“ Inviting is Marketing” SM Maximize Your BNI Investment by Adopting a Culture of Inviting Ed Woods Suncoast Marketing Partners Assistant Director BNI “ The Web Guy With The Web Tie” SM “ Inviting is Marketing” is a Service Mark 2008 of Suncoast Marketing Partners 09/11/08

What is Marketing? “ The total of activities involved in the transfer of goods from the producer or seller to the consumer or buyer ” “ Inviting is Marketing “ (sm) © Sept 2008 SMP and BNI BNI Leadership Development Training US Small Business Administration (SBA)

Business Week on Invitation Marketing : 600 - 3,000 paid pitches a day (lots of clutter) Will accept your invitation if it is relevant Wants to be rewarded for spending time Some want to be entertained Some want to be informed Some may even want to participate All want to be asked to take part All want to express their opinions “ Inviting is Marketing “ (sm) © Sept 2008 SMP and BNI BNI Leadership Development Training

600 - 3,000 paid pitches a day (lots of clutter)

Will accept your invitation if it is relevant

Wants to be rewarded for spending time

Some want to be entertained

Some want to be informed

Some may even want to participate

All want to be asked to take part

All want to express their opinions

Bonefish Grill Invitation “ Inviting is Marketing “ (sm) © Sept 2008 SMP and BNI BNI Leadership Development Training

BNI Meeting Invitation “ Inviting is Marketing “ (sm) © Sept 2008 SMP and BNI BNI Leadership Development Training

I nviting Action H ero Action What we do When we do it Attr action Way it is delivered Re action Results wanted Action x Attr action = Re action “ Inviting is Marketing “ (sm) © Sept 2008 SMP and BNI BNI Leadership Development Training

BNI Referral “Inviting” Programs Post Card Program Double Chapter Day Train Your Sub Day Stack Day Visitors Day (Kick Off) “ Inviting is Marketing “ (sm) © Sept 2008 SMP and BNI BNI Leadership Development Training

Post Card Program

Double Chapter Day

Train Your Sub Day

Stack Day

Visitors Day (Kick Off)

Chapter as a Retail Store A Marketing Analogy “ Foot Traffic” Successful Chapters Generate lots of “foot steps” through effective inviting “ Inviting is Marketing “ (sm) © Sept 2008 SMP and BNI BNI Leadership Development Training

“ Foot Traffic”

Visitors Day – Kick Off “Foot Traffic” Inviting Tool 12. Face-to-face introduction Introduction call and promotion 9. Letter of introduction and promotion From 16 Shades of Referrals © – Certified Networker Program Three layered referral process “ Inviting is Marketing “ (sm) © Sept 2008 SMP and BNI BNI Leadership Development Training

12. Face-to-face introduction

Introduction call and promotion

9. Letter of introduction and promotion

From 16 Shades of Referrals © – Certified Networker Program

Every Week Is a Visitors Day We need to invite weekly not weakly “ Inviting is Marketing “ (sm) © Sept 2008 SMP and BNI BNI Leadership Development Training

We need to invite

weekly not weakly

The Culture of Inviting Spirit Imagine a 30 member chapter Where everyone invited one person per week 1 in 3 attends meeting That would be 10 Guests per week 520 new footsteps into the chapter 17% increased revenue “ Inviting is Marketing “ (sm) © Sept 2008 SMP and BNI BNI Leadership Development Training

Imagine a 30 member chapter

Where everyone invited one person per week

1 in 3 attends meeting That would be

10 Guests per week

520 new footsteps into the chapter

17% increased revenue

Inviting – Easy as your A B Cs Do you WANT to grow your business? Do you rely on referrals? C. Would you like to meet some outstanding professionals who have an interest in passing you business over time? “ Inviting is Marketing “ (sm) © Sept 2008 SMP and BNI BNI Leadership Development Training

Do you WANT to grow your business?

Do you rely on referrals?

C. Would you like to meet some outstanding professionals who have an interest in passing you business over time?

INVITING CONCLUSION: Maximize your ROI – ” R eturn o n I nviting ” SM Action x Attr action = Re action Implement Effective BNI Chapter Inviting Programs Invite Weekly and Not Weakly Develop the Culture of Inviting “ Inviting is Marketing “ (sm) © Sept 2008 SMP and BNI BNI Leadership Development Training

Maximize your ROI – ” R eturn o n I nviting ” SM

Action x Attr action = Re action

Implement Effective BNI Chapter Inviting Programs

Invite Weekly and Not Weakly

Develop the Culture of Inviting

“ Inviting is Marketing” SM For a copy of this presentation please visit www.InvitingIsMarketing.com “ Inviting is Marketing “ (sm) © Sept 2008 SMP and BNI BNI Leadership Development Training