Say you have scrutinized the body of the important business contact you want to meet. You've searched in vain from the tip of his
cowlick to the toes of his boots. He's not sporting a single Whatzit.
If you strike out on finding something to comment on, resort
to the Whoozat technique. Like a persistent politician, go to the
party giver and say, "That man/woman over there looks interesting. Who is he/she?" Then ask for an introduction. Don't be hesitant. The party giver will be pleased you find one of the guests
interesting.
If, however, you are loath to pull the party giver away from
his or her other guests, you still can perform Whoozat. This time,
don't ask for a formal introduction. Simply pump the party giver
for just enough information to launch you. Find out about the
stranger's jobs, interests, and hobbies.
Suppose the party giver says, "Oh, that's Joe Smith. I'm not
sure what his job is, but I know he loves to ski." Aha, you've just
been given the icebreaker you need. Now you make a beeline for
Joe Smith. "Hi, you're Joe Smith, aren't you? Susan was just telling
me what a great skier you are. Where do you ski?" You get the
idea.