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Frequently Asked Questions
Click on the question for answers
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What is BNI?
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A business marketing program that allows one person from each profession to join a chapter. The sole purpose of the chapter is to increase business through a structured system of giving referrals.
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What kind of people are BNI members?
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BNI is looking for members who believe in the power of networking and who are genuinely interested in helping others succeed. Our Motto is Givers Gain. BNI members believe in the principles of professionalism like continuing education in their field and personal growth, being punctual, following up on referrals, and returning phone calls. BNI members take pride in their work and can be counted on to provide goods and services that you can confidently refer to others – whether it is your Grandmother or your best client. Above all, BNI members believe in taking an honest, ethical, and diplomatic approach in dealing with others. Ultimately, the people BNI seeks are those who walk their talk.
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Where, when, and how often do BNI chapters meet?
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In many locations throughout Las Vegas, Henderson/Green Valley, North Las Vegas, and Clark County. More Chapters are developing all the time. Current BNI chapters are listed on the LOCAL CHAPTERS page on this site.
BNI chapters meet weekly for 90 minutes. There are AM chapters (7AM) or luncheon chapters (11:30 or 12:30) The times and locations (and maps to their meeting places) are located on the LOCAL CHAPTERS page on this site.
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Why does BNI meet weekly?
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EWe meet every week so that members maintain contact and exchange regular referrals. Take a look at the different times the chapters meet on our LOCAL CHAPTERS page on this site.
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Why visit a BNI meeting?
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Networking is a contact sport. Networking and selling are different sports. Regardless of how many other networking groups you may have been to in the past, BNI is truly unique. People that GIVE business referrals GET business referrals! Visit and see BNI in action!
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Why join BNI?
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You don’t buy a newspaper … you buy news
You don’t buy glasses … you buy vision
You don’t buy awnings … you buy shade
You don’t buy a mattress … you buy comfort
You don’t buy a lamp … you buy light
You don’t buy a membership in BNI … you buy cooperation with people to accomplish
goals you cannot accomplish alone.
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What are the other benefits of being a member of BNI?
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There are many – In addition to the referrals - BNI members tell us that they have benefited
By locking out your competitors. Each chapter has only one person per profession
By using a professionally designed forum to promote yourself and your business efficiently, effectively and economically.
By routinely meeting with other focused, motivated business professionals
By increasing and expanding your business through solid referrals
Fine tune your presentation skills, learning to present your business anywhere in a clear and effective manner
By finding people to participate in joint marketing efforts outside of BNI
By creating a Power Team around you to be help you to focus your marketing efforts
By having contacts to arrange speaking engagements
By being able to become a resource for your clients
By learning to network effectively instead of selling to every person you meet
By turning contacts into contracts
By gaining valuable feedback and ideas on how to fine tune your business and marketing efforts
By learning new sales techniques
By exposing your service and knowledge to businesses and success oriented people throughout the community.
By gaining information to make better decisions from knowledge from your fellow networking members
Education. One of the core values for the 20+ years BNI has been around has been education
By having access to resources and knowledge worldwide. BNI has over 100,000 members in 38 countries www.bni.com
In many other ways … our goal is to have more FUN, making more MONEY, more FASTER
*There are even more benefits listed on the MEMBER RESOURCES page on this site!
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What occupations benefit the most from networking?
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It is not the occupation, it is the individual. The occupation can be anything. All professions can prosper from BNI given you take the time to learn how to target market and teach your fellow members what you are looking for in referrals.
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Are there any other events besides the weekly chapter meetings?
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Yes. Lots of Chapters have get-togethers like BBQ’s, golf outings, member open houses, and other events. We have Power Team Mixers, Member Success Programs, Advanced training, opportunities to attend large Motivational and educational seminars as well as regional awards. We also get several groups together periodically for a “Big Breakfast”.
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How do I go about starting a new BNI chapter?
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First visit a chapter to see if you like BNI. Next you will need to contact your local Director and let them know you want to start your own chapter. Finally, you will need to find 12 or more people in different professions who are willing to start the chapter with you. Your Director will then take you through the education process of forming your new powerful word-of-mouth team!
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How do you know new members are reputable?
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The application asks for references and we have a membership committee that checks them. Almost everyone who comes to BNI comes because of word-of-mouth, so before they even come to a meeting they have to have spoken to someone or been invited by someone in the group. Everyone has to have a sponsor, or one is assigned to them. All members agree to abide by a Code of Ethics and BNI Policies. Each Chapter has a Membership Committee that acts as the HR Department of the Chapter.
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What if a member gets a referral and does poor work?
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Every BNI Chapter has an Ethics committee as part of the Chapter Membership Committee. It is imperative that anyone who gives a referral and finds out it was not satisfactorily handled must report that to the Membership Committee, who will investigate.
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How much does it cost to join BNI?
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When visiting a BNI chapter you will receive a Visitor Orientation that covers the details involved with participation in a BNI group. Participation in a BNI chapter is through an application process. Along with business references, there is a Registration Fee and Participation Fees are either annually or bi-annually. Each chapter has a Membership Committee that reviews the applications presented. Applications must be presented along with a business license and any other relevant licensing required to offer goods or services (contractor's license, insurance licenses, BAR Assoc #, cosmetology licenses, etc.)
The true investment in considering BNI is not money, but time. Members are expected to attend the weekly meetings, meet and develop referral relationships with fellow members outside of the meeting and this all takes a time commitment. It would be unrealistic to expect to receive referrals if members are not willing to build the network, GIVE referrals, and work the network.
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Can anyone join a chapter? Can I be a member in more than one chapter?
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Members are required to represent their primary occupation, not a part-time business. We only take one person from each professional classification (there can be, for instance, a residential and a commercial Realtor, more than one attorney whose areas of practice are not the same, or different areas of insurance offered in the same chapter by different members).
The diversity of the professions and the depth of the talent pool of BNI members around the world is remarkable! If there is a business out there in the world… chances are that there is someone in a BNI Chapter somewhere who is great at it. So if your profession is already represented in a BNI chapter, we can refer you to another BNI chapter, or we may help you open a new one, built around you.
A COMPANY may have multiple individuals in different BNI chapters. An individual person may only be a member in one BNI chapter.
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