How to Find Networking Events on Meetup, LinkedIn and Eventbrite

In the world of personal branding you can do lots of good work online and in particular on social media. This will only get you so far though, nothing can ever replace the best way of meeting people which is obviously in person. But where do you find people whoa are interested in listening to what you have to offer?

In my humble experience it's been networking events around London town that have done the trick. I thought I would share three ways of finding good events anywhere in the world so that you can get your brand out there and network your socks off.

1. Meetup

I distinctly remember the first time I clicked on the Meetup site, it was something of a revelation. Meetup is the perfect channel to find and host informal get-togethers or as the name suggests, meet-ups. In a nutshell, it’s a social media platform solely dedicated to events. The interface is dead simple, you sign up (the quickest route is via Facebook) and set your hometown and search for keywords. The relevant groups will appear in the search results and you can start checking them out.

One major benefit of this is that you can see everyone’s RSVPs, meaning you can see what type of people you are likely to rub shoulders with. If you have questions about a particular event, just ping an email to the organizer who are usually happy to help.

When you go to an event found on Meetup you can expect three things:

First of all it will be free. Meetups aren’t low-budget events, they are no-budget events. The venue will typically be a bar or a restaurant and you will be expected to at least buy a drink to pay your way in kind. Second, it will be full of everyday people. The demographic on Meetup is not high-flying executives, rather it’s normal folks in normal jobs or even students that take an active interest in something and want to meet other like minded folks. Third, you never know what you get. I have stumbled across networking events with hundreds of people and a fantastic atmosphere. I have also seen meetups with a handful of people; more of a quiet affair if you know what I mean.

2. LinkedIn Events

Everyone’s favorite professional network has a fairly advanced events section aptly called LinkedIn Events. This section can be a goldmine for finding out what’s going on around you, in particular on a business level. Again, just like Meetup you are able to see who will be attending and even who are interested. When you RSVP to an event on LinkedIn, your entire network gets the update on their homefeed – which in turn can help to build your reputation and entice others to come along.

Be aware that many of the events listed here will not always be free. This is where big conferences, trade shows and seminars are listed as well as the free roundtable drinks and meetups.

3. Eventbrite

Although Eventbrite is a site set up to make money from selling tickets, it features an increasing amount of free networking events. Eventbrite is very simple to use for organizers and it’s typically where the ‘master copy’ of an event goes, and then replicated on other sites to amplify the reach. If you are looking for free networking events, be sure to tick the ‘free’ button on the left when you do a search

London events to check out

In case you do live near to London, I can recommend a few meetups that I go to frequently. And if you don't live near London don't worry, there will be similar events happening where you are – just search for them.

First off there are the two blog clubs; the London Blog Club and the London Bloggers Meetup. These are both really useful for bloggers of all levels and interests. Then there's the Social Media London meetup which I happen to run with Laurent Brouat, we get speakers in to cover one of the big social media platforms every month. Finally there's my own hobby the Personal Branding Club London which has a new personal branding speaker every month, covering yet another angle of this huge topic.

What events can you recommend going to (anywhere in the world)?