Too busy for BNI?

Let’s talk about time. We are all busy. We are all businesspeople. We are all multitaskers, professionals, and are juggling ten more things than we probably should. So when we talk about the investment into BNI, it’s really a time investment. We ask you to be present at our meeting for 90 minutes every week. We ask you to have one 1:1 every week – which usually are between 30-60 minutes – unless it’s with Jason, and then it’s around 4 hours. BNI takes dedication and patience.

I want to ask a question.

Did you time away from your business to be at the meeting today?

The answer should be NO! BNI is a business and marketing strategy that is integral to your business. Like any strategy, it has to be implemented to work. If you see BNI as not being part of your business, perhaps a change in mind set will help you to no longer feel too busy for BNI.

We know sometimes BNI can be hard to handle when your business picks up or gets busier than normal. As odd as it seems, that might be the best time to lean on your BNI network and resources. Members that make a priority to stay active in their group, despite an upturn in business, are more productive in the amount of referrals they pass and receive, and are therefore some of the most valuable members to have in the group. If you’re thinking it’s hard to make time for BNI, (or maybe you have a seasonal business that’s just ramping up) here are some tips to be more efficient when it comes to BNI:

1. Make sure you’re getting the right referrals. Use your weekly commercial, your featured presentation, and your 1:1s to educate members on exactly the sort of referrals you want to receive. Make sure they know the right type of client and business you’re seeking, so that when they send you a referral, it’s a good match. It can be easy to just chat during a 1:1 – and it’s great to know each other on a casual, personal level too, but make sure that you’re really educating the members about what an ideal referral is for you. This will help cut down your time following up on referrals that are not relevant, and will help other members know what you’re looking for.

2. Learn while driving (or in many of your cases, on the train)! Did you know that BNI has an entire repertoire of podcasts that are all geared towards helping you get the most out of your BNI membership? From how to have an effective 1:1 to who you should include in your power team, to how to be a successful networker, there are hundreds of hours of podcasts that will help you up your networking game. There is also a resource called BNI University – it uses the same login as your BNI connect app, and the university has tons of resources for you.

3. Book a 1:1 with your BNI director. Fred DaCosta is the BNI guru. He knows everyone in BNI Manhattan and can connect you with potential referrals, help you navigate the system, and get the most out of your membership. He’s got an incredible BNI success story, so definitely lean on Fred for BNI advice.

Hopefully these tips will help you. I know it’s hard to make time for BNI, but BNI is a long game – if you put in the time, you’ll see the rewards.