Visitors - Why and how?

• How many people know someone who wants to join BNI?

• How many people know someone that wants more business?

• That is the key to bringing visitors to our Chapter meeting

• Visitors are the lifeblood of every BNI Chapter.• Bringing in a visitor is just as good as a referral

– because now that person can become a referral – even if they never join

• Visitors are the key for our Chapter’s survival and for the growth of our business through BNI.

• Visitors that become members open up over 250 new contacts for reocurring referrals each week.

• And – even visitors that do not become members provide us with one-time shot at referring business to us from their contacts and they themselves can become someone’s best new client.

• Eligibility :– People looking for more business – not just a lead

or a job– People who live or work within 30 minutes of your

Chapter venue– People whose category is not already taken– People who are not already a BNI member –

although companies with members in other chapters are fine

• Remember …– You are inviting them to a meeting…you are not

trying to get them to join!– It is about ‘who wants more business’ not about

‘who wants to join BNI’

Invite FROGS

• F-Friends-who do you know who is in business and wants more work?

• R-Relatives-who do you know who is in business and wants more clients?

• O-Organizations-who do you know in organizations that you belong to who is in business and wants more work?

• G-Geographical-who do you know who live close to or works close to our Chapter venue who wants more clients?

• S-Social Sphere-who do you know in the gym, golf club, church/temple community? What about people you know on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin

Where can you Find Visitors

• A person who cold calls you trying to sell you something is someone who should be in BNI – They are looking for more business!! Don’t just try to get rid of them, talk to them about their business – invite them to the meeting. Tell them you would love to hear more about their product but only day you are free is Friday at 7am in KSL Hotel. If they want your business they have to meet you there

Where can you Find Visitors

• Garage Forecourts-vehicle graphics/signage on vans-send a short text message to invite them along to the meeting

Where can you Find Visitors

• Local press-people spending money on advertising!! Free papers, local magazines

• Fliers through your door!! Don’t bin them-invite them

Where can you Find Visitors

• Day to day business contacts while you are out and about-have your BNI card folder with you-it will automatically get people asking ‘What’s BNI?’ Use the toold BNI has given you

Four Initial Questions to Ask….to open up the discussion!

1. How’s Business?2. Are you able to cope with more business at

the moment?3. What are you doing next Friday morning?4. Would you like to meet some of the best

local business in the area that can help you generate more business?

• Our Goal is to get them to attend the meeting not to get them to join BNI

How do you invite visitors?

• Don’t talk too much when inviting visitor. The more you say, the mor you might talk them out of it. Seeing is believing!

• Get them in, the meeting will sell itself, and if it doesn’t they arent the right fit.

• Try to avoid saying the following at the initial invite stage, unless you are asked directly and then you must be truthful:– 7:00AM– Breakfast– Weekly Meetings– Networking-usually associated with Multi Level Marketing– JOIN- you are not getting them to join, you’re asking them to

attend– Meeting Agenda-just get them to come, they do not have to

understand the structure before hand- they will see it for themselves.

Inviting Techniques

• Third Party Referral• Email to warm up potential contacts• Text Message• Social Media

• The key to every type of inviting is FOLLOW-UP.

Text Message

• A chapter in Ireland used this method to build their chapter. Members sent 30 text to local business who were advertising in the shops, e.g. business cards on notice boards, fliers etc. and secured 8 visitors and 4 new members from the initial 30 texts sent out. All 4 members are still there today, thriving!

• Mobile numbers can be generated from a whole host of different sources:– Branded Vehicles-great for Trades Power Team

members– Local Papers-Adverts– Online Business Directories– Notice Boards in Shops– Fliers though the door– Business cards

• Be sure to change the text message in each case so that the people know where you got their number from[e.g. I got your number from your van/sign/adverts etc]. This method will involve you making a call and following up.

Email/Social Media

• LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter are fantastic for generating interest and excitement around our chapter. Post our meeting as an event in LinkedIn, Facebook and then promote the fact that we are looking to refer business to a [Florist] in status updates

People say they will come and don’t.

• That’s people for you. Often, something simply ‘gets in the way’. Sometimes people simply forget, so it is always good to remind them the day before or send a text … “looking forward to meeting you tomorrow morning. Remember to bring plenty of business cards.”

Common Responses and how to handle them.

• Don’t get involved in explaining the breakfast, weekly meetings or anything else for that matter. Everyone is tempted to explain too much, we get enthusiastic and they start to feel they are being sold.

• Remember, your mind set is that you have been asked to recommend a good {florist} and that is why you have called, to see if they can handle extra business. We want to meet people who are at least open to new business. If they are not that ambitious, (many people in business aren’t) do we want them?

Q: What is all about then?

• “Simple. A group of business people wants to work together on an exclusive basis to develop business referrals. They have identified that they can refer business to a {florist}. I thought of you. There may not be a good fit but I think it is worth you meeting them.”

Q: How much does it cost?

• “Every one pays their share of the meeting cost. RM50/= but it does include breakfast.”

Q: What does membership cost?

• “I am not inviting you to become a member. You don’t have to be a member to attend a meeting and unless you are impressed with the meeting, you wouldn’t want to become a member. We are only talking about breakfast here – I don’t even know if there would be a good fit.”

• TWO reasons why BNI members do not bring visitors on regular basis:– They don’t know how to invite– They do not spend any time on inviting people• Which one are you?