Attending our chapter meeting as an official visitor or as a substitute is a great way to get to know us. A visitor is someone who attends our meeting who is either looking to grow their business and/or their referral network. Your attendance fee buys you (1) access to a solid group of potential referral partners, (2) sixty seconds to pitch your business, and (3) an opportunity to hear one of our members give a ten minute presentation on their area of expertise.
A substitute is someone who attends our meeting in place of a member, eats that person’s meal (fee already paid), and promotes both that member’s business as well as his/her own.
NOTES FOR ARRIVAL: Arrival is between 7:15 am and 7:30 am. Please arrive on time to make sure you have time to check in and to network. Bring at least 30-40 business cards.
TechSpace
77 Geary Street 5th FL
San Francisco, CA, 94108
Map
*Note, you need to press 5# once on the elevator to come to the 5th Floor.
Please let the visitor host know whether you are visiting or substituting for another member.
BEFORE YOU ARRIVE: You will have an opportunity to promote your business for 30-60 seconds during the meeting (time will depend on the number of people in the room that day). Please come prepared to give a 30-second commercial letting the group know who you are, what you do, and who would be a good referral partner for you. This commercial will be timed, and there will be a bell to let you know that your time is up. Please be sure to finish up as soon as you hear the bell. Thirty seconds will go by fast, so please be sure to practice before you arrive. Please also be sure to bring LOTS of business cards.
DURING THE MEETING: Our meeting agenda is below. During the infomercials, if you are a substitute, you will first do the 30-second commercial for whom you are subbing. The group will applaud. Then, you get to do your 30-60 second commercial, and the group will applaud. If you are a guest, you will simply give your infomercial.
The visitor host who will greet you and all the chapter members are here to help you and make your experience a good one. Please feel free to ask questions.
We look forward to seeing you!
MEETING AGENDA:
- Light networking before grabbing food and sitting down.
- Welcome.
- Purpose and overview of BNI.
- Educational moment.
- Swearing in of new or renewing members (if we have any).
- Passing of the business card box.
- Visitors/Subs: Please add some of your business cards to the front of the binder. You may take individual cards as you wish.
- 30-second infomercials.
- Visitors/Subs: If you are subbing for someone, you will give that person’s 30-second infomercial, and we will applaud. Then, you will give your own 30-second infomercial. Visitors, you will simply give your 30-second informercial.
- Chapter reports: VP, membership, and secretary/treasurer.
- Speaker presentation(s).
- Referrals and testimonials.
- Visitors/Subs: When the “I have” box is passed to you, please stand and make a referral if you have one or share your experience of your visit and the group, let us know what you liked best about the meeting.
- Door prize, raffle drawing (if available).
- Visitors/Subs: Meet with membership committee host if you like.
- Announcements, reminders, closing.