Tips for BNI Members

 Sometimes we see people, both BNI members and non-members being miserly with their business cards. We have a saying in BNI that says: Your business card is worthless until it is the hand of either a potential client, or someone who is in the position to refer business to you. You have produced your business cards for a reason. They are to let people know your name, your business and most importantly, how to get in contact with you. So be plentiful with your business card. Is there anything more ridiculous than someone saying or thinking I won't hand out my business card to these people, because then I'll have none left.

That is the point of having them in the first place, to get them out in circulation! When they are sitting in your wallet, they're just pieces of cardboard, when they're out in circulation, they are marketing tools.

As an exercise at your next meeting, take a look at how many of your business cards are in the chapter card box. If you have none in there, you are really doing yourself a disservice. People can't refer you anywhere near as effectively without your card as they can by giving it to a potential client. If you have less than ten in the box, chances are there will be next to none left in there next week, so re-stock today. If there are between 15 and 20 copies of your card in the box, well done! You've been watching your stocks.

Finally, look at your BNI card file. Have you got at least two copies of everyone's else's card in there? If you haven't, re -stock it. Business cards are there so that you can carry every member's card with you pretty well everywhere you go.

Good networkers are ready to generate referrals anywhere, anytime. Having business cards ensures that you can make a great referral, not just mention someone's name.

Tips provided by Shawn Gerhardson with Mortgages Unlimited in Minnesota.