I use Facebook a lot for networking these days. There’s over 100 million users, which means a lot of old friends, new friends, work contacts, local acquaintances, and more are on there posting information about what they’re doing and where.
It’s certainly impossible to keep track of what all your contacts are doing. Just on Facebook, I have about 2,000 “friends.” But there’s a bunch of people you don’t talk to very much that are still very important from time to time…if you’re on their radar.
One “trick” I use is to scan the list of who’s having a birthday every morning. If there are people having a birthday whose names I recognize, but haven’t talked to in a while, I definitely go to their Wall and post a “Happy Birthday” and maybe add a little extra. Seems small, but a little bit of meaningful interaction is better than zero. And who’s going to complain??
Everyone wants to see who wished them a happy birthday. Use it as a small gesture to keep the small pieces of your social graph loosely joined.
August 19th, 2009 at 8:13 am
Yeah, I do that whenever I remember. It’s just a nice touch of courtesy.
I’m going to be interacting on Facebook a lot more now that they’ve opened search up, but before then, the birthday thing was a nice way to stay at least A LITTLE current with people.
August 19th, 2009 at 10:20 am
I turned 25 back in June and loved all the birthday love that I got on my Facebook wall. One thing though… it’s almost too easy. The fact that it takes no work to do devalues the act almost.
It’s made it mean that much more when someone takes the time to write me an e-mail on my b-day or heck even call.
BTW – There is a little known preference in FB that you can check and have it send you an e-mail at the beginning of each week with all your friend’s b-day’s for that week. (This is seriously the best find ever!!!)
It’s in Settings > Notifications – (Screenshot – http://aviary.com/artists/thorpus/creations/doodle_2)
August 19th, 2009 at 10:24 am
Hacking the Facebook birthday system Justin? I love it
August 19th, 2009 at 1:01 pm
that was really funny! Make some more up!