Why BNI?
All of us get different things out of BNI. Sometimes the value of what we get, and the source of that value is different from member to member and the measure of that value for each member individually can change over time.
At this time of the year as we enter the silly season and as we re-enter society during the pandemic it’s a great time to reflect on the value that our BNI membership brings to us. Our core value is Givers Gain® so let’s review what does BNI give to us?
WIIFM # 1 Commercial Success
At its core, BNI is a Word-of-Mouth Referral Marketing System. And it works. We know that the right person with the right attitude, in the right business in the right industry doing the right things consistently over time will have commercial success in BNI.
WIIFM #2 Peer Support
Owning a business is a lonely place. Being amongst peers in BNI, who are all at a different stage of their business journey and being able to draw on their support is gold. They can help us not repeat their mistakes, to pick up us back up from our lows, and help us celebrate our wins. In BNI everyone wants everyone else to succeed.
WIIFM #3 Professional Development
A lot of professions require continuing professional development. Mostly it is profession-specific. BNI provides general professional development every week. Every week we learn about the latest in many different industries that help us keep relevant and current. Otherwise, we risk becoming myopic in our industry.
WIIFM #4 Insight
Learning a little about other industries every week helps when dealing with those industries. For instance, knowing a little about plumbers helps when building websites for plumbers.
WIIFM #5 Market Research
If you are considering building a product or service for a particular market, then having a BNI member in that market who can act as a sounding board or test case for you, can help you to develop the product properly before rolling it out.
WIIFM #6 Work on your business, not in your business.
We all know this truism but often we never get the chance to work on our business. The BNI meeting itself is when we get to at least work on our business and on ourselves for 90 minutes a week.
INSTRUCTION: Open up this next question to the room.
WIIFM #7-99 What are the things we haven’t mentioned that we get out of BNI Membership?
They could be confidence, public speaking and presentation skills, meaningful relationships, friends, leadership skills, a positive environment when things aren’t going well, givers live longer and are happier…
Summary
BNI is a better way of marketing, life, and living. For example, it would be easy to market your business on a billboard and perhaps get a commercial return from the right billboard in the right place. But no other form of marketing provides a commercial return and all these other benefits.
#I Love BNI.
