At a business networking meeting such as BNI you will have 60 seconds or less to make a lasting impression during the ‘Sales Manager Minute’. To achieve this, the Sales Manager Minute is divided into 5 steps:
- Introduction (15 seconds)
- Focus Area (15 seconds)
- Story / Testimonial (15 seconds)
- Call to Action (10 seconds)
- Memory Hook (5 seconds)
Whether you are a BNI Business Networking member or simply a regular attendee of your local chamber of commerce if you expect to get maximum results from a 60 second introduction to your business then follow these 5 steps for successfully receiving specific referrals.
Introduction
This is the part which remains the same every week. This is the opportunity for visitors to hear who you, where you are located and the range of services that you provide.
Focus Area
Choose ONE area from Section 1 (overview) and start to get more specific. For example:
- This week I would like to focus on…
- Recently, I have had several people come to me for…
- This week I would like to increase my business in the area of…
- Today I would like to talk to you about a specific type of business / person
Story or Testimonial
Tell a story relating to the focus area above, highlighting your Unique Selling Proposition (USP), your value added services, the benefits of your services and/or the differentiating factors from your competitors.
Specific Referral
Ask your “Marketing Team” to take action by saying any of the following:
- Who do you know who …(requires your services)
- An ideal referral source for me would be a ….(target market)
- A contact sphere that I am looking for…..(target market)
- A good referral for me this week……..(target market)
Memory Hook
The more powerful your memory hook, the more it will be in the minds of your “Marketing Team”. This will translate into more business opportunities for you!
Watch over my shoulder as I prepare a new 60 Second Presentation
Download the 60 Second Presentation that resulted from the above 40min of consideration. BNI Intro – Foxes Run
Download the Printable 5 Step Guide to Receiving Specific Referrals
This Word Document has a more detailed explanation and further examples of how to construct your own 60 Second sales pitch. Download The Sales Manager Minute Template for 60 Seconds BNI Referral Requests