Create A Buzz About Your Organization…..Then Invite

Have you ever tried to invite someone to visit a networking group and felt like you’d driven straight into a rock wall? After all of your efforts to help this person build their network of business people, all you walked away hearing was, “NOT INTERESTED!”  Yeah, I’m thinking most of us have experienced this at one time or another.

 No matter whether it’s a networking organization, a local volleyball or softball team, or the local Parent’s and Teachers Organization, most of us are basically tapped out on extra time. One more commitment just might be the final straw to break social interaction.

In BNI, the world’s largest referral organization, we teach our members not to invite people to “join” BNI. We just want to invite you to “meet some local business professionals that we feel would be a good connection for you and your business.” Once you are at the meeting, you are capable of deciding if you want to make a commitment to the group and apply for membership. You are also probably considering if you can handle the extra business.

Introducing someone to a new organization is basically the same way. Every day we drive into that rock wall trying to find a new way to get people interested in joining us at our networking events, church socials, or even scrapbooking clubs. An idea that  I’d like to offer is that you become more open minded and start thinking of ways to get people interested in your organization, but still leaving enough to the imagination that is a call to action and makes them want to experience what they may be missing.

Some great examples (I like to call them “teasers”) are two videos about BNI that is posted on YouTube. The first video was recently created by Richard Swan for International Networking Week 2009 in London. Richard takes the classic song “American Pie” and adds his own twist to create a great marketing tool for BNI and its chapters.. Richard uploaded the video on February 5, 2009 and within 2 weeks it has an excess of 5,000 hits…..not to mention what hits have been driven to his personal website as well!

And, I personally met one visitor at a BNI meeting this week who admitted that he had been sent the link to Richard’s video and he was so intrigued by the video he said he “just had to come and visit a meeting and see what BNI is all about.”

I hope that you have clicked on Richard’s video above to hear his song. Thanks Richard for creating a buzz.

Another video that has drawn a lot of attention over the last year is a video that was created by The Huntsville BNI Chapter in North Alabama. Meaghan Williams, Executive Director, worked with this chapter to create a “mini chapter meeting video.” They taped an entire BNI meeting and then edited it until they had a 4 minute video that is a snapshot of a BNI meeting in action.

How can you not be interested in visiting a BNI meeting when you see how structured the meeting is and how much business is actually being passed. This video was posted on June 6, 2008 and presently has over 1,500 hits. Also, regions from all around the world have contacted the Executive Director for permission to use her video as a marketing tool for their BNI regions.

The link for The BNI Meeting video is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1buf9sG7Tc.

My challenge to all BNI members, and anyone trying to persuade someone to “join” an organization, is to start thinking about avenues, like these videos, that will get you immediate attention and create a buzz around your community.

Start using your hidden talents, whether its blogging, singing, playing the piano, giving lectures, or hosting events, that will ultimately give you the opportunity to show others that your organization can be beneficial to them and their business.

I’d love to hear your ideas on other creative methods you use to promote your business and/or organization by creating a buzz.