Generic requests yield disappointing results. If you want better referrals, ask for introductions to specific people by name.

Today’s podcast is based on Dr. Misner’s new book, Who’s in Your Room? There is no one rule to achieving balance in your life, but there is one truth about creating harmony: the quality of your life depends on the people in your life. If everyone who came into your life was going to be […]

If you do not learn to execute the fundamentals flawlessly, if you do not engage in the conditioning necessary, you will never be a champion on or off the field.

BNI members average 5 times as many referrals after 200 hours in a chapter as when they started.

How do you end a conversation at a networking event? Keep it simple. Thank them for the conversation, get their contact info, and make an introduction if you can.

An effective doorman for your personal room (or BNI chapter) lets people in based on how well they fit with your core values.

Strengthen and balance your BNI chapter's contact spheres to offer all members an equal opportunity for success and increase member retention.

Synopsis This episode is a rebroadcast of Episode 522, originally released on August 30th, 2017. David Clegg joins Dr. Misner this week to talk about the value of visitors in BNI. Visitors pass referrals to BNI members, whether or not they join. The average Thank You for Closed Business for a visitor in BNI is […]

Cindy Mount explains the difference between self-employed and entrepreneur and how you can use BNI to build your business into an asset.

Synopsis Today’s theme is activity vs. results, the conversation Dr. Misner has had since he started BNI 34 years ago this week. Meaghan Chitwood, Director of Global Training for BNI explains that your activities have to change as you become busier, because you need to get more results from the same amount of time. An […]

Why do people pay $1 million+ to invest in a McDonald's franchise? It's a proven system. If you follow the system, you're guaranteed results. When you join BNI, you're investing in a system. If you follow the system, you're guaranteed results.

To give your networking contacts the tools to find you referrals, tell the story from the client's point of view. Facts tell; stories sell.

The quality of your life depends on the people in your room--and anyone who enters will be there forever. The new edition of Who's in Your Room is an action-oriented guide to moving your relationships from dissonance to resonance.

Graphic communicator Colin Horner joins Dr. Misner on the BNI Podcast today to talk about how the Power of 1 drives chapter performance in BNI. There are four tasks to complete each week and one task to complete each month, and when the members of a chapter do them and measure them, referrals and closed business skyrocket.

A supposedly no-win situation can turn into a big win for everyone when you exercise persistence and creativity, the way Ivan Misner did as an undergraduate in search of a non-math lab class.

On this week's Official BNI Podcast, Rod Kuncaitis of BNI Grand Rapids talks about how ethics and etiquette affect BNI. If you set out to be number one, remember that it matters how you win.

Hazel Walker joins Dr. Misner to talk about why it's important to show up for your BNI meeting on time. Being late undermines your credibility and causes you to miss out on referrals.

Education is a leaky bucket. Making training part of a replicable system is the best way to prevent leaks. Never accept anyone onto your chapter's leadership team who isn't willing to go to the training.

The most important communication lesson Dr. Misner ever learned was to include an executive summary with every report. Busy people don't have time to read all the details just to find out the main point.

Dawn Lyons has created a process to make sure you progress from Visibility through Credibility and on to Profitability. Learn how to keep your referral relationships ALIVE.

Low effective attendance (too many substitutes at a BNI meeting) results in many fewer referrals. If you have to miss a meeting, make sure your substitute is prepared with your referrals and TYCB as well as your weekly presentation.

Referrals to prospects are great--but referrals to referral sources can be even more valuable in the long run. Tiffanie Kellog joins Dr. Misner to talk about contact spheres in BNI.

Meaghan Chitwood joins Dr. Misner to talk about how being open to feedback makes you more referrable, and how to give feedback to help your fellow BNI members become more referrable.

Vickie Wacek, opera singer and executive director of BNI Vermont, joins Dr. Misner on the show this week to talk about why the first year is the hardest year of BNI membership.

Kevin Harrington joins Dr. Misner to share his secrets for becoming the go-to person in his industry and building billion-dollar businesses.

Divide your presentation into thirds for better referral generation. Remember, you don't want to sell to your fellow members: you want to sell through them.

Dr. Misner shares a story from his youth about how important networking is--even (or maybe especially) in rough neighborhoods. If you have a story about a real-life networking lesson you learned, share it in the comments.

A focused invite day is a day each month where the whole chapter invites visitors who are in the featured presenter's contact sphere. That means every member gets a day where the entire chapter is focused on bringing the most likely referral partners for that member to the meeting.

Kevin Barber joins Dr. Misner on the podcast this week to talk about why the BNI Foundation is relevant to the average BNI member. You can't have an organization with the philosophy "Givers Gain" without wanting to support social causes.

This is a rebroadcast of Episode 472. Synopsis Because you give away a little bit of your reputation when you make a referral, trust is very important to the referral process. BNI can accelerate the process of developing trust between BNI members through regular 1-2-1s. To be effective, a 1-2-1 needs to be both structured and […]

Body language can be a powerful attractant--or deterrent--in networking. Here are Dr. Misners answers to four questions that the media have asked over the years about body language and networking.

Dr. Misner shares more tips for "networking up." The most important thing to remember when making connections with people who are more successful than you are is "Don't sell to them!"

Keep the "wow" in the referral part of your weekly BNI meeting. remember to tell the group the names of the people you're passing business to and add details to help visitors get excited about how much business is passed in BNI.

BNI Connect is an incredible resource. Not completing your BNI Connect profile is like taking out a full-page ad in the newspaper...and leaving it blank.

If you can break your business down to its smallest components and focus on just one aspect of your business in your weekly presentations, it works much better than providing a laundry list of things you do, or a vague and meaningless term like "full-service."

Successful people know how to focus on a roadblock and turn it into an overpass. The secret is to take the thing that's in the way and channel your efforts in a manner that makes that problem part of the solution.

The referral part of a BNI meeting is the reason BNI was created. It's not the "slips" part of the meeting. It's not the "I have" part of the meeting. It's the referral part of the meeting. If you don't have a referral, give a heartfelt and meaningful testimonial to another member.

Tiffanie Kellog shares a specific, proactive referral-generation strategy. Once you've established credibility with the other members of your BNI chapter, you can accelerate the referral process by sharing your databases during a one-to-one and developing a strategy for introducing each other.

Dr. Misner believes a Facebook "Like" is an endorsement, but not a referral. Your group can ask members to "Like" each other's pages and recognize them for doing so without counting them as referrals.

You can only help people who are ready and willing to be helped. When you meet a prospect, find out whether they want a ladder before you offer to help them out of the hole they're in. And never stop looking for ladders to take you to the next level. There's no reason to accept mediocrity when excellence is an option.

The referral part of a BNI meeting is meant for referrals and testimonials. This is your chance to tell your chapter you've been passing business to other BNI members. Let the chapter president thank the speaker at the end of the feature presentation, and keep this time for referrals and testimonials.

Vickie Wacek joins Dr. Misner on the podcast today to talk about how everyone can use BNI, even those who aren't members. Why trust an algorithm to refer you to a service provider? BNI is the relationship version of Angie's List, the ultimate referral source for everyone.

In honor of the 400th episode of The Official BNI Podcast, Dr. Misner chose to discuss BNI's 5 core values and 2 additions: Accountability & Recognition. They're still relevant now that we're at Episode 557.

How do you avoid dueling monologue syndrome? Don't show off, show interest. Nothing expedites a relationship faster than helping someone you've met by referring another person.

Great influencers attract people to their ideas through their focus on bringing value to others. In this episode, Bob Burg shares 3 of the 5 secrets of genuine influence from his new book, The Go-Giver Influencer.

Dr. Misner talks to Matthew Pollard, author of The Introvert's Edge, about why introverts have an advantage in sales--and networking.

This week Glenn Warner from the Referral Paradise Chapter of BNI in Northern Kentucky joins Dr. Misner to share a story about coach Vince Lombardi, who got frustrated one day and said to his team "This is a football. This is a yard line. You're the players. I'm the coach."

Dr. Misner offers suggestions about how to get your fellow BNI members to turn into their Thank You for Closed Business (TYCB) forms and why they are important to the success of the whole chapter, not just the individual member.

Adding One to Ones to the "I Have" portion of a BNI meeting is the poster child for feature creep. It minimizes the power and the focus of giving. Instead, mention your One to Ones after you've given a successful referral to that person, or during a testimonial.

What do you do when you schedule a one to one with another BNI member and the other person does all of the talking? Take control of the agenda with the GAINS Exchange.

Here are ten questions you should ask potential members of your power team to strengthen your connections and make it easier to pass referrals.

Dr. Misner breaks down the 5 levels of a referral on BNI referral slips, from sharing contact information to making in-person introductions.

Dr. Misner provides sample questions to ask when interviewing prospective BNI members. If you follow this procedure with visitors, you'll build an incredibly successful BNI chapter.

People who are successful keep track of their business activities. The Networking Scorecard is a tool for keeping track of the things you do in the course of your week to build the effectiveness of your referral network.

In week two of BNI Fundamentals, Dr. Misner addresses "Full Participation in BNI." Be there every week, network before the meeting, participate 100% in the meeting, and embrace BNI's culture of learning.

The easiest way to be seen as a bore is to talk about yourself. Your goal at a networking event is to make yourself memorable by not talking about yourself. In honor of International Networking Week, Dr. Misner shares 5 good questions to ask at a networking event.

Dr. Misner shares different ways that BNI members, education coordinators, and BNI regional directors can make use of the Official BNI Podcast.

Michael Maher joins Dr. Misner to talk about how he netted $1 million per year in referrals with the networking stack, home court advantage, and the generosity generation.

Dr. Misner shares his favorite technique for inviting visitors to BNI: tell them you're interviewing members of their profession.

Thanks to BNI Connect, it's possible to make--and receive--country-wide referrals in BNI. Jeremy Walsh joins Dr. Ivan Misner to explain.

Jeremy Walsh joins Dr. Misner to talk about the BNI Connect mobile app. See your stats, pass referrals, invite visitors, earn CEUs, and more.

Chapters that embrace an abundance mentality, support their fellow chapters and support each other's members build business and build the BNI brand.

Dr. Misner leads an exercise to demonstrate how important it is to be specific in referral marketing. You need to tell people precisely how to refer you.

If you want a powerful personal network, you have to go where your connections are instead of expecting them to come to where you are.

Josh Perry joins Dr. Misner to talk about how the people in your BNI chapter who "step on your toes" can be your best referral sources.

Think you're too busy for BNI? Tiffanie Kellog shares four ways you can maximimze your BNI membership.

This is a rebroadcast of Episode 386. Synopsis Steve Tannuzzo joins Dr. Misner this week for what they expect will be one of the most unpopular podcasts in BNI history. It’s important to understand the appropriate use of the substitute program in BNI. Massachusetts BNI piloted a substitute program in 4 chapters, two very successful, two […]

One of the big reasons for not getting referrals in BNI is not doing good weekly and featured presentations. Tiffanie Kellog shares common mistakes and how to fix them.

Norm Dominguez joins Dr. Misner to talk about the Law of Positivity: "When you have and practice a Positive Attitude, you will become more excellent in whatever you do. Be Positive and you will be Happy."

"Networking Up" means connecting with people who are more successful than we are. Mike Macedonio joins Dr. Misner to show you how.

Dr. Misner has used the expression "Culture Eats Strategy for Breakfast" a number of times, but he's never gone into detail about how. Today's podcast focuses on the importance of culture in business success.

How many networks should you belong to, and how much time do you need to spend on them in order to achieve visibility and credibility? Dr. Misner explains in this week's episode.

For most businesses, social media generates far less business than face-to-face networking. Find out where your business is coming from and put your efforts into the activities that provide the best results.

If you're going to succeed at networking, you need to play well with others. You don't have to like everybody in BNI. "Jerks" are not a reason to leave. Don't let other people control your success.

Desperation is not referrable. When people demonstrate these kinds of behaviors, it's a telltale sign of desperation. Here are four types of desperate networker that you don't want to emulate.

This week John Meyer joins Dr. Misner to talk about the Thank You for Closed Business (TYCB) system, which measures the business passed between BNI members.

Mickey Griffith joins Dr. Misner today to share his tips for making connections when you're new to an area and don't have an established network: trust in the system, network, and aim high.

Visitors pass referrals to BNI members, whether or not they join. If everyone in every BNI chapter brought one visitor per month, the average chapter would experience a bump in thank-you-for-closed-business of $330,480.

Dr. Misner discusses his new book, Healing Begins in the Kitchen: Get Well and Stay There with the Misner Plan, because you can't get business and you can't do business if you're not healthy.

Tim Paulin from BNI Louisiana Mississipi joins Dr. Misner this week to discuss the four pillars of a successful BNI group: visitors, well-run meetings, follow-up, and accountability.

Networking is more than just a numbers game. The quantity of your connections is important, but it's the quality of your connections that makes them valuable. BNI works by building deep connections among small groups of people.

By decreasing absences, BNI chapters dramatically increase membership and referrals. If your chapter is lax on attendance, it's going to affect your pocketbook. If you want more referrals, show up!

Graphic communicator Colin Horner joins Dr. Misner on the BNI Podcast today to talk about the Power of 1 drives chapter performance in BNI. There are four tasks to complete each week and one task to complete each month, and when the members of a chapter do them and measure them, referrals and closed business skyrocket.

Bob Burg joins Dr. Misner to share about keeping your business focused on providing value to your customers. Your business is not about you: it's about everyone whose lives you choose to benefit and add value to.

Sue in British Columbia asks about the daily routine of successful business people. Dr. Misner shares his own routine.

Have you had trouble growing your BNI chapter beyond 20 members? Listen for the recipe for BNI chapter success.

This week's Ask Ivan question asks how to create a great culture in your BNI chapter. BNI's core values show you the way to create a great chapter culture.

Should networking be transactional or relational? People who focus first on relationship and then on business score much higher in success than those who focus first on business and then on the relationship.

Christina asks how nonprofits can use BNI to support their mission. Dr. Misner shares ten benefits of BNI membership for nonprofits, even if they don't have products or services.

Education is a leaky bucket. Making training part of a replicable system is the best way to prevent leaks. Never accept anyone onto your chapter's leadership team who isn't willing to go to the training.

Visitor orientations have been proven to work since the mid-1980s. They're important because visitors don't know what BNI is about or how it works. Your chapter needs to follow BNI's tried-and-true methods to be successful.

This is a rebroadcast of Episode 111. Synopsis This is a follow-up to last week’s episode about asking for testimonials. There are three keys to using written testimonials successfully. Ask for written testimonials at every opportunity—but not too soon! Guide the content of your testimonials. The easier you make it for your client, the more […]

One of the reasons for Dr. Misner's success is his persistence. If you want to be successful, pursue your objectives like a dog with a bone and don't give up.

Referrals to prospects are great--but referrals to referral sources can be even more valuable in the long run. Tiffanie Kellog joins Dr. Misner to talk about contact spheres in BNI.

Nate Dominguez from BNI Arizona joins Dr. Misner to share 5 things your BNI chapter needs to do for a great Visitors Day. Preparation, teamwork, and fun are key ingredients for success.

This is a rebroadcast of Episode 46. Synopsis In this episode, Dr. Misner talks about strategic alliances and the need to gradually enhance relationships. Each member of a BNI group will contribute to your success. No one person in your chapter is likely to turn your business around, but together, over a long time, they […]

Making visitors and new members feel welcome makes a big difference to their experience of BNI. A person who doesn't feel welcome won't join. Don't leave welcoming people to your BNI chapter up to the visitor host.

What's the least important characteristic for a great networker? The answer that 3400 businesspeople gave in Dr. Misner's survey might surprise you.

Want to be a better networker? Dr. Misner recently surveyed 3400 business people about the top behaviors they'd like to see in a great networker. Here are the top 7 results.

Are you giving referrals and not getting them in return? Dr. Misner explains how to approach members of your BNI chapter who aren't giving you referrals--without making them defensive.