How to Turn Two Minutes into a Lifetime Connection

Posted on August 25th, 2009 by Keith Ferrazzi

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:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.

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6 Responses so far | Have Your Say!

  1. Keith is dead on in this short blog. This is definitely true. I have been able to meet extraordinary people by doing my homework. One example that comes to mind is when I attended one of Keith's book seminars in Houston and I had less than one minute to speak with him and we connected on social innovation. It's that easy people. If you can connect with someone on a deeper level, great things can come from it. It is sort of like a personal elevator pitch as to why two people should connect.

  2. John Cecconi says:
    August 26, 2009 at 5:18 am
    Reply

    You know this is very true, here is the flip side and is something I address now and in forthcoming days, a lot of "successful individuals in our media spotlight, newspapers, tabloids and books are all under the self "pre-conceived" notion that they are big shots and should have to be respected, "Well how would you respect the indivdiual whose time is only spent with the other guru big shots and then kind of disregard Little Jimmy Joe who wants to say hello. Here is the solution and render it the first time I actually conveyed this: Little Jimmy or "Big" Jimmy should one approach in the full utmost confidence first and then the respect for himself, as another human being like Jack Welch, Donald, or "others" whose name will be mentioned at a later time. The Jacks, Donalds, and Hillary's should then allow the 2-5 minutes if and only if they are legitimately busy, as in a family, close friend, important meeting, time out, lunch break, henceforth with this in retrospect from every previous encounter one can learn the "chi" of accomplish successful business high roller encounters of the third kind.

    "More will be revealed"

    -John Cecconi, Jr.

  3. Jerry Brennan says:
    August 26, 2009 at 5:35 am
    Reply

    But be careful what you say and how you say it.
    I asked the CFO of a Fortune 100 company about the financial quarter and the conversation went cold. After some reflection I surmised that he must have thought I was looking for inside information and my question made him extremely uncomfortable.

  4. Keith, this is absolutely true! When you take the time to do your homework and find out the seemingly insignificant small details about other people, you open yourself up to a world of opportunities. For example, I once interviewed Warren Buffett for a radio commercial for the NYSE and the day before, I read in his bio that he loved Cherry Coke (he had also made a killing off Coca-Cola stock). So, right before the interview, I treated him to a glass and he turned to me and said, "Linda, I'll tell you anything you want to know, because you just brought me a Cherry Coke." How's that for sweetening the deal?

  5. Linda, great story!

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