BNI Online Pro

7 Steps to Become a BNI Online Pro

Everyone’s lives have changed in recent weeks. We’ve all become used to new pressures, new technologies and new norms.

One thing that hasn’t changed is the need to stay connected. For BNI members, staying connected is fundamental to continuing to develop their businesses, give and receive support and continuing their professional development.

BNI Online has been a huge part of that continuation and we wanted to share some ideas to ensure you get the most out of it and present yourself in the best way possible. Even when meeting online, your fellow members will still be building opinions of you and deciding whether or not to refer you to a prospective client.

Take a look at these tips and see which you can put into action for your next online chapter meeting. All of these tips have been provided by members and Directors who have been using BNI Online over recent weeks.

1 - Login early and check your sound and video tech. Be ready as soon as the host opens the meeting
2 - If your room background is not professional then add a virtual background with your company logo or something else appropriate
3 - Remove distractions and avoid multi-tasking by switching other devices to silent and turning off notifications
4 - Be mindful of background noise; put the dog out, tell family that you’re at work and avoid shuffling papers if you’re not on mute
5 - Sit at a desk or table with the camera at eye-level to show a heightened sense of engagement. Don’t slouch on the sofa balancing the laptop on your knees!
6 - Wear clothes appertaining to your profession and your BNI badge. – you’re still being judged. Also be sure that your ‘Zoom name’ is your real name and profession.
7 - Ensure your presentation is well prepared and ready to go

We think these are valuable tips for us all to remember and we’d encourage you to challenge yourself on how you can take your online meetings to the next level in the coming weeks.

We thought may also find this webinar useful on how to produce a slick weekly presentation. Click here to watch it.