BNI Connect has the ability to work with visitors from invitation, through registering visitors to a meeting, marking attendance and giving credit in the PALMS report, and finally, following up with visitors. Each step of the process includes interaction and communication between the chapter members, leadership teams and the chapter Director Consultant.
Please review this video training of the visitor process
The Flow of Visitors
Communication and Timing
Initial Contact
- Visitor can be sent an invitation email to visit a chapter meeting through BNI Connect via Operations > Chapter > Create Email > Email Visitor Invitation
- OR Visitor invitation via email sent via the mobile app
- OR Visitor invitation via SMS or social media sent via the mobile app
Registering a Potential Visitor
- Visitor self registers on the regional or chapter web page
- OR visitor is registered by a member through the BNI Connect function located at Operations > Chapter > Manage Visitors > Visitor Registration and Attendance Portal
- OR visitor is registered by a member through the mobile app
- NOTE: A member/director may only register visitors for chapters they are members of or directly support.
- When the visitor registers, the visitor receives a confirmation email with chapter meeting details
- Additionally, the chapter President, Vice President, Secretary Treasurer, all Visitor Hosts and the Chapter Director Consultant are notified of the prospective visitor registration
Before the Meeting
- The prospective visitor is reminded of the meeting 2 business days before the scheduled meeting
After the Meeting
- If the visitor pre-registered, the visitor is marked as attended via Operations > Chapter > Manage Visitors > Visitor Registration and Attendance Portal
- If the visitor did not pre-register, the visitor is added via Operations > Chapter > Manage Visitors > Record a Visitor (Post Meeting, Not Pre-Registered)
- The person chosen in the Invited By Field is given a "V" credit in the PALMS report (pending leadership approval)
- The visitor is immediately sent a "Thank You For Visiting" email through BNI Connect
- Visitors that pre-registered but did not attend can be found in the report Reports > Chapter > Visitor Not Attended Report
Following Up
- Visitors contact information (email and physical address) can be obtained through Reports > Chapter > Chapter Visitor Report
- Visitors may be emailed directly by members through Operations > Chapter > Create Email > Email Chapter Visitors
Comments
13 comments
This is HUGE! We used this in training over 120 VH this year at BNI Western PA Leadership Team Training....THANK YOU!
Robert - Thank you so much for the compliment! I am glad it was helpful!
Jeremy - just for clarification.
Can members access the "Manage Visitors" link and confirm that their visitor attended..?
I appreciate that the VP will confirm or deny, but who is placed to trigger the attendance once the visitor is pre-registered..?
Jeremy,
One of my chapter's members brought a visitor last week. The visitor was not preregistered. We would like to enter the visitor for the week they visited. Is there a way to do that?
Thanks,
Justin
Justin,
When you use the regular "ADD VISITOR" process (it may need to be done by your visitor host), they will choose the past date that they visited and it will go into the correct PALMS report. Here is a guide for that process.
http://support.bniconnect.com/entries/21735341
Jeremy,
My pre-chapter had 14 visitored registered on BNI for yesterday. Due to weather conditions, the meeting got cancelled. How can I change the dates so the visitors get reregistered for next week?
Gary Van Hoof
BNI WI/UP Michigan/Western NY
Great to hear from you, hope all is well!
You can always update the date of visit using the manage prospective visitors function. Changing the date will also re-send a confirmation and reminders for the potential visitors. Here is a guide to that function:
http://support.bniconnect.com/entries/29135437
Jeremy,
When you pre register a visitor for a meeting, does your name (as the member) get attached to that "invited by" part? I notice that the Pre-Registration form on BNI Connect does not have the "Invited by" box to fill in...but on the bniri website, when a visitor finds a chapter and registers, they can fill in the "Invited by" box....
We have a huge visitor day coming up and I have a lot of visitors I would like to pre-register under my name ahead of time...thanks!
Also...when you pre-register a visitor, is it possible to see what the potential guest receives by email? or to test it on yourself? I always like to see what I am sending to another person:)
Who is able to enter a visitor that is not pre-registered?
@Kathleen - although this varies slightly by region, all members are able to pre-register members through the member portal. In addition, anyone with internet access can enter them through the regional website or chapter page!
What report will show a list of the guests I have invited?
I would like to review that and RE-invite those who may not have attended (and therefore not "registered").
Hey Larry, Hey Jeremy!
It's me, once again...
I need your help : I invited someone and I now need :
- to change the date from Nov. 14 to Nov. 7.
- either to cancel the invit' and re-do it again
Either one or the other is just fine with me.
Could you please help?
Thanks a lot!
Sam
Article is closed for comments.