Meeow Online Networking

The secret to summer success in business? 🤔 Good question... It's very tempting, during these mid-year months to plan our work and new business development around the weather forecast. Who doesn't like to take a guilty day of recharge when the sun's out? I know I do... 😊 Plus, we all like to take some family time during the holidays to spend with the kids or just getting some serious sun, somewhere where we cam embarrass ourselves by attempting to order beer in a foreign language 😁 But.... what are the repercussions of a lazy holiday attitude to work and/or business? Well, it can make for a decidedly uncomfortable Christmas, that's one worry 😱 The key in not losing impetus during the summer months is continuing to make the conversations about your business happen when you are in the work mind. Don't EVER turn off your new business thinking and talking. Always mention what you do to new people, remind people in your existing network about how you can help their connections with great project stories and keep up your networking. You could even network from your sun-lounger with Meeow Online Networking! (I know that's a huge expectation, but it's true!) 😊 Book your networking for the summer weeks at https://lnkd.in/eRj6mFyd #networking #networkingtips #networkingevents

He went for broke... AND WON! It was unbelievable! 😱 I've told this story many, many, many times, simply because it pointed out to me to that old adage of "6 degrees of separation" is not only true, but in many, many, many cases it can turn out to be far less than 6 😳 AND, huge referrals can come from the most unlikely places. I have to say, I wasn't there to witness this myself. I heard this as part of presentation at an event I attended back in..... errr.... about 2016 (I think). The date and time mean nothing as this lesson will never change... A gentleman I know (let's call him Carl, because that's his name) had a corporate gifts business (that's branded pens, umbrellas, stress toys etc) in Leeds. He was a member of a BNI group at the time and was doing pretty bloody well out of the referrals he was receiving. So... one morning, for his presentation to the group, he decided to throw his line out for a really big fish 😳 "Good morning, my name's Carl (insert surname) and I provide branded merchandise to businesses large and small. This morning I'd like an introduction to anyone at (drum roll please.........!!) SKY TV!" Apparently there was a slight, muffled but room-wide titter at this request. Carl sat down and the meeting went on. At the end of the formal section of the meeting, Carl was getting himself another appalling coffee when Pete the Joiner (that's not his actual name... his name is Pete and he's a joiner) approached Carl and said... "Carl, you asked to speak to someone at SKY TV?" "That's right Peter the Joiner, I did?" Carl replied curiously "Aye, I thought you did... well, you see, my Auntie Rosemary is the..... err.... what's it called...?" "I don't know Pete, what does she do?" "She looks after this guy, a business guy... errr...?" "Do you mean PA? Personal Assistant?" "YEAH! THAT'S IT! She's a PA for a guy called James Murdoch, he's at SKY, isn't he?" Carl was dumbstruck.... "Your Auntie Rosemary is James Murdoch's PA??" he attempted to clarify "Yeah, she lives down in London, she's worked for him for years!" To cut a potentially long story Linkedin short, Carl found himself, shortly after this alarming conversation, supplying SKY TV with £40k/month of branded merchandise for 2.5 years. An incredible turn of events... but proof that attempting to engineer the people you speak with to access your biggest and best clients can hamstring you out of potentially huge opportunities. Think on... and think of who your big fish are? Cat's love big fish, so why not try your big fish pitch on Meeow Online Networking. It's FREE and hosts 40+ networking events every week. You'll be matched with other networkers in rooms of no more than 4 for 45 mins, to really get the conversation going. https://lnkd.in/eRj6mFyd #networking #networkingtips #networkingevents

I can't believe I was that complacent... 😕 Here's a little story... an interesting and helpful one, I hope. I was forced to start my own design business back in 2008 when the 'Credit Crunch' devastated the creative industry. Luckily for me, the company that made me redundant went out of business entirely, which meant I was able to pick up 2 ready-made clients I'd alrwady worked with, right from the off. This was probably to root of my complacency. Over the next few years I worked with these clients, and a few others who were introduced to me purely by accident. I didn't market myself, I didn't network, I didn't really speak with anyone about my business... I simply got my head down and did the work. Then, in around 2015, one of those dependable clients sold up and left me with a significant gap in my turnover. A little mild panic ensued and my girlfriend at the time suggested I go on a course to learn the dark art of cold calling... I hate cold calling, in fact I hate it so much I'd never done it. I paid my £25 and went along... Purely coincidentally, I found myself sitting next to a young man called Nick Cohen who asked me about my business. The conversation developed and he uttered the immortal words... "You should come to my networking group". Those words changed my life. A whole new world opened up to me. A new world of support, advice, learning, camaraderie, opportunities and ambition. I should mention that I no longer work with any of the clients I had back in 2015 and often wonder what I would have done if I hadn't met Nick that day. My complacency was truly breath-taking. No matter what situation you're in right now, please, please, please don't imagine that the status quo will last forever. Get out and meet people. Build your network. Create and continue conversations. And most importantly of all... don't wait until disaster strikes to begin... do it now, and always. https://lnkd.in/eRj6mFyd 100% FREE networking online - 40+ events every week #networking #networkingtips #networkingevent

This feedback really made us feel great about what we do... Lockdown made me realise that not everyone is in the privileged position to be able to use the incredible power of networking to help them get started in business and thrive once they're up and running. Whether that be for reasons of time, distance, money, availability, disability or fear, so many are disadvantaged and therefore their chances of success are diminished. We created Meeow Online Networking to bring the power of business networking into the 21st century and provide a safe and easy space for everyone to harness this powerful medium and turn it to their advantage. So, it's amazing to hear feedback like this, from Gosia Saly, a member of The 6 Figure Bookkeeper community, who have a twice monthly resident Meeow on our platform. Gosia posted this in the 6 Figure Bookkeeper Facebook group: I'd like to share my experience with Meeow networking. Creating a profile is incredibly easy—I managed to do it even though my company isn't quite ready yet. Meeow offers a fantastic way to practice building confidence when meeting new people and potential clients. My first session wasn't perfect; I wasn't prepared with my 60-second "about me" pitch. Despite that, I still connected with someone who added me on LinkedIn and wants to meet again. I never imagined this would happen, especially since I considered myself shy and far from perfect. So please, if you can, go for it on Friday! It's so good to hear this from our members. It validates everything we set out to achieve and we're so grateful to Gosia for opening up like this to let her fellow community members know that Meeow is here to help them succeed. Thank you Gosia, we wish you every success. And thank you Gill Russel for letting us know ;)

What's the worst thing you can do in a networking meeting? There are probably 100+ answers to this question in your mind right now, but I want to address the elephant in the room, the subject that haunts most networkers, particularly anyone who's new to networking and possibly event new to business. First of all, let's talk about your desired outcome of any networking situation. What is that? New business, right? Of course. So what MUST you do to have any hope of finding new business opportunities with new contacts? Any ideas? I'll give you a second.......... Instil confidence in you, in your new contacts! That's right! So, to instil confidence, you need to demonstrate confidence in yourself, your abilities and your ability to articulate what you do, who for and how it benefits them. Now for the kicker... If you're required to present to a room at a networking event, the absolute worst thing you can do is.... READ YOUR PRESENTATION OUT! Jeez... if I witness one more person attempting to ingratiate themselves with a new audience by reading their presentation, I'll actually scream. I understand that nerves can be a challenge. I understand that time is short and you need to get everything out and get your point across. But I'm afraid the only way to build credibility is to know your subject, and demonstrate that. Before you ask... NO! You can't have cue cards, or a list of bullet points to glance down at every few seconds. Learn it. Rehearse it. Dedicate time to it. Make it an automatic response to the words "Can we now hear from (insert your name here)" Growth only occurs outside our comfort zones... we all know this. Throw yourself outside the circle and take on the challenge of demonstrating true confidence, building instant authority and instilling cast iron confidence in our new networks. Here endeth the lesson. Step outside your comfort zone in the most comfortable way possible with Meeow Online Networking. It's FREE, unlimited and in groups of no more than 4 it's the most powerful, but least intimidating form of networking available. https://lnkd.in/evsiY2QC #networking #networkingtips #networkingevents

I make no apology... and neither should you 🙄 Talking to people about what you do can be stressful... I get it. If you're British this can be doubly agonising as received wisdom is that self-promotion is vulgar... annoying ey? The thing is, if you're going to have any chance of instilling in new contacts the belief that you're worthy of an introduction to someone in their network, you HAVE TO sell yourself, or your product with confidence. So many times, I've met people at networking events, either on Meeow Online Networking or elsewhere and when the moment arrives for them to talk about themselves, what they do and the real benefits of working with them, they've approached the task in an almost apologetic way, clearly wanting the excruciating process to end as soon as possible. THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR THIS. Every second of your new business effort is irreparably damaged if the delivery of your pitch is presented in this limp wristed, confidence crushing way. I fell into this trap for many years. In a social situation I'm a ball of fire, almost annoyingly so (if reports are to be believed) but for sooooo long I faltered at the point of self-promotion. I'm convinced there was an intensely bitter slice imposter syndrome hidden under the cushions of my mental sofa at the time, but a stiff talking to from a good friend and colleague highlighted to me that I was literally my own worst enemy. Growth only begins outside our comfort zone. You've heard that, right? Well it's bloody well true! It's time to suck it up, Butter Cup and begin to put yourself forward with the belief, force and unapologetic confidence that you apply to the process of doing your job. Go out into the world and say you're great at what you do. It really is revelatory... I promise 😊 Get out of your comfort zone in the most comfortable way with Meeow Online Networking. It's FREE, unlimited and we offer 40+ opportunities to networking from home or office every week. Take a look at the Meeow schedule https://lnkd.in/evsiY2QC #networking #networkingtips #networkingevents

In the end... it was the story that made the difference 😃 👏 A few years ago, I was a member of a BNI UK & Ireland group in Leeds... I regularly 'subbed' (meaning attended a meeting on behalf of a member from another group) for other members in the area and found myself at a hotel in Headingley one rainy Friday morning. It was a fairly new, small group but the members were all really motivated (I mean you have to be to be networking at 6.30am, right?). One guy, Stephane Ganach from AdsVentures (Marketing) LTD made his 60 sec pitch. He was confident and presented himself well. He said "I'm ex-Google and I offer PPC management to small businesses", then asked to speak with local plumbing firms (I think). After the formal section of the meeting, Stephane and I chatted and arranged a 121 for the next week. We met up in Leeds for a coffee and he almost immediately said "I'm really struggling Simon... I don't know why I'm not getting any referrals from my networking". He was particularly distressed, as anyone is when the new business isn't flowing in as it should. A thought immediately occurred to me. "Do the people in the group understand what you do and who you do it for?" He looked incredulous. "What do you mean?" he replied. "Well I remember you said you offer PPC management and you're looking for plumbing companies... that's great on specificity on the people you're looking for, but do the other members know what PPC is and how it will help the plumbers you're looking for?" Stephane looked bemused. "Everyone knows what PPC means, don't they? They know what it does?" "Well, I know what it means, but I'm in the creative and marketing industry... I don't know whether the rest of your group know" Now that thoughtful, long distance gaze at the ceiling spread across Stephane's face... I remember it distinctly... the moment of realisation. I continued. "Mention the jargon, but always back it up with an explanation of what PPC does AND tell a story about how you've used PPC to help a business get straight to the top of Google search AND what the effect on their business was" "OK............ I'll try that......" Stephane replied, still gazing into the distance. Cut to 3 months later. I walk into a BNI training event in Wetherby and the first person to muscle their way through the crowd to me was Stephane! "Simon! Simon! You were right! I changed my presentation the week after we met and I've had hundreds of referrals since then! I've just taken on my first member of staff!" I was made up for Stephane... such a lovely guy and brilliant at what he does. AdsVentures (Marketing) LTD have just celebrated their 8th year and they're going strong, with an ever growing team. Just goes to show... it's all in the story 😉 Tell your story to the growing networking community on Meeow Online Networking. It's FREE and you can choose from 40+ networking events every week. https://lnkd.in/evsiY2QC #networking #networkingtips

It was a close call... but I once witnessed someone ALMOST self-censor themselves out of a HUUUGE opportunity... 😬 We all do it, to a greater or lesser extent. When we meet new people, either through organised networking, or just through the daily course of our lives and business, we all have a tendency to judge their helpful relevance to us as introducers based on their job title or sector. I can see the logic in this, but it really will have a serious effect on the opportunities that come your way. Waaaay back at the very start of the Meeow Online Networking story (well, it seems like waaaay back, it was actually 2020) when Meeow wasn't Meeow, it was "A Zoom a Day", I hosted a networking call of 4 (the magic number, in case you were wondering) and watched as one guy almost sacrificed the biggest lead he'd ever had... On entering the room, and discovering the professions of the other 3 attendees, this gentleman was visibly dejected (head down, shoulders slumped, listless demeanour). He clearly believed he was about to waste an hour of his life. I'm absolutely convinced that only his clearly fabulous upbringing and impeccable manners prevented him from faking a broadband connection glitch. I made him introduce himself first... Inside the first 30 seconds of his pitch he'd set light to one of the other attendees who bounced around the screen shouting "Oh you have to meet my best mate!" Turns out that the best friend of the seemingly irrelevant fellow attendee was actually this guys great white whale, the Holy Grail (forgive the rhyming), the centre of his world, a connection he'd been attempting to make for circa 4 years (at that time). Longish story slightly shorter... the referral was made, the connection created, business done and the value of that referral (as of July 2022, when I last asked him) had reached £2.2m 😳 I have no idea how many nightmares that gentleman has experienced since that day. Nightmares where he wakes, sweating and breathless, convinced he's just quit Zoom on the referral to end all referrals! 😩 I've heard legion stories of this type, where gargantuan referrals have sprung from the most unlikely sources... but this one I witnessed myself. The moral? Don't judge a book by it's cover. Everyone knows people, we're not our job titles, we're not confined to a sector. Don't forget, the person sitting next to you could be the key to your success. Find your own white whale (possibly) on Meeow Online Networking It's 100% FREE (no card details required) and you'll meet other people looking for theirs in virtual rooms of no more than 4. With over 40 online events every week, it's the new way find new business. https://lnkd.in/evsiY2QC #networking #networkingtips #networkingevents #dontjudgeabookbyitscover

I hate to say this... but I must 😣 Many people say "Networking doesn't work for me". I'm baffled by this statement. Those same people often go on to say "I have a huge network already and that has helped me a lot in the past" OK, so how did they form that network in the first place? You see networking doesn't have to be something which happens within the confines of an organised event. Whenever we met people and talk about our businesses, that's networking. I once met a gentleman who said precisely 'the above' and explained the difference between simply meeting people AND attending an organised networking event to him in this way... "You may be a spiritual person, but you don't subscribe to any of the organised religions" Organised networking events are simply an opportunity to meet others who're focused on talking about business and nothing else. A way of increasing your chances of meeting a new client, being referred to a potential new client or simply being introduced to someone who can help you meet more potential new clients. I believe a huge part of the issue a lot of these people have with networking in general is that they attend with purely self-focused motivation. Networking shouldn't be about just you, it should be about "how can we help one another?" I've said it many times, but I'll say it again... "Networking is a team sport". In fact, in all honesty, business in general should be a team sport. So let's think about business AND networking in a more holistic way... let's focus on helping one another make it. Let's support one another ion taking the next steps towards success. Let's all succeed together. Network every day, or whenever you want on Meeow Online Networking. It's 100% FREE (no card details required) with no limits to the number of events you attend. With over 40+ networking opportunities every week, you're sure to find the right one(s) for you. Join FREE today https://lnkd.in/evsiY2QC #networking #networkingtips #networkingevents

How's your 'Network Tree' looking? What the hell is a 'Network Tree' Simon? Good question. Well, at the risk of sounding like a primary school teacher, here we go. When you first start out in business, your network (people you know who're in the same boat) will most likely be small. Like a sapling. Small branches and not many of them. As you begin to attend events and networking events, you meet more people, your network begins to grow and your tree grows with you... more branches, reaching further up towards the sunlight. As time goes by, if you're networking locally (face to face) your network will continue to grow, but as a result of meeting people you've met before, more often (this always happens... local networking communities are always pretty tight) the rate of growth in your Network Tree will begin to slow. How do you ensure your rate of growth continues at the same rate? Reach further. Attending events further afield and consequently meeting more new people can be costly, time consuming and often won't dovetail with your busy schedule. So what's the alternative? Well networking online gives you that instant increase in reach, without any of the inconvenience or expense. You may feel that online networking doesn't give you the same personal connection that face to face events do, and there's something in this. But let me ask you... When you're introduced to a new potential client, do you always go to see them, in person straight away? I know I don't... post covid, the it's very difficult to justify the aforementioned expense in time and money on 'potential' new business, even though we all used to. I'm willing to bet that in the last 4 years you're working with clients much further away than you previous would have done, and that's down to the widespread acceptance of meeting software like Zoom. Networking is no different. You can meet good potential connections online at first, continue to build the relationship online and perhaps meet in person when you know there's very strong potential of a great association. Reaching further, and more often will guarantee that your 'Network Tree' continues to grow quickly and become more and more effective for you. So when are you going to add the next branches to your 'Network Tree'? Make it today by joining Meeow Online Networking 100% FREE (no card required) The Meeow weekly schedule includes 40+ events on a growing number of topics and covering an ever expanding collection of locations. https://lnkd.in/evsiY2QC #networking #networkingtips #networkingevents #networkingorganisations