Recently one of our members went into a meeting and realised they hadn’t had the time during the week to fully prepare for their 60 seconds. That meant as the 60 seconds went on around the room, they (in hindsight) felt they were more concerned with trying to formulate their own 60 seconds rather than listening to those of their fellow members.
What message could this send out to other members?
You’re distracted, uninterested or too busy to listen to their message about their business or their message for the week. It’s a matter of respect for your fellow members to make sure you are prepared.
- Missing out
If you are thinking about your own 60 seconds during a meeting, you’ll be missing very important points about members that they are communicating in their 60 seconds. You may even miss out on business for yourself. How can you give referrals if you are too focused on what you will be saying when it’s your time to present?
- Preparation is key to a successful 60 seconds
A strong 60 seconds every week comes from preparing. Giving a presentation on the fly shows, and doesn’t do full justice to your 60 seconds and your business. Members can spot a lack of preparation and substance in a 60 seconds and it may result in lost or fewer referrals given.
Consider this; if you were to present to a large audience on a stage, would you just get up there and start speaking? You would never give a made-up on the spot presentation to what could become your key customer/ business audience without preparing – and that same mind-set can be applied each week for BNI.
It’s important to put aside just 10 minutes each week to consider your 60 second presentation and what you are going to ask for. Think about it, write up notes if there are several messages to get out. This way you can be more attentive to listening to the 60 seconds of fellow members without worrying what to say when it’s your turn. It’s about effectively gaining referrals and sending the right message to your fellow members.
