DAY 34: still on conversations.
Spanish flavour.
Same exercise as yesterday but in a different mall.
Addressed issues:
- Inability to start and hold a conversation with strangers
- Linearity in conversations
Issues categories: 11-vt81510.html?postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=159
- LACK OF EXPERIENCE/SKILLS
- LACK OF CONSISTENCY
- LACK OF CONFIDENCE
Solution: approach.
Strategy:
After reflection, I'm not changing my toolbox. I'm keeping the "I'm looking for a scarf for my sister" opener. Yet, I thought about more elements to make the transition from the opener to a conversation:
- spontaneous remarks
- remarks on how she behaves (shy? smiling? laughing?...)
- introducing me
- new opener (use a new scripted conversation: "oh I also need a female opinion on something..."
Goals.
At the end of the day I want to have opened
3 sets (among which
1 non employee) with whom I
switched the conversation topic from the opener. I also have to remember the
color of her eyes (extra).
About approach anxiety.
I've read a great post from Rye Lee
approach-anticipation-excitement-vt35880.html about approach anxiety. From now on, I won't speak about
approach anxiety, but approach excitement. I do believe that naming this feeling in a more positive way will change the way I think about it and actually help me on appreciating it!
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I approached 11 sets today (with the scarf opener or not) at a mall and at the Galerie Lafayette.
Spanish cute girl.
Wow. She was the second set I opened. She worked at a clothes store and opened her with the scarf opener. She was an HB8,5 and she was HOT. I actually have some
approach excitement since she was my age and went for it.
ME - Hi.
HER - Hi.(again, I always wait for her to answer to my "hi" before asking anything, so I get her attention and eye contact.)
ME - I'm looking for a scarf like this one (showing mine) for my little sister. Do you have any of those?
HER - Yes... bla bla (she showed me some and I noticed a cuuuute accent)
ME - bla bla (scarf talk)
HER - bla bla (taking me to other scarfs)
ME - I like this one, let me see the price... bla bla.
HER - bla bla
ME - Is that a Spanish accent? (looking at her)
HER - Yes (suprised and shy

)
ME - Where do you come from? (in Spanish baby!)
HER - Hum Spain... hum I mean Seville (she was troubled by my eye contact and presence)
ME - You know what, I'm in looooove with Seville (looking at her beautiful eyes)
HER - ... sure, it's a wonderful city. (she was smiling as hell and still troubled by me)
We spoke about Spain and the place we've been to.
ME - What are you doing here?
She told me that she was studying engineering and worked at the store to enhance her French.
HER - What about you?
I told her that I was student and leaving for Brazil in one week. In the end, I thanked her and she replied a "It was nice to meet you". She was gorgeous.
=> That was a great 10 min interaction. Once again, I switched the conversation topic with a spontaneous remark (on her accent). Her eyes were light-green. I should have tried a #close, I thought about it. I have to work on my closing skills when I'll be good with conversation.
I opened several other sets with the same opener in other stores. I had a great body language, maintained eye-contact and smile. Even if I did not manage to switch the conversation topic, I was trying to be funnier and smiled a lot.
Pull and Bear's girl.
I went to a Pull and Bear store and did the same opener. A cute HB8,5 brunette helped me again. Again, I was really surprised by how she was willing to help me. She showed me the new collection they just received. I did not managed to switch the conversation topic but there was a little something clearly going on, but that was not verbal. I try to leave three times but she kept me on stage. I don't know if she was a really good seller (I told her I would check in other stores) or if she was interested in me. In the end, she asked me if I wanted her to save some scarfs for me, I told her it was not necessary since there were not on the shelfs (new collection) so noone would take them from me. She laughed.
=> I'm giving myself a half point for this interaction since we have a vibe going between us. Eye-color: brown.
Since I did almost all the girls stores, I took the train to the Galeries Lafayette (huge store with luxuray brands). I opened several HB9 (I think HB8,5 is the minimum to get hired :p) with the scarf opener. It was really harder to make them shy this time but I was really proud to look at them right in the eyes. Yet, the level was too high for me: HBs used to rich men wearing luxury brands... I was wearing Converse shoes.
Results.
1,5/3. I failed in approaching a non-employee HB.
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On the strategy.
- Empoyees are great to practice: there are a lot of them and I know where to find them but
I need to open non-employees if I really want to learn!
- I have to
overcome my hesitation on introducing myself! I should have befriended the Spanish cute girl!
- I need to have the reflex of
making a comment on how she behaves to switch topic on her: "oh you're nice/funny/... have you been working here for long?"
- I need
more openers in my toolbox.
In general.
- ALL ABOUT REPETITION: I was really comfortable at opening with this opener!
- ABUNDANCE: Two great opportunities in two days. I'm really starting to believe in the abundance thing!

- CONFIDENCE: I'm getting a load of confidence since I show to myself that I can go straight to a hot girl and speak to her in the eyes and actually make her shy!
- GETTING REFLEXES: I start to develop some reflexes: I let them break the weird silence, I wait for her to notice me when I say hi...
Next steps.
I still have to work on transition from the opener to conversation. In two days, I had two great opportunities to do a #close attempt. The next step will be to work on the closing skills. I'm
wasting too many opportunities. I'm going out tomorrow.
Questions to move on.
- What openers work well on street sets?
- How can I introduce myself smoothly? (knowing that shaking hands is not that common in France)
I AM LOVING THE GAME.