Why Forty Letters????
By Linda Aasen
When our BNI chapters have special days for visitors often members ask why they are requested to send our 40 letters or invitations. I wondered that myself every time we had a Visitor Day. Well, here is the answer: it is called the Rule of ½ of ½ of ½…
If you send out forty letters and follow up with a phone call to each of the 40 recipients you will actually make contact with one half of the people to whom you sent letters (½ of 40 = 20).
One half of the people you talk to will commit to attending your Visitor Day (½ of 20 = 10).
Unfortunately, only half of the people who say they will come will actually show up (½ of 10 = 5).
Now you have 5 people of your original 40 invitations at your meeting. Approximately one half of those people who attend will submit an application (½ of 5 = 2 or 3). After the Membership Committee reviews those 2-3 applications only 1-2 will be accepted.
So, 40 invitations will result in 1 or 2 new members. Can you imagine the results if you send 10 or 20 letters? The result it would probably be no new members.
Some BNI members are at a loss when trying to make a list of 40 people to invite to their Visitor Day. Here are some suggestions of where you could look:
Review you business cards, roll-a-dex, phone contact list, etc.
Who sells you products for use in your business?
What businesses are complementary to yours?
Who contacts you with offers to advertise your business?
What about your clients with businesses of their own?
Who comes to your house to repair or enhance your home and yard?
Who do you purchase services from outside your home?
Who have you invited to attend Visitor Day in the past who said they would attend, but did not?
Who have you invited previously who could not be there?
Who have you invited preciously who did attend but did not submit an application?
Who sends or stuffs your mailbox with advertisements?
Who is driving around in a car or trunk with advertising on the back or the sides???
These people are looking for more business…invite them to BNI!!!
Remember these ideas when you are asked to create 40 invitations for your upcoming Visitor Day!!!