In addition to allowing BNI members to network via social media features such as friend connections, recommendations and groups, BNIConnect Global also powers our website viewed by visitors, www.BNISoutheast.com as well as individual chapter websites. To view a great example of how a completed profile is viewed by a visitor, click here and check out Glen Coleman’s page.

If you are a BNI member and have already logged in, that’s great! Please go online and complete your profile as fully as possible, including your GAINs and TOPs info. If you have had trouble logging in or have not received your registration email, please contact your chapter director as soon as possible for assistance.

BNIConnect Global is a powerful social media networking tool and an awesome benefit of your membership. Please take advantage of this opportunity starting today!

The chapter reportedly celebrated their success with “moneybag” cupcakes. But alas, they were so excited, they forgot to take photos. I guess we’ll excuse them this time

With 11,000 residents, Mt. Airy is famous as the home of Andy Griffith. All we can say is, “Aunt Bea would be so proud!”

There was a 6 way tie for second place. Yes, you read that right! Six chapters scored 70 in our traffic lights report for April. They are (ordered by franchise area):

• • • • GA NE Athens Referral Factory
      • GA NE BNI of Athens
      • GA NW Cobb Smyrna Business Exchange
      • NC Asheville’s Beaucatchers
      • NC Charlotte Ballantyne Business Network
      • SC Olde English Networkers

Congratulations to all of these Green Light chapters! We have quite a few chapters nipping at their heels in the Yellow Light category, so y’all keep “Goin’ Fer Green!”

Meanwhile, these qualifying chapters are growing and escalating the referrals in their group which will put more money in their pockets. Way to go!

~Marion C. Garretty, quoted in A Little Spoonful of Chicken Soup for the Mother’s Soul

Happy Mother’s Day to all the hard-working moms in our BNI and Corporate Connections networking groups!

Because of Dr. Misner’s relationship with Jack, he has agreed to do this free telebridge focused on the needs of BNI.

In this exclusive interview Jack will teach you how to:

• • • • • Educate yourself to increase your income
        • Increase the quality of your referrals to increase your bottom line
        • Set high expectations of yourself and put key factors in place to ensure your success
        • Take ACTION

Where:  Your phone – Click here to register for the call http://www.jackcanfield.com/bni

When: April 14^th at 2pm Eastern

BNI and High Achievers Network are offering an exclusive opportunity for you to attend Doug Grady’s Superior Selling seminar for just $69! (tickets are normally $199).  This seminar will be offered at the Gwinnett Civic Center, following International Networking Day.  IND lasts most of the day on Thursday and the Superior Selling event will begin with networking and refreshments at 5:30, followed by the presentation from 6:30 – 9:30 pm.

If you haven’t yet purchased your International Networking Day ticket, you can save on both events by registering through High Achievers Network and get admission to both for only $99.  Remember, your IND ticket includes lunch!

Doug Grady is President of High Achievers Network. For over 16 years, Doug has been engaging audiences from coast to coast with his wit and wisdom. Exciting, entertaining and enlightening are words invariably used to describe his unique seminars and workshops.

“Business development can be boiled down into two critical components. How do we find bigger and better prospects and what do we do with them when we find them? This program will provide you solid, proven yet innovative strategies to turn your best prospects into your best clients. You will learn to augment standard selling strategies with non-traditional personal marketing and creative communication.”

You will learn how to:

• Avoid the SALES KILLERS
• READ people
• Book yourself solid
• Triple your referrals
• Increase your closing ratio by 38%

Here are your ticket options:

Option 1: $69 for The Superior Selling seminar with Doug Grady register now!

Option 2: $99 for IND+ The Superior Selling Seminar register now!

Option 3: $36 for IND only register now!

Option 4: Do absolutely nothing (not recommended)

We look forward to seeing you on Thursday, March 24th for a jam packed day full of education and networking that  will help put more profit in your pocket in 2011!

Due to the probability that something (ice, snow) would fall somewhere in the Atlanta metroplex (and we Southerners tend to shut down everything based on just the threat of bad weather), our International Networking Day team decided on Wednesday to reschedule the IND event to Thursday, March 24th.  It will still be held at the Gwinnett Civic Center.

A major consideration was for our Expo booth vendors and our speakers, some of whom are traveling long distances and they needed to know early whether to travel or not.

On the bright side, you now have extra time to invite someone you would like to build a relationship with to come along with you!  Also, our VIP tickets sold out, so rescheduling has allowed us to rearrange and make more space available for those interested in participating in the special Q&A session over lunch with the conference speakers.  If  you are interested in upgrading your regular admission to a VIP ticket or purchasing a VIP ticket, please email melinda@referrals4life.com.  Due to the limited quantity available, VIP tickets will not open to the public via our store.

So update your calendars now.  Let’s hope our groundhog, General Beauregard Lee, was right and spring is early!  We’ll see you on March 24^th for a fantastic International Networking Day and celebrate the “big thaw” instead of the “big freeze.”

In case you are not familiar with BNI, Dr. Misner started our organization 25 years ago and it has grown to over 5800 chapters in 42 countries world wide. In 2010, BNI members passed 6.5 million referrals resulting in $2.8 BILLION in closed business.

Called the “Father of Modern Networking” by CNN and the “Networking Guru”  by Entrepreneur magazine, Dr. Misner is considered one of the world’s leading experts on business networking and has been a keynote speaker for major corporations and associations throughout the world. He has been featured in the L.A. Times, Wall Street Journal, and New York Times, as well as numerous TV and radio shows including CNN, CNBC, and the BBC  in London.

Referrals4Life is pleased to announce we are working closely with the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce.  We are offering the members of these chambers a $5 discount to International Networking Day and expect very soon to be sharing information on how our BNI and Corporate Connections members can benefit from membership with these associations.

We are looking forward to a great partnership with these chambers that will benefit both their members and Referrals4Life members!

Thanks go out to all of the chapters who participated and added new members during October thru December 2010.

There’s no genius behind it. It’s persistence and listening to people.

- Craig Newmark