Perfect the 10-minute seduction

Many things run through a woman’s mind when you meet. Here’s how to go from “hello” to “oh my”.

Your approach 
Her brain quickly vets your height and facial symmetry the moment you meet. Now convince her of your character. Approach confidently; don’t pretend to bump into her. “Men tend to talk to each other at angles to avoid confrontation,” says Rutgers University anthropologist Helen Fisher, PhD, author of Why We Love. “But women face each other head-on and maintain eye contact.”

Your voice 
The most attractive women prefer deep-voiced men, according to a recent study by Scottish researchers. It suggests high testosterone levels, a sign of strength and reproductive prowess. Push out air with your diaphragm, not your throat. This lengthens the column of air moving past your vocal cords. “It’s like a built-in subwoofer,” says voice coach Joanne Joella.

Your icebreaker 
Say something that will draw out her details. “Your friends seem nice—how did you get to know them?” is a compliment and a window into her past. Forming a bond will release dopamine, a mood booster, in her brain. Show your interest with verbal nods of agreement, adds Alex Pentland, PhD, an MIT professor whose software assesses whether speed daters are feeling sparks.

Your body language 
Attraction causes couples to mirror each other’s body language. But don’t be overeager to connect. Stay relaxed and let her set the tone, says Lisa Clampett, founder of the Matchmaking Institute. Fidgeting conveys nervousness and triggers the release of stress chemicals in her brain. “Once she brushes your shoulder or thigh, reciprocate in a minute or two,” Fisher says. Or touch her inner forearm, a nerve-rich zone that will create sparks.

Your deal-closer 
If you’ve made the right sort of first impression, she might be wondering how you are in bed. “Consciously or not,” says Fisher, “she’s looking for signs that you’re patient and sensitive to the ways her body finds pleasure.” So talk her through the dessert options. Don’t handle the cutlery roughly. Call out the scent notes of a bottle of wine. Show refined tastes in these areas and she’ll suspect you have others worth exploring— back at her place.