How to find new contacts when entering a new city, a new intellectual field or any other kind of endeavor with which you are not already familiar.
First you must think a bit about what you want to do; perhaps it would be a good idea to write this down so you can keep an objective record of your success. This process is going to be rather like the Delphi method used by experts for predicting the future. That method uses selected experts answering questions, and then reviewing their answers when compared to other experts and recycling their answers. The problem which one faces when entering a new situation is that you don’t know who the experts are. For example, say you come to a new area, and want to meet the local photographers. How can that be done?
1. For example: Go into a local public place like a cafe or coffee shop where there are people that sort of look like you, and ask the clerk, “I am from out of town and looking to meet the local photographers, and other artists. Where might they hang out?” Even if they are local they might not know, but they will probably know where to go ask, and who might know. So you write down their answer, and without being too forward about it, ask their name, and note the location. Then go to the recommended person’s location, and ask to meet them. Say that you were talking to Joe Blow over at XYZ cafe and he said you might know where I could go to find the local photographers. Well, there is a good chance that person might not know either, but there is a better chance that they will know someone who does know. So you do as above, and write down their suggestions, and their name and then go visit those places, and persons. With only a few cycles of this type of questioning you will be in contact.
2. But even before you visit your target group of people you should do a little preparation of your personal presentation if possible. There is a natural tendency to reject people who do not behave in the accepted ways, and it is necessary to find out what the accepted ways are before proceeding. The clothing you wear is the first thing they see and therefore it should be appropriate, and not off-putting. You could go completely bland with totally generic style of everything you do, and say, but that would be self defeating, because that would identify you as an outsider. Insiders have little things they do without even realizing it, and all you are attempting to do at this point is to be given a fair chance to interact on a level playing field with some people you are interested in. Sometimes this clothing thing seems silly like the uniforms worn by university professors which are just as revealing of rank as are the shoulder pin decorations worn by the military officers. It is necessary to fit in with the group you are interested in or else you will face an uphill battle. There is no suggestion of faking it in any of this, but of revealing that part (I just felt an earthquake, 37.866N 121.996W mag 4.0) of you that is acceptable.
![earthquake200809061 Earthquake](https://probaway.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/earthquake200809061.jpg?w=529)
This earthquake interrupted my blog post
Find a representative target group, and observe their clothing. Start with the shoes and work up. Write down exactly what the style is, what the colors are, what the wear condition is, what the tolerable amount of dirt, and wrinkling is, and anything else observable, and especially the original cost. Be careful to note the brands, or lack of brands if possible. Check out the socks if possible. Look around and see how many of the target people are conforming to these standards, and try to identify and note the most frequent example. At first glance it may appear that there is a great variety, which there probably is, but on closer examination you will probably find that almost half will fall within a narrow range on any given item. Note that range, and try and find an iconic central norm example to form your mental image upon. Next do the same procedure on the pants, including the fabric, the style, the color, and brand. Next the shirt, jacket, and tie or other decoration. Notice the hair styles and tattoos etc. Now try and find a couple of people who have the normative value for each of the items you have observed in combination. Find an example that is the normative in all things shoes, pants, shirt, jacket, hair and anything else you can observe. Watch carefully for slightly unusual things with this normative individual. If you can do so discreetly take some photos on your digital camera from a distance of these ideal types. With all of this accomplished go to the local used clothing store and purchase a normative outfit. You don’t want your new self to look brand new, but rather lived in and comfortable. Use the photos as a reminder when shopping around. Now go the the barber and get an appropriate haircut. Show the barber some photo examples of what you want. With your new outfit on walk around town for a half an hour looking, not at the tourist sights, but rather at the people half a block away, and find some examples of your normative ideal. Observe them casually and walk on past them without looking back. Try to do this with at least ten different normative people. Now, get half a block behind one of your subjects, and start walking like them, but do this for no more than half a block. If they turn you don’t, and if they go straight you turn. Do this several times, but stay well back because you don’t want to be observed doing this. The whole point is rather like what actors do when they are trying to study for a character they want to portray. All of the above silliness can be accomplished in a couple of hours, and create an acceptable new you for a new environment.
3. Now with your new appearance, and gross behavior tuned into your intended group it is time to pick up some appropriate tone, posture, and words. If you have a companion you can just sit comfortably in a public place like a park or coffee shop, and try and hear some local lingo, and special words, and subjects of interest. It is a good idea to write these down because it is easy to forget them. But, it is best if you can talk with your companion using these words and themes. If you are in some locations it is easy to start up a conversation with the local people. If that can be done do it because that will develop your social graces quicker than anything. If you are looking the part, and acting the part, and willing to behave in a manner conforming to the locals’ expectations you shouldn’t have any trouble getting into conversations. Most people find it difficult to remember names, but it is essential in a new situation because, if you can’t refer to someone by their proper name no one knows who you are talking about. You have to say the name only once, but you have to say it. Conversation is always tricky because someone may mention a person, or imply a person, only once, and after that it is all brief pronouns, and if you lose the referent you are lost.
4. About this time you are ready to meet your hoped for audience person, and group, and should be prepared with something which will interest them. In my example at the top I mentioned photographers, and in that case you should be prepared to show them some example photographs of what you are doing, and what you are interested in. Be prepared to talk about it at least for a couple of minutes, but after that shut up for a while and listen. I know some frequently published poets who won’t shut up after 50 years of blab, and no one will willingly come within talking range of them anymore. If you are going to all of the trouble of the above introductory cycle it is because you want to hear what your target audience has to say. So after you and they are in sync shut up and listen. Ask appropriate questions, and listen to the answers. Make apt comments, and listen and shut up while they are talking.
These are techniques for stage actors, but it is important to be real when dealing with people, so also read this post on personal honesty.