WHY does the BNI Agenda include the Referrals and Testimonials section?

The BNI Agenda has been carefully developed over 30 years to include everything that is important and nothing that isn’t!

Often the referrals and testimonials section of the meeting is referred to by BNI members as the “most important part of the meeting” or the “business part of the meeting”. It is held in high regard by members and is worth spending a couple of minutes for the next two weeks making it as effective as possible!

This week we will look at the “WHY” and next week we will look at the “HOW”

Here we discuss 5 reasons why we include the Referrals and Testimonials section in the BNI Agenda:

1. Credibility – Referrals and Testimonials help build the “C” in Credibility of VCP. When we give testimonials for other members or pass them referrals, it shows that we have trust in them. Our trust helps build the foundation for other members to trust them too. Outside of using a member’s services yourself and hearing testimonials, credibility and trust can also be built through one-to-ones.
2. Givers Gain® – Where we “give” to other members. The Sales Pitch part of the meeting is where we educate and “ask”. The Referrals and Testimonials section of the meeting is where we “give” to other members which supports Givers Gain®, a philosophy based on the law of reciprocity.  In the context of networking groups, people who adopt this philosophy dedicate themselves to giving business to their fellow networkers rather than making their foremost concern getting business for themselves.  In doing so, other people naturally become eager to repay their kindness by sending them business in return.
3. Recognising Quality Referrals – If the majority of all members are working to “give” to their fellow members from the close of each meeting until the start of the next meeting then the chapter will succeed. This part of the meeting should not be used to apologise for what you didn’t do or for what you might do, but to celebrate the business that has been generated. It is the part of the meeting where members show what they have done for others in the past week.
4. Visitor Education – We show Visitors that the group generates business. BNI differs from many other types of networking groups in that we actively seek to generate business for each other. If Visitors with the same mindset see this happening well, they are more likely to apply to join to be part of your chapter. We also measure and report on the activity generated which adds Accountability between members.
5. It’s Fun! – It feels great to give, receive and be recognised. Members talk about amazing, inspiring, educational and extremely funny stories that just make you feel good!

Without a doubt, the Referrals and Testimonials section is an important and fun part of the meeting. Next week we will discuss how YOU can make the most of it!