121 with Visitor/Potential Members
In our region, we are encouraged to have 121 with visitors, especially potential members. Some of the benefits include making them feel welcomed, looking out for business opportunities for existing members, understanding their business and suitability for our chapter, and so on. Do we have a field in 121 online slips for 121s with visitors?
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Official comment
@nisha - The online slips only allow for recording of this activity between two active members. While 1 to 1's (and referrals) are highly encouraged and very beneficial with members that are not currently members in a BNI Chapter, that activity is not recorded for "credit" in the PALMS report.
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I do hope this topic can be re-visited. A 121 with a visitor is just as valuable as a 121 with an existing member. Perhaps even more-so because it is truly the "givers gain" mentality in that the discussion is largely about BNI and evoking the visitors interest in joining. "Credit" is appropriate.
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@mystina - the 121's are absolutely valuable, however the PALMS exists as an accountability mechanism between existing members - making sure that the active members are participating in the referral process with one another.
121's with visitors, guests, clients, etc... are 100% encouraged they just aren't recorded in the PALMS.
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Thanks for the quick feedback Jeremy. I completely agree with them serving as an accountability mechanism. There is added value for 121's among membership in that they're developing the referral strategies which enhance each person's membership. I do, however, think it's a bit short-sighted to not recognize (aka give "credit" for), the premise that an existing referral partner meeting with a visitor, is actually working to enhance the referral process for ALL of the referral partners of a chapter - and even beyond. Taking time to meet with visitors is a meaningful demonstration of givers gain philosophy. While I don't think it should replace a weekly 121 with existing referral partners, I also don't think a member should have their PALMS not paint the full picture of a member's engagement. It's a tricky scenario to adequately "credit", but worthwhile to explore a solution to doing so.
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I was just about to make the same suggestion, but I'm glad I found a like-minded post on this. I completely agree that 121s with visitors (which are encouraged) should be recorded in the PALMS report as part of accountability, particularly when it's with visitors who registered and actually attended, and the members followed up with those visitors after the meeting. Such follow ups have been demonstrated to be highly effective in recruiting or converting visitors to become members. I myself am an example of a visitor who members reached out to after the meeting and essentially made me feel welcomed enough that I went ahead and joined that particular Chapter.
I do hope that BNI HQ revisits this 121 with Visitors consideration. We already have the TYFCB option to credit Visitors, so it shouldn't be much of a stretch. Thank you.
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