Phil Berg told us all about how to grow our chapter, how to attract new members and to make sure that we attract the best members…

A lot of information was packed into his rapid fire 35 minute presentation at the BNI Regional Members Day 2010 last Friday 26th June in London. So below I can not do justice to his presentation other than to recall and share my notes, so we can grow our chapter with vigor and style too. If you would like to visit us, ask for your invitation by email on the right of this screen.

Goal set for 45+ members
Ring visitors the morning of the day before
One way and one way only to grow the chapter – invite more visitors
Weekly categories to be targeted

Conversation starters – use them
How’s business – can you handle more?
Adverts, when you see them, talk to the advertisers
Power team building
The Hot Seat
Effictive BNI supported visitors days – use them
Rehearse your script for inviting
Structured member mentor pack

The BNI game – play it especially in July and August
Orientation Session (45 minute interview)

Bring 20 postcards after joining
Each week, fill in and hand out two visitor cards

Focussed visitors Days
One liners (great since I have been in BNI)
Return the facours
Techniques to invite frineds
Y we have to think of more

Follow up with visitors
Invite more to our meetings
Visitors Benefits of them attending
Education workshops

Postcard every week to chapter
Lucky them for finding us!
Uniteruptable BNI Humour
Search your home and discover tradesmen!

David and Ivan getting passionate about networking

Although Dr Misner presented a powerful keynote and extolled the virtues and benefits of BNI with a very passionate, practical presentation, he was inclusive of other media too. He spent about 15 minutes describing the four streams of networking, only one of which could include BNI. By all accounts that is about to change. He maintains that BNI is still one of the most professional and practical ways for people to do more business. He pointed out that to be successful, you must invest at least 6.5 half hours per week actually networking for networking to achieve success. Noted!

He went on to cover some practical ideas that included such headlines as open twos, open threes, fours and so on, the 12 * 12 * 12 rule and fun suckers… You would learn more about these if you attended BNI Great Western where we plan to cover these elements and more at our future chapter meetings.

In an interesting interview in todays Telegraph, Ivan Misner, founder of BNI talked about effective business networking and how the internet can be mis-used by people who don’t build relationships with others.

Premature solicitation is where others simply collect email addresses and launch into sales pitches before building a relationship and understanding the needs of the people that they could work with. He maintains there is a backlash against bad networking.

This is something that BNI Great Western, a weekly, Paddington based chapter completely understand. If you would like to come along and see how its done properly, then we think you will not only enjoy the event, but the feedback from most people that come along, want to know how to join. BNI Great Western is a collection of both seasoned and people new in business who accept members on application only. The primary principal is givers gain and if this is a principal that you can work with, then you would be most welcome to attend as a guest.

To apply for your invitation to attend our next meeting, please email us here

• Angela Franks – Greener Paint
• Beader Blunn – The Grass Roots Gardener
• Claudia Parker – Interior Designer / Decorator
• David White – Qualified Web Traffic
• Elizabeth Ridge – Accountant
• Lior Zilberstein – Appetizing Photography
• Meeta Patel – designer
• Nigel Thompson IFA
• Omer Harpaz
• Sebastion Fuz – Mortgages

After playing the role of chef/patron of a highly acclaimed French restaurant in NW London for 17 years, Peter G. Simony left the trade in the 90s to concentrate on new marketing ideas. He discovered the “PromoCard Concept” in 1998 and has been continually developing it, the product and the company ever since.

PromoCards is a mini brochure that can double up as a business card. It provides  a “Mini Presentation” that instantly delivers a message, shows information, tells your story, introduces basic facts and shows testimonials – becoming a hook for more information!