FAQ

1. What I get for the fees paid to AmSpirit Business Connections?
2. What separates AmSpirit Business Connections from the Chamber of Commerce or Rotary?
3. If somebody were interested in AmSpirit Business Connections, how could they get involved?
4. What are the benefits of belonging to AmSpirit Business Connections?
5. Why do we meet weekly?
6. The structure is boring can we change it?
7. I'm not sure I can give 2 referrals per month.
8. Why do I have to attend every meeting?
9. Let's eliminate the professional fees; they are negative.
10. Why do we not allow outside speakers?
11. Why do we have to follow all the rules?
12. Hearing the officer scripts each week is redundant.
13. How long does it take to get referrals?
14. What does a member commit to?
15. Why should I bring Guests?
16. Why the big push to build membership?

1. What I get for the fees paid to AmSpirit Business Connections?
   AmSpirit Business Connections is similar to any other membership organization. The fees are used to support the membership. For example, a full time staff maintains chapter rosters and a membership web site, and also provides support materials on an ongoing basis to chapters and produces a monthly newsletter for each chapter. AmSpirit conducts activities on a periodic basis for members to gain additional information on networking as well as network with other chapters.

2. What separates AmSpirit Business Connections from the Chamber of Commerce or Rotary?
   First, the Chamber of Commerce and civic organizations like Rotary are invaluable to the local community. AmSpirit Business Connections is different, however, in one simple fact: It is our primary purpose to assist our membership generate business. With the Chamber and civic organizations like the Rotary, generating business is generally a secondary objective.

3. If somebody were interested in AmSpirit Business Connections, how could they get involved?
   Arrange to visit a chapter by contacting a member of AmSpirit Business Connections or contact Frank Agin via e-mail at frankagin@amspirit.com.

4. What are the benefits of belonging to AmSpirit Business Connections?
   In our meetings we talk about five primary benefits, and we focus on these on a weekly basis.
   
   1. The primary reason that people join AmSpirit Business Connections is to get new and additional business.
   2. You get to meet people that you otherwise would not have met.
   3. It teaches us to serve as a resource for our customers and clients.
   4. We help each other develop our overall communication skills. You can't expect to get any better referrals than the message you give, and on a weekly basis we work on giving messages and telling people what's a good referral for us. By doing this on a weekly basis we all become better communicators.
   5. It creates a forum to give to other people. Networking is all about giving. The principal rule of networking is simply this: those people who give are the people who will get, and we find that on a consistent basis, the people who are giving the most referrals are the ones getting the most referrals.

5. Why do we meet weekly?
   AmSpirit's weekly meetings ensure that members get to know each other. Each week attendees give a commercial about their business so members and guests will remember what you do. Meeting less often can have negative consequences. Groups tend to become more social in nature and, therefore, not conductive to generating business leads. Meeting less frequently impedes the focus and exciting momentum of networking.

6. The structure is boring can we change it?
   Our structure is the agenda for each week's meeting. Using the flip chart agenda ensures the repetition necessary to learn networking skills and producing referrals for members.

7. I'm not sure I can give 2 referrals per month.
   By giving to others, they will want to give to you. The more familiar you are with what your members do, the easier it is to think of them when opportunities arise.

8. Why do I have to attend every meeting?
   Consistency in attendance establishes a firm presence in the minds of everyone. They naturally think of you when your product/service is relevant. Your loyalty makes them want to refer to you.

9. Let's eliminate the professional fees; they are negative.
   Professional fees promote commitment and remind each member of the elements for success. Chapters who do not use this system find members not adopting the habits that lead to positive networking results. They serve as a "friendly reminder" of the model for success contained within AmSpirit.

10. Why do we not allow outside speakers?
    Our speakers come from our membership. In this way we learn exactly what they do. Outside speakers generally want to get business from our members without being part of the group. Also, when we allow outside speakers we open the doors for political and controversial topics and concepts better left to other organizations.

11. Why do we have to follow all the rules?
    Rules are really tools! Chapters with a strong membership and high number of referrals understand this. Tools allow us to create things, and for us this means creating business success according to a "proven" model. We simply want to duplicate this success for others.

12. Hearing the officer scripts each week is redundant.
    Repetition is an important ingredient in our model. Within the scripts read by your Chapter leaders is the story of AmSpirit and the commitments necessary for your success. Guests hear the functions carried out by your officers and committee chairs and gain respect for the goals of your members and Chapter.

13. How long does it take to get referrals?
    Some categories are easy to use while other categories require more time to learn how to use. The more concrete information you present about your business, the greater your opportunities are to generate business.

14. What does a member commit to?
    
    • Regularly attending meetings (or sending an alternate).
    • Giving a minimum of 2 referrals per month.
    • Maintaining high ethical and professional conduct.
    • Helping the organization grow by bringing guests.
    • Using member services whenever possible.

15. Why should I bring Guests?
    Sharing the benefits of networking with others helps to solidify your relationship with them. Guests enhance the vitality of your group and add another 250 potential business contacts for your members to do business with even if they don't choose to join your Chapter.

16. Why the big push to build membership?
    The more diversity of categories within a Chapter, the more everyone will benefit from the business contacts that result. Larger Chapters generate more business for each other.