Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

ONLE Networking is a membership community for business leaders. We’re the network for people who like people so we’ve removed rules and protocols commonly associated with business networking that we believe get in the way of building genuine relationships.

The core of ONLE activity is our monthly 90-minute online regional meetings which allow members and visitors to meet, share, and build their knowledge. We see immense power in connecting business owners and professionals to build a trusted network for sharing experiences, support, knowledge and referrals.

Networking is a fantastic way to market and sell your business. But it also delivers much more: support, friendships, and shared learning. At ONLE, we want our members to relax, be themselves and build relationships naturally, without rules and obligations which try to force behaviour. So there are no category restrictions, no point scoring or pressure to refer. ONLE is a community of good people sharing life together.

Our meetings are designed to suit all business schedules and many time zones. We have meetings throughout the working day in various regions. Take a look at our meeting calendar to find a time and region that works for you.

No. We’re keeping ONLE meetings online. They are time-efficient, remove geographical constraints and are environmentally sound. By keeping our meetings online, we’re also more inclusive because no one is unable to attend because of their personal or medical circumstances.

Yes. You are welcome to visit ONLE Networking twice before deciding whether you want to join. This can be the same region twice or by trying two different regions, book your visits via our meeting calendar.

You can see the full list of members on our directory, plus see which group they are a member of. Remember, members can move freely between the groups and attend member-only events that bring together members from across the network. This means that unlike traditional networking where your choice of group defines the scope of your network, within ONLE you will be able to connect with every member.

We run relaxed yet structured online meetings over Zoom. At each regional meeting, we ask members and visitors to introduce themselves and their business, plus a short summary of what makes them different. Then we have our 1-2-1 section, where you’ll get to chat with another attendee in a breakout room. We then have a short education section, followed by a round-table discussion for those who want to get involved. Next is another 1-2-1 with someone else in the Zoom room. The meeting finishes with the ‘ONLE Actions’ section, where everyone can ask for help from the group or acknowledge support they’ve given or received. You may want to make recommendations, give referrals, or explain special offers. See our What to Expect page for more details.

While we encourage visitors to think about how to describe themselves and what they would like to get from the meeting, there’s no need to craft a 60-second sales pitch. The main criteria is that you attend with an open mind, a willingness to listen and learn and a goal of building relationships.

No. We welcome all businesses to ONLE, irrespective of their business type, for several reasons.

Firstly, we have found that most businesses have limitations and significant overlap between categories. For example, one web design business may build using a specific platform, or have a particular price point. This means they may refer work to another web designer. This pattern is repeated for other business types. At ONLE, we favour collaboration over competition.

Secondly, we believe that members should be free to choose who they refer to or work with, rather than feel pressured towards whoever happens to be in their networking group.

No. While we’re huge advocates for encouraging activities that help members and visitors get maximum value from ONLE Networking, we don’t want to force contributions. Referrals and recommendations which occur organically are more valuable than those which are forced in an attempt to score points. Many of our members do track how much business they get from networking as part of their sales and marketing activity, without pressure from ONLE to do so.

The ONLE Networking community is incredibly supportive and growing every day. In addition to your monthly regional meeting, you can join member-only online events such as ONLE 1-2-3, ONLE Everyone and our socials. Each member gets an ONLE Members’ Directory profile, which includes links to their website and social channels, plus access to our member-only Facebook group and Heartbeat communities. Each month, members are sent a video education called ONLE Talks. These feature industry experts teaching a range of business-related skills, and are supported by in-meeting discussions.

Take a look at our membership page for the full range of benefits.

Our pricing is simple. Members pay £45 per month (VAT inc.) / $49. There’s no minimum contract or joining fee, and your membership includes your monthly regional meeting plus all member benefits outlined here.

Here’s a few tips…
Don’t try too hard to sell, no one wants to be sold at! Be mindful of how you might be able to help others in the group. By being interested and helpful, others will generally reciprocate.

For more tips on this, you’d be welcome to attend our How to network online workshop. This is a complimentary workshop for all where our co-founders share their advice and networking best practise so you can become an effective networker - whether that’s online or in-person.