Is your networking activity causing you to fall behind? The ONLE Networking Show ep21 with Sam Sharma.

Kelly and James discuss the reason why your networking activities could be allowing you to fall behind. How big is your networking radius? How big do you want it to be? Plus we hear our member’s comments on the importance of recognition and what you can do to help your fellow networkers.

Finally, Sam Sharma joins us for a fascinating interview about his inspiration behind The Six Figure Consultancy and how his work in the corporate world allowed him to understand the danger of a mismatch between your values and work life.

Listen/subscribe on Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/is-your-networking-activity-causing-you-to-fall-behind/id1500905335?i=1000617279883

Listen/subscribe on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/49H7mMAF4EiTGrOI4NZoH4?si=545e55df72414569

Our sponsor

The ONLE Networking Show is proud to be sponsored by GetSetSolent. GetSet Solent is a fully funded business support service. The service helps businesses overcome the two biggest barriers to growth: generating profitable customers and accessing finance. 

GetSet Solent’s aim is increase the knowledge and skill levels in the region, providing clarity and confidence to help Solent-based businesses achieve their growth potential through 121's and workshops. GetSet Solent is only available to SMEs across the Solent area and is funded by the European Regional Development Fund. Find out what support you can get by checking out: https://www.getsetforgrowth.com/solent/

Show notes
Is your networking activity causing you to fall behind:

There is no doubt about it, networking is changing. The fallout from the online shift during the pandemic is now becoming apparent and the segregation between in-person and online networking is much more established. The key questions are how big is your networking radius, and how how big do you want it to be? Whether you trade locally, nationally or globally, your approach to networking should reflect that.

In the past we were limited to purely networking on an ultra-local scale, where you knew one plumber, one accountant and one landscape designer all in your local area. But with more small businesses being setup everyday, this is no longer the case. We are no longer unique in what we do but instead we are unique in our personality and how clients perceive and interact with us and our businesses. So if you are returning to the in-person world of networking, it is important to manage your expectations where as the easy sale and local lock out of your competitors came to an end with the rise of social media.

Both in-person and online networking have their place but is important to think about which you prefer and more important which will better benefit your business. Without this consideration, you may always fall short of your networking expectations and subsequently be left behind as the industry continues to shift.

Based on Rory Berry’s ONLE Talks, building a team (whether you employ people or not), discussions amongst the members revealed that most solo business owners often forget that they do have a team. You DO have a team. Friends and family keep us sustained and give us support when we need it and it’s too easy to to show your appreciation even if they don’t understand the world of owning a business. Members found themselves spending time thinking about what is important to them and whether they value it enough.

ONLE members notes from around the network:
Nikki Spicer: “I write a strapline for each person to help me remember them and to share with them so they can understand what resonates.”
Spencer Thomson on recognition: “Babies cry for it, soldiers die for it”

Conclusion: Your approach and type of networking activity should be dictated by the reach your want to achieve. Networking is changing. And with the segregation of in-person and online networking comes new possibilities to expand your network internationally and push past geographical boundaries set by the traditional forms of networking.

Give Sam a follow: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samscoach/, https://www.facebook.com/samscoach/