Yesterday I had a nice chat with Dr. Ivan Misner. Misner
is the CEO and founder of BNI or Business Network
International.
And, the “Networking Guru” according to Entrepreneur
magazine.
You can listen to myinterview with Dr Misner.
What you’ve never heard of them? You really do need
to get out more. Listen to what Misner’s invention
accomplished last year.
Last year alone, BNI generated over 2.8 million referrals
resulting in over $1.2 billion dollars worth of business
for its members.
Essentially, BNI forms business networks based on
sharing and receiving referrals. The networks are
category specific – 1 doctor, 1 lawyer, 1 plumber.
Building a formal lead network is a killer referral
marketing strategy and BNI lets you plug in to an
already established one. With over 3,700 chapters,
it is likely that one already exists in your community.
Misner’s best advice: Get out of the your office, your
car, your home, your comfort zone and build diversified
networks. Join several different types of networking
organizations (Rotary, Chamber, and BNI!)and meet new
prospects every day.
Nugget Two: Approach everyone you meet with a
“how can I help” this person mentality and you will
receive more referrals than you can handle.