Should Life and Business Coaches join BNI?

Article: Should You Join BNI?
Written by: Michelle Schubnel

A client recently asked, "Do you think I should join BNI?"

BNI, short for Business Networking International, is a lead-sharing networking group.

I was a member of a San Francisco BNI Chapter during my first year in business as a full time coach. It was a great experience and I definitely benefited from my involvement in BNI. Specifically:

• 5 fellow chapter members became clients
• 8 referrals became clients
• 3 strategic alliances were formed (with an accountant, graphic designer and biz attorney)
• several speaking engagements were generated
  

Back then I was coaching by phone from my studio apartment in the Marina District of San Francisco. Having a weekly in-person meeting where I built friendships, gained business knowledge, improved my speaking, developed a great pitch and dressed to impress at least one day a week was definitely key to my success.

Joining BNI, or another lead-sharing organization, such as Le Tip (USA/Canada) Elite Leads (SF Bay Area), can be an excellent tool and marketing strategy to grow your coaching business.

But is it right for you?

5 Key Criteria for Deciding about Joining a Lead-Sharing Networking Group

1. You need to be specific about who you coach and what you coach on. Think about it. In order for the other members to give you qualified referrals, they need to easily understand what you do. And you don't have to be a business coach. There was a career coach in our group who was constantly getting leads.
   
2. You must enjoy it. Do you like the idea of attending a weekly meeting with other small business owners in your area? Are you excited to build business and personal relationships and become an active member of a group? If so, great. You'll like this type of networking.
   
3. Join a large, healthy and dynamic chapter. The coaches who generate the best results by joining lead sharing groups are members of a great chapter. Shop around and choose wisely. The size and quality of your fellow members impact your results.
4. You need to give leads to other members. It's the law of reciprocity. Givers gain. You need to refer people you know to your fellow members, and this can sometimes be challenging. For example, a chiropractor who sees hundreds of clients per month has a much easier time generating referrals than a coach who works from home and coaches clients across the country.
   
5. You need to be committed. You can't just show up when you feel like it. To get good results you need to make it a weekly priority.
   

Go for a Test Drive
Research organizations in your area and visit their meetings. Many chapters will allow you to attend a few times so you can get a feel for the group.

Weigh the Pros and Cons
In addition to potentially gaining new clients, be sure to consider the intangible benefits that address the loneliness and isolation that that is so common in the profession.

Trust Your Gut
If it feels right, go for it. If not, say no thank you and move on to the next thing!

LinedIn: Online Networking

There are 9 million professionals on LinkedIn. That's a lot of people that you could potentially connect to! But, I'm often asked: "So, how can I utilize Online Networking, such as LinkedIn? Can I really contact people directly?" I like to think of Online Networking, such as LinkedIn, as a very large expo. They're there to make connections! Some big differences between a live expo and an online expo are:

1. Everyone is online, so people can be from all over the country
2. Everyone has an exhibit table in which you can "display" your expertise, your hobbies, your contact information and website, and testimonials
3. People can see who your connected to within the group-and if someone wants to be introduced to someone within your connections, they can ask to be introduced

Some similarities are:

1. If you don't work the room, you wont get much business from it: Don't be shy about asking your connections to introduce you to people you want to meet, but be considerate-don't bombard one contact with lots of introductions at one time.
2. The more connections you have, the more potential business: Think of it as a game to see how many useful connections you can make!

I've made a lot of great connections with LinkedIn, and believe it will soon bring me some great business! One of the most frustrating problems with trying to connect with people in LinkedIn is when a member's profile is not fully developed, and you're not sure what they do. Be sure to take some time and fully develop your profile so that it's easy for people to see what you do. Think of it as your table at an expo - it's your first impression!

Try it out, and get networking with LinkedIn! Be sure to look for my profile and get connected! To Your Success! Rachel Pradhan.

Coach Marketing

Coaches have it very different when it comes to Marketing. Here are some unique ways that Coaches can Market themselves to help them get noticed:

1. Offer something for free: a 30 minute coaching session and free articles on your website. Try to be unique, and geared for your niche. Try our Inspirational Wallpapers as a free gift-it's effective, cost efficient, and fun!

2. Niche-Do you have a Niche? Having a niche is like creating a funnel for your prospects: the ones that fit into your funnel will come running to you, but if you don't have a niche-it's like having a net in which you have to run after prospects!

3. Have a video or audio sample on your website. Your website is one way to communicate with your prospects and start building a relationship-and what better why than to have them hear or see you speak!

4. Start a Podcast-look at past Blogs to find out how!

5. Start a Blog! It's easy as long as you schedule in time to do it! Make sure you update it often, though, so your viewers will visit often.

6. Offer a referral program to past clients-many companies do this, and there's a reason why-because it works!

7. Offer a low-cost class at your local library based on your niche-have brochures and CDs or Books available to purchase at the back of the room.

8. Start a support group with MeetUp.com based on your niche.

Here are just a few of the many ways that coaches can market themselves. If you have another suggestion, feel free to leave a comment and offer it to the rest of the readers!

To Your Success!

Being Kind Comes Before Being Right

I'm currently in a year-long coaching program called "Big Fish Nation". One of the 7 principles that we focus on is: "Always have being kind come before being right." It is an awesome principal. I think that as business owners, or even as being coaches, we get caught-up in 'being right'. But, to start a meeting, or to go into a networking event, with that principal has totally changed my outlook. I come from a place of kindness vs. selfishness, and I see and feel people react differently to me; and more importantly, I react differently to them.

So today, Valentine's Day, try walking around with this new thought: "Always have being kind come before being right." Notice what happens in your thoughts, your body, and in your interactions with others. Just imagine if all of us had this thought, and 'wore' it regularly, what a different world this would be.

Introductions

This past week, I attended a conference in California. It was full of wonderful speakers, inspiring and full of wisdom. I only wish, however, that their wisdom was more heard than their accomplishments. When the panel of five would start their 1 hour seminar, on say marketing, they would introduce themselves. This was expected, however the 5-10 minute explanation of their career up to that point was unnecessary. We admire them, we know they are at the top of their field, yet I got the feeling they were trying to "sell" us on how great they were. Then, once everyone in the panel got done telling us about themselves, there was hardly any time to discuss the real reason we were there, such as marketing tips.

So, I started thinking: how often do we do this to ourselves? How often do we "over-talk" or "over-sell" ourselves, and make the other party feel disconnected and bored? Some of the best networking advice I've heard was from Mel Brodsky (PowerOfMentorship.com), who said to "Ask questions." Ask someone when you first meet them who their ideal customer is, what's their biggest challenge, what are they most proud of, how did they get their first client? Listen, build a relationship, and grow your business. If you listen closely, you will find opportunities to "plug-in" your business, without it sounding like a speech, but more as a conversation.

Try it, and let me know how "asking questions" works for you!