Meaningful connections are all the more important in a competitive city like London, where the right people might even open doors. This guide will help you to establish meaningful connections and secure them.   

Attend business events for connections in London

It is so important to be visible in business. This means attending conferences, industry talks and meet-ups that are relevant to you. London is full of these events, so you will need to curate a list!

Some people might be afraid to attend these events, feeling that they aren’t far enough along in their careers to be interesting to others, but this is a mistake. Many people make connections and get their first taste of networking at conferences.

Think of these events as practice runs. You’ll only get better at networking if you keep at it! Search for upcoming conferences and write down the most promising in your diary. If you are an employee, you should be able to get your ticket paid for by your company, and time off to attend.

Prepare your elevator pitch

Knowing what you want to say about yourself will help immensely in giving the right impression. You would be surprised how many people let their nerves get to them and end up saying something negative as a result.

Prepare your icebreakers

Taking the first step can be uncomfortable, especially if you aren’t a natural extrovert. But being proactive in your communication is a crucial skill, and the good news is that the more people you know, the less awkward you will feel.

To help you become more confident at your next event, we recommend preparing what you will say beforehand. “What made you come to this conference today?” is a great way to get to know people’s motivations and interests without explicitly asking them what they do and where they work. “What have you learned at this conference?” can also be a good opener, as everyone is bound to have an opinion!

One final note on icebreakers is to remember to appear approachable. When you’re nervous, it can be tempting to put up a guard, but it might make you look standoffish and uninterested in the other person. Smiling will go a long way in helping you to keep a cool head and put the people speaking to you at ease.

Practice active listening

No one likes the feeling of being talked at or that the other person is simply waiting for their turn to talk. To develop meaningful connections, you should work on being a good listener. Ask questions, show interest in the other person’s opinion, and remember their names! Remember that relationships never start out on sales pitches.

One mistake people often make at conferences and functions is that they arrive hungry and start looking for the buffet table! You will want to minimise distractions like these to avoid people thinking that you aren’t interested in what they have to say.

Keep a log of contacts

When you are meeting new people, make sure you keep a diary or journal that includes the people you spoke to, what interested you about them, and when and where you met them. This may be in the Notes app on your phone or in a physical book; whatever is most comfortable for you.

Utilise LinkedIn

The digital age has helped us become more proactive in making connections. The basics of doing well on LinkedIn are to keep your profiles professional and current. Even better is to engage in industry discussions and message the people with whom you connect.

If you are messaging someone you met at a conference, you could thank them for their time, alert them to a new exhibition that might interest them, or suggest meeting for a coffee.

Join a mentoring programme or professional organisation

The right mentorship program or professional organisation can feel like you’re getting a backstage pass. If you ask for help on these channels, they can try to connect you with experienced professionals and like-minded peers. It’s like being part of a club that can help you grow professionally.

If you are unsure which professional organisations could help you, we suggest asking your colleagues or running a Google search on your area of interest + the city in which you live. Gov.uk also has a huge list of Learned Societies and Professional Organisations that could be useful to you.

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A connection is easily made, but making it meaningful takes effort. Keep practising, be authentic, and stay committed to growing your network over time.

Now that you’re here, why not establish a meaningful connection with us? If you’re already connected on LinkedIn or Instagram, comment on one of our posts! We’ll be sure to answer you.