Apollo Robbins (the pickpocket http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/culture/2013/01/video-the-art-of-pickpocketing.html http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/c

Apollo Robbins (the pickpocket http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/culture/2013/01/video-the-art-of-pickpocketing.html http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/culture/2013/01/video-... ) explains an approach that worked very well for me. When I managed a retail store (ages ago), I would take a clipboard, get near the customer as if I was checking inventory, then wait a moment. If they didn't ask anything, I would turn away, then look back briefly and say "Let me know if I can help you find anything." It worked amazingly well for a 6'2" athletic build guy like myself. Other approaches failed pretty badly (partly because of my intimidating size to some). It let me sense how comfortable people were with me near their space, and customize how "nonchalant" I needed to be in asking if I could help them find anything. All in all, a way to enter people's space with them feeling comfortable having me there.