Connectors in Public Relations

Connectors in PR, Because We All Have that Friend who Seemingly Knows EVERYONE

I recently started reading Malcolm Gladwell’s The Tipping Point which is about how little things can make a big difference. One of those “things” is the person in your life who is a connector. A connector, explains Gladwell, is the person who knows everyone. They are the ones who have connected you to your friends. Most people do not believe that this person is important, let alone that they really know everyone, but they do, says Gladwell.

Connectors: people with a special gift for bringing the world together.

In public relations, we realize how important these people are, because we rely heavily on our network. What we do not realize, though, is how heavily we rely on these individuals. Or perhaps, you are a connector and maybe you find yourself always bringing others together.

How to be a connector? Well, I think it is something that has to come naturally, but to become better at connecting… keep track of everyone you meet. Have a Google Doc or Rolodex with their contact information. And use it! Regularly reach out to them. It is not about how many Twitter or Instagram followers you have, or how many LinkedIn connections you boast. Being a connector is about bringing others together.

Reading about connectors in this book, I immediately thought of GolinHarris and the G4 model.  In the G4 model, connectors are channel experts. Connectors utilize traditional and social media channels to distribute information and share stories with the world. They disseminate information and support a two-way flow of knowledge between the media, audiences, and the company.

The Tipping Point is also about creating “positive” epidemics in the world. This is what every great campaign strives to do.

I highly recommend this book to better understand the concept of idea epidemics.

More about Connectors:

What is a connector?