Looking to establish new business contacts in the UK? All British cities play host to the occasional business event whether it's a full blown trade show or a Meetup organised by local volunteers through the online network.
The biggest cities are your best bet for large exhibitions, conferences and trade shows. In Scotland, Glasgow is home to the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre (SECC), and Edinburgh boasts the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC). Oil industry events often take place at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre.
In Wales, the Venue Cymru in Conwy, and Wales Millenium Centre in Cardiff are the biggest and most renowned venues.
England being home to the most big cities, you're spoilt for choice. London alone boasts plenty world class exhibition and conference spaces such as Olympia, Earls Court, ExCel, and the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre. Outside the capital, try your luck at networking at Birmingham's NEC, Liverpool's Arena and Convention Centre, Manchester's Central Convention Complex, Brighton Centre and many more venues.
Northern Ireland's top venue is the Belfast Waterfront.
Large scale annual events in the UK include the British Dental Conference and Exhibition, the London Textile Fair, GLEE (a trade show for the garden industry), Ecoshowcase, and the Manchester Furniture Show.
Smaller scale events happen on a regular basis. Your best way to stay informed is to subscribe to industry-specific newsletters, magazines and online news updates. If travelling from abroad, get in touch with your local branch of the British Chamber of Commerce to seek advice and contacts.
Meetups are a great, 21st century way to network. The network is based online, and members can subscribe to groups whose Meetups they can later attend. The events are organised on a pop up basis by volunteers. Meetings vary from hobby-related group get-togethers like hikes to industry-specific gatherings intended for professionals to meet, greet and innovate. This way of meeting is particularly popular among freelancers and bloggers, as well recruiters looking to fill positions.
LinkedIn, the professional social network is also a great tool to establish contact with industry fellows in other cities or foreign countries. Send them an email and schedule a meeting when you plan to be in town.
It's useful to know where to take potential clients or colleagues for a meeting. Choosing the wrong venue could leave a bad impression on them.
Hotel bars are generally considered professional and neutral ground. For example, if meeting someone in London, you may want to consider hotels near Tower of London since The City area is where many businesses are based, and it is common for meetings to be held in its bars and restaurants.
Museum and gallery cafes are also considered business-appropriate but it should be noted that these are only open during the day and are likely to close around 5pm. For those looking to network in Edinburgh, for example, the cafe at the National Museum of Scotland is a great setting.
If you're really unsure about where to meet, ask your contact what would be most convenient for them, and wait for them to suggest a place and time. In desperate times, arrange to meet at a coffee shop chain.
Harvey McEwan writes to offer information on a variety of areas, from networking in the UK to travelling in Europe. View Harvey's other articles to find out more.
0 comments:
Post a Comment