Are you a 2D or 3D networker? Adventures In Networking EP02.

Welcome back to Adventures In Networking, the show about our networking journey. Here you are invited to share your stories and networking lessons with your hosts James and Kelly, the founders of ONLE Networking, the business network for people who like people.

In this episode we are talking about 2D and 3D networking, aka networking to and through the ‘room’, as we go into the Networking Repair Shop. We have some help answering this question from guests: Brian Hilliard, Chris Mansfield, Joanne Bonnett as we learn how they’ve used the limitless reach of networking. 

Listen/subscribe on Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/are-you-a-2d-or-3d-networker-adventures-in-networking-ep02/id1500905335?i=1000648081440

Listen/subscribe on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/0Bkfmh9ueZu2w3Mvarj5j0?si=dcbabc3399014215

Show notes
Our networking story:
In this episode we are sharing our networking story: how we met and how our story influenced the culture of ONLE. Networking without rules and restrictions because we believe the person is more important than the network. Ensuring no one is excluded because of their circumstances or location.

Networking to and through the ‘room’:
Chris Mansfield, professional networker, emphasises how if you want others in your meeting to be able to refer you to those in their network, it is your responsibility to make it easy for them to do so. It is important to educate your fellow networkers with clear information about what you do and who you serve so that they can then communicate that with others they know and effectively become your extended ‘salesforce’.

Chris explains how networking through the room with the aim to gain referrals should come as a primary and if you receive business from those in the room, that should be seen as a bonus.

The strategy of selling at online networking:
Brian Hilliard, author of Networking Like A Pro talks through his five stage process for selling through networking. He emphasises the mistake that many make by having the approach of going networking to sell. Instead, Brian advises that you lead with the intention of having conversations and the business inevitably follows if you put the time in to helping others.

Finding your specific networking ask:
Joanne Bonnett, ONLE host and networking advocate, explores the concept of everyone at your networking meeting being ‘multi-hyphenated’. Everyone you meet will have various roles in their lives which you will never see and because of this you will never know how far their own personal and business networks reach.

So don’t be afraid to niche down your ask at networking. Being specific and concise about who you want to speak to and why will not leave you devoid of referrals. In fact it can do the exact opposite. One specific person, for whom your offering is highly specialised, will come to mind for those you are asking rather than a whole industry of potential referrals which will be forgotten before the next meting.

Conclusion: Treat people with respect, have conversations and don’t make assumptions about your fellow networkers as you don’t know what and who they know.