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Want to find answers to questions about Windsor BNI? This section is for you. Please click on a question below for more information, or choose to download BNI member forms:
• PDF: BNI Guidelines & Policies
• PDF: BNI Dance Card Information
• PDF: BNI Speaker's Bio Guide
 Q: Am I expected to be an expert in all aspects of my profession?
| BNI understands that many professions are broad and that people often specialize within their profession. BNI does not expect, nor does it encourage, any professional to participate in an area in which the professional does not have expertise. On the contrary, BNI prohibits professionals from acting outside of the scope of their abilities. |
Q: Can my profession benefit from networking?
| Your occupation does not define how effective networking is for your business. It is all about the individual. Windsor BNI is looking for ambitious, dynamic people who are committed to helping other businesses and who are interested in improving their own. Focused individuals, regardless of profession (so long as it is not a position already filled) are what we are looking for. |
Q: Do ethical rules for certain professions prohibit participation in BNI?
| BNI understands the importance of the ethical concerns governing certain professions and acknowledges that rules can differ by location. As such, BNI therefore requires its members to uphold the rules of its profession so as not to violate the professional’s ethical obligations. In the event that BNI’s general rules could potentially violate a professional’s ethical code, BNI’s rules are superceded by the dictates of the professional’s ethics’ code. Significantly, a primary objective of BNI is to educate its membership in ways to market and grow business. It is BNI’s intent to ensure that this is permitted. |
Q: HOW do I benefit from BNI?
- By allowing members the opportunity to present and promote their business to all members in a group exclusively without competing professionals. Each profession has only one representative per chapter.
- By an increased awareness of your profession from other networking members who will use or recommend your services once they know and trust you.
- By substantially increasing referrals.
- By exposing your service and knowledge to business and success oriented people throughout the community.
- By gaining knowledge from information on other networking member’s professions.
- By using a professionally designed forum to promote yourself and your business efficiently, effectively and economically.
- By routinely meeting with other focused, motivated business professionals. |
Q: How do you know new members are reputable?
| First, it's word of mouth, so before they even come to a meeting they have to have spoken to someone or been invited by someone in the group. Everyone has to have a sponsor, or one is assigned to them so that they may be interviewed. Then, the membership application asks for references and a membership committee reviews the application for approval. |
Q: My profession does not let me directly solicit business. Is BNI still right for me?
| BNI's primary objective is to assist its members in ways to improve their business and to educate them concerning how they can effectively network. Business people get business when their expertise is known and others reach a comfort level with them. BNI provides a forum that allows members to meet other business peers who need to know effective and efficient business people. |
Q: What if a member gets a referral and does poor work?
| We have an ethics committee and it is imperative that anyone who gives a referral and finds out it was not satisfactorily handled must report that to the membership committee. They in turn will investigate and report back to the individual who gave the referral. |
Q: What is BNI?
It is a business marketing program that allows one person from each professional classification or specialty to join a chapter. The sole purpose of the chapter is to increase business through a structured system of giving referrals. BNI is theLARGEST business networking organization in the world.
Last year, members of BNI around the world passed thousands of referrals, generating millions of dollars worth of new business for one another. Meeting on a weekly basis in a structured, supportive environment allows all members the opportunity to improve their networking and communication skills. |
Q: What's a referral?
| A referral is the means by which BNI members pass business along to their peers. If a BNI member notices that someone is in need of a product or service that a fellow BNI member can provide, he or she will refer the client to the member. |
Q: Why visit and join Windsor BNI?
Being a member is like having dozens of sales people work for you, because we all carry several of your business cards around with us. When we meet with someone who could use your products or services, we hand them your card and recommend your business. It's as simple as that! It's simple because it's based on the proven concept that “what goes around comes around”.
- You can substantially increase referrals.
- BNI internationally passed 2 million referrals last year.
- Receive tools to network more effectively.
- Participate in up to 52 meetings per year.
- Free periodic workshops on networking.
- Lock out your competition from the Windsor group. |
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