By taking the time to understand what women are looking for in a romantic partner, you can jump into the world of singles confident and ready! Otherwise, you’re likely to hear a lot of conversations that end with “You’re a nice guy, but” and “I think we should just be friends.”

You have enough friends. You want to find that special woman. Here are some tips to win the battle of the sexes!

Rule 1:

Always dress for success (on dates). He doesn’t show up for his date dressed like he would for a game night with his friends. A woman won’t appreciate that, no matter how laid back she is. A little hint: women notice shoes. While you don’t have to show up with a $500 designer pair, you should leave your old Nikes at home. The same goes for clothes that don’t fit you.

The jacket you wore to your friend’s wedding 10 years ago may still be in great shape, but that doesn’t mean you’re fit enough to wear it! Buy clothes that fit your size, not what you’d like to have, and you’ll be one step ahead from the get-go. The fact that a woman looks at your clothes is not (necessarily) a matter of vanity; she just wants to know that you made some kind of effort for her.

rule 2:

Make him want to get closer to you. Make sure you smell good, but don’t go overboard with the products. A woman doesn’t want to be able to smell your cologne when you walk into the restaurant. Show her off with your charm and winning personality, not your aftershave.

rule 3:

Get a real job! Or at least a plan to get one. Women don’t find it attractive if you’re content to float through life on a wave of odd jobs after odd jobs. Even if you have a job that doesn’t excite you, have a plan for how you’re going to move on to something you can really sink your teeth into. Come to the table with a healthy dose of ambition and you’ll come across as a much more interesting and attractive person.

rule 4:

Have something interesting to say. Yes, women like to be asked about themselves, but they don’t want to be the only ones talking. She knows when to listen too: she may not want to fully talk, but she can bet she doesn’t want to fully listen either.

Rule 5:

Remember that she is not just one of the guys. At least not yet. She doesn’t want to hear any stories that start with “I was so drunk” or “My ex-girlfriend and I were on our way to Paris when…” Stories about your past are fine, and even welcome, but try to keep the escapades of binge drinking and ex stories, particularly ex-hit stories, out of his first-date repertoire.

rule 6:

You’re not going to get some. Or at least that’s the attitude you should have on a first date. Never go into a dating situation expecting sex; A woman will think you are much more worthy of her time and her body if you are interested in more than just the color of her sheets. If you are too strong, you will risk being blocked by the girl of your dreams.

rule 7:

Manners never go out of style. Be someone you’re proud to sit with in a good restaurant. That means no burping, no thumb sucking, and no inappropriate language. She wants stares because she’s on the arm of a handsome, stylish man, not because her date is picking her teeth with a matchbox!

rule 8:

Be ready to have fun! Have ideas of where you can go on dates and don’t expect her to plan everything. The date should be a combined effort. Even if you’re just suggesting a restaurant or offering an opinion on which movie to see, your date will take your opinions out of enthusiasm about your date.

Rule 9:

Show up on time. It may sound simple, but keeping a woman waiting sends the message that she and your date are not important to you. And if one of life’s little emergencies occurs and you’re unavoidably late, never underestimate the power of a phone call.

Rule 10:

Flowers never hurt. It may sound old-fashioned, but girls like surprises, and bringing flowers on a date will almost always be a hit. Even if you don’t know her favorite flower, or even if flowers aren’t her thing, the fact that you thought to show up at her door with something special for her will immediately earn you brownie points. And if you remove the plastic that wrapped the flowers in the supermarket and present them as if you just picked them, you will be doing better.

Here are some great quotes and success in love!