The Power of Networking Events

Early on in my journey at Evoluted, I learned about the concept of networking events and their many benefits. In June, I had the chance to attend a marketing event in Manchester called Up North. This event was a game-changer for me, sparking a newfound enthusiasm for networking.

The event featured key speakers from leading fashion & beauty brands like Refy, Lounge, and Luxe Collective, as they covered a range of industry-relevant topics:

• "How to Properly Understand Social Media in Less Than 30 Minutes"

• "Why Brand Building Matters Now More Than Ever"

• "Elevating Social Media Through Community and Connection"

The talks were both familiar and fresh. I had seen these leaders on LinkedIn, TikTok, and Instagram, but hearing their insights in person was an entirely different experience. It was eye-opening and deepened my understanding of marketing and the importance of creativity in building a successful career.

The Benefits of Attending Networking Events

Attending Up North, which was hosted and organised by Leeds-based agency - Connective3  offered more than just knowledge—it provided the opportunity to connect with people face-to-face, an experience that left a lasting impact on my professional journey. 

Here are some key benefits of attending networking events:

• Direct Access to Industry Leaders: Networking events allow you to learn directly from experts, gaining insights that you might not find in a book or online course.

• Building Valuable Connections: Meeting people in person helps you create stronger, more memorable connections, which can lead to future opportunities.

• Exchange of Ideas: These events foster an environment where you can share and discuss ideas with like-minded professionals, sparking creativity and collaboration.

• Boosting Your Confidence: Engaging with others in the industry helps you build confidence in your own knowledge and abilities, making it easier to navigate your career path.

Moreover, Up North was a well-organised event, with the team from Connective3 ensuring everything ran smoothly. The vibrant atmosphere made it not just an educational experience but an enjoyable one as well. And, of course, ending the day with my favourite Aperol cocktail was the perfect reward.

Sheffield DM: My Experience

I was fortunate to be part of organising Sheffield DM, a networking event hosted by Evoluted itself! I dived into event planning, website building, and content creation. On the day, I had a blast chatting with experts. A special shoutout to Fiona Bradley for making me feel so welcome and for sharing her wisdom on life after university and landing that first marketing job. Seriously, she’s a gem.

If you're looking to expand your network and gain valuable insights, I highly recommend attending our upcoming DM events in Sheffield and Manchester. These events are fantastic opportunities to connect with like-minded professionals, and once you attend one, you'll find that each event opens the door to even more connections.

Upcoming Events:

If you’re looking to get started, here are some upcoming events you won’t want to miss:

• Sheffield DM #30 - Thursday, 26th September - The Workstation, S1 2BX.

• Manchester DM #3 - Thursday 7th November Feel Good Club, M1 2EH

• Nottingham DM #4 - Thursday 24th October Barley Twist, NG1 7FE

If you’ve read my blog posts before, you know I really value second opinions. That’s why I’ve decided to reach out to a few individuals to get their thoughts on networking events.

Giorgio Cassella- Managing Director  

Networking events are, in principle, a great opportunity to meet interesting new people, share experiences and knowledge, and build great professional relationships which can often turn into great personal relationships too!

But here comes the challenge - how the heck do you make sure you’re attending the “right” type of networking event?

We’ve all been the awkward, cringey, “what the hell am I doing here” kind of networking where everyone and their dog is out to try and sell you something, and they leave you feeling drained and wondering what was the point.

So over the years, I’ve developed a couple of personal guidelines to help me choose which events are a “hell yeah” and which ones are a “hell no”!

1) Does the event align with my professional interests?

Events that ignite my passions are more often than not really fun - if they align with my focus at work either in marketing, management and leadership, CSR or agency operations; there’s a good chance I’ll have the opportunity to learn something new, share experiences with others in similar positions and make some new friends to keep in touch with.

On the flip side, if it’s a generic “business” event or doesn’t have a focus that aligns with what I know and do, I’ll often pass on attending because these kind of events typically attract BDMs and sales people just out to expand their own networks without giving anything back.

2) Does it fit with my personal interests?

Sometimes I’ll ignore rule 1 if the event involves a personal interest. A recent example is being invited to a networking social at a local esports organisation - I absolutely love the esports and gaming sector and find it fascinating from a business perspective too.

Networking outside of your own industry is really important, so getting to do so while still pertaining to something I’m deeply interested in is a no brainer for me to say yes to!

3) What’s the format?

Networking events come in a range of formats - from casual social events, to formal dinners, to award ceremonies and more. Personally I enjoy casual formats more than others where everyone can be a little more personal and less stiff - even better if it’s attached to something educational like a meet-up, conference, or training workshop where we all have some shared experiences from the day to talk about and ease the awkwardness of networking!

However, I will ALWAYS give a hard no to anything that involves any kind of “speed networking” or rapid fire format

4) How much effort has gone into the event?

My final guideline is all about evaluating the work that the event organiser has put in to make sure it’s a good opportunity. From simple things like the event invitation and description of what to expect, to the venue, format and community guidelines/code of conduct.

The latter are a definite marker of an organiser who has actually considered making sure attendees have a good experience.

If they’ve put effort in upfront to make sure the right people attend, chances are it’s worth checking out in more detail.

Russ Appleton— Pharmaceutical Manager

(oh yes, my uncle who never misses a networking event and somehow always manages to snag a spot on the guest list!)

Having previously attended a networking event in London, I would fully endorse and recommend people visit any of these types of events. A couple of top tips would be to take your best smile with you!! Use it to introduce yourself to new people and see what happens!! Also be curious- ask people questions, they may not be so relevant to you now but may be in the future. Whenever I attended networking events, I made sure to follow these steps and even now I still speak regularly with somebody I met at an networking event in the capital.

Poppy Norman- Recent Marketing Graduate 

As a recent graduate, the idea of attending a networking event can feel intimidating, but after learning about the benefits, it’s something I’m eager to try and encourage others to consider as well. The opportunity to be in a room full of professionals, to connect and have meaningful conversations, seems incredibly valuable for personal and career growth.

Valeria Bouchoueva- Girls in Marketing representative 

A few weeks ago, networking was probably my biggest nightmare.

I’m an introvert, a fully remote worker and always have been, and I didn’t necessarily understand the benefits of it.

But I noticed in the analytics to my LinkedIn profile the majority of my work was not in my industry and not in my city - so I decided I wanted to learn how to work and up my skill in order to balance that out with reaching the right people. I also really wanted to start making friends in the industry who I could connect with when I saw cool things in the world of marketing, which I didn’t really feel like I had before.

By following pages like Girls in Marketing, Pretty Little Marketer, The Marketing Lab, and Because of Marketing, I started to make some Internet friends and really feel a part of the community by engaging in the posts and letting them do the hard work when it comes to compiling industry news. Following those pages also led me to the right events and the right influencers for me, and I saw some names continue to pop up on my feed, the more I felt and felt empowered to reach out, let them know that I loved what they were doing, and feel a connection.

It took all of me to some of the events hosted by pages on my own, find someone else who is there on their own and decide to buddy up, and even having such a simple connection makes me feel like I have industry friends that I can chat with when I see something exciting. My biggest learning is that everybody who is in their networking journey wants the same thing, so with that in mind it actually makes it easier to connect or make a first move.

In other words, I would love it if somebody came up to me and asked me to connect while I try to, so it makes me realise that other people would appreciate the same thing if I did it. And once you start, it really does get easier and you build up your confidence and it picks up so quickly!

Rita Cidre- Head of Academy Semrush

Networking can feel so...ick. But it's a must if you want to open doors and opportunities for yourself. My advice: get curious. Ask questions. Aim to find common ground and build from there. When I attend networking events, I like to pretend I'm a journalist trying to uncover the most interesting story in the room. Make it about learning from and about others, not about yourself and your CV.

The Power of Networking

As a recent graduate, I know that attending these events can feel a bit intimidating. But after experiencing the benefits firsthand, I’m eager to embrace them and encourage others to do the same. At Evoluted, we deeply value the power of networking. Whether it’s engaging with industry leaders, connecting with professionals at events like Sheffield DM and Nottingham DM, or participating in various digital marketing meetups, we recognise the incredible value these interactions bring. So, take the plunge—get out there, connect, and watch your career soar.

Why not join us, and expand your network at Sheffield DM?  

Grab your free ticket today, I'd love to see you there!