For Visitors Attending Silver Cities BNI
- What To Expect
- When To Arrive
- What To Bring
- Where To Go
- Will I Be Asked To Join?
- Who Do I Contact If I Have Questions?
- Can Anyone Become A Member?
- Is There A Quota On Referrals Passed?
- How Often Do You Meet?
- Is This A Social Event?
- Are Members Reputable?
- What If A Member Does Poor Work?
- What Occupations Benefit Most?
- Why BNI?
What To Expect
We're not like other networking groups you may have been to. We are a referral based group of approximately 30 like-minded members dedicated to the growth and continued success of each other's businesses. What sets us apart from other groups, other than the fact that we pass qualified referrals (not leads!) is that we follow a set agenda each and every week.
From the time you arrive, you'll find a warm, lively welcome from members of our group.
Don't worry! You won't be left alone! A Visitor Host will greet you, ask you to sign in and then introduce you to members of our chapter who can relate directly with your business.
After 15 minutes of open networking, our President calls the meeting to order. We welcome our visitors, we introduce the leadership team, we have a business-building education segment, then each member shares a few details about their business in their Sales Manager Minute (this is when you will share details of your business with the group). Next on our agenda is to give the stage to one of our members for a more detailed, 10 minute presentation about their business. After a few committee reports, we move to the "I Have" portion of the agenda, where each member has the opportunity to pass referrals and offer testimonials to other members of the chapter. After a few other short housekeeping items, the meeting is drawn to a close...
...and all of this happens in just 90 minutes!
(it's rare, but sometimes we run over by a few minutes. hey, we're not perfect.).
What's NOT on the agenda is that many of our members will stay and continue to build both business and personal relationships with one another and talk about passed referrals. We encourage you to join them!
When To Arrive
Our chapter's energy and enthusiasm starts promptly at 7:00 a.m.
What To Bring
Lots of business cards!
You will have several opportunities to share what you do and you will meet about 35 new people, so bring enough business cards to give one or two to each person. If you have a brochure, feel free to bring one and leave it with a Visitor Host at the entrance table.
An Open Mind
Our unique approach is unlike any other networking group you may have visited or heard about, so we encourage our visitors to be open to everything they encounter, so not to miss out on what sets us apart.
Just In Case
Write down a quick description of your business so that when we ask you to introduce yourself, you know what you'd like to say. The reason we say "just in case" is because even the bes of our members can lose their train of thought from time to time when delievering their Sales Manager Minute. Having something written is a great way to ensure that if you get tongue-tied, you'll still be able to deliver your message.
Where To Go
Zandri's Stillwood Inn
1074 South Colony Road
Wallingford, CT 06492
Will I Be Asked To Join?
Absolutely. We understand that after one meeting you may not be able to decide if the group is right for you, so we do offer you the opportunity to visit a second time. However, many of our members have submitted an application immediately. It is important to note that other reputable business people within the same line of work as you are looking to join, so we encourage you to submit an application sooner rather than later.
On one of your two visits, a member of our Leadership Team will ask to spend about 10 minutes with you after the meeting to answer any questions you may have about BNI, about our chapter or how to join.
Who Do I Contact If I Have Questions?
The Visitor Hosts are there to answer your questions on the day of the meeting, but should you find yourself with questions a day, a week, a month later...who should you contact? Anyone from our chapter will be happy to answer your questions, but a great place to start is with our contact form.