Frequently Asked Questions

Can anyone join a chapter?

We only take one person per professional speciality. So if you are a residential Estate Agent and we already have one, we can refer you to another chapter, or allow you to open another chapter. Of course, if you are a commercial Estate Agent you could be eligible to join this chapter.

What is the Education Slot?

As a BNI member you will be committed to continuing personal development in the skills of networking. You will have attended a New Member Orientation and should have benefited from three basic workshops on Networking, Referrals and Presentation. Your personal development is further facilitated each Wednesday morning at Coombe Wood Chapter with a three-minute educational slot. This is organised by the Education Officer, who sometimes also arranges a rota of members to present educational topics.

The Education Slot follows a proven structure:

• Each topic is a "How to ......" topic to ensure that it adds directly to your armoury of skills and knowledge
• Each 'edslot' topic gives simple, practical, easy-to-follow tips on a skill relevant to networking
• There is a 'call to action', challenging members to focus their energies for just 20 minutes in the next week to apply immediately the new knowledge that they have acquired, ensuring they get maximum benefit
• There is an 'edslot' reality check to see what successes have been achieved from previous topics

Recent topics have included:

• How to decide whether to approach others at a networking event
• Help and advice on choosing Good Business Books
• How to give and receive terrific testimonials
• How to get the best from your 'one to one' meetings
• How to be more confident
• How to pick a partner for marketing
  
  
  

What happens in the 10 minute Presentation?

Each week, one member will do an 'in-depth 10 minute presentation' about their business. Quite often, audio visual equipment, hand outs and props would be used within this presentation. At the end of the presentation, the other members and visitors would have the opportunity to ask questions about the presenter's business.

What are the 60 second Presentations?

Each week the members of the chapter give a 60 second presentation about their business and the type of referrals they are looking for. The 60 seconds would normally end with a 'memory hook' about the individuals business.
Visitors will be asked to do their own 60 seconds after the members have completed their presentations.

How do you know new members are reputable?

The application asks for references and we have a membership committee that checks them. It's 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, and they interview them.

What if a member gets a referral and does poor work?

We have an ethics committee and it is imperative that anyone who gives a lead and finds out it was not satisfactorily handled must report that to the membership committee, who will investigate.

What occupations benefit the most from networking?

It is not the occupation, it is the individual. The occupation can be anything. If you're focussed and you have a dream and you're willing to make a sacrifice, you are the person we want in the group.

Are members supposed to bring visitors?

You're encouraged to bring visitors for those occupations that are open, after the visitor has been prescreened, if they're a viable candidate. It's pretty much a closed meeting except for potential members.

Do ethical rules for certain professions prohibit participation in BNI?

BNI understands the importance of the ethical concerns governing certain professions and acknowledges that rules can differ by location. As such, BNI therefore requires its members to uphold the rules of its profession so as not to violate the professional's ethical obligations. In the event that BNI's general rules could potentially violate a professional's ethical code, BNI's rules are superceded by the dictates of the professional's ethics' code. Significantly, a primary objective of BNI is to educate its membership in ways to market and grow business. It is BNI's intent to ensure that this is permitted.

If I specialise in a field within my profession, am I expected to be an expert in all aspects of my profession?

BNI understands that many professions are broad and that people often specialise within their profession. BNI does not expect, nor does it encourage, any professional to participate in an area in which the professional does not have expertise. On the contrary, BNI prohibits professionals from acting outside of the scope of their abilities.

My profession does not let me directly solicit business. Is BNI still right for me?

BNI's primary objective is to assist its members in ways to improve their business and to educate them concerning how they can effectively network. Business people get business when their expertise is known and others reach a comfort level with them. BNI provides a forum that allows members to meet other business peers who need to know effective and efficient business people.