Why the Best Networking Events Give People Something to Do (Not Just Someone to Talk To)

We've all been to networking events that feel... hard work.

You walk into a room full of people, collect a drink, glance around, and hope someone starts a conversation. Before long, the same questions are making the rounds:

"What do you do?"

"Who do you work for?"

For some people, that's enjoyable. For many others, it's exhausting.

The challenge with traditional networking events is that they rely on the guests to create the energy. Everyone is expected to keep conversations flowing, make introductions and break the ice themselves.

But what if the event did some of that work for them?

Recently, I hosted a blind wine tasting challenge for around 80 guests on a rooftop in London.

The concept couldn't have been simpler.

There was one tasting table with six places, where guests tasted pairs of wines completely blind. Their task? Rank each wine from least expensive to most expensive.

The line-up included some fascinating comparisons:

• Jam Shed versus Saint-Émilion Grand Cru 2010

• Casillero del Diablo Chardonnay versus Meursault 2018

No labels. No price tags. Just taste.

What I didn't expect was for there to be a queue at the tasting table for almost the entire evening.

One of my favourite moments came from guests who initially stood back saying,

"This isn't really my thing."

An hour later, many of those same people were back for another round.

Senior leaders became extremely competitive.

Colleagues compared tasting notes, debated their decisions and celebrated when they guessed correctly.

People who had never met before found themselves discussing aromas, flavours and why one wine felt more expensive than another.

In fact, I ended up leaving an hour later than planned because nobody wanted the challenge to end.

Of course, the wines were excellent.

But that's not why the evening worked so well.

The wine simply became a shared experience.

Instead of asking guests to create conversation from scratch, the challenge gave everyone something to think about, discuss and solve together.

It removed the awkwardness that can sometimes come with networking and replaced it with curiosity.

The conversations became genuine because they weren't forced.

Whether you're hosting a client evening, a team celebration or a networking event, people remember experiences far more than speeches.

Interactive wine tasting creates natural conversation because everyone is participating in the same activity.

It encourages:

• Friendly competition

• Curiosity

Perhaps most importantly, it brings together people who might never have spoken otherwise.

If you're planning a networking event, client entertainment evening or team-building experience, consider giving your guests something to engage with together.

A blind wine tasting challenge is fun, approachable and surprisingly effective at getting conversations flowing naturally.

You don't need guests to know anything about wine. In fact, complete beginners often have more success than wine collectors who over think it!

If you're looking for a memorable corporate wine tasting in London, an engaging wine tasting for networking events, or a unique team-building wine experience, I'd love to help you create something your guests will still be talking for years to come.

Elizabeth Hawthorthwaite