NEW MEMBERS AND EARLY CREDIBILITY
IF YOU ARE A NEW BNI MEMBER DON'T EXPECT REFERRALS RIGHT AWAY YOU HAVE TO BUILD CREDIBILITY!
A lot of times, there is the expectation among new BNI members that they are going to be accepted to a BNI Chapter and as soon as they join the chapter, they will immediately begin to get referrals. However, it does not work that way!
Each member of your BNI network has to go through a process to establish a relationship with one the other. It starts with the ability to be seen as people are able to know who you are but have no idea about you or your business. If you can make yourself more noticeable to your BNI members every week, you'll be in the beginning stages of credibility.
Credibility occurs when the network begins to build trust in you. Credibility grows when you are reliable and present every week. Your credibility is built or destroyed by the things you do outside of your weekly meeting.
The early stages of credibility are often the most destructive and damaging in business relationships. For instance, I recently sent a request to a handyman, who told me what I needed and when I would need it. There was no follow-up, no call, and no text message, and the task did not get done. The credibility of the person who referred me to them is damaged because of me, this was a Tier One transactional referral. It was the chance to establish credibility, but instead of building it in a positive way, it has been damaged.
There are two stages of credibility. Today I'll discuss the first or light credibility stage. This is when we are just getting comfortable with each other. It's usually the test phase of the relationship. It's like the beginning of the dating phase in a relationship. It is easy to destroy relationships here, and I have watched BNI members doing it every day and night out. They then wonder why they are not getting referrals.
In that initial phase, a single thing can damage and even destroy your credibility. You won't be able to move past the initial stage of credibility.
You'll receive leads for transactions and referrals throughout the first phase. This leads to the testing phase which is the final stage in the early credibility. The BNI members will want to see how you run your company, how you follow up and how you handle your work, and if they show up on time. They will be paying close attention to how you handle your referrals and behave at the chapter meetings. You'll appear more credible when you repeat what you mean, and are on time to participate in Chapter meetings.
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