Turn small talk with strangers into business opportunities

You never know what might come from a conversation with a stranger. Whether it’s a potential customer, employer, investor, etc., you can always turn small talk into a business opportunity. Just follow the three C’s:

Compliment: After you gather basic information about their professional background, start the conversation with subtle compliments about their work or field.

Connect: Once you have figured out what role this person could play in your professional life, connect on LinkedIn and if comfortable, exchange emails so you can stay in touch.

Conceive: Finally, put together a plan detailing the potential business collaboration and next steps.

– Sarah Wynn Benton, The Atlanta 100