We are loving all the great feedback from people who have been using our app.  It seems that people are actually going out on dates through the app, which is pretty awesome. But while we’ve heard amazing stories about first date success, we also heard about some hilariously bad dates! With some school boy/girl errors, it seems that not everyone has got their game nailed. So let us pull together some tips on how to be smart and creative about your dating so you can have a first date success and not end up being ghosted at ground zero.

Rule No. 1 – Turn the f*ck up on date #1

No show is the sure fire way to ensure that you don’t make it to date #2.  Just show up. Basics. We all know about being fashionably late since it’s London and the tube is a nightmare. But any more than 15 minutes late and you’re on icy ground.

Rule No 2 – Be yourself, if they don’t like that then screw them

Be creative, and be yourself. That means you dress in a way which makes you feel cool/ hot/ sexy but most importantly you. 

Rule No 3 – For god’s sake – Smell nice!

Now let’s let’s be real, no matter how good looking, nobody wants to kiss someone with B.O.  Lads if you need to dip into boots and dig out some Lynx Africa then do it! It will be a worthy investment for a first date success.

Rule No 4 – Get Creative & Save the cinema for later dates

Hey, don’t get us wrong, we love heading down to Odeon just as much as the next guy. But a first date’s all about testing the waters, having conversations and getting to know each other.

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By going to the cinema and spending the whole time in the dark (and not in the hot passionate way), you two may not be any of less of strangers by the end of the night.

Rule No 5 – Cut the sex talk

It’s tricky to talk about getting laid early on without knowing if you and your date are on the same page. By abruptly bringing up the subject of sex, you’re not addressing the elephant in the room. It’s the equivalent to grabbing the nearest shotgun and chasing the elephant out of the house and out of your life. Unless the two of you have agreed to head directly into hook up territory, just slow down and enjoy the chemistry.

Rule No 6 – Live in the moment

Be mindful, present and pay attention to your date. And for the love of god, don’t be that assh*le who obsessively keeps checking their phone.

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This can hurt your date since they may feel like they’re boring you. Or it can give the impression that you have an unhealthy phone addiction. Lose-lose situation basically, so if you want a first date success, just keep your phone in your pocket.

Rule No 7 – Don’t bring up exes

Nobody enjoys going on a date only to spend the evening offering an ear/shoulder/box of tissues to the hung up ex-lover. Your date is NOT your therapist. When you ramble on about your previous relationship (or hook up), you might as well be sitting at a table for three.

Rule No 8 – Keep it short

Unless the two of you exceptionally hit it off, an ideal first date is usually two to three hours long. It’s enough to get a teaser of your potential guy/gal. But there’s still a bit of mystery and allure between the two of you, and this is exactly what helps build up anticipation towards a second date.

Rule No 9 – Don’t get too drunk

Now, it’s understood that a bit of alcohol can help you relax, boost your confidence and get rid of the jitters. But you don’t want to get utterly smashed – Before you know it, you’re over-sharing embarrassing personal details, cracking unfunny jokes, and running to the nearest toilet.

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That said, sometimes the best dates will involves shots at the bar at 2am…

Rule No 10 – Be creative

Creative dating is what we’re all about at CLiKD, our creative dating app. People love to talk about themselves, and it helps when their audience is enthusiastic and interested. Don’t just ask boring Yes/No questions that could apply to anyone. Be a good listener and ask questions that require interesting or thoughtful answers. It shows that you care about getting to know people beyond the surface.

Conclusion

In a nutshell: be on time, smell nice, dress well but be yourself and keep your style, prepare a creative plan for the evening and not something boring or cheesy, don’t talk about exes, don’t talk about sex if it’s not the right moment, keep the date short and be creative. Follow these basic but essential steps, and there are good chances that you’ll have an amazing first date success.

If you haven’t done it yet and if you are interested in having dates with creative people, have a look at our free creative dating app CLiKD.