How to Turn Two Minutes into a Lifetime Connection

by KEITHFERRAZZI on AUGUST 25, 2009

stopwatch

I'm just preparing my impromptu remarks.
- Winston Churchill

Let's say you want to meet Jack Welch. Chances are that you're not going to get the chance to launch the relationship over a leisurely dinner. If you're lucky, you'll get a couple of minutes, awaiting the elevator or between sessions at a conference. So how to optimize those two minutes and give yourself a chance at a follow up?

The challenge in such circumstances, as it is in every conversation, is to try to transcend the trivialities of polite chitchat. You need to find a point of common ground that is deeper and richer than what can be discovered in a serendipitous encounter.

There's only one way to connect with someone new that quickly: Do your homework. Here's what you need to find out before you're ready for face-time:

What's important to them. Their hobbies, challenges, goals—inside their business and out. Pull together everything you can – with most people, you'll easily have a page just from Googling. The goal is to understand what this person is like as a human being, what he or she feels strongly about, and what his or her proudest achievements are.
What's going on in their business. Did the person have a good or bad quarter? Do they have a new product? Trust me, all people naturally care, generally above and beyond anything else, about what it is they do. If you are informed enough to step comfortably into their world and talk knowledgeably, their appreciation will be tangible.

Armed with knowledge about a person's passions, needs, or interests, as well as a good dose of care, you can do more than connect; you'll have an opportunity to bond and impress.