BNI Was Made For Introverts
That’s right. I said it. Now, standing up in front of a room full of 50 business owners every week at 7am might not sound like an introvert’s dream. But trust me – the other aspects of BNI are perfect for an introvert.
If you’re unfamiliar with BNI, allow me to explain. BNI stands for Business Networking International. It is one of the largest networking organizations, founded by Ivan Mizner in 1985, and has chapters all over the world (over 40 in Massachusetts alone). Each group allows only one person per seat (industry). So there’s one real estate agent, one mortgage lender, one real estate attorney, one plumber, one electrician, etc. The groups meet every week and the purpose is to pass referrals among the members. It’s a fantastic concept and can create a lot of business for the people who put the work in.
Now, there are several aspects that go into a successful BNI membership: attending the weekly meetings is important, yet the real networking is accomplished through one-to-one meetings. This is where relationships are built. This is where trust is built. And this is where introverts crush it. Most of us love meeting people individually, going deep with them, and building strong relationships. That’s the core of BNI! It’s really the core of all networking, as well. People refer to people they know, like, and trust. Introverts understand this and it comes very naturally to us.
BNI also provides members the opportunity to help each other by passing referrals and to help their own clients by having a team of experts who can step in when needed. Here’s an example from my own BNI membership experience: One of my buyers was in the middle of their transaction. Inspection had just been done, and there were a few issues (shocker). One issue was there wasn’t a cover on one of the parts of the heating system. The sellers said there never was a cover for it, so they weren’t going to do anything about it. Objectively, it wasn’t a safety hazard or a big issue, yet it was a serious concern for my buyers. So rather than tell them no, I told them I’d make some calls and see what could be done. I called the HVAC company in my BNI group – and when I say called the company, I mean I called the owner of the company on his cell phone. Since I see him every week and we had a good relationship, he came out to the house the next day and essentially build a cover for this system. The buyers were thrilled, and the transaction proceeded smoothly.
Think about the last time your client needed a service from a plumber. How many companies did they (or you) have to call? How long did it take to schedule the service? Most good tradespeople book out weeks at a time. However, when the relationship is there, it allows you to provide a higher level of service to your clients by getting them better service from other professionals. This is true of any industry, as long as the individuals are quality professionals.
The benefits of BNI apply to any other referral group that is run the same way. My disclaimer is: The individuals in the group can make or break it. When you consider joining a referral group, make sure you meet with the key members with whom you would be trading the most referrals and ensure you are comfortable with them. As real estate agents, it’s vital to have a lender and attorney who you trust in your group.
Finding a group with an open seat for your industry can be challenging. Here are a few suggestions:
1. Start your own chapter or group. This is a lot of work, but it can pay off in the long run if you get the right people on board.
2. Reach out to the local BNI office in your region and ask if there are any openings. If not, ask to be put on the notification list for new openings. Real estate agents join and leave groups more often than you might think.
3. Get creative. You can break up a seat into two seats, if the boundaries are crystal clear and you absolutely trust the person you’re “sharing” the seat with. My favorite example is what another Realtor and I did in our BNI group. We sat down and discussed our businesses. We quickly realized that her business was almost all done in one town, while mine was spread out around the state. So, we split the seat into two seats by geography. She was the “in town” agent, and I was the “out of town” agent. It worked beautifully. And the chapter benefited by having two of us sending referrals to the other members.
Referral groups like this are perfect for introverts. Find ones where you feel comfortable, and make the most out of the opportunities to build strong connections and expand your network. If it feels right, it is right.