1. Relate.

When you relate to people, you can connnect. Relationships form when you connect. Ideally, as a business professional or small business owner, you do connect. You put processes in place to support you in connecting with people, too. You want to do the important fun things yourself. You want to delegate or automate details that are important, urgent and repetitive.

2. Make Time.

Free yourself to focus on connecting. Getting leads with social media is an important process. Set up your business to work smoothly. Share relevant, useful content. Give a call to action. Let your call to action be an invitation to get to know each other. Let your call to action be an offer to give more information, too. Do these things yourself whenever possible. Make it possible! Take the details supporting you in getting leads with social media set up on autopilot. Doing so allows you the freedom to pay attention and focus on connecting.

3. Show Up.

That's the best advice for getting leads with social media. Be there actively. Use social media and like-minded people find you. People learn about you. You learn about people. Have a light touch. Be easy to connect with by tracking who wants to connect so you don’t lose them. Be genuine. Be boldly yourself.

4. Observe.

Social media form communities. Some are close knit, strong and vibrant, such as the Digg community. Make time to learn how such communities interact. Join and observe for a bit. Share the most exciting things you find while you’re observing. Find out how people respond to your enjoyment of their material you’ve shared. Figure out the overlap between which communities you like best and who helps you live your life profitably. That’s where to invest your time and energy. It's how you'll find yourself helping people in unique ways that only you can do. Being in that community is when you will feel encouraged. It is what will help you to experience positive emotions, growth and success.

5. Say Thank You.

Engage with people. When you pay attention and be polite, you’ll be surprised at how many ways you’ll find to thank people. Because you’ll find yourself learning a lot and you’ll feel grateful. Because leaders say thank you. Each time you thank someone you grow a little bit as a leader. Each interaction shows who you are. You’re letting a little bit more of yourself be seen and recorded with each interaction. Even when all you do is observe and share the best stuff of other people? You’re giving insight as to who you are by what you appreciate. In the same way, as you share stuff important to you, you’ll see whether those around you enjoy being informed, educated, entertained and joined by you.

6. Humor.

People love to laugh. When you find interesting items that you believe are useful in a funny way for people you know? Share. On Twitter, take action and Retweet. On Digg, Digg. If you’re still laughing? Tag your Retweet before sending it, “Still laughing!” and you’ll give a heads up to your followers who may have already discovered a kindred spirit in your sense of humor. In the process, you engage with people. You connect.

7. Public.

Social media are public conversations. Every time you share someone else’s stuff, you can potentially provide encouragement, motivation, and be getting leads with social media for them that flow to them for days, weeks, months, years, even decades. For example, did you retweet something today? Take a look! Your Retweet stays in your own personal Twitter space. In fact, whenever you remember learning something and decide you want to do business? Or refer someone? You can simply step back in time. Such as tipping your Twitter space back until you find your Retweet. In this way, giving and getting leads with social media relationships become testimonials. That means giving and getting leads with social media can travel far into the future.