Here’s your guide to wooing any woman, anytime!

1. What’s the best way to ask her out?

Right move : A casual but straightforward phone call or conversation: “I think you’re great. Let’s have dinner. You free on Friday?”
53% of women say - Forget the gimmicks.
Fact: Only 7 per cent of women want to be asked out by way of a note, mix CD, or, God forbid, boom-box serenade. “Be direct and call it a date,” says Caroline Tiger, author of How to Behave: Dating and Sex. “You’ll set the tone from the beginning.” Avoid projecting smarmy confidence, adds Amy DeZellar, a self-confessed “serial dater” and a blogger at DatingAmy.com. “Too-suave come-ons are instant weed-out cues for women.” Remember: you’re confident, but not that she’ll say yes. Cold feet? Your invite doesn’t have to be a formal one. Twenty-six per cent of women said it’s fine to pop the question into another conversation.

Wrong move:
Something quirky but cute: a creative note or invite; an unexpected mix CD; a boom-box serenade.
How to recover:
More than 49 per cent of women with “other plans” aren’t just feeding you a line—they want you to ask again, right away. Mind the gap between a bona fide conflict and a polite blow-off: “Blow-offs are all about why she can’t do something,” says one respondent. “If she likes you, she’ll mention that she’s free another night, or propose her own idea.”

2. How do you segue from dinner to a more intimate encore?

Right move : I suggest that we check out this great dessert place nearby.
54% of women say -  Find a natural sequel to dinner.
Fact: Successful seduction requires ratcheting up the intimacy in stages, not jumping from tapas to topless. After you’ve broken the ice—over drinks, appetisers—it’s time for the main event. “That’s when the question of physical intimacy comes into play,” says Diane Mapes, author of How to Date in a Post-Dating World. So find someplace intimate. “It’s like a chemistry lab,” agrees DeZellar. “It’s hard to test your compatibility in a place like Barista that’s so bright, loud and corporate.” The litmus test: graze her hand or rest your palm on the small of her back; she should return the favour within five minutes.

Wrong move :
I invite her to my place.
How to recover:
Recovering from a conversational fumble is simple. Laugh at yourself; move on. “No one is perfect. She’ll appreciate it if you show you know how to defuse the awkwardness,” says David Matalon, coauthor of The Concise Guide to Sounding Smart at Parties. “You’re only doomed when you dwell.”

3. What’s the best way to ask her back to your place?

Right move : I ask her up for a nightcap, or to check out a book or DVD or somethng.
51% of women say - Let's take it one step at a time
Fact: Honesty can be refreshing, but a straightforward seduction can backfire. “If he says, ‘I want you to come back to my place,’ it’s understood that I’m coming back to be intimate with him,” says Amber Madison, author of Hooking Up: A Girl’s All-Out Guide to Sex and Sexuality. “That might work with some women, but it can be a turnoff for others. But if he invites me up for a drink, I can feel out the vibe. Sometimes he needs to prove himself before I decide I’m going to get physical.” Watch for subtle signs of attraction before making the invite. “Look for gestures, like if I hold your arm when walking back to the car after dinner,” says one respondent. If you’re uncertain, let her choose between a nightcap at your place or at a neutral location.

Wrong move:
I’m honest: I tell her I want to get closer to her, and that I don’t want the night to end. She’ll come if she’s willing.

4. You have five minutes to tidy up. Where to start?

Right move : I give my bathroom the once-over.
67% of women say - The cleanliness of your bathroom is paramount
Fact: “Once I’m at his house, I’m 75 per cent ready,” says one woman surveyed, “unless his bathroom is filthy.” “You should care enough to clean before she arrives,” says Mapes. Outside of your bathroom, make sure to point out photos of your travels or of family and friends. “They make you look warm and connected, not like the guy from American Psycho,” says DeZellar. They’re also conversation starters. One caveat: keep mom’s mug out of the bedroom.

Wrong move:
I make sure my bedroom looks inviting to her.
How to recover:
Bedroom looks more like a brothel? Keep it clean, not cocky. Ditch the rose petals and the phalanx of scented votives for one new candle. Anything more looks presumptuous.

5. When do you make your first move?
Right move : After we’ve had a chance to talk and relax a bit inside.
70% of women say - Let me have a chance to talk and relax first.
Fact: Only 22 per cent of the women we polled said they’d like your first move to be a spontaneous peck at the bar, at the restaurant, or even on your front steps. And “if you kiss me as soon as we walk in through the door, you’ll make me feel sleazy,” says one woman. Let the mood marinate for at least 15 minutes. “Treat her like a guest—offer her a drink and turn on some music or entertainment,” says Tiger. “You want the date vibes to transition naturally into hooking up.” While setting the mood, forgo the Sex Pistols for something mellow but passionate, such as Coldplay or U2. Researchers at Florida State University found that music can significantly decrease symptoms of stress; 54 per cent of women confirmed they’re charmed by the vanilla crooning of Mr Gwyneth Paltrow.

Wrong move:
As soon as we’re inside—in the lift or once we get in through the door.

6. How do you make the first move?

Right move : I nudge her playfully or touch her lightly—anything to spark physical contact.
38% of women say -  Make your move after our bodies have synced.
Fact: Planting the first kiss is a high-wire act. One warning sign she’s not ready to jump: “She’ll be chattering and desperately trying to fill the silences,” says DeZellar. “Your bodies should have a chance to synchronise. It can’t be a sneak attack.” If she’s seated, ask her to help you mix a drink or drop a dollop of syrup onto a sundae—anything to bring her upright and near. Stow the tongue helicopter: 61 per cent of women prefer a kiss that’s short and sweet. “Kiss gently around her mouth, face, neck and ears,” suggests Jennifer Worick, author of Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Dating and Sex. If she increases the intensity, follow her lead. 

Wrong move:
I crack a joke to disarm her.
How to recover:
What to do if you pick the wrong moment? Lend some levity to the situation: “Sorry, maybe that wasn’t the best time to maul you.” Nearly half of all the women said they’re up for another attempt, even if you chose a bad moment the first time.

7. Things are heating up. How do you know if she’s ready?

Right move : I follow her lead: If she moves her hands from safe places like my face or arms to underneath my clothing, then I do, too.
50% of women say - Pay  attention to my  passion levels. They're  your  traffic signals.
Fact: “Most women assume men have no problem going farther,” says Worick, “so they’ll make the move, if they’re comfortable.” Let the intensity escalate naturally, looking for subtle (or not-so-subtle) invitations. Firmer kisses and increasingly forceful caresses signal when she’s ready to speed up. Drive by her breasts or hips with your hands and gauge her reaction—if she tenses, shift into neutral; if she coos, hug the curves. Once you’ve crossed the equator—above or below the clothes—you have the green light to relocate to your bedroom. “Take her by the hand, pull her up and lead her there,” says Worick.

Wrong move:
I wait for her to tell me what to do; women shouldn’t be afraid to ask for what they want.

8. What’s your foreplay plan?

Right move : I spend time kissing her until she’s warmed up.
68% of women say - Warm me up slowly.
Fact: Intimate massages are passé. “It’s so transparent,” says Madison. “It’s obviously just a way to initiate contact and get into her pants.” The same goes for rose petals between the sheets or a sea of tea lights in the bedroom. “Women develop really sensitive radar for cheesiness,” says Tiger. Keep it simple: spend at least 10 minutes kissing and caressing before trying to rid her of those pesky clothes. Rub her body through the fabric and lightly graze your fingers along her breasts and thighs to build anticipation of what’s to come. The better you build her up now, the more passionate the payoff will be.

Wrong move:
I offer her a slow, sensual massage.

9. What’s the best way to start undressing a woman?
Right move : I prefer a spontaneous mix: maybe I take off her shirt, but I let her handle her shoes.
74% of women say - Quid pro quo - we'll help each other disrobe.
Fact: One-sided strip shows sacrifice the most automatic sort of foreplay: the slow reveal. “If a woman ends up naked too quickly, she suddenly feels vulnerable and awkward,” says Madison. Instead of fixating on her breasts or fumbling with her pants, divert your attention to underappreciated bare body parts. As you undress her, use your hands, then follow with your lips and tongue, lingering around hot spots like her neck, abdomen and inner thighs. “Make it into a teasing game,” says Worick. “Always touch her most sensitive parts last. And take the time to admire each layer of undress.

Wrong move:
I remove her clothes for her.
How to recover:
Halting the southern march of your hands or lips doesn’t mean she’s asking you to call off the entire campaign. “When things start quickly, there’s nowhere to go but, uh, down,” says Worick. So regroup. Turn down the intensity, then build back to sensual kissing and caressing.

10. How do you communicate during sex?

Right move : I pay close attention to her nonverbal feedback.
44% of women say - Pay attention to my body language.
Fact: Describing sexual wants and needs doesn’t come naturally to most people. Women don’t want to reveal their sexual fantasies the first time,” says Madison. More than 39 per cent of women, in fact, said too much talking was their biggest sexual turnoff. Instead, watch for signs of physical arousal, like groans or more forceful or faster body movements, to know when you’ve hit the spot.

Wrong move:
I ask her questions to make sure I’m pleasing her at all times.