Connect the Dots

29 Dec Connect the Dots

We’ve just completed a round of holidays and most of us have spent a good amount of time with friends, family, and co-workers in the process of celebrating.  Though holiday get-togethers can sometimes be stressful, it’s important to recognize how very important they are.  “Psychology Today” recently reported that “In surveys to determine the factors that contribute most to human happiness, respondents consistently rate connection to friends and family-love, intimacy, social affiliation-above wealth or fame, even above physical health…Loneliness isn’t about being alone; it’s about not feeling connected.”

It has been said that in recent years, we are experiencing a worldwide epidemic of loneliness.  People are hungry for connection and community, so it’s no surprise that social media like Twitter and Facebook have become wildly popular.

Creating opportunities for your customers, clients, vendors, and employees to connect is a great PR tactic in strengthening their relationships with each other and most simply, keeping everyone happy.

How can you create social connections in your business? Encourage employees to eat lunch together or exercise in groups during breaks.  Plan social events and invite your target publics. If you have a company meeting or training, be sure it has a social component to it, a time when attendees can informally interact. Have a place in your office where employees can gather, like a kitchen or break room and make sure it has the amenities to hold at least several people (e.g., a table and some chairs).  If your business utilizes Twitter, plan tweetups to get to know your followers.  On a smaller scale, take the time to chat with people with whom you come into contact.  Smile, be friendly, compliment them, show some interest in their lives, and just get to know them.  In other words, connect.