I thought you guys might appreciate this basic introduction to talking to people video by Charisma on Command.

For those who don't want to watch the video, the five conversation starters are:

  1. "Hey I don't think I've met you yet, I'm..." which implies you know most of the people here and therefore have social credibility. Great for private functions, mixers and networking events. This is my go to line even/especially in contexts where there is no reason for anybody to think I already know most of the people in this club/musicfestival/universitycampus/traincarriage... I just think it's funny.
  2. "Hey, I know this is totally random, but..." as much as I hate the use of the word "random" for anything that is not at all random I have to endorse the acknowledgement of the fact you are breaking social norms in approaching a stranger to indicate that you are confident enough to break social norm rather than creepy enough to not comprehend social norms.
  3. The "Tourist" Technique. Which basically consists of approaching your target and asking for directions then explaining you are new to the area and asking for recommendations for fun things to do which opens up multiple conversation starters and also plays on people's empathy for being alone and lost in a new location. This is pretty useful and I must admit I've used this for months after moving to an area because of how effective it is since it is both a good starter and a subtle form Ben Franklin.
  4. The "Ben Franklin". Essentially you ask somebody for a small but completely reasonable favor like minding your shopping while you go to the toilet. As well as the basic mind trick where they tell themselves they must like you because why would they help somebody they don't like, if the favor involves you extending them trust then you come across as trustworthy (people assume that untrustworthy people are also untrusting and this is often an accurate assessment).
  5. The spontaneous complement. This is a complement on a choice coupled with a cold reading and NOT a thinly veiled sexual advancement hedged in a comment about their body. The video doesn't go into this but there is a way of doing this that amplifies its effectiveness where you open with a question or statement that requires a bit of unpacking, slip in a compliment, and then immediately change the topic before they can react. This gives the good feeling of receiving a compliment without the negative experience of having to interpret its sincerity or subtext to form a reaction.