Ever walked out of a networking event and realised nobody in the room actually remembers who you are? There’s a reason, and it’s usually decided before you ever step through the door. Which group you pick, how you introduce yourself, even what’s in your pocket when you turn up — it all stacks the odds one way or the other.
This week, Sam pulls apart the groundwork most photographers skip: how to spot the right group for your business (and the red flags that mean you should walk away), whether to pay before you’ve even tried it, and how to build a 60-second intro that actually gets you referred instead of politely ignored. Part one of two — part two covers what to do once you’re in the room.
00:00.07
Marcus Ahmad
it back there we go perfect thank you okay here we go well hello listeners and hello sam how you doing
00:10.68
Sam Hollis
Excellent, excellent. Hello, Marcus. How you?
00:13.43
Marcus Ahmad
i am very well thank you it’s still that crackle is still there yeah let’s just go for it sorry yeah okay let’s start again okay well hello listeners and hello sam i’m very well thank you mate and it’s uh your turn to speak this week i believe
00:24.06
Sam Hollis
Hello, Marcus. How are you doing?
00:30.14
Sam Hollis
My turn. It feels like we’re at school. Shall I put my hand up now?
00:32.70
Marcus Ahmad
Hand up you’ve got something to say.
00:34.84
Sam Hollis
Excellent. So, yeah, so um I did the show recently on offline marketing. It turned out to be a really, really popular show. so But there were lots of topics in there that I talked on briefly because there was so much. So I’m going to go into one of them today and then in some other shows we’ll probably go into some of the others. so I’m going go into networking and there’s so much to say this is going to be a two part show. um We’ll do another one in the future.
00:57.02
Sam Hollis
So yeah, we’re going to talk about networking. So a lot of today is going to be about thinking about before you step in the room, almost all of preparation and a little bit once you get there.
01:05.66
Marcus Ahmad
Excellent. ah One of my favourite phrases, if you’re not if you’re not working, you’re not networking. No, that’s not right, is it? If you’re networking, you’re not working. Whatever.
01:16.66
Marcus Ahmad
so There’s a good play on words in there.
01:16.95
Sam Hollis
One of his favourite phrases, oh you could work out what it is. Okay. Right, okay, so networking. So I usually start with why, but I’m not going to. We talked about that a bit in the world. We talked about that lot, so you need to be networking. We talked about that lots before, so I’m going to talk about going to just in detail. So first thing when you think about you’re going go networking is which networking to go to. There’s all sorts of options out there. There’s loads and loads to think about. So a few things I think for photographers, it can work slightly differently for other people. A few things are more important others. So a few things as a photographer are important. One is locality. So most photographers
01:55.93
Sam Hollis
Well, all photographers work in a particular geographical area. For some, it might be the whole of Europe, for others, it the whole of the UK, for others, it’s a small area within Solihull. And it doesn’t matter what it is, but your network needs to be relevant networking group needs to be relevant to your geographic location. And for most photographers, that is kind of near them. Most photographers are doing work nearby them, there’s plenty of work nearby them, and that’s perfect. So for most, that kind of local networking is absolutely best.
02:21.85
Sam Hollis
ah there is some sector-specific networking which can work really well if you’re in that sector. So, for example, who is definitely i was was looking the other day, in Manchester, there’s a property you know networking event.
02:34.64
Sam Hollis
Now, if you’re a property photographer, you know you’ve got to be there.
02:36.92
Marcus Ahmad
Mm.
02:38.07
Sam Hollis
So sector-specific networking is amazing. done you know Not every sector has it, but some do. And when it does happen and it’s your sector, you’ve just got to be there.
02:48.29
Sam Hollis
are we Why wouldn’t you be? So that’s, you know, if that works, that’s person perfect. I think nowadays networking is a mix of online and in person. I think it’s COVID.
02:58.37
Sam Hollis
It was obviously 100% online. It went a bit mixed. I think it is more in person now, but there are still online events and some groups are wholly online. I think as a photographer, the in person works better.
03:11.34
Sam Hollis
what you think, Marcus, on that one.
03:11.58
Marcus Ahmad
ah Yeah, I agree with you, Sam. I would think, um you know, having spent a lot of time during COVID online, you just don’t get that connection with people when you meet them face to face.
03:19.77
Sam Hollis
Well, there’s a few things. the The big thing to me is when there’s a virtual meeting for Colchester, there are people from all over the bloody place there, the name’s irrelevant. Wow, when it’s a real meeting in Colchester, nobody’s going to drive from Glasgow to get there.
03:34.68
Sam Hollis
but they So I think that makes a difference.
03:35.01
Marcus Ahmad
True.
03:36.76
Sam Hollis
it it It forces it to be, you’re right, there is that connection, but it also forces it to be a local meeting, just the geographical nature of it.
03:45.94
Marcus Ahmad
Yeah, that makes perfect sense.
03:48.31
Sam Hollis
Yeah, because i in COVID, the meetings, you know, claimed to be locations. They were just not. They were just all over the place. And the other thing is events with lots of people. So you can go to a networking event with four people. You can go to a networking event with 40 people. I’ve done both in the last few weeks. You can go to a, you know, there’s no point unless they’re really, really the right people going to a networking event where not many people turn up.
04:09.27
Sam Hollis
It works best when it’s a busy, vibrant group. I thought, obviously, when you’re booking, you don’t necessarily know that.
04:15.60
Marcus Ahmad
Sure, there’s a sort of happy medium, isn’t there really? I think, you know, when it gets too many, it can be a bit overwhelming.
04:23.26
Sam Hollis
I’m not sure. i i did yeah if if you find If you find networking daunting, then yes, the bigger groups could could be.
04:24.83
Marcus Ahmad
Well, you’re quite an extrovert, Sam, aren’t you? You know, we both are, we’re quite gregarious. You know, for some people, it can be going into a room full of people can be quite daunting.
04:36.88
Sam Hollis
It can work two ways. The bigger groups could be more daunting, but in some ways, in smaller groups, you’re forced to speak to particular people. And if you find those particular people awkward to speak to, you can’t get away. why you know There’s more people to escape to in a bigger group.
04:45.91
Marcus Ahmad
Yeah.
04:47.50
Sam Hollis
Just got to go and speak to them now.
04:48.86
Marcus Ahmad
Yes.
04:49.06
Sam Hollis
um So yeah, and then, so lots of these are membership groups. So I think definitely, definitely try before you buy. Do not go and sign up online to any network. Yeah, sign up to go, but do not sign and pay a membership. You go and try these groups, see what they think, see how they work for you.
05:07.42
Sam Hollis
um Definitely go, and they all let you try at least a couple of times, and that’s definitely worth doing.
05:10.81
Marcus Ahmad
Yeah.
05:13.30
Marcus Ahmad
I mean, Sam, do you think there’s more to be gained from, if you pay for a group, there’s more skin in the game, as it were. You’ve got more commitment.
05:21.20
Sam Hollis
Oh, yeah, I think 100%. I think the pay, i know I’m definitely not saying don’t pay, because I think once you’ve found a group that works for you, regular ones can work really well. But, ah you know, don’t pay before you’ve been and visited and untried, some unchecked, that is the one for you.
05:33.53
Marcus Ahmad
Yeah.
05:35.76
Sam Hollis
But no, you’re right, the the longer, and well, that’s probably more in the second show, but yeah, that longer term commitment is kind of where generally the the wider benefits come.
05:43.83
Marcus Ahmad
Gotcha, yeah, yeah, yeah.
05:45.49
Sam Hollis
Yeah.
05:46.01
Marcus Ahmad
And Sam, they don’t, and you know, the classic networking used to be in like, you know, in in in your pub, in a golf club, you know, in it you know some like a on a 5K run or a cycle ride.
05:58.97
Marcus Ahmad
There’s other ways, isn’t there? just It doesn’t need to be business-focused groups.
06:03.45
Sam Hollis
No, no, there’s all sorts of things. Yeah, or so somebody’s trying to persuade me to go to Paddle, Paddle in South London for tech people at the moment.
06:08.73
Marcus Ahmad
Okay. oh happen I mean, how nice is that? But that’s just perfect, isn’t it?
06:13.56
Sam Hollis
okay
06:14.12
Marcus Ahmad
You know, really.
06:14.65
Sam Hollis
That’s it. Yeah. I mean, in some ways, ah I think the key with a lot of those is they say you don’t have to actually able be good at this. You know, it’s everyone come along and have a go and enjoy it. You just in some ways, it’s easier to do the networking when you’re doing something else because you’re not suddenly all.
06:28.97
Sam Hollis
What am I going to say?
06:29.11
Marcus Ahmad
Exactly.
06:30.09
Sam Hollis
I’m trying to balance my cup of coffee and we just kind of it takes it makes it more natural in some ways.
06:35.83
Marcus Ahmad
Exactly. ah You know, this whole, I mean, i you know, i love that phrase, finding your tribe.
06:40.72
Sam Hollis
Yeah, that’s it. That’s a but what it’s about. um Cool. So there’s that. I put down a few red flags, you know, if you’re going to a group. I think one of them is low numbers. You know, if you’re groups there’s not many people there, then it’s like, you know, you’re probably not going to gain much. And I think some of them can get a bit of the cult of the personality and the cunts of the group getting over actually what you gain from the group.
07:01.12
Sam Hollis
have to be a little bit careful with that. They can be you know very cultish. And if they’re cultish but you get a lot of results, then you know that’s fine.
07:08.12
Marcus Ahmad
Yeah.
07:08.36
Sam Hollis
But if they’re cultish and they’re just the whole thing is focused on growing the network and not the businesses, then you have to kind of wonder if if that’s going to work.
07:14.42
Marcus Ahmad
Oh, I see what you mean. Yes. Okay. yeah growing as opposed Yeah. Growing the group as opposed to growing the business.
07:19.56
Sam Hollis
Yeah.
07:20.26
Marcus Ahmad
Yes.
07:20.38
Sam Hollis
And there is always a focus on that because if that if the group grows, helps your business.
07:22.42
Marcus Ahmad
Yeah.
07:24.06
Sam Hollis
But it’s where the focus is on that as well.
07:24.31
Marcus Ahmad
Yeah.
07:26.46
Sam Hollis
um There we go. were So where to find them? So if you’re looking for local things, where to find them? So you know ask local businesses, they could well be going to them, you know and frankly, just Google, there’s loads out there.
07:38.68
Marcus Ahmad
i don’t I don’t think there’s any shortage of networking groups out there.
07:41.98
Sam Hollis
No, that’s it.
07:42.16
Marcus Ahmad
So I’m just going to LinkedIn.
07:42.92
Sam Hollis
So the that’s it.
07:43.36
Marcus Ahmad
it’s LinkedIn is full of networking groups.
07:44.81
Sam Hollis
They’re easy to find. And who organise them? So I think kind of probably, I don’t want you to find Marcus, they kind of go into three groups probably who organises them. One is there are networking organisations. So there are organisations that do nothing else but networking for profit groups.
07:58.09
Sam Hollis
Absolutely nothing wrong with it. can work well, but that’s one group. There’s another group, often people who support businesses doing it. So like so count local county councils, cities, regional development agencies are often all trying to promote businesses and help local businesses and get funding for that.
08:08.51
Marcus Ahmad
Mm-hmm.
08:14.62
Sam Hollis
So often they will have both business training for free or for low cost and networking events and stuff. And they can be they can be really good partners.
08:25.69
Sam Hollis
They can be really good. And then also individuals and often it’s people like business coaches and stuff, people who are well connected and want to be more well connected often organize their own kind of networking groups as well.
08:36.15
Sam Hollis
And there’s nothing wrong or right with any of those. There’s just different, different organizations doing different things.
08:43.67
Marcus Ahmad
Quite, quite, quite, quite.
08:45.27
Sam Hollis
So then, before you go, what do you need to do? So preparation. um Print business cards. I think I’ve put this in newsletter today. Take business cards.
08:53.02
Marcus Ahmad
You did.
08:53.02
Sam Hollis
Some people don’t have them, and they have fancy digital, just bloody print some business cards and take for them. You know, you can give them to people. If you want people to remember you and they’ve asked for your details, bang, you know, dead easy.
09:04.97
Sam Hollis
Take business cards. Definitely, definitely, definitely. um Look the part. I think you’ve talked about this a lot, haven’t you, Mark? Looking the part, you know, and whatever that part may be, it doesn’t mean we all turn up in a suit if that’s not comfortable, if you are not relevant your sector, don’t do it. But, you know, whatever it is, you’ve kind of thought about it. I think that’s the key, isn’t it?
09:25.75
Marcus Ahmad
Exactly so it doesn’t mean wearing and I you know I have seen this done where you turn up some people always wear incredibly gregarious or loud outfits to start and it makes them sort of stand out I’m you know I think people probably talk more about the outfit than you set the personal personality so I think you have to be a little bit careful but yeah go on the show that I was talking about on finding your edge you know with that’s exactly the the kind of thing go as yourself be yourself.
09:37.59
Sam Hollis
Yeah.
09:53.34
Sam Hollis
Yeah, that’s it. um So there’s that. um And then there’s working out your intro. So almost all networking groups without fail, some don’t do, but almost you get a slot to introduce yourself, don’t you?
10:05.82
Sam Hollis
The odd ones don’t do this, most do. And they’re all very fussy about the time. Some of it is 90 seconds, some of it is 60 seconds, some of it is 30 seconds.
10:11.24
Marcus Ahmad
That’s right.
10:12.51
Sam Hollis
It varies endlessly, but effectively you get a time where you stand up and you tell everybody in the room something about yourself.
10:14.04
Marcus Ahmad
Yeah.
10:20.88
Sam Hollis
And this needs planning. If you do not plan it, it will be a bloody disaster. It’s very, very simple. and And it’s helpful if you know the time. And if not, you’re almost going to have to have a few different options and kind of try and mix it together.
10:32.58
Marcus Ahmad
Yes.
10:33.66
Sam Hollis
So this is definitely something you need to think about quite a lot. So what do you need to make sure you definitely include? You need to make sure include your name and your business. That’s obviously pretty key. ah You need to include kind of who you help, ah kind of what you do, who you help very briefly.
10:52.92
Sam Hollis
um What can be nice is a quick story. only I’m not talking a rambling thing. You’ve only got a minute or 90 seconds. But, you know, oh ah you know yesterday i got a call from Linda and I just did a you know new LinkedIn profile vote for a month ago and she just said she’s got the new job.
11:12.95
Sam Hollis
ah Just, you know, a little a little something can be really nice, make it a bit more personal.
11:14.65
Marcus Ahmad
Yeah, yes, indeed.
11:17.63
Sam Hollis
And what’s really important to me is tell them who you want to speak to. So often you’re trying to work out the you know connections from people in the room. And so, so many people, it’s not just photography, it’s all sorts of businesses, accountants do this and they go, do you want to speak to?
11:31.38
Marcus Ahmad
i yes.
11:33.98
Sam Hollis
Well, anyone who wants photography really?
11:35.96
Marcus Ahmad
Yeah, I’m incredible.
11:36.30
Sam Hollis
And you’re like, well, who do I think? Who do you know who met photographer? Well, how do I, as a web designer, how does a person there who’s an accountant and how does the person there who’s selling aloe vera gel know who wants their photograph taking?
11:50.25
Sam Hollis
They don’t. Yeah. So what you need to do is go along and go, right, what I really want to speak to is dentists in Solihull. And then they all go, well, that’s interesting.
12:00.72
Sam Hollis
I know a dentist in Solihull.
12:01.78
Marcus Ahmad
Exactly.
12:02.48
Sam Hollis
I’ll give them that details. And you will get connections that way.
12:07.03
Marcus Ahmad
hundred you know so i got a I was just amazed on how many networking groups I’ve been to. or they They say, I’m looking for SMEs or this. And you’re right, as soon as you say that, people just blank out, don’t they?
12:16.65
Sam Hollis
Yeah.
12:19.92
Marcus Ahmad
I don’t know.
12:20.02
Sam Hollis
They turn off. Yep. 100%.
12:21.44
Marcus Ahmad
But yeah, if you say, like you said, a dentist, I mean, oh, I’ve got dentist. Oh, I’m a dentist. Yeah, I know. it’s such an easy thing to talk about, but I’ve seen a people do it so rarely.
12:34.92
Sam Hollis
That’s it. And it’s got to be enough where people will probably have one or two connections. Because if it’s suddenly where they’ve got 10, there’s no, they’re again, boom. Well, if you they make something of one person or two people, they’ll probably tell you.
12:42.65
Marcus Ahmad
ah Yeah. Yeah.
12:47.32
Sam Hollis
They’ll make a little note and i come and catch it with you or drop your email afterwards or something. So something really, really specific. A prop can help if you’ve got your camera or something like that just can be a bit more memorable. And almost 60 seconds isn’t long if you’ve got a camera, you’ve kind of,
13:00.96
Sam Hollis
you’ve told people what you do. You know i mean? just it It can make you a little bit more memorable, just something to think about. um so you need to plan it. You then need to memorise it. as There’s a few i went to the other day, and excuse people who are not on video, but they’re looking at their phones, they’re looking bored, they’re looking down, they’re looking at their shoes.
13:19.86
Sam Hollis
Yeah?
13:21.05
Marcus Ahmad
but While they’re talking.
13:21.19
Sam Hollis
Memories. Do not read it. Yeah, do not read while they’re doing their 60 seconds because they’re written on the phone.
13:24.66
Marcus Ahmad
Oh my Lord.
13:26.12
Sam Hollis
Do not read it from your phone. Bloody memories. 60 seconds or 90 seconds. Everybody pretty much can memorize 60 or 90 seconds of their stuff.
13:33.14
Marcus Ahmad
well And Sam, just because it’s 90 seconds, or you don’t have to do 90 seconds.
13:39.42
Sam Hollis
you You don’t. No, that’s right. You could do 60. But oh yeah, most people to honest find it limiting.
13:42.50
Marcus Ahmad
Well, you can do 10 seconds, Sam. You can do 10 seconds and that will make you stand out.
13:44.38
Sam Hollis
You could, yeah. Yes, you’re right. And 10 seconds of really good, positive looking at people and not staring shoes, reading your phone is way better than somebody for 90 seconds reading from their phone about what they wrote last night.
13:55.58
Marcus Ahmad
Yes. Yes.
14:01.21
Marcus Ahmad
on the way On the way to the meet. Yeah.
14:03.67
Sam Hollis
That’s it.
14:03.77
Marcus Ahmad
I, you know, I’m, I’m very much in the punk aesthetic. Keep it short. Yeah.
14:09.46
Sam Hollis
Yes, that but I mean, 60 seconds is short anyway. But yes, if you you could do the 10-second approach. You have to do really, really well, I think. But yes, that that could be an approach. um And yes, so be confident.
14:22.30
Sam Hollis
Be clear and slow. No matter how slow you you think you’re being, you’re probably nervous, so you are faster. There were some I was at the other day, and I literally could not understand them.
14:32.86
Sam Hollis
They were so trying to, you know, because they go, oh, it’s 60 seconds.
14:33.33
Marcus Ahmad
Oh, yeah.
14:35.78
Sam Hollis
I must get as much as possible into my 60 seconds.
14:36.66
Marcus Ahmad
Yeah.
14:37.43
Sam Hollis
And they’re like… no idea what they said.
14:40.12
Marcus Ahmad
Yeah.
14:40.47
Sam Hollis
um So I think, yeah, you know no matter how slow you feel you’re being, if you’re slightly nervous and stuff, you’re you’re probably not being slow.
14:40.64
Marcus Ahmad
Yeah.
14:48.12
Sam Hollis
um You know, be confident and look people in the eye. no and I don’t mean staring at people, just like a brief catch of someone’s eye, a brief catch of someone else’s. If you start staring at people, like that that gets awkward. um Yeah, and give people that easy, easy referral. And as you said, being memorable is good, but that’s a double-edged sword, as you said, isn’t it?
15:07.96
Sam Hollis
um you know there’s the kind of quirky slight you know there’s the memorable to quirky to and when does that blend into slightly odd and weird and there’s a yeah yeah
15:18.35
Marcus Ahmad
That’s right, exactly. And you’ll be remembered for the wrong things.
15:21.62
Sam Hollis
that and we all know from networking events people who have taken that too far and it definitely there’s a there’s a line there where you do want to be remembered and having something you know a little bit different can help but you’ve got it yeah you it can be a it’s a balance to get that just right
15:38.14
Marcus Ahmad
Cool.
15:38.23
Sam Hollis
cool ah we we are running out running tight on time already um so I think yeah we’ll probably i think that’s it we’ll leave it as prep this time and then we can do on the day next time
15:38.97
Marcus Ahmad
oh what Yeah, just…
15:50.42
Marcus Ahmad
Nice one, Sam. Well, you know, it’s it’s it’s one of the most important things you can do for your business, but also it’s one of the most enjoyable, or it can be the most enjoyable.
15:59.65
Sam Hollis
That gets free some people and in some ways, if it is the most enjoyable, you’re the right person doing it. And if it’s the most petrifying, maybe actually you’re better doing something else, you know, or like with all marketing is good. You know, you will have to push yourself a bit. I’m not saying if it’s a bit of a push, don’t do it. But with all marketing, it’s got to be a mix of what works for you, what you can actually do. Cause if you’re the most uncomfortable person in the room, it’s not going to work anyways.
16:22.17
Marcus Ahmad
No, but I think if you look, if you’re going if you’re a portrait photographer, yeah, you’re going pretty good at with people. If you’re a still life photographer or ah ah a landscape photographer, you might do your networking in a different way or your approach might be different.
16:28.27
Sam Hollis
Yeah.
16:38.05
Marcus Ahmad
So you can, you know, the the industry you’re in will help dictate how you’re going to do your networking.
16:38.70
Sam Hollis
Yeah.
16:43.76
Marcus Ahmad
because That’s going to match your personality.
16:43.86
Sam Hollis
That’s it. Yeah, that’s it. Perfect. Cool. Okay. So um enjoy your networking next week. get Do your planning right. And then we’re going go into kind of what to do on the day and definitely if you want to listen to any other shows relevant to this I think anything where we have Colin D Smith in who is the listening expert is going to be really the ones to listen to because the key is listening not selling
17:03.95
Marcus Ahmad
Oh, gosh.
17:09.07
Marcus Ahmad
Oh, mate. Excellent. Yeah, he is really, really good. And I’ll just remember that phrase now. It’s, ah if you’re not working, you should be networking.
17:16.44
Sam Hollis
there we go thank you Marcus cool and on that note I’ll see you next week
17:17.18
Marcus Ahmad
is
17:20.08
Marcus Ahmad
Thank you, Sam. See you next week, Sam.
