I always tell my kids if you want to be popular and well liked you should just go around letting others know that you genuinely like them and mean it.
People like the people who like them.
Seeming...
I have a hard time remembering people's names which makes the next interaction awkward. So, instead of names I focus on learning something meaningful about the person. That way I can reference that the next time I see them.
Instead of "oh hi Fred", it's "oh hey how's the wind surfing going?"
Instead of "oh hi Fred", it's "oh hey how's the wind surfing going?"