BNI - Why I Choose to ‘Buy in BNI®’

11.08.2017 Update: 11.08.2017

BNI franchise - Graham Weihmiller, article Why I Choose to ‘Buy in BNI®’
By: Graham Weihmiller

Last month I was in need of an HVAC repair at my home in Charlotte, North Carolina, where BNI®’s Global Headquarters is located. Fortunately, I was able to identify a local BNI member to help with the repairs quickly, as Charlotte can be quite hot in the middle of the summer! Not only was this member quick to assist, he spent an ample amount of time educating me on the issue, so that I understood the root cause, and could even perhaps prevent a similar occurrence from happening in the future. Now that’s good service.

Just last week we had a similar experience with another BNI member who helped repair our porch. While I unfortunately wasn’t able to meet him directly, as I was out of town at the time, the customer service and responsiveness was apparent. I trusted his ability to execute the repair without any hesitation.

It got me thinking about the many benefits of working with a BNI member business. Whether I’m looking for someone to repair my HVAC, for someone to help my wife and I plan a family trip, or for a videographer to edit a series of videos, I always turn to BNI members first. Following are four key reasons why:

BNI members are held to high standards. Each of BNI’s 220,000+ members around the globe have been vetted by a membership committee during their application process. Regardless of which country, region, or community they are located in, BNI members hold each other accountable and expect the highest professional and quality standards from one another.
BNI members care about having a bigger impact than themselves. As I’ve said before, BNI is a culture-driven organization, perhaps more than any other. Our Core Values, and the Givers Gain® mindset, are exemplified by our members around the world, both in businesses and in their everyday life. In the last 12 months, our members have passed approximately 9.3 million referrals to one another, generating around $13.5 billion for member businesses. While these figures are impressive, Givers Gain is about so much more. Every day I hear stories from around the world about BNI members who have supported each other and their communities in extraordinary ways.
BNI members are exceptionally disciplined, and committed to helping others. Each week, in thousands of communities around the world, our members attend a 90-minute meeting. Oftentimes these meetings are held in the early morning hours, when they’d otherwise be sleeping or getting ready for their day. Nevertheless, our members show up each and every week, on time, to build relationships and refer business to one another. It is evident to me that this dedication and focus extends outside of the four walls where BNI meetings take place. When working with a BNI member, I know they will show up on time, give their best effort to the project on hand, and exhibit the utmost professionalism.
BNI members are aspirational, and committed to continuous learning. In addition to the important weekly meetings, BNI offers professional development opportunities to help our members become stronger, more experienced business professionals. In talking with BNI members around the world, it is evident they constantly seek ways to improve their effectiveness.

In my opinion, these four traits – having high standards, a desire to help others, immense discipline, and a commitment to improvement – make BNI members stand out from other professionals, and is an unbeatable combination in business. It’s why I choose to work with BNI members whenever possible, and encourage my peers, friends and family to do the same.

To BNI’s members around the globe, I am inspired by your success, and am dedicated to making your experience in BNI the best it can be. I applaud you for your ongoing desire to help others, and your commitment to business excellence. It’s because of your professionalism and high standards that BNI has the reputation that is does today!