10 BNI 60-Second Commercial Examples That Actually Get You Referrals

You need BNI 60 second commercial examples, because what a lot of folks are doing at these networking meetings might sound slick, but it sucks.

A BNI 60-second commercial works when it follows one specific structure: name a problem your ideal client is experiencing right now, show how you solve it, and end with a specific referral ask.

Most members skip the ask. That omission is why so many weekly commercials go nowhere. The examples below give you a working script for 10 different industries, plus the formula behind every one of them.

I sat through a BNI meeting a few years ago and watched a woman spend her entire 60 seconds listing her credentials. MBA. Fifteen years in financial planning. CFP designation. Fiduciary. By the second sentence, the room had mentally checked out. She got zero referrals that week. The following week, another member with half her experience said four words that changed everything: “Do you know anyone…” The room leaned in. Three referrals. Same product, completely different result. The difference was structure.

I’ve also been to several ONLINE networking meetings where folks got a little too creative in my opinion and with more than 20 introductions to listen to, I couldn’t remember what category people were in enough to refer them – or even understand what they actually do.

These BNI 60 second commercial examples exist to close that gap — to give you a tested framework and real scripts so you stop winging it every week and start collecting referrals instead.

The members who consistently get referrals at BNI are not the most credentialed people in the room. They are the ones with the clearest ask.

The Formula Behind Every Good BNI Commercial

Before you look at a single script, understand what makes a BNI 60-second commercial work. There are three parts, and all three have to show up in order.

Part 1: The Problem. Name a specific pain your ideal client is living with right now. Not a general description of your industry. Not your title. A problem that makes someone in the room think, “I know someone dealing with that.”

Part 2: The Solution. Describe what you do and the outcome it produces. This is one or two sentences maximum. The goal is clarity, not comprehensiveness. Your full sales pitch lives somewhere else.

Part 3: The Ask. This is the part most BNI members skip, rush, or make vague. A good ask is specific. “A good referral for me is a homeowner in [city] who just got a quote for a kitchen remodel” is an ask. “Anyone who needs accounting help” is not.

The formula looks like this in practice:

“You know that feeling when [specific problem]? I work with [target client] to [specific outcome]. A great referral for me this week is [specific ask].”

That’s it. Sixty seconds is about 130-150 words at a conversational pace. The formula fills it perfectly when you stop trying to explain your entire business.

BNI 60 Second Commercial Examples by Industry

Each script below follows the Problem-Solution-Ask framework. Some are written for service businesses, some for professionals. Read the ones closest to your industry, then adapt the language to your market.

1. General Contractor / Home Remodeler

“Homeowners in [city] are getting hit right now with contractor quotes that are 30 to 40 percent higher than last year. They’re not sure if they’re getting a fair price or getting taken advantage of. I’m [Name] with [Company], and I specialize in kitchen and bathroom remodels for families who want quality work done on budget and on time. I give every homeowner a transparent, line-item estimate before we sign anything so they know exactly what they’re paying for. A great referral for me this week is a homeowner in [neighborhood] who got a remodel quote that felt too high and wants a second opinion before they commit.”

2. CPA / Accountant

“A lot of small business owners I meet are filing taxes the same way they did when they first started, even though their business has grown significantly. They’re leaving money on the table and they don’t know it. I’m [Name], a CPA specializing in small businesses with one to ten employees. I help business owners pay only what they legally owe — and I find opportunities most general accountants miss because they’re not focused on this market. My ideal referral this week is a business owner who is still using TurboTax or a general accountant who has never done a tax strategy review.”

3. Business Coach

“The business owners I work with are doing well enough to stay in business but are exhausted. Revenue is okay. The stress is not. They’re working 60 hours a week and still feel like they’re behind. I’m [Name], a business coach who works with service-based businesses on building systems that let the owner work less without revenue dropping. My clients typically reduce their weekly hours by 20 percent within 90 days. A perfect referral this week is a business owner who has been saying ‘I need to hire someone’ or ‘I need to get more organized’ for at least a year but hasn’t done it yet.”

4. Realtor

“Right now, a lot of homeowners are sitting on significant equity but have no idea what their home is actually worth in today’s market. They’re either staying put because they’re afraid to sell or making decisions based on old data. I’m [Name] with [Brokerage], and I specialize in helping homeowners in [specific area] figure out their best move — whether that’s selling now, waiting, or refinancing equity. A great referral for me this week is someone who owns a home in [neighborhood], has lived there more than five years, and has at least mentioned thinking about selling in the next year or two.”

5. Estate Planning Attorney

“Most people I meet who have kids under 18 don’t have a will. They mean to get one. It just never happens because it feels complicated and slightly morbid. I’m [Name], an estate planning attorney, and I make this process straightforward. A basic estate plan protects your kids, names who makes decisions if you can’t, and takes about three weeks to complete. My ideal referral this week is a parent with young children who has been putting off estate planning because it feels overwhelming — or because they don’t know where to start.”

6. Insurance Agent (Commercial / Business)

“A lot of small business owners signed up for business insurance years ago and haven’t looked at it since. Meanwhile, their business has grown, their payroll is different, and their coverage has gaps they don’t know about until they file a claim. I’m [Name] with [Agency], and I do a free coverage review for business owners to find those gaps before they become expensive problems. This week, a great referral is any business owner who hasn’t reviewed their business insurance policy in more than two years — especially if they’ve added employees or changed their services.”

7. Financial Advisor

“I work with people who are 10 to 15 years away from retirement and are realizing their current plan doesn’t actually match what they want their retirement to look like. They’re saving, but they’re not strategic about it. I’m [Name], a financial advisor who specializes in helping business owners and professionals build retirement income that doesn’t depend entirely on Social Security. A perfect referral this week is someone in their late 40s or early 50s who has a 401(k) but has never had a financial plan that maps out when they can actually retire and what income they’ll have.”

8. Fractional HR Consultant

“Small businesses with five to 25 employees usually hit the same wall. They’re too big to operate without HR systems and too small to afford a full-time HR director. The result is messy hiring, inconsistent onboarding, and employee problems that get expensive. I’m [Name], a fractional HR consultant, and I give growing businesses the people systems they need without the full-time salary. I average two to three days a month per client. A great referral this week is a business owner with a team between five and 25 people who just had a hiring problem, an employee complaint, or a turnover issue they handled on the fly.”

The best BNI commercials sound like the member is describing someone the room already knows. If your commercial could apply to anyone, it applies to no one.

9. Chiropractor / Sports Physical Therapist

“A lot of people are living with neck or back pain that they’ve convinced themselves is just part of getting older. They pop ibuprofen, adjust their office chair, and manage. What they don’t realize is that the longer they wait, the longer recovery takes. I’m [Name] with [Practice], and I work with active adults and desk workers to eliminate chronic neck and back pain without surgery or medication. A great referral for me this week is someone who has been dealing with back or neck pain for more than three months and has been told to ‘just rest’ without actually getting better.”

10. Web Designer / Digital Marketer

“Most small business websites are losing potential customers every week. The site looks okay, but it doesn’t actually explain what the business does, who it’s for, or what to do next. I’m [Name] with [Company], and I build websites for service businesses that are designed to convert visitors into inquiries — not just look good. I focus on the words and structure as much as the design. A perfect referral this week is a service business owner who is spending money on Google ads or social media but isn’t getting leads from the campaign because the website isn’t doing its job.”

What Makes a BNI Commercial Fail

The scripts above work because they avoid the most common mistakes. Here’s what kills a BNI commercial — and why it matters if you want referrals instead of polite applause.

Leading with your credentials. Your MBA, your certifications, your years in business — none of that gives the room a referral. It gives the room a resume. The person sitting across from you doesn’t need to hire you directly. They need to know who to send your way. Credentials don’t help them do that.

Using your category instead of a problem. “I’m an accountant and I help businesses with their finances” tells the room your job title. “I work with businesses that have outgrown their bookkeeper but aren’t ready to hire a full-time CFO” tells the room exactly who to refer. One is a description. The other is an instruction.

The vague ask. “Anyone who needs help with their marketing” is not an ask. It’s a shrug. A specific ask tells the room exactly what kind of person to look for. “A retail business owner who is spending money on Instagram and getting zero sales from it” is an ask. People can match a face to that description. They can’t match a face to “anyone interested in marketing.”

Saying the same thing every week. BNI meetings are weekly. If your commercial never changes, the room stops hearing it after week three. Rotate your problem. Rotate your ask. Keep the formula the same, but swap in a different client story, a different symptom, a different neighborhood. The formula stays fixed. The content rotates.

Running over time. Sixty seconds ends. If you’re still talking, you look unprepared. Practice your commercial out loud before the meeting. Time it. Most people speak faster when nervous and slower when comfortable, so practice both ways. Get comfortable at 50 seconds to give yourself a cushion.

Being snarky or creative. A lot of people try to be creative or snarky. While these introductions are entertaining, they do nothing to help the listener put you into a category and refer you, they are spending too much time trying to decipher what you do. Instead, make sure that you find a way to include the “department” or function that you fit into; finance, sales, marketing, operations, accounting, etc. Then get into the problem you solve, etc. It’s ok (and necessary) to have referrers put you into a box.

How to Rotate Your BNI Commercial Week to Week

A common mistake is treating the BNI 60-second commercial like a static elevator pitch you memorize and repeat. It’s not. It’s a weekly touchpoint. The formula stays the same. The specific problem, the specific ask, and the specific outcome rotate.

Here’s a simple system for keeping it fresh without having to write a new script from scratch each week.

Build a problem bank. Write down every complaint, frustration, or mistake your clients mention when they first come to you. Each one is a potential opening for a commercial. You probably have 15 to 20 of them if you’ve been in business more than a year.

Build an ask bank. Write down the specific types of people or businesses that are your best clients. Get granular: industry, company size, life stage, trigger event. Each variation is a different ask you can rotate.

Anchor to something current. Reference a season, a trend, a recent news event, or something happening in the local market. “With tax season wrapping up” or “Given what’s happening with interest rates right now” gives your commercial a timeliness that makes it feel relevant instead of canned.

Use a client story without naming names. “I was working with a business owner last week who came to me after losing three employees in six months” is more compelling than any abstract description of your service. One-sentence stories make the room feel the problem instead of just hearing it described.

How to Write Your Own BNI 60-Second Commercial from Scratch

The examples above give you a starting point, but your commercial works best when it uses your language about your specific clients in your specific market. Here’s how to build one from scratch in under 20 minutes.

Step 1: Pick one client type. Don’t try to write a commercial for every client you serve. Pick the one you want more of right now. Be specific: not “small business owners” but “restaurant owners with two to five locations.” Not “homeowners” but “homeowners in [specific neighborhood] with homes built before 1990.”

Step 2: Write down what that client said when they first called you. Forget marketing language. What was the actual problem they described in their own words? “I can’t figure out why my Google ads aren’t working.” “My accountant said I owe $40,000 and I don’t understand why.” “I’ve had three employees quit in four months.” That language is your opening.

Step 3: Write one sentence describing what you do and what happens as a result. “I help [client type] [do specific thing] so that [specific outcome].” Keep it to one sentence. If you need two sentences, your service definition is too broad for a 60-second commercial.

Step 4: Write your ask. “A perfect referral for me this week is [specific person] who [specific trigger event or situation].” The trigger event is the key. A trigger event is something that happened recently to make the problem urgent: a new hire, a divorce, a business anniversary, a tax bill, a home inspection, a product launch, a lease renewal. Triggers make the ask feel immediate.

Step 5: Read it out loud and time it. Most people underestimate how fast 60 seconds passes when you’re nervous. Record yourself on your phone. Listen back. Tighten the language until you hit 50 seconds comfortably. Then practice until it sounds conversational, not rehearsed.

The full script template looks like this:

“[Member name] from [Company]. You know how [specific client type] often struggle with [specific problem]? I work with [client type] to [specific outcome in plain terms]. [One-sentence social proof or result, optional.] A great referral for me this week is [specific description of ideal referral] — especially if they’ve recently [trigger event].”

That’s 60 seconds. Every word earns its place.

Power Phrases That Make BNI Commercials Work Harder

Certain phrases consistently get more attention in BNI commercials. They’re not magic words — they work because they’re specific, visual, or action-triggering. Use them to sharpen your own scripts.

For opening the problem: “You know how…” works better than “Most business owners face…” because it pulls the listener into the scenario instead of lecturing them about it. “Right now, a lot of [client type] are dealing with…” adds timeliness. “The most common thing I hear from [client type] is…” uses social proof to validate the problem before you even describe your solution.

For describing outcomes: Use before/after framing with numbers when you can. “Clients typically go from [specific problem state] to [specific result] within [time frame].” Numbers make outcomes credible. “Within 90 days” is more compelling than “quickly.” “$8,000 in tax savings” is more compelling than “significant savings.”

For the ask: “A perfect referral for me this week is…” signals specificity. “If you know anyone who…” is slightly weaker but still works. The worst phrasing is “anyone who needs…” because “anyone” tells the room nothing. Stronger: “A business owner in the construction or trades space who just landed a project over $500,000 and needs help managing the tax implications.”

For ending with urgency: “This is especially timely right now because…” connects your ask to something happening in the market, the season, or the news. It gives the listener a reason to think of your referral this week instead of filing it away for “someday.”

The Connection Between Your Commercial and Your Referral Strategy

Your 60-second commercial is not a standalone event. It’s the front end of a referral system. The ask you make in the meeting drives what happens after — the follow-up, the one-to-one, the relationship you build with members who regularly send you work.

If your commercial is vague, your referral pipeline is vague. If your ask is specific, your referral conversations get specific too. Members start saying, “I actually know someone who fits that exactly.” That’s when BNI starts working the way it’s supposed to.

The BNI 60 second commercial examples in this article are the same framework that professional networkers use to generate consistent referrals week after week. The formula is the same across every industry. The only variable is how well you know your own client’s problem and how specifically you can name the person you want to meet.

If you want a deeper look at how BNI works as a whole — membership costs, what to expect in the first 90 days, and how to evaluate whether it’s worth the investment for your business — read the full DIYMarketers BNI review here. And if you want to build the referral system that makes your BNI membership actually pay off, start with this guide on how to ask for referrals the right way.

Frequently Asked Questions About BNI 60-Second Commercials

Additional Reading

• Is BNI Worth It? An Honest Review for Small Business Owners
• How to Ask for Referrals Without Feeling Pushy
• BNI Membership Cost: What You Actually Pay and What You Get

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Source: https://diymarketers.com/bni-60-second-commercial-examples/