Comments on: Episode 120: “Welcoming Visitors to BNI” http://www.bnipodcast.com/2009/09/02/episode-120-welcoming-visitors-to-bni/ The Official BNI Podcast is a weekly audio discussion with Dr. Ivan Misner, the Founder and Chairman of BNI, the world's largest business networking organization. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:05:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Jeff Ensinger http://www.bnipodcast.com/2009/09/02/episode-120-welcoming-visitors-to-bni/#comment-3262 Jeff Ensinger Wed, 15 Dec 2010 23:36:36 +0000 http://www.bnipodcast.com/2009/09/02/episode-120-welcoming-visitors-to-bni/#comment-3262 Anything to create excitement and energy is useful. Especially at 7 AM. Anything to create excitement and energy is useful. Especially at 7 AM.

]]> By: JAMES MCCONNELL http://www.bnipodcast.com/2009/09/02/episode-120-welcoming-visitors-to-bni/#comment-565 JAMES MCCONNELL Sat, 03 Oct 2009 17:46:13 +0000 http://www.bnipodcast.com/2009/09/02/episode-120-welcoming-visitors-to-bni/#comment-565 This practice should be used at every chapter. I particularly love the idea that all visitors and members alike are greeted and met at the door enthusiastically. It really helps a visitor want to return and also fill out their member application. This practice should be used at every chapter. I particularly love the idea that all visitors and members alike are greeted and met at the door enthusiastically. It really helps a visitor want to return and also fill out their member application.

]]> By: Anthony Ifasi http://www.bnipodcast.com/2009/09/02/episode-120-welcoming-visitors-to-bni/#comment-561 Anthony Ifasi Wed, 30 Sep 2009 10:43:21 +0000 http://www.bnipodcast.com/2009/09/02/episode-120-welcoming-visitors-to-bni/#comment-561 Excellent concept! As an education coordinator, the weekly podcasts have provided me with a ton of great information to share with my chapter (BNI Phoenix in Tampa, FL). Making visitors feel welcome is the key to seeing them the following week. Also, a visitor that had a positive experience might be inclined to bring other visitors with them the next time they attend a chapter meeting! We will be discussing this podcast today. Thanks for the advice! Excellent concept! As an education coordinator, the weekly podcasts have provided me with a ton of great information to share with my chapter (BNI Phoenix in Tampa, FL). Making visitors feel welcome is the key to seeing them the following week. Also, a visitor that had a positive experience might be inclined to bring other visitors with them the next time they attend a chapter meeting! We will be discussing this podcast today. Thanks for the advice!

]]> By: Claudia MacDermott http://www.bnipodcast.com/2009/09/02/episode-120-welcoming-visitors-to-bni/#comment-514 Claudia MacDermott Tue, 08 Sep 2009 12:43:13 +0000 http://www.bnipodcast.com/2009/09/02/episode-120-welcoming-visitors-to-bni/#comment-514 Here is ideal material for Education Coordinators! Members oten say it isn't easy to invite yet when guests do attend a meeting, we may miss the opportunity to welcome them warmly. Ivan's eye-opening experience in Japan is really another one of those "BFO's" - blinding flash of the obvious - where you shake your head in amazement and say "how could I not have realized this?" If the Visitor Hosts are the only warm, smiling, friendly people, a chapter will be ineffective at conveying the right message. We want our guests to think "there could be a place for me here; I want to be a part of this." In Spanish, the welcoming phrase is "esta es su casa" meaning "this is your house" and in French, "ici vous etes chez vous" which is "here, you are at home". Why not "welcome to our meeting" as the universal BNI greeting? Here is ideal material for Education Coordinators! Members oten say it isn’t easy to invite yet when guests do attend a meeting, we may miss the opportunity to welcome them warmly. Ivan’s eye-opening experience in Japan is really another one of those “BFO’s” – blinding flash of the obvious – where you shake your head in amazement and say “how could I not have realized this?” If the Visitor Hosts are the only warm, smiling, friendly people, a chapter will be ineffective at conveying the right message. We want our guests to think “there could be a place for me here; I want to be a part of this.”

In Spanish, the welcoming phrase is “esta es su casa” meaning “this is your house” and in French, “ici vous etes chez vous” which is “here, you are at home”.

Why not “welcome to our meeting” as the universal BNI greeting?

]]> By: Ian Weekes http://www.bnipodcast.com/2009/09/02/episode-120-welcoming-visitors-to-bni/#comment-513 Ian Weekes Sun, 06 Sep 2009 10:43:29 +0000 http://www.bnipodcast.com/2009/09/02/episode-120-welcoming-visitors-to-bni/#comment-513 I do agree with all that Dr. Misner has shared with us in this podcast about giving visitors a warm welcome, pay special attention to them and make them feel part of the networking group. But what I also understand from the Japanese restaurant experience is that they gave all who entered the restaurant a warm welcome. I am sure first timers as well as regulars to that restaurant felt that warmth and friendly feeling, there were no exceptions. I think we in BNI should in our chapters make an extra special effort to welcome our visitors and a special effort to welcome our members at all times. I know of a chapter in Barbados where the Visitor Hosts welcomed visitors and then introduced them to the members and that really made a difference because when the visitors got up to speak they would always comment about the warm and friendly welcome they got. Needless to say that at that time membership grew significantly in that chapter when it was done. What Dr. Misner has shared with us goes a long way in assisting us to grow our chapters. We all should think about this and action it if we seriously want to see growth in our chapters. I do agree with all that Dr. Misner has shared with us in this podcast about giving visitors a warm welcome, pay special attention to them and make them feel part of the networking group.

But what I also understand from the Japanese restaurant experience is that they gave all who entered the restaurant a warm welcome. I am sure first timers as well as regulars to that restaurant felt that warmth and friendly feeling, there were no exceptions.

I think we in BNI should in our chapters make an extra special effort to welcome our visitors and a special effort to welcome our members at all times. I know of a chapter in Barbados where the Visitor Hosts welcomed visitors and then introduced them to the members and that really made a difference because when the visitors got up to speak they would always comment about the warm and friendly welcome they got. Needless to say that at that time membership grew significantly in that chapter when it was done.

What Dr. Misner has shared with us goes a long way in assisting us to grow our chapters. We all should think about this and action it if we seriously want to see growth in our chapters.

]]> By: Dr Ofer Altberger http://www.bnipodcast.com/2009/09/02/episode-120-welcoming-visitors-to-bni/#comment-512 Dr Ofer Altberger Sun, 06 Sep 2009 08:38:44 +0000 http://www.bnipodcast.com/2009/09/02/episode-120-welcoming-visitors-to-bni/#comment-512 Hi. My chapter is in Israel by the Sea. BNI "The First" (from hebrew). I wish more of my chapter members would read successnet and your podcasts regularly. We welcome our visitors warmly. but new members tend to forget the hidden elements quickly. thank you for the opportunity to bring to them a good 5 minutes educational on tuesday!! Dr Altberger.DMD. vice regional director southern Israel. Hi. My chapter is in Israel by the Sea. BNI “The First” (from hebrew). I wish more of my chapter members would read successnet and your podcasts regularly. We welcome our visitors warmly. but new members tend to forget the hidden elements quickly. thank you for the opportunity to bring to them a good 5 minutes educational on tuesday!!
Dr Altberger.DMD. vice regional director southern Israel.

]]> By: Shawn McCarthy http://www.bnipodcast.com/2009/09/02/episode-120-welcoming-visitors-to-bni/#comment-511 Shawn McCarthy Sat, 05 Sep 2009 22:38:25 +0000 http://www.bnipodcast.com/2009/09/02/episode-120-welcoming-visitors-to-bni/#comment-511 Making guests feel welcome? What a concept! Welcoming guests, noticing that they were there and thanking them for visiting is what it's all about! People will join BNI chapters where they "feel the love"! This actually all started in 1985. At that time, a woman called BNI inquiring about checking out a group. Ivan gave her a chapter to visit. He ran into the woman a few weeks later and asked if she joined BNI. She had, but it was a different chapter. The first group she visited she felt a little lost- nobody really spoke to her. She left the meeting. She decided to check out another chapter. At this chapter, there was a woman at the door who shook her hand and thanked her for coming, and then introduced her to several other members. When the meeting ended, the woman who had greeted her thanked her again and asked if she had any questions. They sat down together, and, to make a long story short, she joined that BNI chapter(even though it was a smaller chapter). That's how the "Visitor Host" came to be in BNI! Talk about a BFO (Blinding Flash of the Obvious)! If you want your chapter to grow, remember: every chpater has some "official" Visitor Hosts- but EVERYBODY in the group is a Visitor Host! Right? You only get one chance to make a great first impression with guests, so make the most of it. "There's something in life that never returns- a lost opportunity"! Shawn McCarthy BNI ED Ventura County, Ca. Making guests feel welcome? What a concept! Welcoming guests, noticing that they were there and thanking them for visiting is what it’s all about!
People will join BNI chapters where they “feel the love”! This actually all started in 1985.
At that time, a woman called BNI inquiring about checking out a group. Ivan gave her a chapter to visit. He ran into the woman a few weeks later and asked if she joined BNI. She had, but it was a different chapter.
The first group she visited she felt a little lost- nobody really spoke to her. She left the meeting. She decided to check out another chapter. At this chapter, there was a woman at the door who shook her hand and thanked her for coming, and then introduced her to several other members.
When the meeting ended, the woman who had greeted her thanked her again and asked if she had any questions. They sat down together, and, to make a long story short, she joined that BNI chapter(even though it was a smaller chapter).
That’s how the “Visitor Host” came to be in BNI! Talk about a BFO (Blinding Flash of the Obvious)!
If you want your chapter to grow, remember: every chpater has some “official” Visitor Hosts- but EVERYBODY in the group is a Visitor Host! Right?
You only get one chance to make a great first impression with guests, so make the most of it.
“There’s something in life that never returns- a lost opportunity”!

Shawn McCarthy BNI ED Ventura County, Ca.

]]> By: Scott Anderson http://www.bnipodcast.com/2009/09/02/episode-120-welcoming-visitors-to-bni/#comment-510 Scott Anderson Fri, 04 Sep 2009 02:41:23 +0000 http://www.bnipodcast.com/2009/09/02/episode-120-welcoming-visitors-to-bni/#comment-510 Great thought. I think you are right that we get too complacent with the members and forget to welcome the visitors to make them comfortable and welcome to joining our chapter. I will start this in our chapter as well. Great thought. I think you are right that we get too complacent with the members and forget to welcome the visitors to make them comfortable and welcome to joining our chapter. I will start this in our chapter as well.

]]> By: chris reh http://www.bnipodcast.com/2009/09/02/episode-120-welcoming-visitors-to-bni/#comment-509 chris reh Thu, 03 Sep 2009 00:22:28 +0000 http://www.bnipodcast.com/2009/09/02/episode-120-welcoming-visitors-to-bni/#comment-509 i agree there should be an excitement in welcoming new visitors i agree there should be an excitement in welcoming new visitors

]]> By: David Demangos http://www.bnipodcast.com/2009/09/02/episode-120-welcoming-visitors-to-bni/#comment-508 David Demangos Wed, 02 Sep 2009 13:20:20 +0000 http://www.bnipodcast.com/2009/09/02/episode-120-welcoming-visitors-to-bni/#comment-508 Im taking this and using it immediatedly in our Chapter, thank you. Im taking this and using it immediatedly in our Chapter, thank you.

]]> By: Tweets that mention Episode 120: “Welcoming Visitors to BNI” | The Official BNI Podcast -- Topsy.com http://www.bnipodcast.com/2009/09/02/episode-120-welcoming-visitors-to-bni/#comment-507 Tweets that mention Episode 120: “Welcoming Visitors to BNI” | The Official BNI Podcast -- Topsy.com Wed, 02 Sep 2009 10:25:11 +0000 http://www.bnipodcast.com/2009/09/02/episode-120-welcoming-visitors-to-bni/#comment-507 [...] this page was mentioned by BNI Success Chapter (@successchapter), BNI Central Florida (@bnicentralfl) and others. [...] [...] this page was mentioned by BNI Success Chapter (@successchapter), BNI Central Florida (@bnicentralfl) and others. [...]

]]> By: Marco Tomat http://www.bnipodcast.com/2009/09/02/episode-120-welcoming-visitors-to-bni/#comment-506 Marco Tomat Wed, 02 Sep 2009 09:12:02 +0000 http://www.bnipodcast.com/2009/09/02/episode-120-welcoming-visitors-to-bni/#comment-506 After listening to the podcast 120, I would like to put forward a policy at Bournemouth BNI in the UK of emailing all the our members the day before the meeting all visitors who are going to attend the following day, so we all know the name and profession of who to welcome (by name). This would also give us the opportunity to find some referals for them to deliver in the meeting. Thanks Marco After listening to the podcast 120, I would like to put forward a policy at Bournemouth BNI in the UK of emailing all the our members the day before the meeting all visitors who are going to attend the following day, so we all know the name and profession of who to welcome (by name). This would also give us the opportunity to find some referals for them to deliver in the meeting.
Thanks
Marco

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