I wish I could tell you to just be yourself and initiate a conversation with the girl you like.
But I canât.
Making a good first impression is too important to risk it.
You have to consider things such as timing, topics to talk about, your appearance, and so on.
This is not only my personal opinion as a woman, but also the findings of a 2008 study by Robert B. Lount Jr., Chen-Bo Zhong, Niro Sivanathan, and J. Keith Murnighan.
According to it, we all tend to be judgemental and cautious when meeting new people. Especially girls⌠they are taught to avoid unfamiliar guys.
Thatâs why you should aim at getting off on the right foot with your romantic interest. How?
Read on to find out!
How to Approach a Girl: 14 Steps
1. Observe Her and The Situation
As Mark Johnson, a social psychologist says, âApproaching a woman requires finesse.â
To succeed, âObserve her and the situation to gauge the right moment and conversation topics.â Fight your primal instinct and do this the smart way.
First, you have to make sure sheâs in an approachable mood. If sheâs agitated for some reason, stressed, or letâs say sheâs arguing with someone, you shouldnât make a move.
Before you approach her, you have to read the room to make sure the moment is right.
Second, you should spend some time observing her habits, her appearance, and any other stuff about her that you can.
In this way, youâll find topics to talk about with her.
For example, you can start a conversation based on her taste in coffee – if you see her holding a cup more often than not or a book she might be reading – if you see her with it/reading.
Having a few topic ideas in mind and aiming for the right timing, makes âthe difference between a confident approach and an awkward encounter.â
2. Glance At Her
Something else you can do before you approach a girl is to discreetly signal your interest. What you want is to make her notice you.
If you look at her and then quickly look away as soon as she sees you, youâll pique her interest. Youâll make her curious and determine her to glance back at you to check if youâre looking.
All of a sudden, youâll be on her radar. Sheâll want to know whether it was an accident when you two first locked eyes or not.
Of course, you want to show her that it wasnât. However, you canât do that by staring at her. That will make her uncomfortable and put her off.
Thatâs why being discreet matters. Yes, it might take you a longer while to approach her. However, youâll do it the right way.
The exception?
If you are in a cafe or club or someplace random and think you might never see her again. If thatâs the case, make eye contact and smile!
3. Look Neat and Confident
A confident guy who doesnât stutter and smells good from a distance? Yes, please!
In fact, studies have found that personality and grooming are very significant personal traits when deciding about marriage and other serious romantic relationships.
If you always look neat and display self-confidence, youâll have better chances of attracting beautiful and popular girls who look like they have a ton of options to choose from.
You can make a woman forget all about the other guys if you give her reasons to think youâre worth her time and attention.
How?
Make sure your body language is open and relaxed. Next, expand your body to make her notice your masculinity.
Donât cross your arms or legs, but rather give her a good look at your chest and groin and sit/stand straight. Pull your shoulders back and spread your arms if your location allows it.
Also, do your best and dress well. Toss any stained t-shirts/pants into the bin and focus on making better clothing choices for yourself.
4. Approach Her From The Side
At this step, you should be prepared to approach her. But how do you do it?
Do you walk from a distance while making sure she realizes your intention before you talk to her? Or what?
Relationship expert Matthew Hussey has the answer for you:
âApproaching a woman from the side demonstrates mindfulness and awareness of her comfort level, setting a positive tone for the interaction.â
On top of that, I have something to add: DONâT approach her from behind. If you do, you might startle her and/or make her uncomfortable.
What if sheâs with a group of girls?
Most people will tell you to wait for a moment when sheâs alone to make a move because she might reject you based on her friendsâ reaction to you, as well as other reasons.
However, I donât totally agree with that. If sheâs with other people, you can go about it in two ways:
A: Walk confidently towards her group, interrupt the conversation politely, and express your interest in talking to her.
You could say something likeâŚ
- âŚHi, Iâm so sorry to interrupt. I saw your⌠(fill in the blanks) from a distance and I immediately knew I wanted to talk to you. I am also a big fan of⌠(fill in the blanks)
- âŚHi yâall, I apologize for interrupting you. May I talk to you for a second? I noticed your⌠(fill in the blanks)
B: Start by asking a general question for everyone and then transition into a one-on-one with her. By doing so, you appear more sociable and less intimidating.
If youâre at a club/social event, you could say something like:
- Hi, is everyone having a good time? Do you like this place? This is my first time here and Iâm looking to meet new peopleâŚ
What if sheâs with a female friend?
Take your chances and talk to both of them! You can approach them confidently and make conversation, expressing more interest in what the girl you like has to say.
During the conversation, donât forget to make eye contact with her and to be genuine.
If things go well, her friend might leave the two of you alone to talk or she might not⌠so do your best to act friendly and include her friend in conversation from time to time.
5. Introduce Yourself Like a Gentleman
How to introduce yourself properly? Make eye contact, smile, and say your name.
Letâs take them one by one:
Making eye contact with the woman you like is especially important because, according to a 1998 study by Joan Kellerman, James Lewis, and James D. Laird, it increases the level of affection between the two of you.
People who participated in the study were asked to look into each otherâs eyes for a few minutes. The result? They experienced positive and passionate feelings about each other.
Whatâs more, mutual eye gazing triggers the production of oxytocin, the so-called âcuddle hormoneâ that increases closeness and trust between two people. Sheâll be more open to conversation because of it.
As for smiling, it has the power to make your love interest feel special right from the start. I know this thanks to a 2003 study.
Researchers discovered that seeing a smiling face can activate the region in the brain associated with processing sensory rewards.
Simply put, if you smile at her, sheâll think sheâs doing something right.
6. Approach Her with a Reason
What are you going to say after, âHi, my name isâŚâ?
As I said before, you should think of a few topics before you start talking to her.
Like what?
You could talk about something related to the environment youâre in. Your approach can change depending on where you are, such as at school, work, or during leisure.
Also, you can ask for advice about something or a favor. For example, if youâre new at a workplace and you see a woman you fancy, ask her things likeâŚ
- ⌠Where can I get the best coffee around here?
- ⌠Whatâs the best place for lunch around here?
Or, you can go for the longer game and simply gaze at her for a few days before saying âhiâ for the first time.
One day, you can say something likeâŚ
- ⌠I see you every day. Do you work here/go to class here?
Another day, you can ask herâŚ
- ⌠How is school/work? How is your day?
The next day, you can be bolder and ask her if she wants to have lunch with you or coffee.
This approach works if you want to gradually build rapport with her and donât come off as desperate.
7. Ask Her Questions and Listen
The real challenge in approaching a girl is to keep the conversation going with her.
You can do that by asking her lots of open-ended questions about herself.
Here are a few examplesâŚ
- ⌠What is your idea of having fun?
- ⌠How does a typical morning look to you?
- ⌠What is your idea of an ideal date?
- ⌠What are some of your hobbies?
- ⌠Is there something you strongly believe in?
- ⌠Whatâs your favorite part of your job?
- ⌠What do you dislike most about this class?
You can ask her any decent question without giving her options to choose from. In this way, sheâll freely respond, without limitations.
Also, do yourself a favor and listen to her attentively. Listen to her every word with an open mind, without judging, jumping to conclusions, or thinking about what to say next.
8. Crack a Joke or Two
Humor can bring two people together. Itâs not a joke.
It’s even proven by studies that women gravitate more towards men who have a good sense of humour and can make them laugh.
Laughing together has countless benefits for any pair, not to mention that it gives positive vibes, lightens the mood, and eases the tension.
If youâre not especially good at it, donât worry. Just look up a few good jokes online and memorize them.
Whenever you donât know what to say or want to start a conversation, you can use question-and-answer jokes, such as:
Do you know why the elephants donât eat pizza? Because no one gives pizza to an elephant.
Or, if you think youâre really bad at telling jokes, rely on playful banter. Making playful remarks and having witty chats also goes.
9. Let Her Body Language Guide You
Is she interested or talking to you to pass the time? To get an answer, analyze her body language.
Good signs are when sheâŚ
- ⌠makes eye contact with you when you talk
- ⌠points her feet at you during the conversation
- ⌠she plays with her hair, licks/bites her lips
- ⌠she preens herself often as you two talk
- ⌠she smiles or laughs at what you say
- ⌠she touches you or pushes you playfully
- ⌠she fiddles or bites her nails or swings
Bad signs are when sheâŚ
- ⌠crosses her arms and/or legs
- ⌠doesnât think your jokes are funny
- ⌠turns her body away from you
- ⌠doesnât maintain eye contact
- ⌠doesnât look nervous at all
In case sheâs not interested, do yourself a favor and move on to the next girl.
10. Give Her Hints that Reveal Your Interest
At this point, you could be on the right track, that is if you dodge the friend zone.
Friendships between men and women are common these days. Iâve had plenty of dudes approaching me without having a romantic interest in me.
They just thought we had things in common or they asked for my help with something.
So, I think thatâs good to know and to avoid.
Donât let her assume youâre simply friendly. Hint at your romantic interest in her by giving her compliments, such as:
- I must tell you something. I noticed you from across the room. I like your style and I think you look very attractive.
- Sorry, I donât want to be weird. Itâs just that I canât look away from your lips. You have the nicest lips Iâve ever seen.
- Iâm just going to say it: Your beauty is striking. I am very much attracted to you.
Personalize your compliment based on what you like about her.
11. Ask For Her Contact Information
No matter how good you two get along, your conversation will end at some point and you canât let that happen without asking for her contact information.
Of course, you shouldnât rush things, especially if you see the girl almost daily. However, if you meet her at a random place, like in a pub or club or at a concert, you should act sooner rather than later.
In this regard, you can ask her directly or more subtly likeâŚ
- ⌠What social media platform do you prefer/like to use regularly? Maybe we can get in touch there.
- ⌠Before I go, I was wondering if we could text each other sometime.
- ⌠I have to go now, but we can continue this conversation if you like. May I have your number?
12. Suggest Meeting Up Again
Look, some girls will easily give you their contact information without having a real intention to ever talk to you again.
Or, theyâll forget about you if all you give them is a few minutes of your undivided attention.
Thatâs something you also need to avoid. How?
Suggest meeting up again and watching how they react. I have a few ideas for you:
- If you see her regularly, you can say, âSee you at the same time tomorrow?â
- If you meet her at a club, ask, âWould you like to go to a real party? I know about one that takes place next weekend.â
A positive response from them should be enough to get you going.
13. Show Respect and Step Back if Needed
In case your love interest is not alone when you approach her, or sheâs in the middle of something, donât take up too much of her time.
Show her respect and consideration from the start by allowing her to enjoy spending time with her BFFs, her school/work colleagues, or doing her thing.
Limit your interaction with her so that she doesnât feel interrupted or bothered by you.
Especially if she seems uninterested or uncomfortable, thereâs no reason to push it. Itâs better to gracefully end the conversation with her.
14. Accept That You Might Get Rejected
To accept rejection more easily, I urge you to look at it differently, just as psychologist and dating expert John Michaels puts it:
âRejection is redirection; it pushes you towards the path meant for you.â
So, instead of looking at it as a bad thing, embrace that itâs better that way. Itâs an experience you can learn from, and also one that will take you on the path you need to be.
Summary
To paraphrase Mark Johnsonâs words, approaching a woman is all about finesse. Before you proceed, you have to consider numerous aspects.
Things such as observing her, flirting via eye contact, thinking about topics to talk about, introducing yourself, and asking her questions are important!
Just as important as looking presentable and confident when you start a conversation with her and/or her friends.
But⌠I understand all of these might be a bit too much for you at the moment. Even so, I can promise you something:
Youâll get good at it if you maintain a positive attitude and keep trying.
The truth is not all girls will like you. Youâll get your fair share of rejections (like all of us) and that shouldnât break you down.
Learn to respect womenâs boundaries and keep your chin up in case of rejection!
