I've just started getting back into 'proper' after having been doing online game for the past few months. This time around I decided to focus on direct approach daygame rather than indirect bargame. This is because I feel this requires less skill (as you're going direct) and I can clock up more field time doing daygame.

My main problem now is to get used to approaching again. The AA is killing me so I haven't made any approaches. Here's an approach I made in the daygame capital of the world, Covent Garden.

Short brunette. After she passes me I turn and run up behind her. I try and get in front of her but my way is blocked. I tap her on the shoulder. As she turns I manage to manouver round so I'm slightly in front of her.

Me: "Excuse me. Can I just say something to you? Just quickly"

Her: ?

Me: All it is is I saw you pass me by on the street a moment ago, and I thought you looked goregous, so I decided to stop you and say hi. Her: OK.

She looks like she's about to move off and carry on walking. I standfast and plough on.

Me: So what you doing in central London this afternoon?

Her: I'm out Christmas shopping

Me: Same here. I've got most of my presents, like for my friends and my sister, but really stuck on what to get my parents.

She crosses her legs, a sign that I've killed her momentum.

Her: Yeah that can be tough

Me: Yeah buying stuff for old people is always problematic. Who've you been buying presents for?

Her: My brother, and my bf

Me: If you've got a bf there's not much point in me hitting on you, have a nice day.

Things I did badly:

  1. Saying, "Just quickly" is kind of supplicating, plus the hand gesture I made gave the impression I was desperate for her to stop

  2. Didn't wait till I was in her peripheral vision to tap her arm and get right in front of her, poor logistics.

  3. Although she said she had a bf which means she's not interested, probably should have ploughed on to get a conversation going. Even if this means I won't close, the conversation practice is good.

  4. Lack of strong eye contact.

Things I did well:

  1. Good voice tonality. My voice mainly stayed in the 'rapport neutral' range, and I spoke fairly slowly.

  2. Planted firmly and ploughed when she was about to carry on walking, which allowed me to successfully kill her momentum.

The main thing I plan to focus on is the correct logistics of my approach. Waiting till I'm in their peripheral vision before I tap their arm, and quickly swinging round so I'm right in their path as I deliver the opener.