Respond on a different channel than the one the news came through: a LinkedIn post gets a text, an email gets a call.
The idea
You see someone's new-job post and type "Congrats!" They see a number go from 66 to 67. You're bundled with everyone else, which is exactly how the platforms want it, since engagement on their turf keeps everyone scrolling. Social media is the signal that there's something to talk about. The conversation should happen somewhere else. When you switch channels you become the one person who actually reached out. Michael Margolis, who contributed to my book, says breaking through the noise takes a pattern interrupt: something that sets you apart and makes people want you around.
How to do it
Notice the signal: a career update, a newsletter, vacation photos.
Respond anywhere except where it showed up. LinkedIn post: text. Email: call. Instagram: voice memo.
Keep it specific to what they shared.
Example
When we started Contactually, I couldn't believe how many customers asked for a way to send handwritten cards. Had my grandmother's bridge club found us? Then a customer sent me one, and it stood out from everything else I got that day. Same logic online. The text about your post sticks with you longer than the 30 seconds of likes.
Script
"Saw your LinkedIn post. New role sounds perfect for you. How's it been so far?"
Watch out for
Crossing a line. Pick a channel that's appropriate for them. Calling on the weekend, or messaging them on a dating site, is over it.
Flare, Not Walkie-Talkie: Treat social media as a flare that signals a reason to connect, then reach the person directly instead of becoming one more like.
The Social Media Signal Review: Set a two-minute timer, scroll one app looking only for real life updates, then close it and reach those people off-platform.
Stand Out: Identical annual gestures become wallpaper. Change the occasion, the timing, the channel or the format, within reasonable bounds, so you get noticed.
Prove You're Human: Be specific, switch channels, add "no need to respond," and keep it short. AI over-explains; humans get to the point.