Business opportunities present themselves everyday. If you turn random encounters into networking opportunities you will have more business than you can handle.

Imagine this Scenario:

You are in line waiting to buy a bagel and coffee at your favorite shop and you see a person who can dramatically help your career. Lets say it is the Owner of a business that you have been talking to for months but you just cant gain any traction. How do you approach this powerful person without looking like an aggressive psychopath?

When taking advantage of the random encounter, there are four steps you should follow for maximum effectiveness. They are:

Allow the other person to assume a position of power. When you ask for advice, directions, or even something as simple as the time, who has the power? The person providing the information has the power and control of the interaction. They can walk away or refuse to answer. Most people, when they have control of a situation, are immediately more comfortable and less intimidated which means they are more likely to be open and receptive.

Establish common ground. You can do this by talking about a third party, a neutral subject, or an experience that everyone can relate to. The key here is to establish some sort of small emotional connection with the other person. Your goal is to get them to feel what you feel.

Compliment them and ask for some harmless information. You have now exchanged at least two sentences with the other person. The next step is to make him feel good. Say something like, I could not help but admire your watch. Did you pick it because it is functional or because it looks great? The objective is to get them to give you advice. Eventually you can work a question about where they work and what they do into the conversation.

The By the way. After you have had your two-minute conversation and you prepare to leave, say something like, Oh, by the way, my name is Dave, and offer your hand for a handshake. Then you can say, May I call you if I need some advice on _______? They will most often respond affirmatively. If they dont, just give them your business card and say that you enjoyed speaking with them.

The random encounter is just that random. You dont have to make a perfect presentation. Act naturally and remember the individual you are speaking with is a person just like you. Dont be intimidated. Be yourself and youll win them over.