This article was co-authored by Eddy Baller. Eddy Baller is a Dating Coach and the Owner of a dating consulting and coaching service, Conquer and Win, based in Vancouver, Canada. Coaching since 2011, Eddy specializes in confidence building, advanced social skills, and relationships. Conquer and Win helps men worldwide have the love lives they deserve. His work has been featured in The Art of Manliness, LifeHack, and POF among others.
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Sure, you're good at walking across a crowded room and introducing yourself to a girl to get her attention. Whether you're outgoing or shy, you can keep the conversation flowing with a girl once you start it by following some of the steps in this article.
Steps
Keeping a Conversation Flowing
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1Start things off to invite her to talk. Pay attention to the scenario, and mold your invitation to the circumstances. Don't, for example, ask her a random astronomy question when she's shopping for shoes. Here are a different ways to accomplish this:[1]
- If you want to strike up a conversation with a girl you don't know, try making a recommendation. For example, if you see a beautiful girl at a coffee shop, and she looks undecided about her order, then recommend your favorite drink or tell her that you're going to guess exactly what she wants just by looking at her.[2]
- When you already know the girl, start with some common ground. If you're in school together, then make a comment about classes or talk about your extra curricular activities. If you're working together, then start a chat about some workplace news, or ask for her help with something that you're working on.[3]
- Ask her for a minor favor. For example, ask her to watch your stuff (like your phone) while you go get her something to drink. Girls will feel more interested in you if they've done a favor for you. It will also make them feel trustworthy and maybe even curious.[4]
- Pay her a compliment. If she looks great that day or if she said something amazing during class, then tell her so. Compliment her hair, or her smile, or her dress. Stay away from her more feminine features. Make sure your compliment is genuine and not phony.
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2Ask her some questions. You want to show her that you're interested in her while at the same time deciding whether she's really worth your interest. A great question will make her think, laugh, and like you, all at the same time.[5]
- Avoid "yes" and "no" questions. A question like, "Did you like the new movie that came out this weekend?" will get you either a "yes" or a "no" but may not launch a meaningful conversation. Instead, ask her what other movies she's seen and why she likes them. This type of question will get a much longer answer from her.
- Girls often like guys to make the first move. Instead of waiting for her to ask you questions, be proactive and do the asking first. Once she's answered your question, nod and then provide your own perspective. You want a balanced conversation in which you find out what she's all about while also sharing parts of yourself.
- Find out what she's passionate about. If you like this girl, then chances are you find something about her really fascinating. Ask her why she likes what she likes, or why she thinks what she thinks. Ask her something that you genuinely want to learn more about instead of asking questions just to get her to talk. If you're insincere, she'll know, and your conversation will be dead in the water.
- People love to talk about themselves. If you find out what she's passionate about, the conversation will go naturally and easily. This is the easiest way to build a connection.
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3Make yourself look good throughout the conversation. You want to find out as much as you can about her, but you also want to make sure that you show yourself at your best.
- Talk about a subject that makes you feel passionate and persuasive. When you're talking about something really positive, you're going to be at your best. If you're passionate about music, then talk about your favorite bands. If you have something that you love to do, then talk about it with her.
- Make sure that you give her equal time. You definitely want to share something about yourself, but if you only talk about you, she's going to think you're self-centered, and she's not going to talk to you.
- Don't offer opinions about subjects you know nothing about. Your goal is to impress the girl with your wit, your conversation, and your intelligence. If you blather about something you're opinionated but uninformed about, you won't come off as very intelligent.
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4Accept pauses. You're not going to be able to think of something to say at every point during the conversation, and that's completely okay. Pauses are a natural part of conversation. Get her comfortable with the idea of pauses by using pauses or deliberations sparingly in your own speech.[6]
- Smile at her, take a sip from your drink or look around the room until you come up with something new to say. As long as you seem confident and interested, she'll wait with a lot of anticipation for the next step in the conversation. If you look nervous or stare at your feet, then she'll feel uncomfortable, and she's likely to say "see you later."
- Use pauses throughout the conversation. When you pause, look as though you are carefully considering what you want to say. She'll be invested in trying to find out what you're going to say next, and she may feel compelled to fill the silence with her own conversation.
- People's rate of speech naturally synchronizes when they're talking. That means that people unconsciously mimic how quickly the other person is talking. So if you talk slowly, she'll talk slowly, and the conversation will last longer. The secret to talking slowly is being confident, not nervous.
- Think of the pauses as her chance to impress you. Don't feel like you need to generate topic after topic for conversation. During the pause, you want to silently invite her to take the initiative. If she does, then you'll know that she's enjoying talking to you.
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5Keep the conversation light. Don't delve into any controversial subjects or anything that she may find uncomfortable. Also, don't gossip about other people, because she may think that you're not genuinely nice.[7]
- Use your sense of humor. Don't dive in with a really off-color joke or something that could be shocking to her. Keep it light and test the waters before you say anything that she might think is mean or offensive.
- Practice funny stories. More than simply jokes, people love hearing stories about funny things that happened to you. So keep track of funny or entertaining things that happened to you and rehearse the story you want to tell with friends.
- Know your pop culture. Keep up on the latest celebrity news and what's new in movies and music. When you know what's going on out there, you'll always have something light to talk about. Plus, you might just impress her with the number of things that you know.
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6Focus on body language. For yourself, use great eye contact, sit up straight and smile warmly.[8] When you do these things, she'll feel as though you're focused on her.[9]
- Watch the way she uses her body. If she makes eye contact with you, lightly touches your arm or leans in toward you while you're talking, then you can feel confident that she's into you.
- Make sure you're projecting good body language, too. Don't cross your arms, tap your feet, sigh or groan audibly. All these tics are signs that you're bored or dissatisfied with her.
- If she's constantly looking away, fiddling with her drink or her jewelry or looking like she can't wait to escape, then you may be losing her interest. You can try saying something like, "Are you having a bad day? You look like you're a million miles away." Or, if the conversation hasn't been all that interesting to begin with, just politely say, "Nice talking to you" and walk away.
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7Keep the attention always on her. Let her know that you think she's important. Don't be cagey about turning the spotlight on you. Instead, focus it mainly on her.[10]
- Turn off your cell phone while you're having a conversation with a girl. If you go outside to take a call, you may come back and find that she's moved on.
- If you run into friends, introduce your friends to her but remain focused on your conversation. Try to send nonverbal signals to your friends letting them know that they need to talk to you another time.
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8End on a good note if she tells you that she has to leave. Tell her that you enjoyed talking to her and getting to know her. If you felt a real connection to her, ask for her phone number. The next morning, send her a text saying that you had a great time, and wish her a good day. You might get a second chance at continuing that initial conversation if she texts you back.
- A good rule of thumb is to wait a least a day before you call her, especially if you approached her as a stranger. You don't want her to think you're too forward, and you don't want to appear too needy, so it is best to delay for a day.
- When you call her, keep things short and sweet. Unless she's really enjoying the conversation, simply ask her if she'd want to see a movie or go out for coffee and leave it at that. You want to impress her in person, where you can do better damage-control if something goes wrong.
- Keep it low key until you know that she really likes you. She may feel a bit weird if you're pushing really hard and she's not, so try to get a good balance going. And at all times, keep the conversation flowing.
Sample Conversation Topics
Expert Q&A
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QuestionWhat is a good conversation starter?Eddy BallerEddy Baller is a Dating Coach and the Owner of a dating consulting and coaching service, Conquer and Win, based in Vancouver, Canada. Coaching since 2011, Eddy specializes in confidence building, advanced social skills, and relationships. Conquer and Win helps men worldwide have the love lives they deserve. His work has been featured in The Art of Manliness, LifeHack, and POF among others.
Dating CoachMention something in their immediate surroundings. For example, if you're at a grocery store and someone is looking at the shelves, ask them if they have recommendations or tell them about your favorite brand. -
QuestionI can't afford coffee, so what should I offer instead?Community AnswerIt's not what you can afford -- it's what company you have to offer. Invite the girl out on a walk, or do something that doesn't necessarily have a budget attached to it. This may be refreshing for both you and her.
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QuestionShe says she love me, but when I try to hold her hand she pulls away, and when I try to kiss her she smile, laughs and pulls away.Community AnswerShe's probably playing hard to get, especially if she's laughing about it. If she turns serious, and tells you "no," "stop," etc., definitely stop whatever you're doing. But it sounds like she's just shy and teasing you a little. Take things slow, but keep trying.
Warnings
- Keep some gum or breath mints handy. That way, you can feel confident that your breath is fresh while you're talking to her.⧼thumbs_response⧽
- As for her skirt, no need to discuss it. If it's too short, don't let her catch you looking under the table. This is an official end to a conversation.⧼thumbs_response⧽
- Make sure that you make eye contact, even if she's wearing a low-cut dress. If she catches you glancing down at her breasts, your conversation's not going to last very long.⧼thumbs_response⧽
References
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-attraction-doctor/201105/5-ways-indirectly-ask-date
- ↑ Eddy Baller. Dating Coach. Expert Interview. 7 February 2020.
- ↑ https://www.nbcnews.com/better/lifestyle/how-have-better-conversations-people-you-ve-just-met-according-ncna1005941
- ↑ http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-attraction-doctor/201112/break-the-ice-how-talk-girls-and-guys-0
- ↑ https://files.nc.gov/ncdhhs/documents/files/dss/training/Open-Ended-Questions-.pdf
- ↑ https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/09/150930110555.htm
- ↑ https://www.sciencealert.com/16-psychological-tricks-to-make-people-immediately-like-you
- ↑ Eddy Baller. Dating Coach. Expert Interview. 7 February 2020.
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-attraction-doctor/201110/reading-basic-body-language-dating-and-persuasion-success
About This Article
So, you’ve just struck up a conversation with an amazing girl—but how do you keep it moving? Luckily, it’s not too hard if you use a few tried and true conversational tricks. To get the ball rolling, try an opener that invites her to talk. For instance, you might start by making a comment about what’s happening around you, asking her for advice, or giving her a sincere compliment. Whatever you say, try to keep it relevant to the situation, which will help it feel more natural. For example, if you met her at a coffee shop, you could say something like, “Wow, this place has so many options. Do you have a favorite drink here?” Asking open-ended questions is another great way to get her talking and keep the conversation fresh. Go for questions that are meaningful and need more than a “yes” or “no” answer. For instance, try something like, “Oh, you go to State U.? How do you like it there?” or, “When did you first get interested in engineering?” Keep the conversation balanced and give her plenty of chances to talk, but don’t forget to hold up your end of the conversation. Try to hit on topics that you both find interesting and positive, and let your enthusiasm shine—she’ll have more fun chatting with you if you’re both enjoying yourselves. Stay away from anything too negative or controversial, since those kinds of topics can make a conversation turn awkward, fast. As you’re talking, keep your body language friendly and open. Smile, keep your shoulders relaxed, and make eye contact and nod to show you’re listening when she speaks. If you have your phone on you, put it away so you can give her your full attention. Also, don’t be afraid of the occasional silence. It’s totally natural to pause now and then when you’re talking to someone. Just smile and take a moment to think about what you want to say next, or give her a chance to take the initiative. If it seems like the conversation is winding down, or she tells you she has to go, end things on a positive note. Let her know how much you enjoyed chatting with her, and that you’d love to talk again sometime. If she seems interested, you can even offer to give her your phone number—or ask her for hers. For tips on how to have open body language or end the conversation, keep reading!