1st November 2018, Colombo, The BNI® Gladiator, the 5th Sri Lankan chapter of Business Network International (BNI®) was launched on the 1st of November 2018, at The Kingsbury Hotel, with a large representation of eminent business personalities from diverse fields. It turned out to be one of the finest BNI chapter launches, Sri Lanka has seen with over 120 business personalities present. BNI® Head of Operations for Sri Lanka and Executive Director BNI® India – KVT Ramesh, Regional Director for BNI Sri Lanka, Colombo Central Anjana Gunathillake Launch Ambassador Dr.Prabath Karunanayake & Support Ambassador Mohamed Feroz were among those present.
The Leadership Team of the chapter comprised of Archt. Chinthaka Dayaratne (President), Emile Gunesekera (Vice President) & Tariq Saleem (Secretary/Treasurer).
The sole purpose of BNI® is business and business alone, “BNI® is the largest referral marketing network in the world and holds the same status in Sri Lanka as the largest referral marketing network in the island. BNI® is a platform for any business to grow leveraging on its network spanning 73+ countries. It’s a proven platform for 33 years, founded by Dr.Ivan Misener in 1985, The network is already helping Sri Lankan Businesses to grow their business locally and globally using a very structured Referral Marketing processes.” Said the Head of Operations for BNI® Sri Lanka, KVT Ramesh
With over 8700 chapters & 244,000+ members worldwide, Business Network International (BNI®) lives up to its position as the largest business networking organization in the world. During the past 12 months, BNI ® worldwide generated 10.4 million referrals resulting in 15.5 billion US dollars, worth of business for its members. The highest valued referral generated within Sri Lanka amounts to $ 5.2 million. BNI® offers members the opportunity to share ideas, contacts and most importantly, business referrals. This is an ideal networking space for those businesses that rely heavily on referral marketing, especially entrepreneurs who want to expand their horizons by tapping into global markets while consolidating themselves in Sri Lanka.
Launch Ambassador Dr.Prabath Karunanayake also spoke about the difference between a lead and a referral, the value of getting a referral which BNI is network is famed for, anyone can pass a lead to someone and the rate of conversion of a lead similar to a cold call but when it comes to a referral the there is a big difference and the possible conversion of the business is very high. Word of mouth marketing (referral) happens through recommendations, based on the trust and relationship among two decision makers. According to Dr. Prabath, BNI® is a structured and the most successful platform to do referral marketing in the world.
Today, for most businesses, recommendations are what drive their business. According to research findings, 92% Consumers are more likely to trust their peers over advertising, when it comes to purchasing decisions. When you look for a referral, who do you turn to? When you need a good service or a good deal, who do you ask? You ask your peers, your friends, your acquaintances – because they are the ones who can tell you about the experiences they have had, their experience gives you comfort to purchase a product or consume a service.
Regional Director Anjana Gunatillake said, “Businesses in the world largely rely on referrals, but most of the organizations do not have a proper strategy in place for referral marketing. This is why BNI is important for a business as it provides the required structured processes and platforms to work locally, and opens up global markets through the BNI Global Network. In a country like Sri Lanka, where the market space is very small and the economy is slow, BNI helps entrepreneurs to think globally so that they can expand their business while inspiring many along the way”
BNI® helps you to promote your business through a wider audience. By joining BNI®, you increase your exposure to like-minded professionals, gain referrals from a global network and sharpen your networking skills with exclusive member resources. With thousands of chapters worldwide, BNI® provides a global business network that remains unmatched. In addition to unparalleled business growth, BNI® members develop lasting relationships that allow them to grow personally and professionally.
The Gladiator Chapter launch was a perfect example and it confirmed the entire process of BNI® not only with the energy that was brought into the room, but by setting a new launch day record for business concluded. The previous record was Rs.8 Million, while they concluded business worth Rs.42.96 Million which was nearly 435% over the previous record. The chapter was launched with hall of fame status and apart from the membership, it saw over 75 visitors present at a very lively business meeting.
BNI has its plans well defined, by BNI Sri Lanka National Director and President Global Markets Mahesh Mac Srinivasan with 1010 members by 2020.
Gladiator Members meet on Fridays at 7.30 a.m. for a weekly business meeting. With the launch of the chapter, members gain access to BNIConnect® – an online portal where all members worldwide are connected to find suppliers and business partners globally and showcase their business offerings to members from across the world.
If referrals are an important part of your business, then BNI® is definitely the place for you. Would you like to expand your professional network, grow your business, develop your networking skills, and create lasting personal relationships? In BNI®, you can do all that, and more!
Join us at the next meeting of the Gladiator Chapter on Friday to gain an understanding on how BNI® can help you take your business to the next level. For details, call Emile on 0773018888 or Tariq on 0773161630.
Visit the BNI® Global website www.bni.com for more information.
