Who should you have thanked today?

A heart-felt “Thank You” means a great deal to the receiver. Even more so when you can make that Thank You a public mini-testimonial for the person you're appreciating. So here's six ways to say those two special words:

1. Send an unsolicited testimonial on LinkedIn. This will be a permanent thank you that your colleague can display with pride on their profile. Remember to make it meaningful. Be specific in what they did for you, and the effect it had. Consider using the STAR format: Describe the Situation or Task, then the Action they took, then the Results this action delivered.

2. Send a “Thank You” tweet through Twitter, and again, be specific about what they did, as this will help their followers understand how they can add value to their work. It will introduce them to your followers, too.

3. Recommend them as an EXPERT on LinkedIn. If you come across a question your colleague can answer, use the “SUGGEST EXPERT” button. They'll get an email giving them a chance to show off their expertise in style, and they'll know that you thought highly enough of them to recommend them in this way. Everyone loves being called an “expert”!

4. Use the “Follow Fridays” tradition on Twitter as a quick appreciative nod to anyone who has helped you out that week. Simply write a tweet that begins #ff and follow it with the @names of those you want to appreciate. This works as both public acknowledgement, and the gift of an introduction to all your followers.

5. Find a poem to post on their Facebook wall at http://www.squidoo.com/poemstosaythankyou.

6. And if you're really old-fashioned, you can still say it with flowers. Real ones. Search Twitter for a florist nearby, then tweet them your request. Try adding a place-name to this Google search string to find one to suit: "intitle:florist * on twitter" site:twitter.com

And if you enjoyed this post, a great way to say "Thank You" is to share it with your network.  You'll find a "Share" button on the left side of the page.