July 28th, 2010
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Synopsis
This week Brian Buffini joins Dr. Misner to discuss creating a proactive system for referrals. You need a systematic approach to cultivate referrals on a daily basis. The essence of it is:
- Build relationships
- Provide value
- Remind the people in your database that you’re looking for referrals
This requires sorting your database by your most valuable customers and who is most likely to refer you. Then you take a three-step approach to dealing with those people, and set aside time for it every day.
- Contact
- Care
- Community
For more information about Brian Buffini’s trainings, go to the Buffini and Company website. You’ll find live seminars and coaching and mentoring programs. Dr. Misner endorses this system wholeheartedly, and Priscilla is an active client.
Brought to you by Networking Now.
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July 21st, 2010
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Synopsis
This week’s topic is the Classification Cowboy, illustrated by BNI member Dan Fletcher. View and download the slideshow in the next post.
A Classification Cowboy is someone who tries to take more than one profession within a chapter. If you try to take more than one classification in a chapter, you’re blocking the connections and referrals that can be brought to the chapter.
The best way to handle this is to address the problem before the person joins the chapter, rather than after accepting a person with multiple businesses as a member. A chapter with multiple attorneys with different specialties is much stronger than a chapter with someone who doubles as attorney and paralegal.
You can download the slides in the next post to show to your chapter.
Brought to you by Ask Ivan Misner.
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July 7th, 2010
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Synopsis
Dr. Misner recently received an e-mail from someone who wanted to get the benefit of BNI without actually attending the weekly meetings. This is like wanting to win an Olympic medal without having to go through exhaustive physical training. None of us can do less and get the same results.
In the early days of BNI, experiments showed that chapters that met twice a month passed 52% fewer referrals than chapters that met once a week.
There is no lite version that gives you all the benefits with less work. Only BNI members who dedicate themselves to following BNI’s proven structure will achieve the optimum results and the maximum referrals. If you want to be a master of networking, “Don’t go into the lite.”
Additional meetings outside the regular chapter meeting can be beneficial, but once a week seems to be optimum.
Brought to you by Networking Now.
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June 30th, 2010
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Synopsis
Here are some tips for networking with strangers—at a chamber mixer, or with visitors at BNI meetings. They come from Alice Ostrower’s article in Masters of Networking.
- Get the person’s attention by showing interest. Ask questions.
- Add interest. Respond to the answer, but don’t move the conversation to you.
- Involve. Use the “Feel/felt/found” formula.
- Tie it all together by connecting one person’s needs or goals with the resources, needs, or goals of another person.
If you do those four things, you’re going to make visitors feel welcome. You can also use these techniques in a one-to-one with another BNI member.
Brought to you by Networking Now.
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June 23rd, 2010
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Synopsis
Today’s special guests are BNI Director Deanna Tucci-Schmitt from BNI Western PA and Brian Smith of Foulk’s Flooring America from the BNI Eagles chapter.
The carpet cleaner in Brian’s chapter suggested to a mutual customer that she visit Brian’s company to replace her carpet, but she expressed dissatisfaction with their previous work. Brian contacted the customer to find out what the problems were and fix them, and repair the relationship.
Without knowing about the problem, Brian would have lost this client’s business. His fellow BNI member did him a real service by coming to him with the client’s concerns. Clear, open, honest, direct communication can really help solve problems.
If you can address problems in your chapter the way Brian has here, you’ll have a stronger chapter.
Brought to you by Ask Ivan Misner.
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June 16th, 2010
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Synopsis
Before you start your word-of-mouth marketing campaign, you should have these things on hand to help you, both in print and digitally.
- Testimonial letters from satisfied clients
- Photos of yourself and your facilities and/or products
- Photos of your key customers or their logos
- Photos of awards you’ve won
- Articles that you’ve been mentioned in
- Articles that you’ve published
- Faxable one-sheet about your business
- Audio or video that’s downloadable, or on YouTube
- New product announcements & press releases
- Display ads
- Ads you’re running, or specials
- List of memberships and affiliations
- Product catalogs
- Q & A sheets
- Logos, trademarks, servicemarks
- Newsletters
- Mission statement
- Survey results
- Articles on trends affecting your target market
- Posters or banners for trade shows
Be sure to store the printed materials in easily accessible bins.
Get the whole checklist at Dr. Misner’s Networking Now blog at Entrepreneur.com.
Brought to you by Ask Ivan Misner.
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June 9th, 2010
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Synopsis
This week Dr. Misner provides three essential questions to ask yourself in order to develop a networking strategy and decide which networking events to attend.
- Who are my best prospects? Are they businesses or consumers? What industries are they in?
- Where can I meet my best prospects? Corporate representatives are more likely to be in service organizations or on non-profit boards than in chambers of commerce.
- Whom exactly do I want to meet? The more specific you can be, the better.
Go to your BNI meetings and ask your fellow BNI members these questions.
Brought to you by Networking Now.
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June 2nd, 2010
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Synopsis
In this episode, Dr. Misner is joined by BNI director Asa Davis, who shares his experience using the Fast Track program with the BNI Leading Edge chapter in Michigan.
BNI Leading Edge was already a successful chapter, but still wanted to try Fast Track. In the first 3 months, their referral numbers went down by 15%, but close of business went up almost 100%.
These results demonstrate the value of the culture of learning in BNI. Fast Track is not a replacement for training, but a supplement. After Fast Track, many of the members of BNI Leading Edge went back through Member Success Training for a second time. Leading Edge is now the number one chapter in all of Michigan.
Brought to you by Networking Now.
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