How to Avoid Making Networking and Connecting Mistakes

 

 

Networking and connecting can be extremely beneficial, except when it is done incorrectly.  As beneficial as it can be, it can also be extremely detrimental to the brand or a person’s reputation.  A profitable asset can be easily turned into a liability.

 

1.      Don’t try to be anyone other than yourself 

There is an old saying, be yourself, everyone else is taken. Being yourself means some people will like you and some won’t.  A façade can only be maintained for so long; eventually, the real you will appear.  Once that happens you will lose all the trust you have built because no one will know which person is real.

2.      Don’t falsify or inflate your education, experience, or connections

It’s easy to talk big and make grandiose boasts, but there will come a time or situation when you will have to produce or follow through. Making excuses or ignoring what you said only kicks the can down the road.  It only delays the inevitable. Eventually, you will be held accountable for your claims.  If you can’t follow through or another proves your claims to be false, the result to your business reputation will be worse than if you said nothing at all.

 

3.      Don’t over-share personal information

Learn how to read the room and the person you are speaking with.  Some somethings are not meant to be shared with work associates, even if they are true.  Becoming too “intimate” or oversharing even in the context or under the pretense of a joke is a recipe for disaster.  It can lead to uncomfortable situations, which could damage your business reputation and lead to legal consequences. 

 

4.      Don’t be negative

There are ways to approach challenging times and difficult topics without being harsh or confrontational, especially when it comes to business relationships. How we speak to and about our bosses, co-workers, and clients matters.   It sets the tone of those relationships from that moment forward.  It’s impossible to always agree.  Some disagreements are inevitable.  However, choosing personal attacks instead of staying on the topic will never end well. Once said or done, it’s permanent.   Apologies can be made and even accepted; what is forgiven, isn’t always forgotten.

 

Trust and respect are the basis of every business relationship. Rebuilding them can be a long and costly process. Depending on how they were broken can sometimes be impossible.

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Networking vs Connecting: Do you know the important differences?

  

Many people mistakenly use networking and connecting as interchangeable terms.  Although they have similar qualities and goals, they are very different.  Networking is “the process or action of interacting with others to exchange information and developing professional or social contacts” while connecting is defined as “joining or linking things together, especially as to provide access and communication”.  Both involve the interaction between individuals, yet the means and methods of each radically differ.

Networking is indiscriminately reaching out either in person or virtually. It could be best described as casting a net or creating a spiderweb to randomly catch whoever or whatever happens to be around. The message stays the same without regard to who or how it’s presented.  Little is known about the receiver. It’s nothing more than a cold call.    Although people chose to sign up for networking events, they are little more than group cold calls.  Little is known about the others beforehand; by the end of the event, not much has changed.  Everyone is scrambling to meet as many people as possible in hope that they will find who and what they need.  Most collect business cards, hoping that one or two can be developed into leads.  However, with time restraints, very few interactions develop into business relationships.

Connecting events can be best described as introductions done by a friend or associate.     They are more like connecting the dots rather than cold calls.  They are smaller and more personalized with the connector acting as a bridge between the attendees.  Unlike with cold calls, the connector knows everyone and what they need.   It gives her or him the ability to smooth out the awkward moments both at the introduction but also when it comes to asking for what is needed.  As an intermediary, she or he crafts the message according to whom it is being pitched.  One approach may be very successful with one person while crashing and burning with another.  A connector’s knowledge, connections, and interpersonal skills are what give her or him the ability to develop relationships and make introductions that positively fulfill her clients’ needs.

The Master Catalytic Connector, Rochelle Arjmand has these skills.  Before making the introductions, Arjmand helps prepare her clients for the meeting.  It is only after the paperwork has been fully vetted and the client prepped will the introductions be made.  By helping her clients know what to expect in advance and properly prep them, Arjmand has been able to give her clients the confidence they need to project a strong and professional image.  It puts everyone at ease and helps lead to a positive outcome.

Rochelle Arjmand’s exclusive client list includes those from the entertainment industry, finance, advertising, and publishing.  What they have in common is that they make a positive difference in the world.  She is currently accepting clients.  Her services require a monthly retainer.  To learn more about how she can help you visit her website and book an introductory meeting.

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Five Tips to Successfully Networking and Connecting

Networking remains an essential element in all marketing and promotional campaigns. Without this ever-expanding web, individuals, companies, and organizations will become stagnant. However, without developing a proper strategy, it's like throwing spaghetti against the wall and seeing what sticks. It wastes time and energy. In many cases, it's counter-productive. However, following the five rules of connecting will turn networking events into positive experiences that generate leads instead of just a stack of business cards.

Get to know the others as people first. Whether the person is a potential customer, employer, or colleague, she or he exists outside work. Focusing solely on business makes for limited and awkward conversations.

Find common ground. Sharing what you are passionate about both in work and in your life adds dimension to the conversations. Finding the balance between over-sharing and being a walking-talking resume will build relationships that last.

Help without expectation. The help we receive back isn't always returned by the same people we assisted. However, if see our support of others as balloons we release rather than a debt to be repaid, we find that who and what we need finds us in unexpected ways.

Accept help when it is offered. No matter how strong, talented, or innovative we are, there will be times and situations in which we will need help. It doesn't make you a lesser person, but one who is wise enough to know that life sometimes has limitations that need to be respected. Not everyone is perfect at everything or sometimes life throws a curveball at us that we need help catching.

Be true to your word. If you can, do. If you can't, say so. If the situation changes, be straightforward and honest about status modification. Most people would rather know ahead of time, rather than be shocked or disappointed later.

Network or connecting events can be best described as a very elaborate and complicated piece of machinery. When the gears are aligned and balanced, the machine produces amazing results. However, when the gears go out of sync or are placed incorrectly, the machine loses its ability to function. Each person that attends the event is a gear. How they interact with the other members will determine how much benefit they will receive by attending.

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https://catalyticconnections.com/

Dr. Laura A. Dean: Ukrainian Refugee Crisis--what can be done?

 

Lithuanian-American Club of Central Illinois and The World Affairs Council of Central Illinois will be hosting the Associate Professor of Political Science Dr. Laura Dean as she talks about the ramifications of the refugee and displaced person crisis caused by the Russian attack on Ukraine. This free event will be held at the Lincoln Library on Saturday, March 26 at 2 pm.

The greatest humanitarian crisis since World War II has been created as millions of Ukraine civilians have been forced to flee for their lives. Mainly women, children, and the elder have flooded into the neighboring countries, whose resources have been stretched to the breaking point. The overburdened systems have led to uncertainty and confusion abound, making the refugees more vulnerable to human traffickers. Those, who remain behind in Ukraine, face shortages in the basic necessities--food, water, medical attention, and safe shelter. Bodies are buried in mass graves as indiscriminate bombing makes it too dangerous to retrieve them for proper burial.

Currently, Laura A. Dean is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Millikin University. From 2014-to 2016 she was an Assistant Professor at Clayton State University in Georgia. She graduated from the University of Kansas in 2014 with a Ph.D. in Political Science. She also has a Graduate Certificate in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (2013) and a Master of Arts in Political Science (2011) from the University of Kansas, a Master of Arts in International Studies focusing on Russian, East European, and Central Asian Studies (2006) from the University of Washington, and a Bachelor of Arts in World Politics (2003) from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.

Dr. Dean researches gender and political issues focusing on public policy, migration, and gender-based violence in the former Soviet Union. Her research has been supported by the American Association of University Women, Social Science Research Council, Fulbright Program, Rotary Foundation, and appeared in The Journal of Comparative Policy Analysis, Human Rights Review, Journal of Baltic Studies, Journal Teorija in Praksa, and Femina Politica, the Feminist Journal of Political Science. In the summer of 2016, She was a Title VIII Summer Research Scholar at the Kennan Institute, part of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.

Dr. Dean is the author of Diffusing Human Trafficking Policy in Eurasia forthcoming in 2020 from Policy Press at the University of Bristol and distributed by the University of Chicago Press in the US. She is the adviser of the Model United Nations Club, chair of the Fulbright Committee, and a member of the Gender Studies Committee and the International Programs and Policies Committee. She also serves as head of the Research Committee on the Central Illinois Human Trafficking Task Force and is a Regional Faculty Associate with the Russian, East European, and the Eurasian Center University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Dr. Laura Dean's website

How introductions make connecting more successful The new face of networking

 How introductions make connecting more successful

The new face of networking

Both in-person and online, networking remains an important element of promotion and marketing strategies. The events have been designed to bring people together in a safe, comfortable setting in which they can expand their business network, client base, and find necessary resources.

With most in-person events you are given a name tag as you walk into a sea of people. Other than what is printed on the tag, the attendees know very little about each other. Who do you talk to? What's the best way to approach others? Do you just walk up and start talking? What do you say? What is the best way to meet the people you are looking for? The event becomes little more than a series of cold contacts or the equivalent of a speed dating event with most people standing around feeling awkward.

Most online events start with a summit or seminar in which one person or a small group shares their experience and expertise, while others listen. Attendees usually can private message each other, yet in doing so their attention is diverted from the speakers. Sometimes these events break into small groups, in which the members are more able to share and learn about each other. But this contact venue is only viable during the event. The members must quickly exchange their information or the ability to connect is lost at the end of the event.

In both cases, the art of relationships building has gotten lost in the sea of collecting business cards or contact information as the attendees race against the clock to meet as many people as possible. Under these circumstances, it's impossible to develop long-lasting business relationships.

Catalytic Connections doesn't host large networking events, it arranges introductions. Rochelle Arjmand finds connections the same way she chooses her clients. She learns about their businesses but more importantly, she learns who her clients are as people. What they are passionate about? The information gives her the ability to find who and what they need because she has the same information about the people they are trying to meet. However, she does so much more than send a connecting email with simply bios and the reason for the introduction. She brings them together for three-way calls, zoom chats, or in-person introductions. In many ways, Rochelle Arjmand can be described as a conduit in which others find common ground and reach their goals. Her passion is to bring others together to make positive things happen for all involved. A natural connector, Arjmand is best known for connecting people with others that most think are impossible to reach and then having them work together to create a bigger, better vision.

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Brand Anthems: Don't settle for someone else's theme song

 

From the opening horns of the Star Wars theme to the rhythmic, non-traditional use of the tuba that foreshadowed the appearance of the shark in Jaws, theme songs have become an integral part of brand marketing. Corporations, organizations, and causes have learned that music not only sets the tone and expectations for presentations but it also standardizes their message among the venues. When used properly, the music becomes synonymous with the brand. making it more of an anthem than a theme song.

When choosing the music, most tend to focus on the lyrics to reinforce their brand's message. They overlook the fact that music has as much power to inspire and motivate as words. When the lyrics and the music work in tandem, they reinforce each other, making the piece much more effective. However, ready-made music can only approximate the message and never will be a perfect fit.

Using existing music can be easier and cheaper in the short run. This is a double-edged sword. By choosing a well-known piece, the commonness of its use dilutes the song's effectiveness. But it could also lead to negative backlash if the artists involved or another company, which has used it, become involved with controversy. Additionally, using copyrighted work in a public venue or for-profit could lead to legal and financial jeopardy.

However, it is unnecessary to settle for a song that almost represents the brand message. Singer and Songwriter, FiZ offers an alternative. He and his Grammy Award-winning team have written for some of the most widely known singers in the world. They are available to create anthems that will highlight the brand message and target the desired demographics. The exclusivity of the lyrics and music will virtually eliminate the negative consequences of using existing music while emphasizing the most important aspects of the brand identity. By commissioning a signature song that has been composed specifically for the individual, company, or organization, it will be possible to develop marketing strategies and frameworks that will set them apart and above the competition.

To commission a brand anthem email Rochelle at CatalyticConnections.com

To commission a brand anthem email

Rochelle at CatalyticConnections.com

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#RochelleArjmand #CatalyticConnections #FiZ #TonydiMattia #NancyMatthews #brandanthem #themesong #brandmarketing #branding #originalmusic #marketingcommunications #promotions

Reviving the Lost Art of Networking

 

Getting Real Again: Reviving The Lost Art Of Networking.

By

Rochelle Arjmand

I swear I looked like a deer caught in headlights!

I walked into a magical world. Taking in the sights and sounds of the beautiful rooftop of a swanky hotel. It was a picturesque gathering of my fellow connectors. An experience rich in bragging rights and business opportunities. A scene worthy of a red carpet, with the potential to facilitate world-class connections.

Yet there I froze. My whimsy interrupted when I was abruptly ‘welcomed’ by an oversized easel board littered with badges in an array of colors representing different occupations. I claimed my red advertising and communications badge, grabbed my two drink tickets, and was on my own. As a highly sought-after connector, this was where I belonged - in theory.

I felt otherwise. I was soon unable to differentiate the rattling of my nerves from the clattering of champagne glasses and cheerful surface banter. I became a lonely connector disconnected from my fellow humans, unable to forge authentic connections in a room of color-coded cliques. People were scrutinizing the color stripe on my badge to decide if I was worthy of approach. If my industry was good enough. If there was a return on the time invested in getting to know me.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, was my experience at one of the most reputed and well-known nationally syndicated networking events in the United States. I wondered; when did networking become a mass-marketed product that put people last? I tend to be cognizant of the comfort of those around me to a fault. If I - as a connector - was ill at ease and uncertain at this event, how did the introverts and inexperienced feel?

Somewhere along the way, we have let go of the art of networking.

We are all familiar with the famous sayings.

One connection can make a difference!

It's not what you know; but who you know.

Your network is your net worth.

Yet we tend to feel unworthy and increasingly unconnected.

The pursuit of the elusive key connection often has us flocking to huge events with hundreds of attendees in a desperate attempt to find the missing piece of the puzzle. Standing in a sea of disconnected souls, none of whom you know, and few who seem to care to get to know you. The noise level makes it hard to start a conversation, let alone make a connection. And then there are the awkward moments. Being asked if you have a card on you, or asking for someone’s information like a police officer issuing a speeding ticket.

Somewhere along the line, we replaced quality with quantity and have given networking a bad name. We have turned intimate into intimidating. Transformational into transactional.

We are card collectors, acting like hunters and gatherers who are privy to a limited supply of contacts. We put pressure on ourselves to get our return on time at networking events by growing our contact list. Only to return home with a confusing pile of cards and little understood contacts. So where do we go from here?

Connection is a basic human desire. We all crave deep, meaningful, connections. By reducing human interactions to an obsession with meeting the person who can open the door to the job that will change our life we have detached from our most innate instincts as fellow human beings. Living in the glory days of instant gratification, we easily crack under the pressure, becoming disengaged and discouraged.

Perhaps not all networking events are disappointing. The most successful tend to be purpose-driven events hosted by a certain organization or industry. Such events tend to transcend the cocktail party vibe and unite people for the greater good. The more people and purpose-centric a networking event is, the better the experience and outcome for all involved. But even these meet-up models have moved away from the fine art of networking. Take trends like speed networking. Another attempt to increase the return on time is by sacrificing all that is sacred about genuine connection.

It's time to go back to the basics. To the roots of what it means to connect. To be authentic in our interactions by default. Authentic is a word that carries both a heavyweight and an aura of overuse. Here the word is intentional and appropriate, as we increasingly see people with a hunger for care-based connections and a craving for the personal touch.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

It is time to experience a new way to connect.

Meet Rochelle Arjmand, a power broker to purpose-driven professionals.

With an innate ability to see possibilities and probabilities, Rochelle understands the big vision and the road map to get there from A to Z. Her signature rooftop gatherings are the place where real connections are made by real people. A breeding ground for big thinking and big missions to come to life.

The catalytic connections that are made at Rochelle’s events are life-changing. Mutually beneficial. Natural. Easy. The lucky few who are invited are a loyal bunch. They know the value of a carefully curated and well-cared-for community. The respect that event attendees show one another is a byproduct of the attention to detail and care that Rochelle puts into planning joyous events where deep, organic, conversations lead to lifelong friendships.

The results of collaborations and partnerships that have come under Rochelle’s watch are world-class. Two of her clients went on to form their own stage theater production company. They are now starring in and producing stage plays. Their connection was catalyzed by Rochelle’s rockstar PR work. Taking a grassroots approach, Rochelle was able to get their productions into multiple venues and create win-win situations for all involved.

It wasn’t long before Rochelle was asked to network on behalf of others. Rochelle now serves a select number of private clients with bespoke, connection-based, catalyzation blueprints and VIP Days. The key to her success is her sincere commitment to understanding the personality and purpose of her clients and building them a network that aligns with their personal and professional goals. VIP Days with Rochelle are full of potential for her clients. She spends these days attending events and facilitating introductions with a strategic focus. Success is a puzzle, and Rochelle is the world’s best at gathering all of the pieces and putting them together to create opportunities and impact.

But Rochelle does more than make introductions. Working intimately with her clients, she quickly becomes their secret weapon. Their catalyst. Their shortcut to success. Rochelle carefully screens potential connections for their ability to hold space for her client’s visions, putting in the time and energy required for the real magic to happen.

Rochelle is more than a connector. She is authentic and empathetic. A conduit. A dream catcher. The game-changer for high-performing, purpose-driven executives, experts, and entrepreneurs who know no limits. She intuitively identifies those missing puzzle pieces - what clients need to achieve their goals and make their dreams come true. She puts in the time. Does the research. And gets results. She guides clients step by step - and never loses sight of how important they - the people - are in the art of connecting.

Want to know what it is like to work with Rochelle?

“Rochelle is one of the most enthusiastic and optimistic people that I've ever met! She is a ray of light! Rochelle lights up a room anytime she walks in and is a magnet for success. Whatever she gets her hands on, she makes an absolute possibility.- Elizabeta Vidovic, Almost Normal Productions

“If you have a talent, Rochelle will put you in the best position to use it. This lady changed my life, I am an actor and I needed exposure so she took it upon herself to introduce me to a published author who just so happened to need an actor to portray the very character he had written about. The author and I would most likely have never met under any other circumstances, but Rochelle set it up and she even played a part in a certain movie producer appearing in the audience at one of the shows.- Tommy Caldwell, actor

“I believe in magic words, totems, and good luck charms. In the world of public and media relations, talent acquisition, and the entertainment business, the two magic words Rochelle Arjmand. - Jim White, screenwriter/director

If you're ready to experiencing networking in a completely different way, what are you waiting for? Rochelle is here to help you. Let's make things happen! To learn more about how Rochelle’s power-brokerage can dramatically shorten the path to your fullest potential and most vivacious dreams becoming reality, visit catalyticconnections.com or reach out to Rochelle directly at

rochelle@catalyticconnections.com.

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