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Who is in the Business Network Int’l?
Business professionals,
consultants, managers, owners, sales representatives, or any
business that shares the desire to increase their business
through references and word of mouth.
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What is the Business Network Int'l?
A business marketing program
that allows only one person from each professional classification
to join a chapter. The sole purpose of the chapter is to increase
business through a structured system of giving referrals.
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Where does the Business
Network Int'l Meet?
In numerous chapters throughout Missouri and Southern Illinois. If you cannot
locate an opening in an existing chapter, or if you would like
to develop your own chapter, contact Scott
Simon, Executive Director or an Area
Director near you.
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When does the Business Network Int'l meet?
Every week, so that
members maintain contact and exchange regular referrals. Take
a look at the different times the chapters meet.
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Why visit and join Business Network Int'l?
Because
what goes around, comes around! People that GIVE business referrals,
GET business referrals! Visit and see The Business Network
in action!
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How do you benefit?
- By allowing members
the opportunity to present and promote their business to all
members in a group exclusively without competing professionals.
Each professional classification has only one representative
per chapter.
- By an increased awareness of your profession
from other networking members who will use or recommend your
services once they know and trust you.
- By substantially
increasing and expanding your business through referrals.
- By
exposing your service and knowledge to businesses and success-oriented
people throughout the community.
- By gaining knowledge from
information on other networking members' professions.
- By
using a professionally designed forum to promote yourself and
your business efficiently, effectively, and economically.
- By
routinely meeting with other focused, motivated business professionals.
- Regional
exposure for your business through participation in region wide
BNI events and the BNI Yellow Pages.
- Educational
opportunities on how to create a proactive word-of-mouth
marketing program.
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Interview With Ivan
Q: Members must bring in leads,
and the chapter keeps track of how many they've contributed.
Isn't that a lot of pressure on your members?
A: You have to
produce. You have to bring leads for others. We interview people
before
they join and let them know there is a commitment here. It
is based on our philosophy of "givers gain." We ask on
the application, how do you expect to participate and contribute
to this group? Are you willing to commit to the process? Because
networking is a process.
Q: What if someone comes in and has nothing
to say?
A: They can't. The meeting is a process. Everyone
has to stand during the meeting and say something. You are required
to stand. It's a part of the meeting agenda. The first time
is
your 60 second "commercial," using memory hooks, developing
niche markets. You treat the group as their sales team.
Q: How
often do you expel somebody for not coming up with enough
leads?
A: It's rare. They come in saying, "I want to do this." All
we need to do is teach them how. We have training we'll give
you; all you need to be is willing.
Q: Can anyone join a chapter?
A: We only take one person from each professional classification.
So if you are a residential real estate person and we already
have one, we can refer you to another chapter, or allow you
to open another chapter.
Q: How do you know new members are reputable?
A: The application asks for references and each chapter has
a
Membership Committee that checks them. Its word-of-mouth,
so before they even come to a meeting they have to have spoken
to
someone or been invited by someone in the group. Everyone
has to have a sponsor, or one is assigned to them, and they interview
them. Additionally, the Membership Committee continually
monitors
each member’s participation in accordance with BNI's Code
of Ethics and Policies.
Q: What if a member gets a referral and
does poor work?
A: We have an Ethics Committee and it is
imperative that anyone who gives a lead and finds out it was
not satisfactorily
handled must report that to the Membership Committee, who
will investigate and take appropriate action.
Q: Have you had
to do
that before?
A: Once
Q: What occupations benefit the most
from networking?
A: It is not the occupation, it is the INDIVIDUAL.
The occupation can be anything. If you're focused and
you have
a dream and you're willing to make a sacrifice, you are
the person we want in the group.
Q: Are you heavy on any one
occupation?
A: We rarely have an opening for insurance, financial,
real
estate
and mortgage companies in an existing chapter. We call
these professions the "Four Horsemen"; their best opportunity
to participate in BNI is to help develop their own chapter.
Q:
Are members supposed to bring visitors?
A: You're
encouraged to bring visitors for two reasons:
- For occupations
that are
open, or for professions that members have
identified as synergistically important to other professional
classifications,
for example,
real estate, mortgage and insurance are critical
to each other's success.
- Also, we encourage members to
invite anyone they know
to learn more about BNI and since many visitors
are in need of the various products and services represented
by the
members,
it's a great way to generate business for
each other and provide products and services to their invitees.
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(Excerpted in part from "Networking is Serious
Business")
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