Forget your BNI card file!

21/12/10

Or, should it be forgot your BNI card file?

One of the most productive ways of finding referrals is to get your BNI card file into people’s hands, so that they can look through it. You don’t need to do anything else other than to say that the cards in the file are those of people that you know and trust and that you can highly recommend. It’s also a great idea to add that you may not need their services now, but they might be of interest in the future, and that you can give them a personal introduction. You will be surprised at how often someone says, ‘just what I’ve been looking for’ when they come across one of your fellow member’s cards.

But, how do we get it into people’s hands?

Well, this is where forget/forgot, comes into play. How about this for an idea?

You take your card file to every meeting you have and also to every job you do. And, very simply, when you leave you leave your card file behind. Now, one of two things will happen. First, someone will call you to ask if you left behind a burgundy file with gold lettering on it. You then say, ‘Thank you so much, you’re a life saver. That file has all of my most important contacts in. Is it okay if I collect it tomorrow?' Obviously, they will say of course. You then add, ‘as you have the file, why not take a look through it?’ and add the words above.

The second thing that can happen is that no one calls. So, you call them and say, ‘I don’t suppose you have fold a burgundy file with gold lettering on the front?’ When they say yes, you’ve guessed it, you use the words above!

It’s such a great way to get referrals and so simple. Have fun!