BNI Meeting – 90 Minutes of Brainwashing and Redundancy
The BNI, Business Networking International, meeting lasts 90 minutes. Much of the meeting is devoted not to promoting the members’ businesses, but to promoting BNI. Yes, I did stay with BNI for a time, but not anymore. I will explain why the BNI meeting is propaganda and largely a waste of time for a member.
The BNI, Business Networking International, meeting lasts 90 minutes. Much of the meeting is devoted not to promoting the members’ businesses, but to promoting BNI. Yes, I did stay with BNI for a time, but not anymore. I will explain why the BNI meeting is propaganda and largely a waste of time for a member.
Take my BNI meeting. It is a lunch meeting and starts at Noon. Noon-1215pm is an open time for people to greet visitors and wander around talking to other members. I am a lawyer; most of the interaction I had with other members was them hitting me up for FLA (Free Legal Advice). They demanded a snap answer for a complex legal question without showing me the related legal document(s) and a binding quote for a retainer. A few months after joining, I realized not to show up until 1214pm to skip this part.
At 1215pm, the meeting proper begins. The President gavels the meeting to order. After the leadership team is introduced (there are so many positions over half the members have some sort of “job”), the President of the chapter calls on someone to announce the purpose of BNI. If people cannot figure this out, the Golden Rule of Jesus in Matthew’s Gospel, they do not belong in BNI. The next part of the meeting is the Education Moment. The Education Coordinator (”the Propaganda Minister”) reads something from BNI’s website about why Ivan Misner, BNI’s founder, is great. Yes, he is great. He as started something that has taken off to a level where people pay $400-$500 a year to be a part of and help his business, BNI, be as successful as it is. But what good is for you to be part of an international group unless you have an international business? “Think global, act local.” Nobody in my BNI chapter is “global”.
Next is the 60 second infomercial. Each member, then the visitors (Brainwashing Targets) gets to talk about their business for one minute. The problem with this is that no one is paying attention. The leadership team is worried about what their next move in the heavily-scripted meeting is. Every move is scheduled to the second according to the BNI manual which all the leadership team get at their mandatory management training, a two hour brainwashing meeting where they learn to read verbatim. No deviation from the manual is tolerated. There are so many positions in the leadership team (President, Vice-President, Secretary-Treasurer, Propaganda Minister, Visitor Hosts, Gambling Coordinator aka Raffle Person, Event Coordinator) that most people are in the leadership team. The other members fortunate to avoid “management” are preparing to give their 60 second presentations. They have procrastinated in preparation; everyone else is bored and/or restless for 1:30pm, the end of the meeting.
After the members and visitors have made their presentations, the hard sales pitch begins to the visitors. “We expect you to make a decision today on joining.” What is disingenuous about this is that BNI’s system intentionally neglects to talk about the strict attendance policy, 3 cuts over a 6 month period. Following the strong sales pitch, the secretary-treasurer gives the schedule for the next list of ten minute speakers. Then the 10 minute speaker is introduced. Each member gets on the speaker’s list to talk about some part of their business for 10 minutes and take questions. 10 minutes is not enough time to get into a dense issue that you are talking about. My final presentation was on foreclosures; I could barely scratch the surface. And no one there cared a bit about it anyway. The mortgage person is not using me. The realtor will ask me if there is a problem with one of his closings. No one else cares at all.
Finally, is the “best part of the meeting”, the referrals. There is tremendous pressure to have a referral or a visitor. If you do not have a real referral or a visitor, you are pressured to make one up. (http://bizcovering.com/business/bni-business-network-international-leads-vs-referrals/) My previous article linked here talks about this issue.
The visitors are then pressured to join right then and there again. The Visitor Host pulls them to another room to lay the hard sell on. The rest of the meeting has become a “bitch session”. The president asks who is unhappy with no referrals. Almost everyone rose their hand. I’m glad I’m not the only one. But I think I will be the only one to get out of it. So should you if you are in BNI.
16 Comments
Dude…this sounds just like what happened in a BNI chapter meeting in Bangalore where I was a guest. The hard sell is evident right from the moment you step in the door. They are waiting like vultures to pounce on the innocent guests who have no clue what they are signing up for if they decide to join. The pressure is on to sign you up the same day. Watch out, and make your own call.
Hi, thank you for reading. It is in the manual. You have to join right now. You have to talk to the visitor host at the end of the meeting, sometimes in a different room. You’re in or out right, now. And we wont tell you about the strict attendance policy till you go the MSP training.
Wow,
You sound like a lawyer I would never hire. Always crying and whining about how he didn’t receive anything from BNI. How long did you stay? A week, a month, a year?
The reason you didn’t get anything out of BNI is because you probably neglected to adhere to the “Jesus’ Golden Rule in Matthew.”
I will debunk a bunch your nonsense right now. The meeting is structured so people can benefit and actually do business, unlike a chamber of commerce or rotary meeting. Where all it is, is socializing and nothing really happens.
[b]As a “propaganda minister” myself for a chapter[/b], I have yet to give any educational moment as to “how great Dr. Ivan Misner is”. The education I provide comes typically from outside sources, unless there are certain techniques that new members might need to learn. It is always fun and productive.
[b]$400-500 a year[/b]: Is a mere pittance compared to most company’s advertising budgets, and is far more effective, in my opinion.
[b]60 seconds presentation:[/b] You are surely an uneducated person when it comes to BNI. 60 seconds are to be planned out in advanced. Notes taken (for me on a notebook) on each member asking for certain referrals. If they are procrastinating, and doing them “on the fly”, then it sounds like a problem with your leadership…which you could have become, made changes and made it work. (Free membership as well while you are on leadership–DUH).
[b]Expectation to join:[/b] This is B.S. right on its face. Never has our chapter and others I have attended said “we want you to make a decision today”. In fact, we simply educate them on the application process and encourage them to attend again. No pressure. Our properly, educated team and encouraging atmosphere sells itself. (Would hate to be in a chapter with you, sir). Probably huffing and puffing the whole time.
[b]10 minute presentation:[/b] The point of this is NOT to explain everything you do. It is to elaborate on a specific topic and specific referrals. Ever hear of the One-to-One meetings? That is where you explain more broadly what you do…but that would take more time..and we wouldn’t want you wasting your time on how you could potentially serve others so you get the same in return…no, no, no.
[b]Referral Time:[/b] Again, if you have a great group that actually believes in one another, there are plenty of referrals being passed that those that do not have one are not singled out, but encouraged to find one the next week. Business does get done with a real chapter dedicated to one another. I wouldn’t expect a lawyer to know this, because they are always out for themselves to begin with (with exceptions of course).
[b]Visitors and Closing:[/b] Again visitors are NOT, I said NOT, pressured into joining. The application and fees are explained and questions answered, as well as the invitation to come back the following week. The rest of the meeting is for administrative stuff, door prize and raffle (if the chapter has one–and is voluntary). There is never a negative spin put on anything, why? It ruins the atmosphere. This is why you have a leadership team. (It is NOT a democracy throughout the group) Issues and “bitching” are taken outside of the meeting and dealt with properly.
Bottom line is this, Jack. It sounds like you are one cynical Jose..first off. Second, it sounds like your chapter didn’t have any chemistry, or maybe it did and you didn’t. Sounds like you really are ignorant as the purpose of BNI…even if you know “how” the meeting structured. It sounds like you were unwilling to give first before giving, or perhaps you gave and put a time limit on when you would see results?
I also find it curious that you do not say specifically how long you were involved with BNI. You simply say “for a time”. A first time guest is involved with BNI “for a time”.
I have been involved with BNI for over 3 years now. My first 8 months yielded very few referrals and closed business. Since that time I have yielded over $6000 profit. Not millions but sure does pay for itself many times over. You should also know that I am NOT affiliated with BNI in any fashion (other than being a member). So that means I am not a director, agent or employee of any kind.
Hope you have the nerve and decency to post this comment and leave it up to benefit the other side of the argument.
I agree with the last comments. Half of my business comes from BNI. Payback was a matter of weeks. The lawyers in our group are also very successful and well engaged in the meetings. And so what if BNI promotes BNI.
You missing the point if you think the 90 minute meeting is the center point anyway. Without the one-on-ones and the socials, how can anyone get to know each other. BNI is a format for connecting business people and it’s awesome at that.
Hello successful BNI member:
I stayed in BNI for 3 years.
You are breaking protocol in the BNI manual if you are not using BNI materials for your education moment.
Free membership for leadership? No, not with the all the time you put out for it. Money, yes, time no. Time is money.
Our leadership team read straight from the BNI manual “We are going to ask you to make a decision today.” Again, your group is breaking BNI protocol.
Genewell: I will agree that the one on ones are important.
However, the point of the BNI meeting is endorse BNI. it is in there through the meeting and in the manual. I am glad that BNI works for you. However, you are in the minority on this.
Wow, talk about a bunch of misinformation. I would love to see where in the BNI manual any of this comes from. So far I have served as visitor host and on the membership committee and I have never heard anyone say that a decision has to be made right now. Ever. Educational moments should be about learning to be better networkers, not about promoting BNI. What good does it do to promote BNI at a meeting anyway? They don’t stand to gain anything. BNI only stands to gain if members are happy and they renew their membership each year. If you stayed in a bad group for 3 years without making a profit, then I would question your judgement for not looking elsewhere sooner. BNI is a simple marketing decision. Either it is profitable, or it is not. If you are not creating ROI on your $380 investment plus the hours spend on meetings, then it’s a bad decision and you should quit.
For my company it makes great sense. We are involved in several group and we get plenty of referral business to spend 90 minutes a week and $380 a year.
At least you didn’t claim that BNI is an MLM.
Let me set you straight in charity, Brent.
a visitor can come to 2 meetings. However, the president is to read verbatim from the bible, I mean manual, “were going to ask you to make a decision today” pressure to join, you bet.
“”Educational moments should be about learning to be better networkers, not about promoting BNI”" of course, you are right about this, but that is not the point officially, with the BNI moment. The Education coordinator is expected to promote BNI and use BNI materials. I usually used Misner stuff, but I occasionally used different.
I am glad that it is working for your Brent, you are in the minority.
Wow, Mr. Donlan, you’re frightening, and/or were in a frighteningly bad chapter. I’m a former attorney, now CFP, who has found BNI to be productive as a business pursuit and pleasant as a social pursuit.
Sounds to me like your (former) chapter’s problem began with the Leadership Team. I’ve held several positions in my chapter, and we’ve always been wisely flexible on a large number of issues. My experience is that one of the biggest advantages is the accountability that comes, in part, from knowing that you’re going to see each other every week: If a client of mine tells me that a chapter referral screwed up, the referral has to see me in no more than seven days. Quite honestly, that’s happened once in six years.
I won’t ramble on, but will say that, just as with various “xxxsucks.com” sites, I hope readers take your comment as one in a universe of many.
Jack,
Seriously, you are just being argumentative and bitter at your poor performance of yourself and your chapter.
I have never read that there are “PROTOCALS” which are to be followed to the letter. In fact, from Ivan Misner himself, the protocals, as you call them, are merely a guide and reference for a chapter to follow. There are no BNI police that will come by randomly and shut you down for doing something outside of the guide. They recommend the guide because they have YEARS of experience in making the meeting effective for all. The only thing I have ever heard that must be stated is the cost of the investment as well as room dues…if the chapter has one.
So given the experience of BNI, which is global and successful every where, or your limited and failed 3 years and subsequent complaining, I will take BNI all day long. Not to mention the length of your bitterness to write a blog really shows your character.
Why is it that all happy and “successful” BNI members sound like ideal candidates for scientology or other various occult groups?
SuccessfulBNImember, calm down…
Of course, BNI does not have a protocol for spelling- PROTOCAL (SIC)
you nailed it on the head, commenter. It is a religion and Ivan Misner is the infallible Pope.
WELL! Mr. Donlan, I appreciate your post and opinions on BNI. I went to a meeting this morning and am a bit overwhelmed on wether or not to join. Although it’s sad when we all can’t get along, it’s good to see all sides.
Mr. undecided, it depends on what you do on whether you should join or not. I just say proceed carefully.
You get out what you put in. BUT…having bad leadership of a group can sour anyone’s opinion a group. Having a profitable BNI experience usually takes a little time. After I had been in my group for 4 or 5 weeks, things started to happen for me. How? Because I educated all of them on how MY service could HELP THEM. BNI will not work for you if you just puke about yourself. It’s the same in life. Talk about yourself all the time and see how many REAL friends you have. Help others…and rewards will come. BNI is not a gumball machine. You can’t pump in some money and immediately get X amount in return. Your success depends on you. I would suggest visiting a different BNI group until you find one that isn’t so uptight. BNI isn’t for all professions – only about 99% of them. If you’d like to learn how to make BNI an awesome return on investment for you, let me know. If you have what it takes to be a successful business owner, you can make BNI work. I was asked for 3 years to join a particular group. I figured it was close to being in a cult. I luckily joined a great group. I should have joined a lot sooner. And the yearly fee and the 90 minutes a week is a tiny tiny drop in the bucket compared to the extra moolah I’ve made. Stay groovy.
To address “the manual”. Who cares what’s in the manual? If it doesn’t make sense to do something…don’t do it. The structure is sound. And good attendance to meetings only gives you a bigger audience. We have about 25 solid people in my group. I had to skip last week because my wife was not well and my daughter needed a place to go for the day. I heard that there were only 13 people that showed up. Ouch. That hurts the group. That hurts everyone’s potential to get a referral that day. An attendance policy is a good thing. And it weeds out those that I don’t want in my BNI group anyway. Ok, now I’m done.