So you’ve got their number - now what?
So you’ve got their number - now what?
The first call
Making the first phone call is not as stressful as it seems. You’ve both come to like each other and now you have the O.K. by your date. Chatting in real life will give you a general idea of what he or she is like.
When to call
Don’t be put off by finding the right time to call and avoid playing games at this stage. If you’ve got your date’s number, call them up for a chat. Keep in mind that “reasonable” hours for phone chats are between 9am and 9pm and try to avoid drunk dialling.
What to say
If you’re not too sure of what you’re going to say, have a few conversation starters in mind. After exchanging pleasantries extend an invitation to your date. Just say something simple like “Would you like to go to dinner, there’s a new restaurant in my neighbourhood that’s getting great reviews?”. Leave the date open, so you can gauge their interest. If they respond with ‘How about Friday?’, you should be pretty pleased with yourself…
Getting the beep
If the call goes through to voicemail you have two option. Firstly, hang up and try them again later. Secondly, leave a message. If you are going for the latter, be prepared to get the beep. Don’t ask them out on a date via message and don’t jabber on. Simply leave your name and number and ask them to return your call.
The follow-up call
If your date has shown interest in a second date then all you need to do is make the call. But there’s a fine line between calling too early and calling too late in dating. Calling too early gives off the impression that you are desperate and calling too late makes you seem uninterested. A good time frame is within three days.
What to say
Under no circumstances should you begin making plans for future events such as birthdays or even Christmas after your first date. Keep the comments relevant and stick to things like “I had such a nice time on our date”. Then tell your date that you would enjoy catching up again. Don’t over-think it and just keep it simple.
Call and call alike
While some rules in dating sound ridiculous, others are just plain commonsense. When it comes to making phone calls, make sure that you are calling them as much as they are calling you. Keep it equal between the two of you to avoid making the impression that you’re clingy or worse, stalker-ish. Let’s call this the ‘call and call alike’ rule.
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