members because they have no idea what the members are actually looking for.

But, the thing that really gets me, is that they don’t understand that the chances of me looking for a referral for someone that is so rude, is, well, about zero! So if you are one of the ‘talkers’ in your chapter and you often wonder why you don’t get as many referrals as you think you should – well, you may now just have the answer!

Team Spirit!

16/06/08

Five BNI teams, plus three members of staff from BNI Head Office, took part in the NBFA Charity 5k on Sunday 8th June.

The weather was perfect and the competitive spirit was increasing, as the 10 o’clock start time got ever nearer.

Along with Charlie Lawson, Tim Cook (both Assistant National Directors) and Kathleen Waller from Head Office, were teams from Tudor (including LNW Area Director Dinah Liversidge), Business Class, Platinum, Swan and Iolanthe (who had only just launched on the 5th June).

For Tudor and Business Class this race (to date anyway) was a decider, as Tudor had won the first NBFA race in 2006 and Business Class took the winner's trophy in 2007. Both chapters had entered a good number of runners and on paper Tudor were the stronger team. However, even before the starter had said ‘Go’, Tudor had lost two of their runners: one to a twisted knee, the other to Glyndebourne.

John Wilson (Tudor) led, by bicycle, the first runners round the beautiful tree lined course in Bushy Park in what was to be a very fast time for the winner: Daniel Bent a teacher from a local school - his time an excellent 17m 28sec.

Chris Lovelock (CJL Construction) of the Tudor Chapter came home in 6th place in a brilliant sub twenty-minute time (19m 54sec) and the stage was set for an easy Tudor victory. But then in 20th place and 22nd place came two Business Class runners and things were once again looking interesting. It now all rested on the finishing positions of the remainder of the four person teams. Things once again looked like a certain win for Tudor when they took the 35th position, but this was quickly followed by Business Class taking 38th. Then disaster struck. News came through that Mark Archer (Tudor) had pulled up with a torn calf-muscle – he had been looking at a good finish of around 30th. The Tudor team had been reduced to just four runners and now it was all down to those last few finishers.

The result was close, very close, but Business Class came from behind to snatch the trophy out of Tudor’s hands!

There were other notable performances on the day: Tim Cook finished in 24th place in a time of 23m 47sec, just seeing off one of his members at the Swan chapter. Charlie Lawson finished! I don’t say this lightly as Charlie had been in Paris for a stag party on the Saturday evening, caught a plane home at 6.00 am Sunday morning and came directly to the race. He reckoned that most of the alcohol was out of his system by the time he had finished! It would also appear that Kathleen had been at a hen party until 4.00 am on the Sunday morning – so her finishing position of 53rd in a time of 26m 43sec was pretty outstanding.

Dinah walked the course – aided by personal trainer Katy Spragg (Business Class) – in just under an hour and finished to great applause. It was the furthest she had walked in over 14 years.

Tom Tree (Platinum) got more than a referral - after he had finished, his legs hurt rather a lot and so he took advantage of the free massage being given by some lovely ladies – he now has a date with one of them!

And last was Veronica Lartey (Iolanthe). Having got lost on the way to the race she started half an hour late, but still wanted to take part. She crossed the line to a BNI guard of honour.

The 8th of June was a great success for the NBFA as they raised lots of funds for our older folks, but it was also a great day for BNI, as all the members showed what having fun, teamwork and wonderful support is all about.

Thank you to everyone that took part and.... see you all again next year!

Photographs of the event, taken by John Frye (Tudor), can be seen at: http://www.johnfrye.co.uk/NBFA%205k/index.html

Super Sub!

8/6/08

I was at a chapter recently who had a 'Super Sub' and I really mean a Sub who was super. (More about the other kind another time.)

This guy was really amazing. The story started some weeks before when he was asked to be a subsitute for a member but forgot to turn up. Obviously the member was marked as absent. Well, the member when he found out wasn't too impressed and let his subsitute know!

So next time the member wanted a Sub, whom did he call? Yes, the same person.

And, this was the meeting that I was attending. When the subsitute was called to read out the member's 60 seconds, it was great, but about half way through the 60 seconds it then told us that this was the person who had let the member down and we could be as horrible to him as he deserved! He finished and sat down; brave to read it if you ask me.

After the members, as there was no clash, the subsitute was asked to give his 60 seconds. He introduced himself, told us what he did and then picked up two bags and started to give out bottles of wine. Everyone received a bottle and it was his way of saying sorry to the member and us for letting the chapter down!

Amazing and what a way to be remembered! And I've kept his card, because if he cares that much, I bet he also cares about his job!

One of your fellow members is holding an event

1/06/08

I happened to be talking with four members this week who had all had the same experience. I met with them on different days by the way!

They had each held an event, were in chapters of over twenty members, and each event was free. Two of these events were evening sessions, one spread over three days and the other one was in fact online. The number of members from their chapters who chose to support them ranged from none (on two occasions) to about five!

Amazed? Well, I was!

Why? Well, let's start with building a supportive relationship. How about it's just a friendly thing to do, or how about the fact that you might just learn something (two of the events were about growing your business), or a bit selfish - for the networking possibilities, then again how about the fact that there can be no better way to learn about a person's business than watching them work - what a great way to get an insight into how they work, understanding what they do, and so increase the chance of getting referrals for them, or how about just because you may get to know them a little more?

Something that is very important in our groups, which also effects directly how many referrals we receive, is how much we know, like and trust our fellow members.

How do you think those four members feel? Deep down - do you really think they like us? Do you really think that they will go out of their way to find us referrals?

Next time one of your fellow members is holding an event, posts something on the web for you to look at, or even asks you just to have a look at their web site, please really try to find the time to do whatever it is. I guarantee that, at the very least, you will make a member happy and by doing that, you will certainly increase the odds of a referral or two from them.

No badge equals less money!

17/05/08

Some of our members see no value in wearing a badge: they think it's one of 'those' BNI rules. I know of at least one member who refuses to wear a badge, because he is above that kind of thing. He's his own man! Well, all I can say is that he, and those like him, are ...... well let's just say, they don't get 'it' at all!

So the question is, why do we wear a badge? Is it that BNI like their little rules? Their little symbols of corporate being? Is just to make us feel stupid? Well, the answer is no, no and no.

Now I expect that both Martin Lawson and Ivan Misner could write a book on the benefits of wearing a badge. However, I would just like you to think about these few things and then tell me you don't think our BNI badges are a good idea.

A major part of our weekly meetings is for the benefit of visitors and after that our new members; they have never seen BNI or us before. So what better way of making people feel at ease than a badge with your name clearly printed on it? And from your own point of view, isn't it easier if a new member has their name on a badge in case you can't remember it? From my own point of view, as a Regional Director I have to confess that sometimes I can't remember the name of every single member in all of my chapters, so it really helps me if a member wears their badge.

But if you want the most compelling reason of all as to why you should wear a badge - it's because if you don't, it will cost you money!

How? How could such a little thing cost you money?

Well, all the things above have have one thing in common. And, I have done it on many occasions myself and I know many other people that have also. I've walked into a room full of people, walked towards two people - both whom I knew - but I couldn't remember their names. One wasn't wearing a badge, the other was and I could see their name clearly. Which do I talk to? And, more importantly, which one gets to tell me about their business and what they are looking for? To grow a relationship with me?

I think we all know the answer! I may have been just the person the person not wearing the badge needed to speak to that day, but we will never know. Possible business gone. Just for the sake of a badge!

So, do you think that BNI want us to wear a badge just to be difficult or because it just might increase our business gained from BNI?

I'll leave you to decide!

Too busy for a One2One!

22/4/08

A member asked me recently what they should do, as a couple of members in their chapter had told them that they were too busy for a One2One and another said that they didn’t do them.

My simple answer was to do nothing, just to move on and find someone who did want to do a One2One. But then I thought about it some more. What exactly are you saying if you don’t have time for a One2One?

That you are not interested in finding your fellow member more referrals? That you yourself don’t want that same member to find you more referrals?

But there is even more to it than that.

Obviously not having the time for a One2One is not going to increase the number of referrals you receive But the more interesting question is, will it reduce the number of referrals that you receive? And I would suggest that it would!

Why? Well, on the most basic level if you are too busy for a One2One then similarly you must be too busy to take on more work. Then, on a personal level, if you are too busy to spend some time with a member you are not exactly building goodwill and trust, a BNI ethic. But, more importantly, if the member feels snubbed – do you really think they are going to try and find you referrals? So whenever you are asked for a One2One, even if you really are too busy, take the time to make a date in your diary. Six weeks time is far better than never! And I also think that you will be pleased with the result.

Clapping adds energy!

20/4/08

I don’t know what it is like in your region, but in mine the opinion as to whether members should clap after each 60 second presentation is divided. The recommendation is that there be no clapping, but it is left to the individual chapters to decide for themselves. In mine we clap.

Now, there are various arguments for and against. On the against side the arguments seem to centre on timekeeping and the fact that even bad 60 seconds get clapped, so how do you tell a good one?

But I think the reasons for clapping far outweigh those against. Firstly, I would suggest that if a chapter is running over time due to clapping, then there is in fact a much larger problem somewhere else. As for the bad 60 seconds getting clapped, well, I can assure you that it is easy to spot the difference between a bad 60 seconds and a very good one.

But there is much more!

For one thing, just think about that new member, worried about their 60 second presentation. How confidence building is it to get clapped for that first 60 seconds? Then to my mind, when I visit chapters that don’t clap, the change over between speakers is just totally dead. You just get the noise of chairs being pushed back, paper rustling and members talking because they have nothing else to do. Clapping at its worst covers all of that and, what’s more, uses the time to better effect. At its best, clapping builds on the energy already in the meeting and can even inject energy when it has been missing. And, another interesting thing I have noticed is that the 10 minute speaker is often better when there is real energy in the meeting.

So yes – I think clapping adds real energy to a meeting and I thank our RD for promoting it.

World record?

14/4/08

At our meeting two weeks ago a member – Gareth Miller (Garden Designer) – gave 85 referrals.

Yes, I did say eighty five!

It was truly amazing, I’ve seen over twenty referrals given before, but eighty five? Well, that is just outstanding and, what’s more, the average number for our whole chapter for a month.

Now I know what people are thinking – were they really referrals? All I can say is that my company, Imperial Printers, was lucky enough to receive twenty of the referrals (in response to my 10 minute presentation two weeks before) and every single person I called was not only expecting my call, but, so far I have completed quotes for ten of the companies and also secured two jobs. So yes, I would say that they were all real referrals.

I guess you are thinking - so how did he do it?

Well, it seems that it was pretty simple! He just asked every single person he met or spoke to how he could help them: even his optician while he was having some new glasses fitted. And once he got going, he just couldn’t stop!

Now I have to say that Gareth is a natural and, for many of us asking such a question of everyone we met would be way out of our comfort zone. But how about trying to ask just one person a day how you could help them?

You never know you might just set a personal record!

All locked up!

9/4/08

When I arrived at my BNI meeting last week, I was late as it was 6.40am, I was therefore surprised to find the car park full of members! For some reason our venue was closed and we were left standing in the cold – visitors as well.

At ten to seven the doors were still locked and it was time for some quick thinking! So our Chapter Director rang a local pub he knew and asked the landlord if he fancied getting out of bed and opening up to give twenty plus people breakfast. He said yes!

So with a lot of car sharing we drove the few minutes to our substitute venue, where the landlord produced some wonderful coffee and Danish pastries for all.

We had a great meeting, a good number of referrals, and our visitors enjoyed it - one submitted an application after the meeting and another is coming back with his next week.

Not something I would want to do every week, but as a team building event it was pretty good!

So, if you are ever in Stanley Road, Teddington, pop into to the Red Lion, buy a pint and say hello to Dave Shanks – he’s a good man.

Thank you for the business!

3/4/08

The ‘Show Me the Money’ box (I think only used in UK chapters) is a great idea but, as I have said before, it’s surprising how many members don’t really understand it’s use or value.

Maybe if the box had been called ‘Thank you for the business’; which I like to call it, its use would have caught on faster and with less misinterpretation. But as I say if used correctly it’s a great idea.

Using the box could not be more simple - as all you are doing is thanking a fellow member for a referral that has turned into real business. Although even this seems open to debate as some members seem to find it hard to decide whose name to put on the card and exactly what amount. Both are easy; the name is the person you received the referral from and the amount is the figure on your invoice – before any vat. So if you are a florist it might be £50 for a bouquet of flowers, whereas for a builder it might be £60,000 for an extension. The amount is nothing to do with profit, it’s simply the amount that you invoice or receive for your services – an IFA for example might be involved in a large deal, hundreds of thousands of pounds, but it is the fee that is earned that goes on the card.

As to the value of using the box – well, this can be really amazing if every member of a chapter uses the box to its full. Every week we pass referrals and hopefully lots of them. But at the end of the day, a Referral Slip is nothing more than a slip of paper, an opportunity to do business. But a card in the ‘Show Me the Money’ box is proof of actual business done!

Just imagine the affect on the members of a chapter, let alone the visitors, when a Membership Co-ordinator stands up and says, this month as a group we did £20,000 of business between us. And, what if the MC said it was £30,000 or even £50,000?

So next time the box is passed to you at a meeting please use it, don’t just pass it on!

Follow your money!

30/3/08

Where to find visitors is a constant question I hear amongst members. Now I’m not going to tell you that finding visitors is easy, but neither do I believe that finding visitors is as hard as a lot of members think.

However, I do believe that a great many members chase the same potential visitors without success, so how about this for an idea? Follow your money.

So what do I mean by that? Well, where do you get and, more importantly, where do you spend your money? Take the last six months for example: where have you been spending your money? – business and personal. Have a look through your purchase ledger, invoices or your cheque book at home and see who you have paid and for what.

These people are your own personal visitor list, no one else has this exact list. And the best thing about this list is that you know all the people on it and how good they are at their job. You already have a relationship with them and so calling them is easy and what’s more they will be happy to talk to you.

Tell them how happy you were with their work, ask them if they are looking for more business and ask them to your chapter.

So if you are stuck for ideas of where to find your next visitor, give this a try and I promise that you will be surprised at the results!

Write your own Bio

24/3/08

You have your 10-minute coming up and the Treasurer asks you to fill out a biography sheet, so you fill out the obligatory spaces on the form: spouse, children, animals, hobbies, other interests, burning desire, something no one knows about you and your key to success. Then, if you are lucky and the treasurer can read your handwriting, it gets read out with some enthusiasm, something like this:

'Spouse: Mary. Children, none. Animals, none. Hobbies, golf and football. Other Interests, most sport. Burning Desire, to travel. Something no one knows about me, I once played for the Arsenal Youth team. Key to Success, always doing my best.

It's fine, but what is that really adding to your presentation and, let's be honest, how many times have you given the Treasurer the same biography sheet? I know in my chapter members do that and what's more they don't even update their dates - so they have still been married three years when I know it's now four!

A 10-minute is just that, eight minutes and questions or a straight ten minutes. But a well written biography can add to that another minute or more, so make the most of it! Next time you have a 10-minute coming up and your Treasurer asks for a Bio, write it and make use of every word. The Treasurer can say things about you that you can't say yourself, so give them some good stuff and build up your image.

This is what I did for my last 10 minute:

David is married and has four boys, two of whom were born on the 23rd March - however they are not twins, the eldest being four years older than his brother!

He went to Hampton Infant and Junior schools, and then to Teddington senior school - via a two-year stopover at Rectory (now Hampton Community school). He also has a City & Guilds in photography and yachting exams up to Coast Skipper.

David loves to cook (especially fish) and enjoys cooking the recipes of Elizabeth David, Keith Floyd, Rick Stein and Delia Smith.

He is again this year organising the NBFA 5k charity run.

His key to success is never accepting second best!

Does he have a burning desire? Yes - but it will always remain a secret!

David loves to write and currently has two blogs: My BNI Day and Convert to Imperial. And something that very few people know about him, is that he once wrote a children’s story, which was printed monthly in the Horse Rangers’ magazine, using a girl’s name as a pseudonym. He would one day love to have the story published.

Leadership Team training

16/3/08

This week saw the new teams for April being trained and as always there are those members who when they agree to be on the new team then don’t understand the need to attend training. The reason for not needing to is always the same: because they have been to the training before.

Even if you were to discount the fact that the training is always improving, that new procedures are announced, that members share their ideas and worries and these are discussed, that everyone in the new team has heard the same information at the same time and so are all working from a common knowledge base, what about the fact that this is TEAM training?

Everyone is part of the team and there is more to the training than just training. It’s about team building and, exactly as in your chapter, you need to take part and show your commitment to the team. So the fact that you may have been to the training before may mean that you have some idea of what your job is all about, although I can guarantee you that you won’t know it all, but more importantly missing the training gives out the wrong signal to the new team. Because I think what it says is that you are not really fully part of the team. You will do your job, but not a great deal more.

BNI is all about building relationships and you can’t build relationships if you don’t take part and work on them. For a Leadership Team to work really well every one of the members must work on building that team.

To all those that have trained this week, work hard on your team and your chapter will reap the rewards.

And don’t forget to have some fun. Your six months will be up before you know it!

Why no rewards?

12/3/08

This question has come up a few times recently and is very easy to answer – BNI is based on recommending people you know, like and trust, not those that give you a ‘thank you’.

Obviously no one is going to worry about a bottle of wine, or similar, but when these ‘thank yous’ get bigger and expected, even arranged, well, that’s when the problems start.

I’m not even going to go down the tax/legal route as that is outside my area of knowledge, although I would guess it’s not good, but on the BNI front, what would it say if we recommended someone from whom we were getting a ‘present’?

Could our judgement be trusted?

The person or company you recommended might be the best there is, but think about it from your own point of view. If you knew the person or company being recommended to you was being given a nice ‘thank you’ to do so, would you trust them?

I would suggest not!

Don't be so polite!

10/2/08

Let’s be realistic, referrals can at times be hard to find and other than those referrals that you get from someone who asks you if you know a good whatever it may be, you have to work for them. Obviously once you are tuned into the idea of referrals it’s not hard work, but you still need to be actively switched into referral mode.

For most of us, this is something that has to be learned, and I can’t recommend highly enough the Referral Skill workshop. In fact I would almost go as far as saying that this workshop should be made compulsory, as a member's ability to pass referrals directly affects the success of my membership. Whereas their networking and presentation skills, on the other hand, only affects their likely hood of receiving referrals.

However, back to finding referrals. At the workshop you will be shown many ways of finding referrals, including some that require no work at all. Some of these ideas are what BNI like to call silent referral generation, and I have one that you may like to try.

All members are given a BNI business card wallet where they keep the cards of all the people in their chapter, so that when needed they have a member's card with them. Well, the first thing that I would suggest is that you have two or three of these wallets (you can buy them from your RD for a few pounds), and pass them around.

But this is my silent referral generator. Always have your BNI wallet on the passenger seat of your car (van) and the next time you give someone a lift, don’t be polite and pick it up and throw it on the back seat. Let your passenger pick it up. They will then wonder what they should do with it and that’s your opening!

You say something like, ‘Oh, sorry, that's my BNI folder. It's full of the business cards of people I know and trust and are great at their jobs. Would you like to have a look ? ....'

I only buy from ….!

8/3/08

I was at a training recently given by Phil Berg, a great AD (Area Director) and also a brilliant educator, and there was a general all things BNI Q and A session going on.

Amongst other things that came up was how Phil found visitors. Being a Gold Badge holder (you receive a gold badge once you have invited six members into your chapter), this is something that Phil is particularly good at, and the following idea of his is just so simple and has led to visitors for him.

We have all had the phone call when someone is trying to sell us something. Phil doesn’t waste time trying to get rid of them, or eventually just hanging up on them, he just states instead that he only buys from BNI members and then asks if they are a BNI member.

What a great idea! And if they ask what BNI is, he says, 'Why not come along and find out?'

Why not give it a try? You never know, it may help you on your way to a Gold Badge!

No 10-minute!

4/3/08

I can never really understand why this ever happens, or at least why anyone other than the Leadership Team knows the 10-minute speaker is missing for some reason.

The first thing the Leadership Team should know is who is the 10-minute speaker at that days meeting and as soon as that member arrives check that all is okay. If for some reason the member doesn’t show, then the Chapter Director should always have a ‘Chapter 10-minute’ ready and announce it as if that was how it was always going to be. Not ‘Oh. Fred hasn’t turned up this morning, don’t know where he is, so I’ll fill in with something ..’ What does that look like?

What is a ‘Chapter 10-minute’? Well, it could be a short Power 1-2-1 session, or a session on Power Groups, or a session on the four workshops. Just something prepared and sitting in the chapter box waiting for the day that an emergency happens.

But what happens more often with a 10-minute is no Bio or Door-Prize or in fact both and this is so easy to avoid.

What I found worked well, when I was treasurer, was this. The day after the meeting I would email the next speaker reminding them that it was their 10-minute the following week, enclosing a Bio sheet, asking for its return and reminding them to bring a wrapped door-prize.

Then the day before the meeting I would send them another email. This time asking if all was okay for the meeting the next day, saying thank you for their Bio (or not as the case may be) and finishing with something like, ‘Looking forward to seeing what your door-prize is’.

By doing it this way, any problems came to light then, not the next morning, so a stand-in speaker could be found if needed, a Bio quickly written and a forgotten door-prize found.

How much better than no speaker, a forgotten Bio, or no door-prize.
We have a Sightpath Business Catalyst in one of my chapters and his memory hook is ‘Success comes to those who plan for it’ and in this case the planning is so simple!

The Winning Team

27/2/08

For the past two years BNI teams have taken part in the NBFA 5k Charity Fun run held in Bushy Park (Teddington), near Hampton Court, during June.

The NBFA (National Benevolent Fund for the Aged) was founded to improve the quality of life for older people in the UK who live on a low income. This they do by providing direct, practical assistance through the provision of emergency alarms, TENS pain relief machines and the organisation of free holidays.

By taking part, BNI teams not only help to raise thousands of pounds for this wonderful charity, but also have lots of fun and some very competitive racing! Any number of runners (or walkers) can be in a team – so a whole chapter can take part – with only the first four home, from each team, scoring points. The BNI team with the best (lowest) score wins the trophy!

Last year's winning team was Business Class from Twickenham (photo below).

The best thing about this event is that everyone can take part: both young and not so young. The youngest runner last year was just eight and the eldest sixty-two, and also the fast and those just a little slower! The fastest runner last year finished in just over eighteen minutes and those that walked the route took just under fifty minutes.

And the best part? After the race you can picnic in the beautiful park with the family, take a walk along the river and watch the swans, visit Hampton Court Palace or just flop into one of the local pubs!

If you would like to enter a team in this year’s event and try to beat the team from Business Class – on Sunday 8th June – just ask your Regional Director to get you some entry forms or contact BNI Head Office.

Hate the thought of doing your 10 minute?

2/3/08

Many new members, and for that matter, some long standing members, hate the idea of having to do their 10 minute. In fact, some positively avoid it. And, having been one of those, I have to say I completely understand the feeling.

But time has changed that. Partly by attending the workshops, (although these really improve your presentation, rather than actually getting you to do a 10 minute in the first place), partly by watching other members do theirs, partly by the improvements made when doing my 60 seconds and becoming more comfortable, but mainly by discovering a plan and having a great idea.

The plan is all about preparation and keeping things simple, about not making things complicated and trying to cram everything you know into 10 minutes. Ensure the timing is right and practise until you feel happy with the way it sounds. Run your 10 minute in private: it’s surprising how different things are when said out loud rather than just read. Practise your presentation in front of a friend if you can and ask for feedback – I hadn’t realised that I danced backward and forward constantly and touched my nose a lot until a very good friend told me.

However, the thing that I have suggested to most people who have hated the idea of ten minutes when they are the centre of attention, is to have a great idea. Something that will make them forget their nerves and make them feel totally at home.

One great example of this was a decorator. Now let’s be honest, not many decorators get up in front of a room full of people and tell them about their businesses – but that’s what we do in BNI. So I suggested that they wallpaper a wall! Well not a wall exactly, but a sheet of board. When it came to the day, they were tense; the first minute of their presentation was nervy, but once they picked up their paste brush they were in their element! It was a brilliant 10 minute and everyone saw at first hand how good they were at their job.

So, as they say, think outside of the box, for a great and fun 10 minute.

When a few words say it all!

26/2/08

About a year ago a member in my chapter got up to do his 60 seconds, placed his hands on the table in front of him and just looked about. After a few seconds the rest of the members started to look at each other and shrug, after another ten seconds there were a few nervous laughs and yet the member still stood there, from time to time turning their head from side to side. It was almost half way through the minute before the member spoke and then all he said was, ‘Can’t hear a thing, can you ? Just listen’. Now we all listened and sure enough you couldn’t hear a thing and then the member spoke again, this time saying, ‘That’s because this room is double-glazed. So if you know someone that is fed up with hearing all the noise outside their home then get them to contact ….’

Recently, another member bet me that she would get a standing ovation at our next meeting. In the five years that I have been a member no one else had, so I didn’t see how a new member was going to achieve this at her second meeting. At the next meeting she asked everyone to stand, she then moved to the front of the group and said that she was going to show us a simple warm-up routine. This involved us putting our hands above our heads and slowly moving our arms backward and forward. This we did for a few moments and then she said, ‘.. a bit faster, that’s it, now a bit faster ..’ and guess what? She got her standing ovation!

And then last week I called on a member to do their 60 seconds. He nodded back to me and just sat there reading his paper. After a while he glanced at his watch but carried on reading. This group had all heard the double-glazing story so we all sat and waited, but thirty seconds passed and this member just carried on reading, in complete silence. At forty-five seconds we just didn’t know what to expect. Then at fifty seconds he glanced at his watch again, folded his paper, looked up and said, ‘Don’t waste your time, speak to RBS instead!’ That was it, but he received rapturous applause. And what amazing nerve that took.

The one thing that these 60 seconds have in common is that they will be remembered. Hardly a week goes by without me telling someone the double-glazing story. And on one of those occasions it resulted in £4,500 worth of work for the member and, because I keep talking about these 60-seconds, they keep on working for the members concerned.

So next time you do your 60 seconds why not dare to be different and do something that your fellow members will still be talking about in years to come?

Trouble getting to training?

24/2/08

The statistics show that the most successful chapters have a higher level of attendance at the BNI workshops, and yet it can still be difficult to motivate some members to attend.

The reasons seem to be many and varied, ranging from; 'I'm too busy', 'The workshops are too far away', 'The time is difficult to make', 'I've been before' (two years ago), 'I get better training at work', to 'Why would I want to learn BNI stuff?' and just plain apathy.

Frankly, most of the reasons are just excuses, since if you really want to do something you make the time. 'I've been before', well, in my book that doesn't stand up either, as taken to its logical conclusion why would you ever do anything more than once? I've been to most of the BNI workshops at least once (Member Success three or four times) and each time I go there is something new I pick up. Sometimes it's just a sentence that makes it worth while and of course each time I go there are new members to network with.

'I get better training at work' – when I heard that one, I nearly .......... well let's just say I wasn't amused! I could write for the next hour what I think about that remark but all I will say is that I would be surprised. I don't care what company you work for, BNI have some of the best trainers around and I will except that you don't get Dr. Ivan Misner every workshop or for that matter Andy Bounds, author of the best selling book the Jelly Effect, but you do get part of an excellent team. And even if you do believe that your training is better, how about going along because you are part of a team?

And, 'Why would I want to learn that BNI stuff, it's just for BNI, right?' No, no it isn't! Presentation Skills, one of the BNI workshops, not worth it?! Are you really trying to tell me you only present yourself at BNI? What about at your next business meeting, when you are asked to give a speech at your best mate's wedding, or like me when for the first time I stood up in front of forty actors and told them how I was going to produce their show. Presentation skills are for every aspect of your life, not just at BNI. The same is true of the other workshops. So please attend them all. Not only will your chapter benefit, but so will you.

Apathy – this is a hard one to fight and many suggestions have been made to overcome it. Some chapters just announce the workshops, others send round a list for members to tick the workshops they want to attend, some groups give each member a training schedule and ask them to mark off workshops and hand the schedule back, I know of a chapter that tried booking every member on to a workshop and then told the members to cancel if they couldn't go – I'm not sure myself that that's a great idea, as for BNI to get a block booking and then have people slowly cancel must be a real pain.

However, an idea that I heard about this week and one that is working to good effect, is where the Membership Co-ordinator just rings each member up and asks them if they want to attend the next workshop - yes or no and then books them in. It's that simple and is having incredible results.

So if your chapter could benefit from some more training, why not try just picking up the phone?

Givers Gain!

21/2/08

We have a great photographer in one of my chapters, but not only is he good behind his lens he is also wonderful in the chapter.

He rarely misses a meeting, is always one of the first members to arrive in the morning and always offers to help out.

When he had only been a member a few weeks I suggested that he bring his camera and take a few pictures for our web site. The following week he arrived with his camera. A while later I cheekily asked if I could borrow one of his cameras (I do have a City and Guilds in Photography) to take some freebie shots for someone and he offered to take them for me – free of charge.

When I was looking for a photographer to take the photos at a charity 5k run I was organising, he offered to help without any hesitation, whereas another photographer (now an ex-member) turned down the opportunity.

More recently, he made a video for the chapter which he has since put on You Tube and then just last week he did one of the best 10 minutes I have ever seen. He set up a studio, took some photos as he explained how he ran a function and ended up by giving every member a framed print of the group (a picture he had taken a few moments earlier).

Last week I was able to give my first real photography referral. There was only ever going to be one person I would give it to since he has given so much to me and the chapter and I have to say it felt really good to be able to give a referral that I had made a special effort to find.

Miss three meetings and you are out!

17/2/08

I’ve heard this often when talking to people about why they wouldn’t join BNI (in fact even members worry about it) and again I can’t understand where these ideas come from.

In all the time that I have been in BNI I don’t remember anyone being asked to leave our chapter for being absent three times, more than three yes, but certainly not just three.

The whole belief structure of BNI is about helping its members to get the most from their membership and if, for some reason, members don’t achieve this, then it is up to the Leadership Team, the Membership Committee and the chapter’s Regional Director to help.

When a member is absent the first thing that happens is that someone from the chapter will call to see if all is ok. If the member is absent again, they will again be called but also receive a letter reminding them of the BNI policy regarding being absent. If absent again, obviously a stronger letter is sent.

So my question is: what is wrong with that? If a member is offered help every time they are absent and then they are again absent, what is that member saying about the offer of help? I would suggest that they don’t care.

But the more important thing is this! I can tell you that a good member never gets to the stage of being asked to leave. Why? Well, first they will always find a substitute and yes, I know emergencies happen, but honestly how many on the actual day of your chapter meeting in a six-month period? And you can always get a substitute if you really want to – we had a member once who had to suddenly fly home to Japan. Do you think he didn’t have a substitute for the next meeting? Of course not. He arranged one by email. We have another great member who unexpectedly had a site meeting the following morning (his BNI day), which he found out about at six in the evening. He made a quick phone call and his fellow members found him a substitute.

And just recently, a member had a major problem at home during the night, but they still had the thought to send a quick text saying sorry that they would miss the meeting. What do you think happened? Because they were a brilliant member and we had a number of visitors at our meeting that morning we asked one of them to substitute for them.

So, you see if you are a good member you would never get to your third absence! And even if you did, the Chapter's Leadership Team and Membership Committee would know that it really must have been out of your control and would, therefore, take that into consideration.

I’ve been in BNI for five years now and the absence rule has never worried me, nor do I think it should worry you.

For your information here is our actual rule.

Rule. 5

Attendance is critical to the group. If a member cannot attend, they may send a substitute (not a member of their own Chapter) to the meeting. This will not count as an absence. A member is allowed three absences in any six month period. More than this and the member is subject to removal by the Chapter's Leadership Team or Membership Committee.

Lost for ever!

15/2/08

You get a referral and for some reason you don’t follow up on it.

It may be that you are just too busy, it’s not really your type of work, it’s only a small job and you don’t really want it, you lose the details, any one of a hundred reasons. But whatever you do, whatever it takes, you must follow up on every referral that you are given!

If you are too busy, let the person know. If it’s not really your type of work or too small a job, let them know – maybe you could even recommend someone else. If you lose the details call the Membership Co-ordinator and ask for them. Call the MC rather than the member who gave you the referral, as by calling the member and telling them that you lost the referral they gave (that they may have worked hard for), you are showing them that you didn’t really value their referral.

But why should we do this? Well, there are two really important reasons – one impacts on the Giver and the other on the Receiver.

The way it affects the Receiver is easy. If that person gains a reputation as a person who doesn’t follow up on referrals, what do you think will happen? The referrals stop coming!

But how it affects the Giver is almost undetectable but can have an unbelievable effect on the whole chapter – not just one person. And this I learnt the hard way!

I gave a referral to my next door neighbour and didn’t follow it up. Three weeks later I bumped into them and asked how they had got on, only to find out that they had not even been contacted. Embarrassed, I got on to the member concerned and asked what had happened – they had been too busy. Anyway, they promised to call immediately. I checked with my neighbour the next day and sure enough the member concerned had rung, apologised and made an appointment.

But they failed to turn up!

A few months later my neighbour was having some more work done and I recommended someone else from my chapter, their reply ‘… what like that last one?!’ Since then my neighbour has had the following jobs done: new bathroom, garden cleared, house decorated, plans for an extension drawn, building work, loan and who knows what else. All lost because a referral was not followed up and now my recommendations cannot be trusted!

So please, whatever it takes, follow up on every single referral that you are ever given.