BNI Education Moments

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Preparing for International Networking Week

Week 16 · January 12 – January 16, 2026

🎤 Education Moment Script (3–5 minutes)

Good morning, BNI Family! 🙌

This week’s Education Moment is all about preparing for International Networking Week — the first full week of February. It’s a global celebration of the power of networking, and it’s our chance to shine in the local community.

International Networking Week is more than a date on the calendar — it’s a strategic opportunity to:

  • Grow visibility for our Chapter
  • Build relationships with community leaders
  • Show what Our BNI Family is really about

This year, we want to intentionally invite key community leaders to our International Networking Week meeting so they can experience BNI in action.

Who should we invite?

Think of the people who represent and influence the business and civic community:

  • The Mayor
  • City Council Members
  • The City Manager
  • Chamber of Commerce President and officers
  • Rotary Club President and board
  • Leaders from Kiwanis, Lions, and other service clubs
  • Local economic development or business alliance leaders
  • Directors of local non-profits and community organizations

These are easy wins — they attend events as ambassadors of their organizations. They expect invitations like this and are often happy to show up.

How to invite them

You don’t have to overcomplicate it. Use a simple, confident approach and (when appropriate) lean on your GRIP inviting muscles.

You might say something like:

“We’re celebrating International Networking Week the first full week of February, and we’d be honored to have you as our guest. You’ll meet 30+ local business leaders who are intentional about referrals, collaboration, and community impact.”

Then, fold in GRIP where it fits:

  • G – Grow your network:
    “This is a great opportunity to grow your network of engaged local business owners.”
  • R – Referrals:
    “Our group is focused on generating quality referrals and strengthening the local economy.”
  • I – Introduce:
    “I’d love to introduce you to a few Members whose work aligns with your mission.”
  • P – Place/Time:
    “We meet at [location] on [day] at [time] during International Networking Week. Can you join us that week?”

What this does for Our BNI Family

  • It positions the Chapter as a key player in the local business ecosystem
  • It showcases our culture of Givers Gain® and collaboration
  • It opens the door for future joint events, referrals, and partnerships

💡 Pro Tip:
As a Chapter, set a shared goal: for example, “Each Member invites at least one community leader or influencer” to your International Networking Week meeting. Even if only a handful attend, the ripple effect in visibility and credibility is huge.

Let’s flex those inviting muscles, fill the room with leaders, and show them the power of Our BNI Family.

🎧 BNI Podcast Reinforcement (≈ 45–55 minutes total)

All verified, real BNI Podcast episodes focused on inviting visitors and showing the value of BNI to guests:

Total listening time ≈ 55 minutes ( Members can listen to some or all of them to get part of the way toward their 1-hour CEU this week).

📲 Copy/Paste Message for ECs to Share

Hi [Chapter Name] Family! 👋
This week’s Education Moment focused on Preparing for International Networking Week — the first full week of February. Our goal is to invite community leaders (Mayor, City Council, Chamber, Rotary, non-profit leaders, etc.) to experience Our BNI Family in action.
To build confidence and sharpen your inviting skills (and get part of the way toward your 1-hour CEU), here are some great BNI Podcast episodes (≈ 45–55 minutes total):
• Ep. 541: Inviting Visitors (Classic Podcast) — https://www.bnipodcast.com/2018/01/17/541-inviting-visitors-classic-podcast/
• Ep. 659: Inviting Visitors Is Easy Online — https://www.bnipodcast.com/2020/06/10/episode-659-inviting-visitors-is-easy-online/
• Ep. 830: Inviting Visitors Through Social Media — https://www.bnipodcast.com/2023/10/11/episode-830-inviting-visitors-through-social-media/
• Ep. 522: The Value of Visitors — https://www.bnipodcast.com/2017/08/30/episode-522-the-value-of-visitors/
Let’s stretch our inviting muscles, bring our community leaders into the room, and earn at least 1 CEU this week! 🌱

Bonus message you can send out by email for your Chapter to invite local leaders to attend your meeting on International Networking Week:

💬 Community Leader Invitation Script (Copy & Paste)

Hello [Name],

I would love to personally invite you to join us during International Networking Week, the first full week of February. Our BNI Chapter, [Chapter Name], is a group of local business leaders who meet weekly to build relationships and generate high-quality referrals for one another.

You’re a key leader in our community, and we would be honored to have you as our guest that week. It’s a great opportunity to connect with 30+ engaged local business owners and explore ways we can work together to strengthen relationships, referrals, and economic growth in our community.

📍 Location: [Meeting Location]
📅 Date: [Meeting Date That Week]
⏰ Time: [Meeting Time]

If you’re available, I’d love to reserve a seat for you. Thank you for all you do to support our local business and community!

Warmly,
[Your Name]
[Your Business]
[Your Phone / Email]

Thank you for being such an important part of Our BNI Family — together we make an incredible impact! 🙌

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