5 Reasons We Meet Weekly

When talking about business networking groups, one of the questions I am often asked is: “Are weekly chapter meetings really necessary?” Meeting every week is a serious commitment, and I get it—some people aren’t thrilled about showing up week-in and week-out for their networking meeting.

In 1986, I decided to experiment with this and launched seven BNI chapters that met only twice a month. It was an interesting idea, but over time, I saw a clear pattern: these groups passed 52% fewer referrals than the ones that were meeting weekly. While I was disappointed, I wasn’t exactly surprised.

So, I made a point of visiting each of those twice-a-month groups individually and asked them, “If I could show you one simple change that would double the number of referrals you are getting, would you do it?” They all said yes—of course! And what was the change I suggested? “Meet every week.” I showed them the data, and six out of the seven chapters decided to make the switch. What about the one group that didn’t? It ended up closing within a year. By 1987, every BNI group was meeting weekly.

I have shared this story many times over the years, and it is also in the book Givers Gain: The BNI Story. What I haven’t talked about as much is why I believe the weekly meetings generated double the results compared to the groups that met twice a month. I reflected on this, and here are the reasons I think meeting weekly is such a game-changer for networking success:

1. Spaced Repetition: Meeting every week is a form of spaced repetition—a proven way to build habits of learning and engagement. Research backs this up. For example, a 2016 study from Dartmouth, published in the Journal of Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences, shows how spaced repetition leads to greater success. By meeting regularly, we are continually reinforcing the skills and relationships that lead to more referrals.
2. Avoiding “Benign Neglect”: When people don’t stay in touch, relationships can start to fade—not on purpose, simply because of time and distance. This is called benign neglect, and it can be damaging when you are trying to build long-term relationships. Weekly meetings ensure that this doesn’t happen. You are constantly reconnecting, keeping relationships fresh and active.
3. Practice Makes Perfect: We all know that to get good at anything, you need practice—lots of it. Professional athletes don’t stop training just because they have made it to the top, and businesspeople shouldn’t either. Weekly meetings give us the chance to improve, learn, and fine-tune our networking skills. It is the conditioning and practice needed to become a champion in business.
4. The VCP Process_®: Visibility, Credibility, Profitability (VCP) is at the heart of building relationships that lead to ongoing referrals. Meeting weekly is like a force multiplier in moving through these stages. The more consistently you meet, the faster you build visibility and credibility, which ultimately leads to profitability.
5. Staying Top of Mind: Seeing your fellow members every week keeps them top of mind. You know that you will see them on your meeting day, so you naturally think about how you can help them, whether it is through your presentation or a referral. Meeting weekly also means that when you have a referral to give, you pass it along right away, while it’s still fresh and “hot.” The longer you wait, the colder it gets, and that can mean missed opportunities.

All of these reasons lead to more business—plain and simple. The data has shown, time and again, that there is a direct, dramatic correlation between attending networking meetings regularly and generating more referrals (and a lot more business).

I have said for many years that if you want to be successful in business, you need to focus on doing six things a thousand times, not a thousand things six times. Meeting every week to hone your networking skills is a perfect example of this principle. Consistently referring your fellow members to people you know and practicing the art of networking leads to lifelong relationships and a steady stream of referrals for your business.

BNI’s Executive Chairman and former CEO, Graham Weihmiller, has a great analogy for this—he likes to say that BNI is the CrossFit of networking. I completely agree!

So, think of your group’s weekly meeting as your networking workout. Commit to it, and you will see the results.

NOTE: This blog is adapted from one I wrote that first appeared on BNI.com.