Are you tired of women flaking out on you before and after a first date? This used to happen to me all the time. And I know millions of other online daters who experience the same problem. It’s time to put this in the past.

Learning how to master the art of “phone game” is critical to ensuring a woman never flakes out on you again. Phone game should be perceived as the metaphorical bridge between the online universe and the first meeting. One must learn how to cross that bridge without falling off. In addition, learning how to use the phone effectively will keep your comfort level high, while ensuring attraction levels soar to new heights. Here are three quick text-messaging secrets to live by:

 

1. Text first. Call second.

Women do not like to be caught off guard by a strange phone call. Receiving an unexpected call from a random number will catch women by surprise and make them nervous to pick up the phone. Remember, we are still online strangers at this point.

However, even if they call us back, the conversation might feel uncomfortable since comfort levels may have faded since the last online interaction. The solution? Send a text message first. Start a playful conversation to make your date laugh (I strongly advise using conversation seeds). After a few playful texts back and forth, eject from the conversation and tell your date you will call her later that night.

That way, she will not only feel more comfortable to pick up your call, but will be excited and looking forward to the interaction.

 

2. Every once in a while, take your time responding.

Think about a time in your life when you met someone you really liked and they took forever to get back to you. In those times, every minute feels like an hour. You start to doubt how much the person likes you. You become obsessed with when they will get back to you.

When you finally receive a response, you are beyond relieved. In fact, you may even feel as though you like the person even more than you initially did. Waiting a bit to respond gives your new love interest a chance to realize their feelings for you. People who are always there are boring and predictable. Everyone likes a little bit of a chase. So use texting to create some excitement!

Be sure to only take this advice once in a while. If you do it too often, you will just look socially awkward.  Women will eventually get bored, or frustrated, and move on.

 

3. Contact your date within 24 hours.

Online dating is an extremely competitive world. Other men will constantly be trying to steal away the woman you have been working so hard to connect with. The longer you go without contact, the greater the chance your future date will move on to the next best thing.

Comfort and attraction levels will fade quickly once we receive a phone number online (this happens because our interactions are nothing more than an email or so a day). Stay relevant by using the phone to your advantage and moving in for a date quickly!

Waiting two days or more to call a woman won’t make you look like you’re not desperate. This tactic is both cliché and predictable – and you don’t want to be either one.