Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and that doesn’t leave you much time to get a date. That’s the bad news. The good news is, it can still be done, as long as you act quickly and efficiently. If you are still in the market for a Valentine’s Day date, take heart – and then take action. Here is what you need to do to get the ball rolling, find your date, and make plans for the most romantic night of the year.
Step 1: Get Out There
If you want a date, you first need to get yourself out into the dating scene to find a potential match. Dress for success, make sure that you are clean and well-groomed, and visit your favourite bar or pub, or wherever the most eligible singles tend to congregate in your area. Once you arrive, immediately stake out the scene. Identify two or three potential targets, and prepare to meet your match.
Step 2: Make Contact
Now that you have a few potential targets in mind, it is time to make your move. Do not wait for “the right time;” this will only serve to make you more nervous and allow for other potential suitors to move in. Make eye contact a few times – if they are interested, they will return your eye contact and potentially smile at you. Walk over and talk to them, sticking with neutral, positive subjects. Be a good listener and look for things you have in common.
Step 3: Look for Signals
During your conversation, look for non-verbal cues that the object of your affection is interested in you. Positive signs include casual touches, eye contact, smiling, playing with their hair or watch and rapid blinking. In contrast, people who are not interested may give you short answers to your question and turn their bodies away from you – if this happens, it’s time to move on to your next target.
Step 4: Make Plans
This is the time to officially ask them out. Begin by asking if they have plans for Valentine’s Day. If not, ask them out for dinner and/or a movie. Don’t do something too over the top or romantic, because after all, they barely know you. Instead, keep things light and fun. Have a location and movie in mind ahead of time to avoid the discomfort of jointly trying to decide where to go and what to see.
Step 5: Make Your Exit
After you’ve made your plans and have swapped contact information, it’s time to move on. Don’t linger and wait for them to change their mind. Instead, go ahead and leave the area, and take the time to get tickets and reservations ahead of Valentine’s Day. When the night arrives, be on time, but not early or late, and make sure that you greet them with a smile on your face.
If all goes well, your Valentine’s Day date will be the start of something great. Be sure to follow up a few days after to ask them out again if you both have a nice time together.
This blog post was written by James Preece, the UK’s top Dating Coach
