Developing contacts

Getting startedWork with a partner. Look at the topics in the box belowand answer the following questions.

Which three topics do you think are the best to start aconversation with a business person you have just met?

Which topics is it better not to talk about?books or films money problemsbusiness associates you music

both know politicsthe economy recent events in the newsfood and drink religionhobbies sportillness travel and holidaysmarriage

Grammar workshop 1

Present perfect and past simple 123 1 Cover the dialogue below and listen to a conversation

between two business associates to find out whichcity they are in.

23 2 Listen again and complete their dialogue. Write themissing word(s) in each gap (1-11).

A So how long 1 hay?., you 2 with MarqueDevelopment?

B For about two years. 13..........with them in the autumnof 2004.

A Mm ... and 4..........you 5..........to Milan before?B NoIhavent.I6..........7..........to Venice before, though.A Ah. When was that?B About three years ago. It was just for a holiday. We

8..........three days in Venice and then we went down toTuscany.

A Lovely. So 9..........you 10..........much of the city yet?B Not yet. 1 11..........a bit around the centre last night.A Er, did you see the shopping gallery?B Oh yes. Its wonderful.

3 Check your answers against the transcript at the backof the book.

4 Put the missing words and phrases (1-11) in thecorrect column below.

Present perfect Past simple

haveyou been etarted

-58 Developing contacts

Networking

ReadingNetworking is the process of making business contacts through meetingpeople. It can be a good way of finding clients or new staff or even a new job.

1 Work with a partner. Decide which of the following you think is the bestplace for networking.

conferences private parties trade fairs training events

2 Look at the headings (a-d) for the first fourparagraphs of the article. Skim the text and matcheach heading to the most suitable paragraph. Writethe paragraph number in the box.

a The best way to find businessb A fixed agendac An example of a meetingd BNIs mission and ethos

m

Company backgroundBusiness Network International, or BNI, is an organisationwhich began in California,USA but has now expanded intomany other countries. The idea of the organisation is thatmembers create business for each other through personalrecommendations.

BUSINESS NETWORK INTERNRTIONRL

2

It is 7.00 on a cold winter morning and 40 people faceeach other across a breakfast table in a London hotel.After some short speeches, the tables are suddenly ahive of activity as sets of business cards are passedaround. After this, each person stands up for exactlyone minute. They talk about their businesses and whatkind of contacts they are looking for that week. JohnHarris is an insolvency specialist who is looking for anycompany with financial difficulties who could use hisservices. Janet Moore runs a cake-making business andis looking for customers. After the speeches, the 40people stand up together and walk around the tablesgiving out pieces of paper. These are referral slips,providing the names and details of potentialcustomers or contacts. Janet Moore, for example,receives the names and contact numbers of severalrelatives with birthdays that month.

This is a meeting of BNI or Business NetworkInternational. There are many ways for businesses toadvertise, like telemarketing or mailshots but the bestform of promotion is word-of-mouth recommendationthrough networking. Of course, networking can takeplace anywhere; at trade fairs and conferences or onthe golf course, but the most efficient way to networkis to join an organisation like this. This is because theonly reason for these meetings is to make contacts.The success rate of the referrals speaks for itself.

According to the figures, over 75% of them turn intobusiness.

3 BNI was originally founded by Dr Ivan Misner in the USbut it has now spread to many countries in Europesuch as Scandinavia, Germany and Spain and also toAustralia. Its aim is to provide an environment in whichbusiness people can get together and develop thepersonal relationships that lead to business. Whennew members join, they receive a card file to hold allthe new business cards, a badge and a lapel pin. Withthese, they also get a guidebook with instructions onhow to be a good member. Members also haveaccess to a library of networking tips, all recorded ontapes. BNIs motto is givers gain, that is, if I givesomeone business, then they will want to give mebusiness in return.

4 BNI meetings follow a highly structured framework. Ashort period of open networking is followed bywelcome speeches and introductions from the teamleaders and then by the exchanging of business cards.Next, members give their 6o-second speeches andafter that, they introduce any visitors, who can alsogive speeches. Then, the referral slips are passed. If amember passes on more than three new businesscontacts, the group all clap. For five or more referrals,this becomes a standing ovation. The meeting windsup with a prize draw.

P

60 Developing contacts

-I

3 Now read paragraph 5 and write a suitable headingfor it in the space below.

5 There is certainly no shortage of enthusiasm forthe organisation. David Slater launched his webdesign company just 14 months ago and it hasnow become one of the busiest in the region. Heputs this success down almost entirely to contactsformed through the BNI meeting every Fridaymorning. Its like having a really good sales teamworking for you week in week out he says. SusanKay, the owner of a public relations consultancyagrees. Its about developing friendships andtrust so that people have the confidence to passon your card. Duncan Hill, owner of a printingbusiness and Barbara Bishop who owns a familyfloristry business, both report dramatic rises inturnover since joining BNI. For the thousands ofmembers worldwide, it is definitely somethingworth getting up early for.

4 Paragraph 5 names several types of businesseswhich have benefited from BNI membership. Lookthrough the paragraph and decide which of thefollowing businesses (1-5) arenof mentioned. Put a(X) in the box if they are not mentioned.

Task tipYou have already practisedscanning a text to find numbers.Sometimes we also need to scan a text to see if an item isthere or if it is missing. For example, we might scan a list ofnames in a report on a meeting to find out if a personattended or not.Cross out the items in the list as you find them in the text andsee which is left.

1 a printing business2 a catering business3 a PR consultancy4 a web design business5 a floristry business

5 The answers to the following questions (a-c) are inparagraphs1-4. For each question, decide whichparagraph to look in, then scan it to find the answer.Circle the item not mentioned.

a Which area is not mentioned as one where BNIoperates? USA / Europe / the Middle East / Australia

b Which of the following does not happen at a BNImeeting? Introductions by team leaders / individualspeeches from members / individual speeches fromvisitors / telephoning potential clients / a competitionwith a prize

c Which of the following do BNI members not receivewhen they join? Card file / badge / handbook / tapewith networking advice

VocabularyLook through the article again and, using the context tohelp you, work out the correct meanings of the followingwords and phrases in italics. Circle the correct answer.

1 Paragraph 1: A hive of activity means(it was very bus)')/very quiet.

2 Paragraph 2: A mailshot is a way of advertising / a typeof job.

3 Paragraph 3: A motto is a notebook / a saying or slogan.4 Paragraph 4: A standing ovation is when people stand

up to protest / when people stand up to clap.5 Paragraph 4: Winds up means begins / ends.6 Paragraph 5: Puts this success down to means thinks it

is caused by / loses.7 Paragraph 5: Week in week out means every week /

every two weeks.

Talking point1 Work in pairs. If you are working, discuss whether

you think networking meetings would be good foryour company. If you are studying, discuss whetheryou think networking could help you find a job.

2 Read the role card and prepare what you are going tosay.

r,You are attending a meeting of BNI and have to give aone-minute speech to introduce your company.Students in work should talk about their owncompany. Students who are still studying should asktheir teacher for some information about an imaginarycompany. In addition to your companys mainactivities, decide which of the following you shouldinclude in your speech: staffing needs; examples ofsatisfied clients; future projects.

Remember you have only one minute exactly, sothink carefully about what to include. Work in groupsof three or four and take it in turns to listen to eachothers speeches. When you are listening to the othermembers of your group, make notes on ways theycould improve their speech.

Developing contacts

HQ