How often have you seen queues outside of nightclubs? Nightclub owners do this to make their clubs look popular. Popularity attracts people.
If you were to choose between two restaurants – one that’s pretty full and another that’s pretty empty – which would you choose? My money is on the one that is pretty full.
In persuasion studies this is called ‘social proof’.
Sometime ago I was at a traffic light which appeared to be broken because we seemed to be sitting there for ages. Suddenly, one of the front cars took off against the red light. Two other cars followed it. This was not normal behaviour.
Why did it happen? Because the first car had given them ‘permission’ to behave in this way (those of us who waited eventually got a green light). How often have your heard the justification: “But everybody is doing it!”.
How often have you walked into an empty retail outlet to browse, and within minutes it’s crowded? Social proof again.
We don’t want to be left out. We want to be in on a good thing. We enjoy the energy, the ‘buzz’, that we give each other.
The good news is you can use ‘social proof’ in your business and in your BNI.
For example, one president I know has the tactic of just ‘getting bums on seats’. Other BNI members? Doesn’t matter – so long as there is no conflict. Visiting, but not joining? Doesn’t matter. A member’s cousin, mother or brother? Doesn’t matter.
It doesn’t matter because the one or two genuine prospects who do come along will be thrilled with the energy; with the crowds of people there. They’ll leave ‘buzzing’ and want to come back for more.
They’ll be seduced by the social proof that crowds of people, behaving in a certain way, induce within us.
Have you ever visited a BNI chapter that was low on numbers? Ten to one the energy is low too. These chapters, in my experience, struggle to attract members.
So my advice is ‘get bums on seats’. This will make your BNI or your business more attractive to the genuine prospects who do come through.
7 comments
Good point Colin.
Further evidence that “social proof” works was today at the Bizone Business Expo at Auckland. Once you were talking to an interested party on BNI at the BNI stand then others appeared, attracted to what others were learning about. Often several surrounded to listen in. Some great prospects for BNI today & no doubt “bumbs on seats” in next few weeks.
Good luck chapter leaders at converting!
Cheers
Paul
Hi Colin,
Great posting.
We had a chapter in my region who dropped in numbers to just 10 members (from 30). We asked local chapters to support them by sending two members a week for 8 weeks. It had a hugely positive effect, including lifting the atmosphere for the members who started to enjoy being at their meeting again. It was great to see the broader BNI community support and it also resulted in several alliances between members of local chapters.
I am delighted to say that, within a year, the chapter were back to 30 members and one of the top performing chapters in the region.
I am sure you will see results in no time!
Warm regards from London,
Dinah
Hi Colin,
As Dinah says this is a great idea. It was my own chapter that Dinah was talking about and it made such a difference to our members.
I am now using the same idea in one of my small chapters to great effect.
Cheers,
David
Hi Dinah
Thank you for your feedback. What a great idea – getting other BNI members to boost the energy in your chapter – I’m going to circulate it to all president’s in my region.
Thanks for the feedback everybody – this is something I plan to implement with some of my smaller chapters. I’ll keep you posted.
This is so true, as we have expierenced in our chapter. Bums on seats equals excitment which is infectious. Bit like the bird flue really. It also creates an enviroment for attracting new members and referrals. Good advice.
I have been telling chapters this for a while… especially small chapters… better to have 20 people in the meeting than 13 members… even if 6 of the other 7 will never join.
Well written and spot on.
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