Networking Event Venues in London

Networking is all about meeting people, sharing who you are, what you do and what value you can have to others. Simply turning up, eating a couple of canapes in the corner and laughing at a few jokes isn’t going to quite cut it at a networking event. Their entire purpose for being is to get you to connect with others in your field, make valuable connections for your business and for your own personal growth.

Networking events can be a little boring for some, but they’re incredible opportunities… when they’re done right.

You really don’t want to do this by halves – a perfectly planned and executed networking event in London can place you at the forefront of your industry. And who doesn’t want to be considered an industry leader? So, get it right and check out some of the best networking venues in London above!

How to plan a networking event

Planning a networking event can be a little different to just planning Janice’s leaving party. It takes some fine tuning and careful consideration to get it right. Don’t panic though, we’re here to guide you through the process with our simple steps.

Step 1: Define your purpose: Why do networking events happen?

Networking events happen for a whole host of reasons, but the best ones are usually quite focused in a niche area. You’ll need to consider who and what your networking event is for. Is it for a specific industry, maybe even a specific section of a specific industry? Is it for high-level executives or middle management… or maybe both? Knowing what the focus is and who will be there helps you to plan the event seamlessly.

Step 2: What exactly is networking?

Networking is so much more than just sticking people in a room and letting them get on with it, and there are many different forms it can be moulded into. You can have a structured, formal event or something a little bit more casual. This is where the first step should help – if you know who you’re catering for, you should be able to figure out what will work best.

Step 3: Think about the budget

Yep, it’s the dreaded budget again. It’s so important though – really, it is. You don’t want to start planning venues or anything until you know how much money there is in the kitty for it. If you do, you maybe just end up disappointed that your dream venue is actually out of your price range. Networking events can be done on pretty much any budget – lower budgets would mean kissing goodbye to any formally catered sit-down meals (unless you had your guests pay for themselves, which is always an option).

Step 4: Find the right venue

We always think finding the right venue is super important, and we admit we might be a little biased on that one, but for networking events it really does matter. The venue needs to fit with the purpose, format and people that will be there. Renting a great big hall for a bar social doesn’t really work, does it? So, take our advice and choose your venue carefully. Our great selection of networking venues for hire should give you some inspiration if you’re stuck.

Step 5: Choose the best dates

We know what you’re thinking: you’re thinking the weekend is the best time, right? Nope, sorry to disappoint you but your dreams of not cutting into work time might not work out. It’s actually better to have an event midweek. Whilst we all love our jobs, employers can’t assume that people will be willing to give up their weekend for them. 

Step 6: Remember the seasons

Oh, and it’s best to avoid the high season for your industry because, of course, this is when people will be super busy. One more thing: maybe avoid the summer months too when lots of people are likely to be on annual leave.

Step 7: Organise the guest list

Networking events can be a little different to other events, mostly because you might not have a set guest list. Having people register to attend is much more common with these types of things, so you’ll need to promote your event online and via email to the relevant companies and individuals that you want to attend.

Step 8: Have fun!

We wouldn’t blame you for assuming that organising a killer event plus your killer invite list would lead to the magical sparks of friendship all by itself, but the reality is that you’ll need to keep things on track. Have a plan about how you’ll mingle with the guests and keep them talking. You can even have a few games so you can all get to know each other.

Networking event ideas

(This is the time to get creative!)

Cocktail parties

Informal but not too informal, cocktail parties are a classic networking format because they get people circulating easily. Add in a few canapes and nibbles, and job’s a good’un.

Down the pub

It’s not a standard networking venue, but there are so many bar social networking venues London-wide so it would almost be rude not to. If your guests are already familiar with each other, a bar social might be a bit more appropriate. An informal networking event, you can get a bar or pub venue and have everyone sit, chat, and eat nibbles.

Dinner

Talking over a fancy dinner, complete with a bit of wine and a yummy chocolate dessert, might work well for your networking event. You can go for the formal wedding breakfast-style seating or check out some of our more casual dining venues with traditional wooden tables and a cosy feel. Either way, food, drinks and laughter are always a good mix at a social event.