Presentations vs Commercials

Going to most networking events you get the opportunity to present, in some that can be directly to individuals, small groups or the entire meeting.. it might be anything from 7 seconds to 30, 45 or 60 invariably.

So the dilemma is do you describe what you do every time in the same way as an advert/commercial? It can be the first impression to those you have yet to be introduced to but you might also often be presenting to those that could have heard you present numerous times. Reinforcement perhaps has a value but arguably misses the opportunity to stimulate different responses from your audience.

Ivan Misner forty years ago next month started The Network and year on year continues to grow as now BNI (Business Networking International) which I was introducing this morning to a pre-launch BNI Polo meeting at RUGBY GOLF CLUB articulating the mission to

Help members increase their business through a structured, positive and professional referral marketing programme that enables them to develop long-term, meaningful relationships with quality business professionals

One of the real powers of the BNI system for referral-generating is the power of being specific. I have witnessed this over the last few years first hand how in a room of seemingly random people asking for a specific name of someone produces the response of someone in the room being able to connect you directly, I was at BNI UK conference seeing it done in the room. Thank you to Andy Lopata who has a strong background in professional relationships for the demonstration at the Business Buzz – Local Business Networking conference last month of this principle of showing the degrees of separation break down to often only two or three in a room for even famous people.

Andy inspired me to spend more time practicing the core value of lifelong learning by listening to podcasts in the car (his own BNI Podcast with Ivan is 692) so this morning travelling to The Midlands Business Network Ltd Expo at Aston Villa Football Club (great event, good to see faces familiar and new) I tuned in to a recent episode Ask Ivan (860 – open to all networkers to listen to whether they are BNI members currently or not) and he talked about how these presentation opportunities should not be considered commercials (or adverts as we would say), they are not about advertising what you do so remove that terminology wherever you see it!

As part of the national training team for BNI UK I train on the BNI Connect App & Website where as part of a member profile there was space for two commercials..

from tomorrow this will now say Weekly Presentation having reached out to the incredibly responsive BNI Connect support team.. thank you to Jeremy Walsh and Jacky Hamill!

Within the BNI system each member and guest/visitor gets the opportunity to make a “weekly presentation” in varying lengths often in line with group size, smaller time allotted in larger groups to still allow everyone to speak without the meeting lasting all day! So when I was then on a session this afternoon hearing from national director Mike Holman coming back from the BNI Global Convention… he spoke of how in BNI Germany and SLC Spain they have been researching and found members who were specific in their weekly presentations had a higher renewal rate.. members making more money evidence return with their renewals. What was also a fascinating insight for me was the idea that where you have the gift of a longer presentation time such as a “60 seconds” slot you have time to give two specifics and explain why, talk about the “afters” as Andy Bounds would say (Podcast 760). Specific is terrific and Kathryn Saggers did a great explainer video on how introducers can be specifics even for those more B2C…

Whatever networking you do, are you making specific presentations or general advertisements?

So listen to weekly podcasts from Dr Ivan Misner or on BNIPodcast.com which is open to all and listen when you have 10-15 minutes and see what impact practicing lifelong learning can create for you, your business or organisation and those you work with.