Welcome New BNI Members!

Welcome to BNI Northeast and Eastern Ohio!

Congratulations! You’ve just taken a powerful step toward growing your business—and we’re excited to support you with the structure and accountability that will help you generate quality referrals from your chapter members.

We're committed to supporting you on this journey and have outlined essential steps to help you maximize your membership benefits. By taking intitiative and proactively engaging with these resources, you'll build a solid foundation for success within BNI. If you have questions along the way, rely on your chapter's leadership team and the region's support team who you can contact here.

1. Watch a Welcome Message from Dr. Ivan Misner

Begin by viewing a brief message from BNI's founder, Dr. Ivan Misner, to gain insight into the organization's vision and values.​ 

2.Access BNI Connect® and BNI® Business Builder

Familiarize yourself with BNI Connect®, our platform for accessing the member directory and recording your activities. Additionally, explore BNI® Business Builder, our educational resource designed to help you leverage BNI's system effectively. These tools are instrumental in managing and tracking your BNI journey

3.Complete Your BNI Connect® Profile

A comprehensive profile enhances your visibility within the BNI network. Ensure you fill out all relevant sections, including your professional background, contact information, and areas of expertise. This enables fellow members to understand your business and identify potential referral opportunities.

4. Download the BNI Connect® Mobile App

For convenient access to BNI Connect® on the go, download the BNI Connect® Mobile App. This tool allows you to register visitors, log activities, and connect with members directly from your mobile device.

5. Take/Attend the Member Success Program (MSP)

Take our Member Success Program to acquire key skills and knowledge for a strong start. This training is designed to help you understand BNI's core principles and how to apply them effectively to grow your business through referrals.​ Live MSP, via online training, will be coming soon. Until then, use this link to take the on demand MSP course and let your Secretary Treasurer know when you have completed so they can add you to the chapter's 10-minute feature presentation rotation. Only members that have completed MSP are able to present.

6. Download and review the 7-minute Guides for key BNI activities.

These 7-minute Guides are designed to quickly guide you in key activities and best practices in BNI that can help them be more successful in growing your business by referral. Each guide is only 2 pages and packed with information, guidance, tips, and additional resources. These are a great compliment to the Member Success Program (MSP) in the previous step.

7 Minute Guide to Visibility

7 Minute Guide to Weekly Presentations

7 Minute Guide to Perfect One-to-Ones

7 Minute Guide to Growing Your Network

7 Minute Guide to Giving Great Referrals

7. Schedule your first 1-to-1 Meeting.

1-to-1s are the way we build relationships with each other in BNI and learn how to send each other good quality referrals. Schedule 1-2 a week to start connecting with your chapter referral partners. We recommend prioritizing your Passport to Success mentoring 1-to-1s with 10 key chapter members as well as 1-to-1s with those in the chapter who can most naturally refer to you first. You will then begin meeting with the other chapter members and continue to schedule repeat 1-to-1s to deepen the relationships. Be sure to review the 1-to-1 Meeting Planner and complete the four worksheets (Bio, GAINS Exchange, Contact Sphere Worksheet, and Best 10 Customers Worksheet) so you can exchange them with your 1-to-1 partners before your 1-to-1.

1-to-1 Meeting Planner for Effective 1-to-1s

8. Invite and Bring your first Visitor.

Inviting visitors to your chapter meetings enriches your network and adds value to the group. It provides your guests with an opportunity to experience BNI and potentially join, thereby expanding the chapter's referral potential. Familiarize yourself with strategies for inviting visitors confidently and effectively

Official BNI Podcasts on Bringing Visitors

Registering Visitors in BNI Connect® Mobile App