Once the organization's Networking Vision and Relationship Management Strategy are ready and after designing the organization's relationship management approach, it is time to stage a real encounter. But how do you organize effective relationship meetings based on the information in the previous chapters? How do you translate the organization's vision and strategy into successful personal encounters, in other words—how do you move from the strategic and tactical level to the operational level?

In this chapter, the process of managing networking events is discussed.

The goal of networking events or meetings

The management of an effective networking event or meeting starts with translating the Networking Vision and Relationship Management Strategy into

• • One goal for all the networking events or meetings.

• • A specific goal for each networking event or meeting. Based upon this, you can structure the event or meeting.

The Networking Vision and Relationship Management Strategy is the connective tissue across layers of management and between functions. This vision and strategy provide guidance and link to division, business, and networking activities. The development of a goal for the relationship meeting(s) or event(s) and the networkers should be in line with the development of a Networking Vision and Relationship Management Strategy. For this, the Strategy Cascade can be applied (see Chapter 4.5).

By having a solid understanding of the direction, priorities, and profit model of the overall organization and of the Networking Vision and Relationship Management Strategy, it is easier to identify how an event or meeting and a networker can contribute value to the organization. When it is clear what markets or segments the organization wants to focus on, more meaningful relationship activities can be developed as opposed to a situation in which this is less clear.

Managing the network event or meeting

This chapter focuses on events or meetings and how to structure them to maximize the Return-on-Relationship. The basis of this vision is a modern application of protocol, as discussed in Chapter 2.

Campaign management

A networking event or meeting is a one-time occurrence. However, when plotted against time there are pre-event, event, and post-event activities.