The purpose of Dixon Networking Associates (DNA) is to help the members of the group grow their business by referring business to other members and thus create awareness of member’s business, product or service to the other members and the community.
There is no cost to be a member of DNA. However, on occasion, there may be advertising opportunities available to the group that may incur a cost. If a simple majority votes to do the advertising, each member is expected to pay their portion of the advertising cost.
Leadership of DNA will consist of one meeting chairperson, one information chairperson, one speaker coordinator, one referral chairperson and one membership chairperson. The meeting chairperson is responsible to make sure the meeting begins and ends on time and runs smoothly. The information chairperson is responsible for taking meeting notes and keeping the members informed of meeting times and locations as well as minutes of each meeting. The speaker coordinator is responsible for making sure a speaker is prepared to present at each meeting. The membership chairperson is responsible for keeping roll and making sure members abide by the guidelines regarding attendance. The referral chairperson is responsible for keeping track of the number of referrals that get passed at each meeting as well as the total value of all referrals passed throughout the year.
To become a member, a prospective member must attend two meetings in a row. If the prospective member chooses to join the group, the current members will be polled to verify there are no objections to the new member. If there are no objections, the prospective member will be informed of his/her acceptance into the group. Once accepted as a member, that individual must designate the business category he/she represents. To prevent competition within the group, no new member may represent that same business category. A member may represent more than one category as long as no other member represents that same category. If a new business owner wishes to join the group and picks a business category that a current member represents as a second category, the existing member must defer the business category to the new member.
To foster the objectives of the group, ensure the success of its members and resolve business agenda, attendance and participation at meetings or gatherings is a requirement. Therefore, to maintain membership, each member must attend at least two meetings per month. It would be in the best interest of each member to attend every meeting possible to continue to keep their business in front of the other members; however, emergencies do happen and as business owners it is understood that sometimes business comes first as that is the goal of the group, to increase business.
In the event a member misses three meetings in a row, that member will receive a call from the membership chairperson to confirm that member’s status as a member of DNA. If that member misses two more meetings in a row, that member’s position within the group may be terminated if another business wishes to join the group. If a member provides notice in advance of the inability to attend meetings, that member may have a leave of absence for up to two months without possibility of losing one’s position within the group. Only one leave of absence may be granted per calendar year.
In addition to attendance, each member is expected to provide at least one referral per month to another member. The best way to build your business is to help others build their business. If any member does not do any business with members of the group, or does not provide any referrals to any fellow members of the group, that person may be asked to resign their position within the group.
Although DNA is trying to support the businesses in Dixon, a member may join from any available category even if their business is located in another city. It is understood that the business owner has an obligation to support their business partners within DNA, so even if their customers, friends, and acquaintances reside in another city, the member is highly encouraged to refer these people to their business partners within DNA.
Each member has exclusive membership for their business category within DNA; therefore, a member is expected to support the other members of the DNA group. For this reason, each member may not belong to any other similar business referral group, i.e. BNI, Le Tip, Leads, and others.
Every DNA meeting usually starts with member introductions. Each member will be allowed to provide any announcements about special events or promotions that their business will be having, as well as special events going on in the community or with other social clubs they may be members of, i.e. Chamber of Commerce, Rotary, Lions, Soroptomist, sport or band boosters, etc…
Any business of the group will then be discussed to allow all opinions of the members to be heard. Any business decisions of the group will be resolved via simple majority of all members that choose to vote. Voting may be done via ballot or via e-mail to the DNA chairperson.
Next, a member will be given opportunity to briefly speak to explain their business, product or service in more detail. Members are encouraged to develop key words to describe their business, product or service. These keywords are helpful for other members to trigger referrals when they are out talking to business prospects.
Words of wisdom may then be provided via Words of Wisdom from the WIB.
Next, members will be given an opportunity to provide referrals to other members.
Finally, each member will be given an opportunity to give a 30 second commercial explaining what a good referral would be for them.