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frequently asked questions
NNBN FAQ'S
Do I have to buy membership for all my staff?

Please contact us to discuss your requirements.

We offer a rolling month or annual membership. So, if you purchase for a month you can cancel after a month. If you purchase a year you can cancel after a year.

Yes, if there is only one person you want to join for our basic or premium membership you can choose the single membership level or if you wish to purchase for more people you can increase the qty of people who you are purchasing the rewards and benefits for.

Payment is by monthly direct debit.

We can accept invoice payments for annual subscriptions only. Please email us on hello@nnbn.co.uk if you would like join and pay via invoice.

No, once a membership is purchased, we do not offer a refund for the time purchased for the subscription, as that then gives you access to all the benefits straight away. You can cancel though if you do not wish to continue after that initial month or year that you have purchased.

Yes, you can cancel at any time just email us at hello@nnbn.co.uk or call the Members Helpline on 01536 648383 and we will help you.

Yes just email hello@nnbn.co.uk or call 01536 648383.

They are every month and they are face to face, and most months twice a month. We do also offer online networking as well.

For NNBN members, our monthly networking meeting is included in the price of their membership. This includes tea and coffee at the meeting.

Our networking does not include food. Your membership includes the networking with tea and coffee only.

Yes, we encourage you to bring guests to the networking events and we can give you some guest passes to invite them as part of your membership. Please speak to us if you would like to invite someone to a meeting.

All your staff can get the national benefits as long as you have purchased the membership with the correct level of employees you want the rewards and benefits for. You need to select the number of employees you wish to have as a member. This will then give each employee access to all the perks, national discounts and the fuel card access.

You will receive an email within 24 hours of signing up to NNBN giving you access to your national discounts. Please look out for this email and check your spam folder if you cannot see the email. You can also email us on hello@nnbn.co.uk if you have any difficulties.

We cannot name specific amounts of discount per supplier as there are 1,000’s of different brands that offer discounts and cashback and these amounts can change on a weekly basis. We have included some brand images throughout the website to show examples of the different brands and these can also change.

There are different ways to save money, cashback via purchase and reloadable cards or discount codes to use directly with a supplier. For example, if you purchased a reloadable card for a supplier, you then receive a cashback amount into your account that you can then withdraw direct to your bank account within a few days or you may wish to visit a cinema and get the discount instantly on your ticket purchase. All discounts work differently depending on the vendor, but they typically work either by cashback or discount code.

All your staff can get the Fuel card as long as you have purchased the membership with the correct level of employees you want the rewards and benefits for. You need to select the number of employees you wish to have as a member, and then when you complete your purchase you can add them to your team. This will then give each employee access to all the perks, national discounts and the fuel card access.

We cannot name the exact amount of savings on the fuel card, as this can change on a weekly basis. This can be as much as up to 10p per litre. Our benefits platform will guide you through the process and will be able to answer any questions for you.

The team at our Benefits Platform provider will talk you through the various fuel options and, of course, there is no obligation to sign up for a fuel card, this is a benefit if you choose to use it.

All members can place a full page advert in NNBN Digital.

Premium and corporate members can also add a editorial/article into the magazine.

If you are not an NNBN member, you cannot place an advert or editorial/article in NNBN Digital as this is for members only to advertise in.

For each publication we mix the amount of adverts in different sizes, we can accept A4, A5 and A6 in landscape or portrait.

All adverts need to follow the following guidelines:

A4/A5/A6 size – No bleed or crop marks as this is a digital publication only – 72 DPI and RGB colour format in PDF, JPG, AI or EPS.

When submitting your editorial to us, we need at least 300 words to create your feature/editorial in the magazine. Please also send large photos/images to go alongside your article. Please email these to hello@nnbn.co.uk

Running a business can sometimes feel like a very lonely place. Networking gives you the opportunity to meet other business owners, entrepreneurs and professionals, share experiences and build relationships with people who understand the challenges of running a business.
Good networking isn’t simply about handing out business cards and trying to make a sale. It’s about building genuine relationships that can lead to opportunities, introductions, advice, collaboration and new customers over time. In business, people buy from people they know, like and trust and networking gives you the opportunity to become known.

Networking can help you:
∙Generate new business and referrals
∙Meet potential customers and clients
∙Build relationships with other business owners
∙Find trusted suppliers and professional services
∙Discover collaboration opportunities
∙Raise awareness of your business
∙Improve your confidence when talking about what you do
∙Learn from other people’s experiences
∙Share ideas and solve business challenges
∙Build a stronger local business network
∙Create friendships and connections outside of your immediate business circle
Sometimes the person you meet won’t become a customer — but they might introduce you to
someone who does.

Absolutely not!
You don’t need to be the most confident person in the room, and you certainly don’t need to be a natural salesperson. Networking is a skill that gets easier with practice. The most successful networkers aren’t necessarily the loudest people in the room. They’re often the people who are good listeners, genuinely interested in others and willing to build relationships.

You’re definitely not alone!
Traditional networking can sometimes feel awkward, intimidating or overly focused on selling. Good networking should feel more like having conversations with interesting people than delivering a sales pitch. If you walk away from an event having met a few people you’d like to speak to again, that’s a
successful networking event.

That depends on the networking event. Some events include introductions or short presentations, while others are much more informal. At Northamptonshire networking events, the aim should be to create an environment where businesses can introduce themselves, have conversations and make connections without feeling pressured to sell.

No.
Networking can be valuable even if you’re not actively looking for new customers.
You might be looking for:
∙A new supplier
∙A business partner
∙Employees or freelancers
∙Advice about a business challenge
∙Someone to collaborate with
∙Local knowledge
∙New ideas
∙Speaking opportunities
∙Media exposure
∙Support from other entrepreneurs
Your network can become one of your most valuable business assets.

Local relationships can be incredibly powerful.
When you build connections with businesses in Northamptonshire, you’re developing a network of people who understand the local economy, communities and opportunities. You may discover that the business you’ve been looking for is just a few miles away. Local networking can also lead to referrals between businesses, collaboration on local projects and stronger relationships within the wider Northamptonshire business community.

Not necessarily.
If you do business in Northamptonshire, have customers here, want to expand into the county or simply want to develop relationships with local businesses, networking can still be valuable. Northamptonshire is home to businesses of all sizes and from almost every sector, so there are plenty
of opportunities to connect.

There’s no magic number. For some people, one networking event a month is enough. Others enjoy attending events every week.
The important thing is consistency. Building relationships takes time. Don’t judge networking by how many customers you get from your
first event. Instead, think about the relationships you’re building over several months.

What should I talk about when I meet someone?
Keep it simple.
Ask questions such as:
“What do you do?”
“How did you get started?”
“What type of customers do you work with?”
“What are you working on at the moment?”
“What brought you along today?”
And most importantly — listen.
You don’t need to immediately tell someone everything about your business. A good conversation is far more valuable than a rushed sales pitch.

That’s exactly why you’re there! Walking into a room where you don’t know anyone can feel daunting, but remember that many other people will be in exactly the same position. A friendly “Hi, I’m [name]. What do you do?” is usually all it takes to start a conversation and if you’re attending a networking event organised by a good network, there should be people there to welcome you and help introduce you to others.

Networking is a long-term investment, rather than a quick sales tactic. You might meet someone today who recommends you to a customer six months from now. You might meet a business owner who becomes a long-term collaborator. You might meet someone who introduces you to your next major client. The value of networking often comes from the relationships you build over time, rather than what happens at one individual event.

That depends on the networking organisation and event. Some networking groups operate through memberships, while others offer individual events that 
anyone can attend. Before joining any network, make sure you understand what you’re getting for your investment and, importantly, whether the community is right for you and your business. 

It can be but it doesn’t have to be. The best networking communities move beyond “What can I sell you?” and towards “How can we
help each other?” When people concentrate on building relationships, sharing knowledge and making useful introductions, business opportunities tend to follow naturally.

The more you talk about your business, the easier it becomes to explain what you do. Networking gives you regular opportunities to:
∙Introduce yourself
∙Explain your business
∙Answer questions
∙Speak to people from different industries
∙Build professional relationships
Over time, many people find that their confidence grows both professionally and personally.

A good networking community should be:
Welcoming, whether you’re attending your first event or your fiftieth. Supportive, people should want to see other businesses succeed.
Inclusive, networking should be accessible to businesses of different sizes, sectors and stages. Useful, you should come away having learned something, met someone useful or discovered a new opportunity. Genuine, relationships should come before sales.

Northamptonshire has an incredibly diverse business community, from ambitious start-ups and sole traders to established SMEs and major employers.
There are businesses, entrepreneurs and professionals across the county with knowledge, skills and connections that can benefit one another.
Networking creates the opportunity to bring those people together. You never know who you’ll meet, who they know, or where one conversation could lead.

Trying to sell too quickly.
Networking isn’t speed dating for customers!
Instead of asking:
“What can this person buy from me?”
Try asking: “Who is this person, what do they do and how might we be able to help each other?”
Build the relationship first. The business opportunity can come later. 

Start by attending an event.
Don’t worry about having the perfect introduction, knowing everyone in the room or generating a sale.
Set yourself a simple goal:
Meet three new people. Have three genuine conversations. Connect with them afterwards. Then do it again at the next event. Over time, those three conversations can become thirty relationships and those relationships can become referrals, collaborations, friendships and new business. Networking isn’t about collecting business cards. It’s about building relationships. And in business, your network could become one of the most valuable things you ever build.

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