About BNI - Business Network Int'l

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Last year, members of BUSINESS NETWORK INT'L. (BNI) passed thousands of referrals which generated millions of dollars worth of business for each other! BNI is a business and professional networking organization that allows only one person per profession to join a chapter.

Belonging to BNI is like having dozens of sales people working for you because all the other members carry several copies of your business cards around with them. When they meet someone new who could use your products or service, they hand your card out and recommend your services. It's as simple as that! It's simple because it's based on the proven concept of what goes around, comes around. If I help you, you'll help me and we will both benefit as a result.

Would you like to increase your business by 20%, 30%, 50% or as much as 100%? You can see results like this! Many have. Some participants have added as many as 50 new clients in the first 2 years!!! Successful businesses depend on word of mouth. Word-of-mouth advertising is the best advertising there is.

BNI provides a structured and supportive system of giving and receiving business. It does so by providing an environment in which you develop personal relationships with dozens of other qualified business professionals. By establishing this "formal" relationship with other people, you will have the opportunity to substantially increase your business.

Founder: Dr. Ivan R. Misner of San Dimas, CA
Established: 1985
Motto: "Givers Gain"
Purpose: Networking in order to generate business for fellow members
Unique Feature: Only one person from a profession is eligible to join a chapter
Number of Chapters: 2000
Number of Members: Approximately over 40,000 and growing
Number of Referrals: over 4 million
Total Value of Referrals: over $1.4 billion

Increased exposure to many other people and businesses.

Substantially increased business through referrals.
Tools to network more effectively, including an orientation cassette tape giving the "Formula for Success" in BNI, a badge, a vinyl card holder to carry members' business cards, referral slips, marketing materials for your chapter and much, much more.
Participation in up to 52 networking meetings per year.
Quarterly newsletters with educational material on networking, public speaking, and business.
Participation in business tradeshows (where you'll have an opportunity to market your chapter and your business).
Free periodic workshops on networking.
And much, much more!!!

BNI MEMBERSHIP CRUISE 1998

BNI District Directors

BNI International Conference 1998

Q: Can anyone join a chapter?

A: We only take one person from each field. So if you are a residential real estate person and we already have one, we can refer you to another chapter, or allow you to open another chapter.

Q: How do you know new members are reputable?

A: The application asks for references and we have a membership committee that checks them. It's word of mouth, so before they even come to a meeting they have to have spoken to someone or been invited by someone in the group. Everyone has to have a sponsor, or one is assigned to them, and they interview them.

Q: What if a member gets a referral and does poor work?

A: We have an ethics committee and it is imperative that anyone who gives a lead and finds out it was not satisfactorily handled must report that to the membership committee, who will investigate.

Q: What occupations benefit the most from networking?

A: It is not the occupation, it is the individual. The occupation can be anything. If you're focussed and you have a dream and you're willing to make a sacrifice, you are the person we want in the group.

Q: Are members supposed to bring visitors?

A: You're encouraged to bring visitors for those occupations that are open, after the visitor has been prescreened, if they're a viable candidate. It's pretty much a closed meeting except for potential members.

(Excerpted in part from "Networking is Serious Business")

© 1999 BNI - Business Network Int'l