Dating Conversation Dos and Don'ts

When chatting to someone, especially for the first time, following a few basic rules can help make the conversation interesting and fun, leaving your potential date eager to find out more.

Do:

• Smile - it's simple, effective and will relax the other person.
• Make eye contact - again simple, effective and if done in the right way, can also be very sexy.
• Pay compliments - a little flattery always works well.
• Listen - make sure you take an interest in what they say.
• Repeat their name at least once - it's shows that you are listening and gives them a sign of potential intimacy.
• Make them laugh - it tells you that they're listening and are finding you attractive and entertaining. However, avoid trying to perform a stand-up routine here, just inject some simple humour into your conversation.
• Try to laugh in the right places - this will show that you're listening and amused by what you are hearing.
• Tease them a little - gentle teasing can show that you are relaxed and that you have a sense of humour.
• Keep an air of mystery - don't tell them everything about you at once; hold something back for the next time you meet ...
• Flirt a little - read on for some great tips ...
• Leave them wanting more - in this way they'll be eager to meet up with you again.

Don't:

• Look bored or miserable - remember to smile!
• Look over their shoulder or at any of their body parts - it will make them feel uncomfortable and awkward.
• Be rude - this includes 'dirty' rude and general rudeness. Think about what you say before you say it. What you might think of as acerbic wit may come over as sarcasm.
• Interrupt them or talk over them - it's rude, shows disinterest and proves that you're not listening to them.
• Get their name wrong - if you're not sure about their name, just say "I'm sorry, I'm not sure I caught your name properly earlier".
• Grumble or moan - complaining about the weather, your job, the heat or the loud music will not make you seem much fun.
• Tease too much - anything more than gentle teasing may embarrass or irritate many people.
• Tell them every single thing about yourself - however fascinating you might be, they don't need to know everything about you in the first meeting.
• Flirt too much - avoid coming on too strong on the first meeting, until you're sure that you 'click'.
• Be too eager or pushy - whilst it's important to let them know you're interested, being overly so can simply put many people off. Few people are attracted to someone with an air of desperation.