Tips for Individual Business Professionals: 6 Winning Tips for Turning a Business Contact into a Date

You are at a networking event or business meeting and an attractive person walks into the room. You feel your pulse race and something begins to move in the middle of your body. Don’t worry, it’s not your lunch that’s coming back. You’re feeling the vibe, the vibe of “I want to pocket you.”

It is difficult to turn a business contact into a date. You overcome very business circumstances and could ruin a potential joint venture, partnership, or alliance if you make the wrong move. A contract may not be signed if you ask for a date and the person is simply not interested.

To avoid ruining a business relationship with an untimely request for something wild, follow these six winning tips for turning a business contact into a date.

1. Hear clues about your marital status.. When you are at a networking event or when you are sitting in a meeting, the person who is chatting will always give clues as to whether they are married, united or single. Often times, the person will say “My wife and I …” or “My husband thinks …”. You can avoid embarrassment by taking the time to listen to these not-so-subtle clues.

2. Explain your intention to meet up without sounding like an athlete or a jockette.. At a networking event or business meeting, you should always wear your professional hat. Don’t say, “I think you’re hot. Let’s go have a drink.” Instead, tell the person that you find them interesting and that you would like to talk more at another time. By saying the word “interesting”, the person will see your request as harmless, as it could mean they want to learn more about your business.

3. Suggest a meeting for coffee. Request the business card and explain that you would like to follow up. Then arrange a meeting with a low pressure drink. Don’t schedule your first meeting for lunch or dinner. Due to the time it takes to consume a hot plate of food, if the person turns out to be bored, you are stuck wasting precious time. On top of that, meeting over lunch or dinner can be expensive, especially if the person has a healthy appetite. Instead, go for coffee because by the time you finish your cup of coffee, you can decide to end the meeting there or make an appointment for a future meeting.

4. Keep your paws off. When you first meet over coffee, you still have no idea whether your feelings of attraction will be reciprocated. Avoid getting corny after the handshake. Instead, keep everything professional and treat the person like a business contact.

5. Make your way to personal questions easy. Remember, you are still trying to find out if the person is attracted to you. Keep your questions professional, opting to ask about business goals rather than sexual conquests. A general rule of thumb is to ask 1 personal question for every 3 professional questions. If you have asked the person about their business goals for the current year, who their target audience is, and whether they will expand, you now have permission to ask a personal question. Your personal questions should revolve around these topics:
   • Where he or she grew up
   • What’s your favorite movie?
   • What kind of music do you listen to
   • What is the nationality of your parents?
   • What books are you currently reading?
   • What is your favorite place in the world?
6. Ask for the date. After following steps 1 through 5, if you feel the vibe, ask for what you want: a real date. If the person says “Yes”, they have gotten a great score. It means your girl or boy is fine. If the person says “No,” take the rejection in stride. Just tell the person that you misunderstood their feelings and put on your professional hat. Shake hands and tell the person it was a pleasure meeting. Then go home and cry.

Just because you met the person at a networking event or business meeting doesn’t mean you turn off your attraction radar and become a eunuch or a monk. Instead, follow the tips above and you’ll have more success turning your business contact into a date and less chance of being rejected for crossing the line.