I am sharing tips on how to receive more BNI business referrals!

Recently I was listening to a podcast about how to grow your business and realized that I naturally do four of these five things to get more BNI referrals and you can bet I’ll be adding the one I don’t do to my mix.

Here are five ways to get more referrals from your BNI Chapter Members:

• The first may seem obvious, do more one-to-one’s and do them correctly. The BNI GAINS profile is there for a reason. Trying to cover too many things in a one-to-one is ridiculous. When you have a one-to-one have an objective in mind for your time together. Using the GAINS as a guide and just pick one of the elements. Goals, Accomplishments, Interests, Networks or Skills. In a proper one-to-one only one person is sharing their elements of the GAINS. It’s an interview of sorts with the primary mindset being curiosity… how can we work well together?
• Bring or take your clients and prospects to events. Yes, that includes your weekly BNI Chapter meeting. Recently I took an old friend who was starting her business to my BNI Chapter, Achievers Network, and she sent me an email expressing her sincere gratitude for being able to hire her new graphic designer Sheryl Sackett of FUZE Design, her new website provider, Brad Murray of Whirlsites, her new commercial banker, Derek Cram of First Financial Bank and lastly her new printer, Josh Laycock of ROW Printing. She was elated that she could get all that done in one place. Invite people to as many worthwhile business events as you can and introduce them around.
• Send appropriate gifts to your prospects and clients to let them know you’re thinking about them. This doesn’t have to be an extravagant expenditure but a thoughtful and appropriate gift with a personal note attached. From time to time I’ll send a small rock with a capital “U” affixed to it (I got those from a former BNI member who sold Upper Case Living) with a note that says “You ROCK!”
• Drop something in the mail, a card, a note, almost anything with a personal note attached to it. Let people know that you’re thinking about them.
• Send them your email newsletter or send them a note via email from time to time. Your email newsletter alone itself isn’t enough.

You can employ these five strategies with your fellow BNI Chapter Members or for prospects or referrals that never turned into business. The key is to employ a process, any process.

If you’ve been keeping track, you’re probably thinking, “Hey, you said, ‘Six Ways to Gain More Referrals!’” I did and here is that last tip… Set a realistic goal of what you’re going to do, commit it to in writing with a timeline and deadline and then get to work to get it done. Setting a goal of a specific number of referrals you want, will go a long way to helping you get more BNI referrals.

Jack Klemeyer is a member of Achievers Network in Brownsburg, a part of the BNI Central-Indiana Regional Team and a Certified John Maxwell Coach, Speaker and Trainer helping business owners and leaders who are so busy helping others they don’t always take the time to work on their business. Jack always appreciates referrals!

This Walker This Way video discusses how to follow up on a BNI referral!