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Q: Can anyone join a chapter?
A: We only take one person per professional
specialty. So if you are a residential real estate person and
we already have one, we can refer you to another chapter, or
allow you to open another chapter. Of course, if you
are a commercial real estate person, you could be eligible
to join this chapter.
Q: How do you know new members are reputable?
A: The application asks for references and we have a membership
committee that checks them. It's word of mouth, so before they
even come to a meeting they have to have spoken to someone or
been invited by someone in the group. Everyone has to have a
sponsor, or one is assigned to them, and they interview them.
Q: What if a member gets a referral and does poor work?
A: We have an ethics committee and it is imperative that anyone
who gives a lead and finds out it was not satisfactorily handled
must report that to the membership committee, who will investigate.
Q: What occupations benefit the most from networking?
A: It is not the occupation, it is the individual. The occupation
can be anything. If you're focussed and you have a dream and
you're willing to make a sacrifice, you are the person we want
in the group.
Q: Are members supposed to bring visitors?
A: You're encouraged to bring visitors for those occupations
that are open, after the visitor has been prescreened, if they're
a viable candidate. It's pretty much a closed meeting except
for potential members.
Q: Do ethical rules for certain professions prohibit
participation in BNI?
A: BNI understands the importance of the
ethical concerns governing certain professions and acknowledges
that rules can differ by location. As such, BNI therefore requires its members
to uphold the rules of its profession so as not to violate the
professional’s ethical obligations. In the event
that BNI’s general rules could potentially violate a professional’s
ethical code, BNI’s rules are superceded by the dictates
of the professional’s ethics’ code. Significantly,
a primary objective of BNI is to educate its membership in ways
to market and grow business. It is BNI’s intent
to ensure that this is permitted.
Q: If I specialize in a field within my profession,
am I expected to be an expert in all aspects of my profession?
A: BNI understands that many professions
are broad and that people often specialize within their profession. BNI does
not expect, nor does it encourage, any professional to participate
in an area in which the professional does not have expertise. On
the contrary, BNI prohibits professionals from acting outside
of the scope of their abilities.
Q: My profession does not let me
directly solicit business. Is
BNI still right for me?
A: BNI’s primary objective is to assist its members in
ways to improve their business and to educate them concerning
how they can effectively network. Business people get
business when their expertise is known and others reach a comfort
level with them. BNI provides a forum that allows members
to meet other business peers who need to know effective and efficient
business people.
Organizational Links:
BNI-MICHIGAN
BNI-INTERNATIONAL
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