4. Barging into a discussion
If two people are deep in conversation, Ferriss says, it's rude to interrupt them. If it's three or more people, it's appropriate to approach them.
Ferris highlights a strategy he used at SXSW in 2007. First, he made sure to ask if he could join the discussion: "Hey guys, do you mind if I join you just to eavesdrop? It's my first time here and I don't know anybody. I'll buy you guys a round of drinks."
Chances are good they won't say "no."
Once you've joined the conversation, wait until someone says something you don't understand and ask them to clarify. That could spark a debate among the other group members and could eventually prompt them to ask who you are. That's when you can make your (brief) introduction.
Oddly enough, Jodi Glickman Brown writes in The Harvard Business Review that she used a similar strategy when trying to meet Ferriss at a conference. As soon as Ferriss noticed her in the crowd, she said: "Hi Tim, I'm Jodi Glickman Brown with [communication consulting firm] Great on the Job; I didn't want to interrupt, but I'm fascinated to hear about what you do. Please, continue and I'll just listen in."
You can chime in with your perspective after you've been listening patiently for a few minutes. That’s what Glickman Brown did, and she was able to ask Ferriss a question and get his advice.