As was alluded to above, it's difficult to know for sure, regardless of your screen name, what your actual gender is, so I will approach this from both perspectives. I hope this helps.
If you are male seeking female:
1. Bathing is always a first order of business. Do this before every date.
2. Consider hair maintenance of some sort (this includes orifices like ears and nostrils, as well as shaving and the application of brush or comb).
3. Make some effort not to talk about yourself constantly as this becomes irritating near the second and third hour of the date.
4. Expulsion of bodily fluids, gas and unexpected gutteral sounds is to be avoided at all times.
5. Ask her something about herself in the absence of all that talking about yourself: she will be shocked, and the unexpected nature of this sort of thing will throw her off her defenses.
6. Flowers are cliché, but, perhaps not a bad idea anyway.
7. Yes, you should pay: don't be cheap. Women, no matter what they say, like a man who can provide. Paying for dinner is the modern equivalent of chasing a mammoth off a cliff and cutting out it's heart for her to suck the juices from. Remember this.
8. Don't make up crap about yourself you think she wants to hear, like, "Oh yeah, I like Beethoven" if she has class and intellect, or "Oh yeah, I like Cradle of Filth" if she has tats and piercings as this sort of thing will always backfire.
9. If she has kids, ask about them and try to act like you don't think kids are annoying, no matter what you really think.
10. Pets... essentially the same rule as number 9.
11. If you are driving on the date, clean your car. You have zero chance of success if she has to deal with McDonalds cups and Taco Bell drive-through bags rustling and rolling around on the floor of your car.
11-1. Don't drive like an idiot: women are not impressed by your ability to aggressivly press one of two automobile control pedals with your foot. As cool as you think it is, it screams pathetic-ness to her.
12. No matter what you buy her or where you take her, she doesn't owe you sexual gratitude. Projecting any expectation on this idea will not only get you nothing tonight, it will virutally assure you nothing next time either (and probably no next time at all.)
If you are female seeking male:
1. Wear something low cut (or consider going topless).
2. Suggest doing something that includes beer.
Well, I believe these strategies guarantee you success. If not, well, you're probably not doing part of it right.
