Happy New Year! Well, almost. In BNI, we’re always tracking and planning, so chances are, if you’re a member of a BNI Chapter in West Virginia, you already know what your business goals are and have a roadmap for how to reach them. But what are your plans for your BNI chapter? January can be a great month for BNI membership growth in West Virginia!
The New Year energy means business owners, solopreneurs, and salespeople are excited about growing. And they may be looking for new ways to change and improve their business. As a member, you already know that referrals are an excellent revenue stream, and you can use that enthusiasm and their openness to something new to get them excited about meeting your fellow members!
January and Conversion Rates
Many chapters have stated that visitor-to-member conversions are highest in the first three months of the year, with some specifically citing January as the best time for conversion. So why is that?
The Mental Aspect: Excitement
As we mentioned in the introduction, when a new year begins, everyone is already thinking about what they can do better. New years call for new habits and new approaches, and that doesn’t just apply to gym memberships!
Utilizing that energy will help not only your visitors but your whole chapter!
The Practical Aspect: Budget
At the beginning of the year, many businesses are also planning their budgets, and crucially haven’t already spent most of it. That means they’re feeling less stingy and are more likely to make the commitment to join a chapter.
If Conversions are Higher in January, Why is the Member Extravaganza in Spring?
With all this talk of high conversion rates, why don’t more chapters have visitor days in January? And why does BNI North America have its National BNI Member Extravaganza in Spring?
The answer is that though conversion is highest in January, it’s easiest to get visitors in the Spring. In other words, it’s easier to get people to show up in April and May, but the people who show up in January are more likely to join.
We think the answer to that is partly weather and partly budgetary.
Regardless, January is an excellent time to focus on BNI membership growth in Southwest Virginia. Our winters aren’t the worst in the country, so you can probably still get people to come out even if it’s a little too unpredictable to plan a major visitor day event.
Inviting Visitors
When you invite someone to your chapter, remember that you are inviting them to visit, not join. Asking someone to join before they visit not only puts the cart before the horse, but can also intimidate people away from making that first visit.
Give visitors a good experience. That means ensuring your chapter is well trained in how to interact with visitors. A few important tips:
Everyone should wear name tags - it makes visitors more comfortable and immediately lets them know they’re in the right place.
Be on time! Nothing is worse than a visitor getting there before the members, especially if the visitor wasn’t even early.
Greet visitors - it’s easy to fall into the habit of talking to your friends every week, but it can make new people feel unwelcome.
No matter when you invite someone to your chapter, be sure they have a good experience at their meeting and that your Visitor Hosts and other members follow up with them.
Every visitor is an opportunity!
