If you haven’t dated for a while, you’re likely to run across some challenges on the dating scene. One of those problems will be your first date with her — that sexy woman you’re eager to meet and you seem excited about dating. Get ready that she’ll be judging you during your date because you’re assessing them when you first meet someone. It’s similar to a job interview, except she’s interviewing to be your honey in the bedroom. It’s important to leave that good first impression; if she’s really hot, you will want to be memorable with her. Here are some essential first-date tips for men that will help you to make it a success.

1. Make her laugh

She’s going out with you on a date to have a good time. You will want to be an upstanding gentleman, yet you must also show her that you have a sense of humor and are fun to be around. There’s nothing wrong with making a few tasteful jokes to break the ice with her and make her feel more comfortable with you during the date. You want her to feel closer to you, and there’s no better way to tug at her heartstrings than being a funny guy.

While you should be humorous, don’t go to extremes because you risk becoming a clown. Women will want a connection that is fun yet serious. However, you don’t want to get too serious with her spilling your guts out on the first date until you realize that you have a second date lined up. Even then, don’t spill your guts to her. Take your time to get to know her.

2. Act like you own the place

There’s nothing sexier to women than a confident guy who looks like he has his shit together. If you walk in like you own the place, she may think, “Wow! He’s really attractive, and he’s got it going on! I like him!” I’m not talking about strutting John Travolta’s style, but you should appear dapper and confident with her.

Mind your clothes, show up to the date well-groomed, have your shiny shoes on, and show off your bright smile and dazzling hair. It depends on her taste, but the most important thing is to be confident and ready to handle her. She might try to size you up. She uses flirting to see what you’ve got (a form of Womanese). Many hot women will say things like this and tease you to challenge you sexually. Act like a real man and sweep her off her feet.

3. Don’t talk to her like to your mate

Remember that she’s not your best friend, so don’t talk to her like you would your mate. Don’t confide in her too much because you don’t know her at this point, and you don’t know for certain if you can trust her yet. Take your time getting to know her, and by all means, let her do most of the talking during the first date. Women love to talk, vent, and feel connected to guys in conversation, so try to be a good listener.

You can be a little mysterious, but don’t be manipulative, and don’t show her deviant behavior like you’re not being real with her. Be upfront and talk to her like you would talk to a hot woman to who you are sexually attracted. You should feel a little nervous if you dig her! She’s not your best friend, she’s not your mom, she’s not your doggie, she’s not there to listen to your rehab stories, previous restraining orders, bad exes, etc. She’s not your therapist. She’s a stranger that you’re attracted to, and you want to get to know her better because you can see yourself dating her.

4. Ask her a lot of questions

You want to ask her many questions to get her talking and start her feeling comfortable with you. It’s fine if she confides in you, but you need to be responsible and respectful and don’t tell your buddies about what she told you after the date. Dating should be private, and it should be a private experience that you both share. If you talk to your friends about her behind her back, and it gets back to her somehow, she’ll be upset about you breaking her trust. Keep it in mind if you want to get serious with her.

You want to get her talking about her career, her job, what she enjoys doing for fun, and other topics that will spark her interest. If she enjoys reading, talk to her about what she’s reading and her favorite books or authors. If she’s an artist, talk to her about what inspires her creatively or who her favorite artists are that she admires. You will create a memorable experience for her on her first date that she frankly didn’t receive from all of the other dull guys that she went out with in her past.

5. Lower your expectations

You will likely feel disappointed if you go on your first date with high expectations. You need to be realistic, yet remember why you’re going out with her. Something must have stood out to you in her dating profile, or maybe you met her somewhere at an event while sharing a common interest. If she seems like a keeper, you won’t want to blow your first date, so go into it relaxed, be real with her, and be yourself (to an extent).

Unless you’re looking for a quick hook-up, there’s no need to have sex on the first date. I don’t believe you should have sex before monogamy, but that’s my opinion. Maybe I’m old-fashioned, but I think that you’re opening up a can of worms if you end up sleeping with her too soon, and you may regret it after the sexual pleasure subsides.

6. Keep the date short

You don’t want to overstay your first date. In other words, get to know her a little, but you may want to leave early because you’re so busy being awesome and successful. Overstaying the date shows weakness to her. You don’t want to get too comfortable with her on the first date. Leave her wanting more from you. It makes you more of a challenge to her, more mysterious, and she may wonder if you have another date scheduled with another hot woman. So have a good time, but don’t be that dull TV show that stays in the air too long that everyone becomes bored with.

Hopefully, these first date tips for men will help you along. If you’re panicking during your date, you can always imagine that I am coaching you for dating success. If you had a good time with her on your first date, let her know that you’re interested in seeing her again, and take it from there.