BNI Getting from Good to Brilliant

How Can You Help Me to Find You Quality Referrals?

One 2 One Meetings are not an Option The essence of referrals lies in confidence and understanding and this is not achieve without creating a solid foundation of trust. The One 2 One schedule is the key to increasing the quality and number of referrals, especially when conducted as an interview where the interviewer seeks to really understand how they can help the other person. All one 2 one's need to be monitored and recorded but only when the appropriate document is submitted. Only then can we know that time and focus has been put behind the meeting. It is not possible to stay in focus and remember the relevant points without taking notes. Download New One2One Document

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Remember the Ice

In a convenience store on Northern Avenue in Phoenix, AZ, the manager had placed a couple of signs above his cash registers. His intention was to encourage his patrons to buy more ice during the hot desert summer. I lived across the street from this store and came to know him. Rick was working one day as I made a purchase. This time I paused and asked him how his ice sales were going. Perhaps you might think this a strange question. Alas, I am intrigued by words and their juxtapositions as well as the outcomes of behavior.

You see, the signs above the cash registers read: DON’T FORGET THE ICE.

I asked Rick how sales were going. His reply was less than favorable. I paused and asked if I could make a suggestion. I mean, after all, this was Phoenix—in the desert—in the middle of the summer. (110+ degrees in the shade)

“Rick, do you have a couple of pieces of paper and a magic marker?” I inquired. He gave me the items and I quickly made two new signs for him. The new signs were: REMEMBER THE ICE!!!

I left with a knowing smile and purposely stayed away for about three weeks. When I did go back to the store I spoke with Rick about his recent ice sales. “I have ordered three times as much in the last three weeks. Sales are great.”

I smiled and explained what I had done. “If I say to you: Don’t think of the color blue. What color are you thinking of?”

“Why blue of course” he replied.

“Of course.”

Now if I say “don’t forget the ice”, what will you forget?

"Hmmm...the ice."

"Right."

I met Bob Nicoll on Ecademy. He is an Assistant Director for BNI in Alaska and I found this story from his profile and website to be very relevant. We communicate for most part with the words we use in our interaction with other BNI members. The subconscious mind does not recognise the words no, not or don't and yet, influenced by the negative media we often use these words in describing how we feel. How are you ... "not bad" is a common one. Our one minute is always best when we are specific about what we want, rather than what we Do. Our choice of words is so important. Check out Bob's site at www.remembertheice.com

You will hear referrals if you listen

Listen And You Will Hear - Referrals!

Listen for the following phrases that people use every day during the course of normal conversation:

I need....
I want...
I feel...

At any point when someone starts a sentence with those phrases, the mindful networker has their radar up and is listening for what comes next so they can pass a referral.

If you can meet someone else's needs or wants or can help them with alleviating bad feelings, those people will remember you when they need something else. Becoming a hub for people to go to when they are in need of services or products will expand your own client/customer base.

Just as you know what to say when someone says “Where’s a good place to eat around here?”, you should know what to say when you hear:

“I need a vacation” – Travel Agent
“I want to fix up that spare bedroom” – Interior Designer
“I feel awful after gardening all weekend” – Chiropractor/Massage Therapist/Per! sonal Trainer – Whatever fits!

with thanks to Beth Anderson The Queen of Networking
TheNetworkingClub.com

and an appropriate quote from — Ernest Hemingway: American novelist, writer and journalist

"When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen."

Inviting Visitors Grows Your Business

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Estimating actual visitor numbers against those who say yes is something we have a great deal of experience with. Page 7 highlights the need to listen carefully to the way people say yes, on the second call.

Remember, when you phone your YES list to remind them, you should simply be listening in order to record their level of seriousness
weak, tentative, replies sound like try, maybe, if I can, hope to (is a 1)
if the person sound certain (is a 3)
if the person sounds enthusiastic and certain (is a 5)
if the person is certain and you have arranged to pick him/her up (is a 5*)

Listen to Paul Clegg's brief audio overview of the way this is to be done, a full proof method of accurately calculating visitor numbers.

Passing Out Promotional Material at Meetings

Sometimes, often new members who have not yet been to new member orientation, decide to hand out their marketing literature at a meeting. They put leaflets and brochures out on each place setting or give their one minute presentation and then ask for their ‘stuff’ to be passed around. Either of these actions damage those who do it and surprisingly, those who pick the items up and read them.

Some people who come to networking events are self centered and pushy. They just want to sell their stuff. Putting items out at place settings is seen as pushy. If you want to be seen as pushy do it, but don’t be surprised if a member of the leadership team asks you not to.

Also, those who stand up, speak, then pass round their stuff are seen as pushy. In other words, I am important, here is my stuff. They have no consideration for the next person who has to stand and wrestle with an audience distracted by someone else’s ‘stuff’.

But here is the worst part of this scenario ....

Imagine you have stood up to speak any time after the pushy member or visitor has handed their ‘stuff’ around and you then notice three or four members are not even listening to you ... they are reading the ‘stuff’ that he just been passed to them. How do you feel about those members? Do they do look interested in what you have to say? In fact, for the moment, they are clearly not. Do they go up in your estimation or do they slip a tad. So, distracted by stuff being passed around, we damage our relationship with subsequent speakers as they notice we are not even listening.

Think it doesn’t happen? Think it is not important? Try talking to someone one who is busy checking their text messages while you are speaking to them. Damn well rude if you ask me.

How Do People See You?

“What you do thunders so loudly above your head, I can hardly hear the words you speak” Ralph Waldo Emerson

What we do and how we behave at meetings shapes the opinion others have about us. That opinion is important, if we are to build a reputation that will lead to regular referrals for you.

FUNNY, LATE, HALF ASLEEP

For instance, the guy who always sets out to be funny with his presentations (he clearly appears awkward in presenting anything serious). He would arrive late more often than not, looking disheveled, as if he has just jumped out of bed. Whilst he got some referrals, he never really got the big ones, because half of the chapter could not take him seriously as a business man.

In fact his poor time keeping damaged him every time, reminding members how unreliable he appeared. Members were reluctant o refer good clients to him, fearing he would turn up late and maybe looking like an old bag of spanners. People screw up their own success by just 'being themselves'. In this case, funny, late and scruffy.

Fundamentals from Brian Buffini

This week I attended Masters of Sales Teleconference Summit, by invitation from Stephen Bell of BNI Canada and the special guest was Brian Buffini, contributor to the best selling book, Masters of Sales.

Brian Buffini developed a powerful referral system that helped him become one of the top Realtors® in the nation. In 1995, Brian started Buffini & Company to share these highly acclaimed lead-generation strategies with others.

Now the number one training and coaching company in America, Buffini & Company equips real estate, lending and service industry professionals with tools to dramatically increase business while living a balanced life.

I asked Brian how members from the real estate, letting and mortgage sectors should approach the prospect of a recession. Click on the audio bar to hear his response. His answers apply to anyone faced with a possible downturn in business in the housing market.

Hear the full conference call recording CLICK HERE

To order the book, Masters of Sales (£10 inc postage) simply email Paul Clegg or click on the logo under Books to Inspire (under my photo) and order online.

How are you feeling?

How to lose potential members without even trying?

I am going to ask you to forget that you are a member and go back to being a visitor preferably on your first meeting.

You have arrived at the venue at 6.30 having never been there before and there is no one there including the person that invited you.

How are you feeling?

The Secretary treasurer arrives at 6.40 and is busy setting up the table so suggests that you have a coffee whilst they get set up.

How are you feeling?

The Visitor Host arrives at 6.45 and makes sure that they come and introduce themselves to you and they get you to register and pay your breakfast money

How are you feeling?

You get introduced to a member who talks to you for a minute or two before they need to speak to someone they have a referral for so they leave you beside the coffee table.

How are you feeling?

You cant see the person that invited you so you get your breakfast and the meeting starts and you are not sure where to sit as all the seats seem to have the members card files on them.

How are you feeling?

For 5 Top Things To Do to make sure every visitor Feels Special >>>

Let's face it we all want to know what's for 'Afters'

If you run training sessions, provide seminars or workshops, you need to view this video. Need to sell a product or service, you need to view this video. Hey, just watch the video, you might just learn something.

New BNI Podcast on iTunes

Dr Ivan Misner has launched a weekly podcast bringing great ideas and experience direct to members. You can subscribe on the Apple iTunes site but also download straight from the Official BNI Podcast Site www.bnipodcast.com.

Great material for Education Coordinators and subjects which include the Hidden Elements of A Meeting, Lead v's Referral, Simplify Your Story and Core Groups. The BNI Podcast is now downloaded automatically and every few weeks I burn the episodes to a CD so I can listen to some great ideas as I travel to chapter meetings. Check it Out today.