FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Are my competitors allowed in?
No. Once you have joined as a member, no competitor from your profession can
attend meetings or apply to join the group. All referrals for your profession
will go to you.
Do I have to attend each week and what happens if I can’t
attend?
The BNI works because each week the members can be sure that when they
arrive at the meeting the other group members will be there to do business.
So, weekly attendance is a requirement. On the odd occasion where it is
not possible to attend, the substitutes program can be utilised to ensure
your business is still represented. A substitute can be a colleague from
your own business, another business contact, or another BNI member from
another group willing to stand in. The only requirement for a substitute
is that their own business does not overlap with that of another member.
Many BNI members are happy to be a substitute as it provides them with
extra networking opportunities and they have a chance to present their
own business too.
Can I try out BNI to see if it’s going to work for me?
Yes. Before you decide to join, you are welcome to attend up to
two meeting without obligation.
Can I visit other BNI groups?
Members can visit other BNI groups (provided their profession is not already
represented there) which greatly broadens their networking opportunities.
How is the group run?
The group is run by its members. A Leadership team is selected every six
months to manage the growth and success of the group. New members, number
of referrals and the value of referrals is monitored, and training provided
to members to help them get the most out of BNI.
How can a smallish breakfast group generate a large amount of
referral business?
What’s important to remember is that you’re
not going to get business just from fellow BNI members but also from
their contacts as well - which means that, when you join BNI, you get
access to hundreds of extra contacts.
What is your vision for the group?
We would like the Heart of Surrey group to develop into the most successful
group in the area and increase sales significantly for all its members.
We aim to do this by attracting further quality business professionals
and reaching a size of 30 to 40 members. This group size has been shown
to provide the optimum number of referrals while still keeping the meetings
manageable within the allotted time.
Do I need to be local to join the group?
As meetings are weekly and we want to pass business to local professionals,
it helps to be within a 30 minute drive or about 20 miles of the meeting venue.
If you are unsure, please do contact us to discuss this.
What’s the philosophy behind BNI?
The BNI philosophy is “giver’s gain”. By helping other
businesses in the group to increase sales, we greatly help our own business
because those members want to give something back.
How can the BNI help my business?
The BNI offers the opportunity to:
- increase sales for your business through qualified business referrals
- build strong business relationships with a range of local business people by meeting weekly
- meet new business contacts, the visitors to the BNI, on a weekly basis and present your business to them
- receive free networking training as part of your membership
What is the process of joining?
Applicants will be required to fill out an Application Form, which includes
two business references. References are always followed up before a member
is accepted into the group. Additionally, the current group members are
consulted to ensure that no clashes of services will arise (if the new
business is in a similar sector to any existing members).
How can I be confident enough in the quality of other group members
to want to refer business to them?
Group members know that they will be seeing other members on a weekly basis,
so everyone is very keen to do an excellent job. By demonstrating quality
of service, members can build their credibility within the group, get more
referrals, and thus increase sales. On completion of a project, the referring
member will often write a testimonial for the member carrying out the work.
Referrals are also discussed as part of the meeting to ensure that everything
is running smoothly. Members are not obliged to refer business if they
do not wish to, but the systems in place mean that members soon become
confident in referring business to other members.
When are the group meetings?
BNI groups meet for breakfast between 7 and 8.30am on a weekly basis. The
Heart of Surrey group meets on Fridays at Burford Bridge Hotel in Dorking, Surrey.
What is the dress code?
The dress code for the meeting is whatever you wear for your business.
What happens at a meeting?
The meetings are designed to generate new business and follow a structured
20-point agenda. The focus is on positive contribution to the group and
educating other members about your business so that they can find quality
referrals. At the heart of the BNI meeting is the "60 Seconds" slot.
This is each member's opportunity to tell everyone at the meeting all
about their business, the kind of referrals they would like, and anything
at all that will help the other members generate business for them.
How is BNI different from other networking meetings?
Although BNI is a networking organisation, it differs in that it focuses
on the business referral aspect of networking and is committed to increasing
business for its members. The structured nature of the meetings and the emphasis
on positive contribution mean that quality business is passed at each meeting.
Of course, members also benefit from the opportunity to develop strong business
relationships.