Even if you feel like everyone wants the same thing, all else equal, you should make clear that you want that thing. Just telling companies you care about money and find it motivating will sometimes get you raises you wouldn't have otherwise. Notice that this is very different than "I'm only in it for the money" - you don't need to rank your preferences. Strict approval voting. Just tell 'em what you like.
For example, I like money, compliments, kisses, feeling included, feeling special, naturally expiring gifts like flowers, letters (including digital ones i.e. heartfelt emails), sweets, hearing from people, talking about my baby, and being invited places.
I think all of these are pretty common things to like, to the point that if you asked "do you like X" for most things on the list the person you asked would suspect they were being pranked or Socrates'd or something.
Even so, people routinely have vague positive feelings about other people (maybe even you), and are not sure how to act on them, and if there's a big bright sign that says "this thing will work" then they might try that thing. People are busy and wrapped up in their own stuff and often spare cognitive capacity is the bottleneck. Find a way to remind people of your name, and what you like.
Q: What if what I like is relevant to Dating?
A: I don't know. I was cursed/blessed (blessed) by a magnificent medallion that made it impossible for me to contribute to dating discourse, sorry, you are on your own
Q: What if I like something embarrassing?
A: A little bravery is often charming but you can also just focus on the stuff that you like that is totally safe
Q: What if I am afraid of putting myself out there, and thereby making it feel more painful if I don't get the thing I like?
Q: How do I gracefully fit this into conversation?
A: That's the neat part! You don't. You can just assert it baldly. Like a three year old.
A: Yeah. A lot of happiness is just orienting towards what you like, rather than orienting to what you don't like. Also, happiness is infectious. If you say "I like ice cream" you are actually doing everyone around you a favor, by reminding them of ice cream, and liking
Q: Won't it seem like I'm tacitly making demands?
A: Be tactful. One benefit of saying what you like loudly and often is that people will ambiently know it and not think you're dropping hints for them in particular. If everybody knows you like cookies then they're way more likely to tell you "oh hey these cookies are for everyone" and you don't have to awkwardly ask. If you do have to awkwardly ask, you can do worse than "oh man, that's a great flavor of cookie" - implying that you like it. Advanced strats.