Do you wear your BNI ribbons?

11/12/10

BNI ribbons - you know the ones I mean: Leadership Team, Visitor Host, Membership Committee, Education Co-ordinator, Ambassador, 7 Year Member, etc.

Well, I was making a chapter visit recently and updating the ribbons for the years of membership of the members in the group. For one member I had a six year ribbon and I noticed that as I approached them they didn’t already have a five year ribbon. So, I was feeling pretty good about being able to give them their ribbon. But, when I did, I was rather shocked because they said they didn’t want it - they didn’t wear ribbons!

I almost told them that’s not an option (but I guess it is), so instead asked why. And, their answer worried me, as the benefits of wearing the year ribbon it seemed had not been explained: the member thought there was no point and that they were silly!

I guess with the Leadership Team ribbons and the others of that type their function is obvious, but I suppose with the year ribbons their purpose is not so clear.

In short, the year ribbons are all about credibility: both the member’s and BNI’s. Think what it says about you if you wear a 6 year ribbon. Firstly, that you have been a member of your chapter for six years: five years running your chapter have been happy to renew you. It also shows that you have been in business for at least six years. And, if the ribbon is attached to a blue Notable Networker badge, what does that say? All of these things help to build your credibility, your reputation. Surely no chapter would renew your membership if you were rubbish at your job? And, what does that mean? Yes, more business!

Then there is the credibility of BNI, or, more importantly, your chapter. When visitors come to our chapters we want them to buy into them, to join us. So, what does it say about our chapter if we have members who have been in the group for six years, ten years, twelve years even? It says that BNI is a serious business. That these people really believe in what they are doing, that they believe in each other. And, again, what does that mean? Yes, you’ve got it, more business.

So, please wear your ribbons because it just makes good business sense!

Does your business card fit?

3/12/10

Pretty simple this one. I was giving my BNI business card file a spring clean and found that over 30% of my fellow member’s business cards were too big to fit.

Most were too wide, some too long and others, well, just a strange size. Now being different can be a good thing, but not when you want your business card in every member’s card file. And, that’s what as members we all want. Every time a member shows their card file to one of their contacts, we want our business card in it. It means the potential for referrals - more business.

So, what’s the ideal size? Well, I think it is this: 86mm x 54mm. Almost credit card size. But, please do check yourself and then get your graphic designer or printer to produce a card that size.

Then, with your new cards, the perfect size, make sure that every member of your chapter has some (and they are in their card files) and that the chapter business card box has a good supply as well. It’s amazing the number of members that don’t have their cards in the chapter card box, when every week the chapter director invites the visitors to take the business cards of the members.

Not having cards in member’s card files or cards in the chapter business card box are lost opportunities. Business is already tough, please don’t make it harder than it need be.

Has your chapter already closed for Christmas?

1/12/10

It’s a serious question!

Before you exclaim 'Of course not!', I want you to think for a minute. Just hear me out.

I was at a chapter last week and the Leadership Team said that they wouldn’t be holding their chapter meeting on the Wednesday before Christmas, the 22nd December. And I asked why ever not? Their answer, I guess, astounded me, not so much because of their BNI meeting, but more because they are business people.

One of them said, 'I won’t want to come, people will be winding down for Christmas, substitutes will be hard to find, no one will be interested in doing business...', the reasons just went on and on.

I pointed out that, I, like many people, would be working right up until Christmas Eve, and certainly on the Wednesday, and if BNI was part of my job, there was no reason not to attend my meeting. I still want business right up until Christmas and I certainly want some in early January. Missing the 22nd December meeting would in effect be limiting any business until the middle of January!

So, my question is a serious one. Has your mind-set already closed your chapter for Christmas?

No point looking for referrals, no point bringing visitors, members will be absent. If you have, you have already closed for Christmas.

Really successful people don’t follow the herd, they do something different. So, instead of closing early for Christmas, why not make sure your business, and your BNI chapter, are well and truly open and not only have a better December than the herd but also a great start to 2011?

Who’s in your BNI card file?

I’m sure that we all put into our BNI card files a few business cards of every new member that joins our chapter, but what other cards are in there? When did you last give your file a spring clean?

The question as to whose business cards should be in your card file came up at a recent Member Success Training and my answer was easy. All the members of your chapter.

Strangely this answer caused something of a debate because some of the more long term BNI members present had other ideas. It seemed that their BNI card files were full of all sorts of people’s business cards.

So, just who should have business cards in your BNI card file? Well, the answer is very easy, as I said earlier: only the members of your chapter and of course yours. I'll explain why.

Firstly, it is a BNI card folder, so that means only BNI members, no one else. Secondly, only current members of your chapter: no ex-members or members of other BNI chapters. Why? Well, again the answer is simple.

We carry our BNI card files in order to find referrals for the members of our group. Not for ex-members, members of other chapters, other business people we know or, indeed, friends. Having our business cards in each other’s card file is a privilege of our membership.

Still not convinced? Well, how about looking at it like this? Say that your business card is in a fellow chapter member’s card file, but, as well as your card, there is the card of the person who was in your category before you, and the card of the member's best mate who does the same as you. How would you feel competing with two other people? Knowing that the member was recommending two other people other than you? Not impressed comes to mind.

So, why not give your BNI card file a spring clean and clear out all of those old cards. And, if you really want to keep the old cards for reference then why not get another card file – non BNI of course!

Leadership Teams - Do you lead?

24/11/10

As a member of your chapter's Leadership Team one of your responsibilities is to lead and, from time to time, it surprises me that some teams don’t understand this. After all, the job description is in the title.

It can be in anything: bringing visitors, bringing referrals, getting to the chapter early, having One2Ones, in fact everything that makes a great chapter and earns the members more money.

And, it was something I noticed again at a recent workshop. Attendance at the BNI workshops is crucial if, as a member, we are to achieve the very best we can from our membership (I’ve talked about this before). A Leadership Team spends a great deal of time, along with the Events Co-ordinator, asking members to attend them and telling the members how important it is to our success.

But, then they don’t attend themselves!

The reason I noticed the missing Leadership Team members at this particular workshop was that out of the five chapters attending there were only Leadership Team members from one chapter.

So, how about this for an idea?

If you are a member of a Leadership Team ensure that at least one of you goes to every workshop in the future. It will build your credibility, give more weight to your request when asking others to attend, increase the numbers going to the workshops, and, guess what?

Increase the amount of business passed in your chapter!

What do you do with mail not addressed to you?

19/11/10

Well, if you are anything like me, you either put it in the bin, leave it for someone else to open, or put it at the bottom of the pile to open later.

Why? Because not much very good ever comes in a window envelope, an envelope with a label on it, an envelope where the address has been mail merged or in a manila envelope. And, I bet I’m not the only one who thinks like this. You go for the nice hand-written envelopes first because we know that they are either private letters or cheques – something we want.

So, why is it that when inviting people to our chapters by letter, some members, despite being advised of the benefits of hand writing addresses, still insist on using labels or window envelopes?
And, very often, to add insult to injury, don’t even use a person’s name.

What’s the point? It’s a complete waste of time!

Often these members cite a lack of time as to why they don’t follow the suggested guidelines, or just bad handwriting. Now bad writing I am just about willing to accept but, even then, I’m sure most of us can find someone that will write a few addresses for us. Even, dare I suggest, another member of our group.

But, the excuse of no time, I’m not willing to accept. Why? Because I tried an experiment. Even with everything I needed in my office: labels, envelopes, etc., it took me longer to load them in my printer, set up a template and print them, than it did to hand write 20 addresses on 20 envelopes. And, even if it had taken twice as long, I would still handwrite them because I know that upon receiving that envelope I would open it.

So, why do some members still avoid handwriting envelopes when they are wasting everyone’s time including their own?

I can think of one reason, but it’s not very nice!

Who runs your chapter?

13/11/10

I was asked recently who actually ran a BNI chapter and the easy answer is the Leadership Team. But, like most things, it depends on who’s asking and why!

So, I will expand a little and use a company set-up as my analogy.

Obviously the Leadership Team runs the chapter, but with the help of the Membership Committee (HR, marketing, etc), the Visitor Hosts (reception and sales), Education Co-ordinator (training) and Events Co-ordinator (PR, events and other fun stuff). The Membership Committee is chaired by the Membership Co-ordinator, with the Visitor Hosts reporting to the Membership Committee and both the Education Co-ordinator and Events Co-ordinator reporting to the Chapter Director.

We then have the Secretary/Treasurer who is the Finance Director and looks after all things involving money, including keeping accounts. Their job is also to assist the Chapter Director and look after the 10 Minute speakers.

Then there is the Membership Co-ordinator who is the Marketing and HR Director and they have two key roles, building the business and ensuring that the company runs as directed. They also assist the Chapter Director as required.

Lastly, we have the Chapter Director, who is the Managing Director of the company. And like any Managing Director they are responsible for making sure that the company runs smoothly and that everyone is doing their job. They are the face of the company and provide direction and motivation.

So, depending on who is asking the question and why, I hope that helps. But, ultimately, if you want just one person, then it is the Chapter Director.

But, the final accountability rests with your Regional Director.