Thinking of visiting ONLE?
What ONLE Networking can offer you and your business, plus what to expect when you visit.
Whether you’re new to networking and curious about how it can help you grow your business, or you’re an experienced networker investigating online networking options, this is the page for you.
How can online networking with ONLE help you?
“We owe our business success to networking. It’s the most time and cost efficient way to find business opportunities. And now we’re fully online, the reach of our network is limitless.”
Kelly and James West, founders of ONLE Networking
Networking is about building mutually beneficial relationships. ONLE connects you with business leaders and owners from around the UK and the world through monthly online meetings, member-only events, and a vibrant digital community.
By becoming part of this growing network, you join other entrepreneurs in finding sales opportunities, learning the latest techniques to drive your business growth, and crucially, gain the support and friendship of others with similar business ambitions.
Want to learn how to network effectively? Book a space at our complimentary online networking workshop.
What makes ONLE different from other networks?
• No pressure to sell or refer
Running a business is tough and time-consuming. We want to make it easier, not harder! So we’ve removed the networking rules and protocols that get in the way of running a business and building genuine connections.
• Relationship-first networking gives you more than business opportunities
Our people-first approach means rather than the awkward starting point of trying to sell to strangers, our members are relaxed and build real relationships which lead to sales appropriate to both parts. Plus our approach gives members much more. They gain priceless insight into how their business is perceived. They get support from people who are experts in their chosen field. And most importantly for those working alone or in a small team, they gain friendships - a precious commodity in business.
• Online networking gives you unlimited business reach
Unlike in-person networking where you will meet people from within a 10-mile radius, at an ONLE meeting you will meet people from other regions and countries. This massively extends your network which can lead you to making sales around the world.
• No-one is excluded, we save time/money and reduce our carbon footprint
Online networking is obviously time efficient, saves us money on fuel and coffees and is better for the planet. Plus, because no-one is excluded because of their location or circumstances, we’re attracting people you will never meet at in-person networking events.
• You’re free to visit anywhere and talk to anyone!
Because we’re open category - meaning more than one business type can attend a meeting - you can speak to every member of the ONLE network. Think about it - if you’re limited to just one small corner of a network, that’s a “closed network” which seems to be an oxymoron.
• Flexible and fair membership
Most networks lock you into an annual contract AND charge you for additional services. Our members pay a single fee: £45 (VAT included) which gives them a space at their chosen ‘home’ meeting, weekly events which bring together members from other regions, and full access to the ONLE community and benefits. Plus there’s no joining fee, minimum contract or penalty for leaving. Why? Because we only want to network with people who want to network with us!
(Learn about all our membership benefits here.)
Don’t just take our word for it!
Here’s what our members think:
What happens during ONLE meetings?
You’ll be welcomed and guided through your ONLE networking meeting by one of our hosts
ONLE meetings are held on Zoom and are 90-minutes long. Once you book your space, you’ll receive confirmation of attendance, followed by a sequence of emails reminding you of the upcoming event. The day before the meeting, you’ll receive a list of attendees which we urge you to print - this helps you put a face to the name and is useful for writing notes.
Your host will welcome you into your meeting and explain what’s coming up.
There are five parts to each ONLE meeting:
Introduce yourself
The start of the meeting is your opportunity to explain to the group who you are. At ONLE we do not time this section but encourage you to provide a brief introduction to yourself, your business and maybe what makes you different. We encourage you to spend some time thinking about this before the meeting; positioning what you do and delivering it confidently helps ease your nerves and helps people get to know you. When you’re not speaking, listen to the other members and make a note of anyone you’d like to speak to.
Have a business one-to-one
In every ONLE meeting, you get two impromptu one-to-one chats with other attendees. Your host will split the attendees randomly into online breakout rooms for 10 minutes, giving you a chance to get to know a member or visitor. It’s like chatting with someone while grabbing a coffee - a great ice breaker and way into the network.
ONLE Talks business topic discussion
During each meeting, we share the key takeaways from our monthly business topic discussion video - ONLE Talks - followed by a group conversation. You can either sit back and listen, or take part in the discussion. We’ve covered topics ranging from marketing, networking, presentation skills, branding and mental wellbeing and we’ve found that the shared learning experience is the perfect way for all of us to expand our knowledge.
Your second business 1-2-1
This is another chance to get to know someone on the call during your second breakout room. Again, you have 10 minutes to learn about each other and enjoy talking.
ONLE Actions
The ‘I ONLE..’ section of the meeting is your opportunity to share what you’ve contributed to the network - perhaps a referral or an offer of help. If you’re new to the network or have nothing to share, no problem - we’ll just move on. We do not track or time this section so there is no pressure.
…After the meeting
Networking doesn’t begin and end at the networking meeting. Take time to follow up with the people you meet. Use the attendee sheet provided to connect with people online. Send emails. Like people’s pages. Connect with them on LinkedIn. Show an interest in others and they are more likely to show interest in you. This is the way to start building your network.
Want to see how ONLE can help your business?
Want to build an extended network, learn new skills, get ideas and business opportunities and be part of a community that looks out for each other? If yes, you’ll fit right in!
There’s no obligation to join - you are very welcome to visit to see if ONLE is right for you. Click on the meeting calendar below to find a meeting time that fits your schedule:
Still got questions? Learn about our membership pricing and benefits, or check out our FAQ.