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Kicking It up a Notch with Fast Track

Submitted by Asa Davis, BNI Assistant Director and Owner of Second Look Communications

The BNI Leading Edge chapter in Kalamazoo, Michigan was founded in 2003. Before the Fast Track program, the chapter would tell you they had solid relationships with each other and were good at executing the BNI Fundamentals. So why bother with Fast Track?

As the chapter’s Director, I chose Leading Edge for the Fast Track program because I wanted to see if there was something I could do to help the chapter kick it up a notch. What happened was a total surprise!

A few months after everyone listened to the CDs, I noticed their referral numbers were DOWN! How could that be? One of the selling points of the program is that referrals go UP.

Then I looked at their closed business.

The chapter nearly doubled its closed business compared to its average for the previous four quarters before Fast Track. I asked myself, “How is it that referrals are down and closed business is up by nearly 100%?”

Rather than continue a conversation with myself, I decided to speak with some of the chapter members. I selected a few members and asked, “What’s going on?”

Here is what Amy Wright with Kalamazoo Chair Massage, who is also the chapter’s Education Coordinator, told me. She said, “The quality of our referrals is definitely better. They are more specific which means each referral now has a greater value. The whole chapter has a better understanding of what a quality referral is and how to recognize what members are looking for, which leads to more closed business.”

Then I asked Scott Cowherd from Lake Pacor Home Mortgage. Scott is currently the chapter’s Event Coordinator and is a past President. He told me, “The Fast Track program made everyone wake up and realize we need to grow our chapter and we will all be much more successful. We’re not passing leads anymore – we are passing the highest quality referrals ever.”

When I talked to Andrew Price with Bright Financial Advisors, one of the chapter’s founding members, he gave me more information. “More members are on board now and there is a bigger push for more power teams. There is also a renewed sense of energy and optimism. There is always a sense of burnout when you do the same thing over and over. This program restarts the energy.”

In addition to what Amy, Scott, and Andrew have said, I’ve noticed the 60 second presentations have improved significantly, especially by the newer members. New members will attend Member Success Program and struggle to apply everything from the training. The CDs help them because it reinforces what they learn in Member Success Program. Members have put particular emphasis on giving a specific ask, because they know that will lead to more closed business.

Overall, the group is more cohesive, and because of that, visitors feel more welcome. Before Fast Track, it was a challenge to bring in visitors. Not anymore. I am proud to say BNI Leading Edge just reached 33 members, which is the most members they have ever had in the chapter.

One more piece of information that’s really fun. For the last meeting under the preceding Leadership Team, the chapter had a breakfast brought in – after the meeting - and all of the members did One-to-Ones. There was a visitor who stayed and completed a One-to-One with someone in his contact sphere. Do you think the visitor submitted an application? YES.

Have they kicked it up a notch? Definitely!

To learn more about the Fast Track program go to – www.delfuego.com/bni.

Tags: February 2010 Edition