Networking Events Worth Your Time: Where to Meet Your Next Big Client

You've been to networking events that were a waste of time. But you've also met clients who've booked you for years. Here's how to identify networking events worth your time—and how to make the most of them when you go.

Why Networking Still Works

In an age of social media and online marketing, face-to-face networking might seem outdated. But for mobile vendors, personal connections remain one of the most powerful ways to build a business.

Event planners book people they trust. Wedding couples choose vendors they feel comfortable with. Corporate clients prefer working with someone they've met. These relationships start with conversations, and networking events create those opportunities.

The challenge isn't whether networking works—it's choosing which events are worth your time and knowing how to approach them effectively.

Where to Find the Right Events

Not all networking is equal. A room full of other mobile vendors won't get you bookings. You need to be where your potential clients are.

Wedding Fairs and Open Days

Wedding fairs put you directly in front of engaged couples actively looking for suppliers. These can be excellent for catering vendors, mobile bars, and food trucks that serve weddings.

Choose fairs carefully. Large, well-advertised fairs attract more couples, but you'll face more competition. Smaller venue-specific open days might bring fewer attendees but higher quality leads—couples already interested in that venue.

Venue Networking Events

Many wedding and event venues host supplier networking evenings. These are goldmines. You meet the venue coordinators who recommend suppliers to their clients, plus other vendors who might refer work to you.

Building relationships with venue staff can lead to preferred supplier lists—a steady stream of warm referrals from a trusted source.

Local Business Networks

Groups like BNI, local chambers of commerce, or informal business breakfast clubs connect you with other local businesses. These people plan corporate events, know people getting married, and can become a referral network.

The best business networks focus on genuine relationship building rather than aggressive sales pitches. Look for groups where members actively refer work to each other.

Industry Trade Shows

Events like the Street Food Business Expo or regional catering trade shows connect you with suppliers, learn about industry trends, and meet fellow vendors. While you won't find direct clients here, the knowledge and connections can be valuable.

Evaluating Whether an Event Is Worth It

Before booking any networking event, ask yourself these questions:

• Who attends? Will your potential clients or referral partners be there?
• What's the cost? Include your time, travel, and any fees. What would one booking from this event be worth?
• What's the format? Structured networking with introductions, or just standing around hoping to chat?
• What's the track record? Can organisers show testimonials or examples of connections made?

Be ruthless with your time. An afternoon at a poorly attended event costs you money—not just the entry fee, but the prep work, travel, and the bookings you could have been working on instead.

How to Network Effectively

Turning up isn't enough. How you approach networking determines whether it's productive or pointless.

Be Interested, Not Interesting

The best networkers ask questions and listen. Instead of launching into your pitch, find out about the other person first. What do they do? What are they looking for? What challenges are they facing?

When you understand what someone needs, you can position your services as a solution—or connect them with someone else who can help. Either way, you've made a positive impression.

Have Your Intro Ready

When asked what you do, have a clear, brief answer. Not a five-minute sales pitch—just a sentence or two that explains who you are and what you offer.

"I run a mobile pizza oven for weddings and parties in Yorkshire. We do wood-fired pizzas cooked fresh in front of guests." Simple, clear, memorable.

Follow Up Properly

The real work happens after the event. Within a day or two, follow up with everyone you had a meaningful conversation with. A brief email or LinkedIn message reminding them who you are and referencing your conversation.

Don't immediately pitch. Just maintain the connection. The goal is staying in their mind so when they need catering—or know someone who does—they think of you.

Building Ongoing Relationships

One-off networking events rarely produce immediate results. The value comes from consistent presence and relationship building over time.

If you find a group or event type that works, keep showing up. Familiarity breeds trust. People refer business to vendors they see regularly and feel they know, not someone they met once at an event two years ago.

Consider joining one regular networking group rather than attending many different one-off events. The depth of relationships in a consistent group typically outweighs the breadth of occasional attendance at varied events.

Creating Your Own Opportunities

You don't have to wait for organised events. Some of the best networking happens informally:

• Introduce yourself to venue managers when delivering for events
• Chat with other suppliers at weddings and festivals
• Reach out to wedding planners for coffee meetings
• Join online communities for local event professionals

Every interaction with someone in the events industry is a networking opportunity. The vendors who build strong referral networks treat relationship building as an ongoing activity, not something that only happens at formal events.

Tracking Your Results

Keep track of where your bookings come from. After a year, you'll have clear data on which networking activities produce results and which don't.

When a client books, ask how they found you. Was it a referral? Who from? This information helps you double down on what works and stop wasting time on what doesn't.

Final Thoughts

Networking isn't about collecting business cards or giving sales pitches to strangers. It's about building genuine relationships with people who might need your services or know people who do.

Choose events where your potential clients gather. Focus on listening and helping rather than selling. Follow up consistently. And track your results so you know where to invest your time.

The vendors who network effectively don't just get bookings—they build reputations. They become the caterer everyone recommends, the mobile bar that venues suggest to every couple. That reputation takes time to build, but it compounds year after year.