Put the Social back in Social Media

You might thank someone for sharing your stuff, or thank them for being awesome -- it shouldn't be too hard to find at least one person a day to express your gratitude. If you want to REALLY stand out, send a handwritten thank you. Or see this list of other creative thank you ideas: http://list.ly/list/4fi-40-plus-ways-to-show-your-customers-how-much-you-care

Just like you would in real life, you can tell someone they look great (e.g., "your smile in that profile pic really lights up the internet"). You could also compliment on them on things like their sense of humor, sense of style, generous spirit, etc. Find at least one person to compliment every day.

Whenever you see someone specifically asking for help, take a few moments to provide an answer if you have one (or point them in a good direction, if you don't). You can also actively SEARCH for people asking questions on most social media sites and then provide a (non-salesy) answer. Did you write a blog post about that specific thing? Share a link to it.

Go live in front of a global audience, whether you're an aspiring artist, a global celebrity or a concerned citizen.

Send them a postcard, a note, a clipping, a photo--or even a small gift. Share something that shows how much you care and appreciate them.

Did they recently move? Get a new job? Pull off an outstanding job on a big project? Shoot them a private message and/or use a public status update (tag them!) to let the world know how awesome you think they are.

Every time you read a blog post or article online, ask yourself, who do I know that should see this? Tag them in a comment or send a link to them privately with a short note.

Did someone you know just move to a new area? Maybe you can introduce to them a friend of yours who lives there. Or maybe you've got two peers in the same field who've never heard of each other. Ask yourself every week, which two people do I know that would really hit it off?

This is NOT the same as creating an event and inviting everyone at once. Rather, reach out privately to someone you'd like to touch base with. Could you buy them a coffee? A virtual coffee (via Skype or Google hangout)? Is there an event that someone else is putting on that you think they'd enjoy too? The point with these invitations is that they are NOT sales calls.

First try Google. Then, if you don't get what you need, reach out to the folks in your network and ask the best question you can. It's okay to ask real questions -- people like to be helpful to YOU, too.

Add your own short note ahead of the share so folks will get a better feel for why they'd want to click through. Be sure to tag the person who's responsible for finding the item first.

Which logo mock-up do folks like best? Which day of the week is better for your event? There are all sorts of ways to get feedback on what you're doing.

Spend a few minutes each day looking at the profiles of those who comment regularly on your blog posts or social media status updates. Find out if you've got anything in common. Follow them on other sites. Let them know you're noticing them, too.

Did you get something wrong? You're human. Just let people know -- the sooner the better. If you wronged a particular person, apologize to them privately AND publicly, if appropriate. Or better yet, call them.

Facebook, LinkedIn, and Google + all have private groups. Find one or two really active ones and particpate regularly.

Instead of just posting the words "Happy Birthday" on someone's Facebook wall, why not reach out and send them a private message? Or use a different social media channel and post/tag them in an extended birthday wish.

TweetChat is how you converse in real-time using hashtags on Twittehttp://twubs.com/twitter-chats/aboutr. You can host your own or find one