To BNI or Not to BNI?


By Shaun O'Reilly


You probably know by now that the more people who know about you and your coaching practice the greater chance you have of attracting clients. However, running a coaching practice from home can become an isolating experience with fewer chances for human interaction. You need to get out more ;-)

You may have come to the point (begrudgingly or otherwise) that you need to do some networking to build your list of contacts and build business relationships. There are a wide range of options available if you want to network but I believe that few can compete with the professional networking groups run by BNI or BRE.

These groups have been specifically set-up to exchange business referrals between members. Unlike the Chambers of Commerce or Business Link meetings, they have exclusive membership so normally you'll be the only coach in the group. They also meet up on a weekly basis (rather than monthly) so you have the ability to develop strong relationships with the other members of the group more rapidly.

However, would BNI or BRE be right for you?

Here are some questions to ask yourself:

1. Are you a morning person? - BNI and BRE meetings are held early in the morning so you'll need to be there by 7am but the earlier the better. This means you'll be getting ready to rise by at least 6.30am. Ouch!

You may have child care commitments to consider.

It may seem easier to get up during the light mornings of the summer but think about the winter too when the dark mornings challenge your get-up-ability :-)

2. Are you committed? - The more you put into your group the more you'll get out of them. Are you committed enough to regularly attend the weekly meetings? Be prepared to put in the effort and you'll reap the rewards.

To build strong relationships based on trust with the other members of the group you'll need to be a regular face at the meetings and meet the members outside too.

3. Are you connected? - A large part of being successful in BNI or BRE is you being prepared to BRING business to the meetings for other members. It's not all 'take take' on your part.

Do you have friends, family and colleagues who could utilize the services of the members in the group? Don't worry too much about this as it's surprising how many chances you'll find to bring business to the meeting for other members when you get to really know what they are offering.

4. Are you crazy?! - In a liberal society the idea of getting up around 6am on a weekly basis completely voluntarily (without the threat of punishment) may seem crazy at first. However, you may be crazy not to.

Shaun O'Reilly is the founder of Authentic Practice and works exclusively with coaches to help them to build successful coaching practices.


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