The Benefits of Business Network International (BNI)

September 6, 2008 By Mary White

Are you interested in finding a cost effective way to expand your business? How would you like to expand your sales force without having to add employees or pay out affiliate commissions? Does this sound too good to be true? It’s not. Not only is this within the realm of possibility, it’s something that you can do simply by joining and committing to getting involved with the right type of networking group. As a matter of fact, this is what the special brand of strong contact networking at the core of Business Network International (BNI) is all about.

Increase Business Referrals
Who wouldn’t like to generate more referrals for their business? By joining and actively participating in a BNI group, you can experience an exponential increase in the quantity and quality of referrals that find their way to your business. For many professionals and business owners, getting involved in a BNI group represents a truly productive way of increasing referral based business. If you’d like to increase your referral business and you’re also interested in helping other like minded professionals enjoy greater business success, you’re likely to find membership in this organization to be very beneficial.

Visit a Few BNI Chapters in Your Area
If you’ve never attended a Business Networking International (BNI) meeting, it’s definitely time to do so! There are several BNI chapters located in most major cities throughout the U.S. and in many overseas locations. You can visit chapters a few times before making a decision regarding which group is the best fit for you. To find a chapter in your area, visit the BNI website and utilize the online database to search for a local meeting.

When you visit groups, be sure to take several business cards so you can share your contact information with others in the group. Pay attention to how comfortable the members are with each other, and how actively involved the members seem to be in promoting each other’s businesses. Keep in mind that one of the reasons that BNI is so successful is that membership is limited to one person per profession in each chapter. You’ll need to look for a chapter that doesn’t already have a member in the same field, so there are no potential conflicts.

The Benefits of Membership

Once you visit a few BNI chapters, it should become obvious how membership in the organization can help you grow your business. As a BNI member, you’ll cultivate professional contacts who are likely to become friends and mentors, as well as extensions of your company’s sales force.

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