Home BNI Workshops Mini Workshop – Networking v Selling

Mini Workshop – Networking v Selling

by BNI New Zealand

Article contributed by Geoff Kirkwood.

This is a 2-3 minute activity that involves those at the meeting.
You will need to read it through beforehand and be prepared. 
What you say out loud to the group is in larger type in bold.
Purpose: To highlight the difference between selling and referrals.
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Ask the members the following question.

What is the main function you have in your own business?

Repeat some of the responses. You are looking for the word “selling” or “sales”. If you don’t get it from the responses you need to suggest it to them as a question.

Then ask them….

What is your main role as part of the team in this BNI Chapter?

Again you are looking for the words “selling” or “sales”.

Now tell them that you want to suggest a different role for them.

I want to suggest that your role, when a member of BNI, is different to other business people!

Your role is not selling……. it is networking!

If you truly believe in the basic principles of BNI, then you need to change the way you think about business.

You are a networker. Delete the word sales and salesperson from your vocabulary as they belong to people who do business the hard way – selling!

So turn to the person next to you and tell them one thing you will do differently this week that demonstrates this principle?

Give them 45 seconds and then call them back.

In BNI we do business differently – by networking – by making our net work!

Think about it…. and change the way you do business!

The Referral Master®

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