16 Quick Tips for New Members

1. Show up!

You are allowed 3 absences without a substitute each term (April-September and October-March); being late (past 11:40) or leaving early (before 1:00) counts as 1/2 absence. If you need to miss a meeting, a good substitute is anyone who does not work in a field which competes with a chapter member. Non-BNI members with a business can only substitute twice; anything else would be unfair to those who pay for membership. Your business may have other people who can take your place; friends, family or clients could all be good subs.

But don't overuse substitutes, as this won't help you build relationships - and BNI is all about relationships.

BNI also allows for medical leaves for surgery and such, so if this ever applies to you please let the leadership team know.


2. Show up on time.

The meeting starts at 11:30 with 15 minutes of open networking. This is a great time to meet visitors and network with individual chapter members. And please get your food during this time, so you can be seated when the president announces the start of the more formal part of the meeting and give all the speakers your full attention.


3. Do Dance Cards (also known as 1 to 1's).

A dance card is when you meet with another member for an hour or so to get to know each other better. Over time, you may want to have a series of dance cards with some members.


4. Train members to serve as your sales force.

Certainly we are all happy when a member chooses to buy our product or service. But what you are really trying to do (in your 30-second infomercials, 10 minute presentation, and dance cards) is train other members to be your sales force. So give them information they can use!

Stories are good. Telling the chapter what exactly would be a good referral for you is good. Focusing on a different aspect of your business each week is good. Using the same infomercial every week is NOT good.


5. Always say something positive (and nothing negative) during the referral portion of the meeting.

Some chapters call this the "I have" portion of the meeting. Talk about what you have, not what you don't have. If you don't have a referral, don't mention that - rather, tell us about the "thank you" you have for someone who sent you business, or the testimonial you have for someone, or the dance card request you have, etc.


6. Prepare your referral slips ahead of time.

You keep the yellow copy. The person handling the basket will take care of the white copy (which goes to the person getting the referral) and the pink copy (which goes to the VP for tabulating the chapter referral statistics).

There are no special forms for dance card requests. You can turn in a request for a dance card on a referral slip - but if you do that, just turn in the white copy. You can also write the request on any other sheet of paper, or just announce it (and then call the person to schedule).


7. Stay within the time limits.

We are a large chapter; if we don't stay within the limits, we can't end promptly at 1:00.

You have 30 seconds for your infomercial; if you get the signal that your time is up, say no more than two more words and sit down. If you practice your infomercial, you should know if you fit within the time limit.

Also please be brief during the referral portion of the meeting. We don't need to hear the whole story behind each referral; saying,"I have one for Christine and one for Kevin" is plenty. And please give no more than one testimonial; it saves time, and it also has more impact.


8. Keep a number of your business cards in the business card box at all times.

Don't let your section get empty!

You can also put any literature you have in the box designed for that, on the back table.


9. Pay your chapter dues on time.

Chapter dues of $55/month are due at the first meeting of each month. This covers the cost of our room and food and a few other incidental expenses.


10. Turn in your green "thank you for closed business" slips each week.

Did you earn money this week that comes from a referral from a chapter member? Turn in a "thank you" slip with that member's name and the amount of money you earned. This information goes to our VP for compilation into our chapter statistics. (Also note your name, just in case there are questions.)

Remember that if a BNI member refers you to someone who in turn refers you to someone else, that's also money you'd want to turn in a "thank you" slip for.


11. Sign up for MSP training when you get the information. (MSP = Member Success Program)

And let the secretary-treasurer know you are signed up; that's the person who schedules the 10-minute presentations, and you can't give one until you attend MSP training.


12. Suggestion Only: Take people up on their free offers.

Some members (such as Susan Bishop and Patricia Westerfield) offer free sessions. This is a great way to better understand the services they offer.


13. Suggestion Only: Volunteer for a leadership position.

Every six months we change our leadership team. Consider volunteering for a role - there are many slots to fill. Our chapter is strong partly because of the efforts of the leadership team; help keep it strong! Plus it's another great way to get to know members better, and to gain their respect. There are plenty of roles that a new member can fill just fine.


14. Realize that referrals build over time.

Every time someone gives you a referral, that person is putting his or her reputation on the line. Therefore, members may not feel comfortable giving you referrals until they get a chance to know you. We all like to business with people we know, like, and trust - and trust isn't an instant thing.


15. Confused? Ask for help.

If you are confused about anything, please ask any member of the Education Committee for help. They'll be glad to answer your questions.

If the meeting itself is confusing, you might pick up one of the laminated agendas sitting out on the tables, and follow along. It won't be confusing for long!


16. Learn more.
You can read (and sign up for) SuccessNet, a monthly online newsletter.

You can listen to BNI podcasts.

There are BNI CDs and books you can borrow; the chapter has some and Jeri has some. Or you can buy your own.